# Exercise for T1s



## imtrying (Nov 21, 2011)

Hiya everyone. I'm back for some more of your wonderful advice 

I have tonight joined the gym. The plan was sort out the carb-counting and my blood sugars first, and then try to add in exercising. 

I've belonged to gyms before, but I just used to skip my lunch time injection, go into the gym about 27mmols and then I'd be about 7mmols by the time I'd finished after an hour...and then normally hypo by the time I'd got home. Now I understand that I shouldn't be exercising with bloods over 14mmols...so I'm a little lost!!

I know I can go in at 14mmols and then consume calories to keep me up, BUT I'm going to the gym to LOSE weight...so I don't really want to be consuming more calories, rather than burning off the ones I've already eaten.

Has anyone got any advice on how I should start? I know this is going to be lots of trial and error, but I'm just not sure where to start! 

To give a better background picture, I work from 8.30 - 5.30. And I would not get home or to the gym until 7pm. So I won't (and can't) eat dinner before going (I know from experience I can't eat 2 hours before I exercise with cardio). 

Any ideas how I could manage this?

Thanks guys....just can't see any answers on my own!!

(I'm going to start with just cardio workouts while I start to lose weight, and also to try and work out my bloods, before introducing strengthening, which I know from experience increases my bloods and keeps them up for over 24 hours!!! 1 thing at a time!! lol)


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## Ellie Jones (Nov 21, 2011)

Sorry Katie can't help you with the gym (I'm not a gym person) but here's a site you might find helpful www.runsweet.com it's a sport site for diabetics so has a lot of information about doing lots of different sports..


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## Northerner (Nov 21, 2011)

What I did when I started out running again after diagnosis was test before setting off and make sure I was above, say 7, then test every 30 minutes. If my levels had risen I wouldn't do anything, but if they had started to drop towards 4s or 5s then have a jelly baby or two (depending on how low I had dropped). At the beginning, of course, I would be running for less than 30 minutes anyway as I had become totally unfit, so I would test at the end of the run. 

As it turned out I found that my levels didn't fluctuate much up to about 5 miles/45 minutes, then a jelly baby a mile kept my levels up. I've never been the kind of person whose levels drop to hypo with exercise - my hypos manifest themselves much later when I have to drop my post exercise insulin for meals (and possibly basal) and don't drop it sufficiently. I exercise 90 min-2hours after eating/injecting and usually after breakfast, so quite different to what you will be doing, but I hope this gives you some ideas  I learned a lot from the Diabetic Athlete's Handbook which you might find useful as it explains the science very well, and I find that understanding what might be happening is the best tool for getting things under control


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## trophywench (Nov 22, 2011)

Most gyms are quite up on diabetes these days.  For instance I went for my induction today and the first Q the instructor asked me was, do you want to put your meter - and what do you use, Lucozade tablets? - under the desk so we all know where they are?

So I'd say, if the instructor(s) know you are diabetic, and you are really 'going for it' then they might be expected to keep more of an eye on you? (whilst not accepting responsibility blah blah LOL)  Just stop, and test.  And react accordingly.

If you know it's gonna send you high, then why on earth would you start when you are 14?  The fact it is high already will definitely only send you higher.  And then you could have a crashing hypo later on.  Start off at a sensible BG level to begin with and maintain that, then you will have far less diabetic problems after.

And start off with a medium level and length of exercise.  Not 'go for it' right from the off.  That's daft.  It may 'waste' a few gym sessions whilst you are getting to grips with it, but so what?  (Marathon not sprint etc LOL)


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## Robster65 (Nov 22, 2011)

I think the key to exercising is to reduce your basal so you can still inject some bolus if needed and eat a small amount of 'top-up' as you exercise.

The book Alan suggests has some % adjustments for different types of exercise and additional carbs for duration.

Testing is definitely the key. Work with the trainers but remember you're in charge and need to find out what works for you. Also bear in mind your insulin needs will be lowered for a day or 2 afterwards.

Rob


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## Copepod (Nov 23, 2011)

Katie - how long are your gym sessions? how many days per week? 

I ask because for loosing weight / increasing metabolic rate, longer, less intense sessions are usually more effective than short sharp sessions. So, if you can add, say 30mins walking / cycling per day, that would have beneficial affect. 

Not sure if you've already been directed to www.runsweet.com but it's a great source of information about type 1 diabetes and all types of sport, not just running. 

Also, Exercise / Sport section of these boards, so I'm moving this thread there.


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## Nyadach (Dec 15, 2011)

Haven't seen the book, but will probably pick it up at some point as it looks interesting. But for myself and the biking have taken to preparation before doing a ride (70-80mile training rides currently). Night before I normally drop my lantus a couple of notches, and also make sure I have something that's pretty slow burning before bed like muesli or something. In the morning I will be usually after that around 9-10mmol, so in goes another bowl of muesli for the slow burning fuel and only take 1 unit of novorapid with it (normally on a 0.7:10g carb ratio on fast acting). But I normally run another lantus in the morning but I skip that when going for a ride. 

So off I run, normally then do a test at the start at about the 15-20, and 40 mile mark and usually getting back at first couple of stops I tend to keep in the 10mmol range. Usually around the 50+mile mark things usually start to collapse though and I usually begin to fall into the <6 etc so break into the lucozade tabs for the rest of the ride. Usually though they are slow acting, and nailing 3 and continuing to ride will have you in the <4 after the next 5 miles, but tend to find that once they get burning in can usually cope with the remaining 20-30mile with half a packet of them. Just keep on testing and if it begins to drop again keep popping them.

Interestingly though, have noticed that my legs seem to work at a much better efficiency when they are in the 7-8mmol range. Not sure if that's normal for everyone but did strike me as interesting, and tends to be a kind of goal of mine to keep it in those marks for better performance.


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## Copepod (Dec 15, 2011)

Nyadach - why not use what most long distance cyclists use, whether or not they have diabetes? - energy gels eg High 5, but many other brands are available and / or energy drinks - cheaper if you make your own by adding sugar / electrolyte tablets to water bottles than using ready made up drinks - both gels and drinks are easier to get down when cycling fast (or running or kayaking, in my experience, too).


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## Nyadach (Dec 15, 2011)

Mostly for convenience. A pack of lucozade tabs fits inside the Accu Chek pouch along with the strips, meter and stuff...which fits nicely into my jersey. Do sometimes carry liquid energy drinks depending on routes etc. as well but just depends on what's going on. The last gels I looked at where insane levels in the 30-50g of carbs which seemed to be over cooking it for me currently till I get my distances up. But am going to get enough to play with if/when I finally get a pump (that's a whole other horror story of PCTs).

When I did my race back in Sept I did only use liquid energy drinks. Although saying that even then it proved pretty pointless due to stopping for blood tests which you can't easily do on the fly. And while training for my longer distances stopping for a quick test/snack isn't that huge a problem.


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## imtrying (Jan 9, 2012)

Copepod said:


> Katie - how long are your gym sessions? how many days per week?
> 
> I ask because for loosing weight / increasing metabolic rate, longer, less intense sessions are usually more effective than short sharp sessions. So, if you can add, say 30mins walking / cycling per day, that would have beneficial affect.
> 
> ...



Hi, Really sorry, i didn't see all these replies until now....

I work out about 3 - 4 times a week. I am out the house for work for 12 hours a day, and the area isn't one I'd want to walk around so gym is the only option! Each gym session is a good hour. comprised of half an hour of weights, followed by half an hour of cardio.


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