# Less insulin or more food?



## runner (Mar 22, 2010)

Left my run too late after breakfast today.  Had less insulin to allow for run, and BS was very high when I got back (16 ) - guess carbs and insulin from breakfast had mainly gone from system?  Oh well, at least I'm running again!  Hope I haven't overdosed on the insulin with lunch to allow knock-on effect of excercise - isn't life complicated!

Do you adjust insulin down to allow for excercise, or eat extra carbs?  I'm trying to shift some winter weight too! Usually run about 1 - 2 hours after breakfast.


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## Lizzzie (Mar 22, 2010)

I cut right down to 2 units insulin and eat a tiny bit more than usual. Guess it's diferent for everyone... but i'm a very fast walker, not a runner. Keep trying to start running........


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## Red Pumper (Mar 23, 2010)

Whenever I exercise I tend to do a mixture of both.
Most of my exercise is day long hillwalking, so if  didn't adjust my insulin dosage I'd be eating all day long. Whereas if I lowered my insulin too much and ate as normal, I'd be expecting my body to do the extra exercise without any extra fuel. This may work for a short run but not for all day exercise.


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## runner (Mar 23, 2010)

That's interesting - hadn't thought about the needs of different types of sport so much.  I do know that swimming really draws on the carbs and insulin for me.


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## Red Pumper (Mar 23, 2010)

When I played 5-a-side or went running (run would only usually last half an hour) I would just eat something about half an hour before and that usually worked.
Now most of my exercise is of the hillwalking / cycling variety that tends to last all day.
Until recently I was on MDI therapy and if out hillwalking I leave my basal rates the same and just eat little and often during the day. As I don't have a lunch as such when I'm out on the hill, there was no need for me to bolus for lunch.
I've just recently moved over to a pump and I now tend to lower my basal rate to between 30-50% of my normal rate for the duration of the exercise depending on the anticipated intensity. I may also need to reduce by bolus ratio for the first meal that I have following the exercise. I'm still experimenting with this as yet.
I guess exercise is different for eah individual as each of us has different fitness levels and will therefore be affected to a greater or lesser extent by the exercise that we do.


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## Northerner (Mar 23, 2010)

I don't lower my insulin before the exercise, but reduce it for all meals afterwards as the exercise makes me more sensitive for about 40 hours afterwards (yes, it is complicated!).


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## runner (Mar 23, 2010)

Northerner said:


> I don't lower my insulin before the exercise, but reduce it for all meals afterwards as the exercise makes me more sensitive for about 40 hours afterwards (yes, it is complicated!).



That's quite a long knock-on effect, but I think you run a lot further and harder than me!  Haven't had to lower my basal as yet, which I did during pre-winter excercise, but I am getting better waking results.

Hope you manage to work out a workable regime Red, altho' I guess even that will change over time...


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## Red Pumper (Mar 24, 2010)

Thanks Runner,

I'm sure that for day long hilwalking reducing the basal, regular eating and little or no bolus is the way to go, it's just a case of getting the reduction correct.
Then there's the reduced bolus ratio and reduced basal afterwards when the body is recovering.
It will be interesting to see what happens when I'm away for a long weekend and have two days or more of consecutive walking. I'm guessing that the basal will have to be reduced further for the second day as the body has to cope with the exercise whilst also trying to replace it's energy stores.


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## runner (Mar 24, 2010)

Sometimes wonder if walking or swimming would be better than running, particularly as I already have some 'wear and tear' on knee joints.  My hairdresser and his wife go hillwalking in the Lakes and cycling locally, but it seems easier to find the time to run, and I originally did it to do the Race for Life.  Mind you, I'd have a bit of a problem hill walking in Norfolk 

Anyone else have joint problems but still run?  They don't play me up as such - just worrried about the effect of running on the wear and tear.


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