# Exercise and Diabetes



## megga (Feb 17, 2013)

I have already posted about starting cycling, well yesterday i decided to push myself and do a 15 mile ride, might not seem much to some but it was full of hills (one neary 2 miles long, and that was an up hill) so alot of testing.
Posting this so others who start may find it of help.

Before setting of 10am b/s was 9 so took 10 grams carbs for the ride
5 miles in and 1/2 hour later b/s 4.8 two dextrose tablets and another 10 grams
another 5 miles and again b/s 4.7 so took 3 dextrose tablets and  10 grams carbs
Decided after that i would go home, 
at home 1/12 hours after starting  my b/s was 4.2 but i left it, tested after 1/2 hour and i was up to 5, shower changed and then of for a walk in to town, the next 3 hours my b/s went up to 10.8 12.3 and then 11.2 and each time i took insulin, a total of 5 units, dinner time my b/s was at a very respectable 5.5

So after getting my b/s under control, i now have to try and do the same with exercise. I think the carbs i am eating may be taking too long to act, so i need somthing with a bit higher GI.
The carbs i ate were
Before i set of dark Chocklate
and whilst cycling Go Ahead biscuits
The dextrose tablets are lucozade, 3 tablets = 10 grams.

I understand that the liver send some glucose out to help repair the body and thats why my b/s stayed high, but i just have to work at it a bit more.


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## Northerner (Feb 17, 2013)

I have found that, whilst out running, I need to top up with a jelly baby every couple of miles after the first 5 miles  One tip I learned about keeping down post-exercise highs was to have a small amount of fast-acting carbs on finishing the exercise (no insulin). Sounds counter-intuitive, but what happens is that the muscles, which have been depleted of glycogen, rebuild their glycogen stores from the blood. If your blood sugar is too low on finishing then your liver will release extra glucose to replenish the muscles - but if you're diabetic then the mechanism doesn't work very efficiently and it can overdo it and send you high. Seems to work for me (when I remmeber to do it!) 

Well done on your bike ride and keeping pace with your levels without going hypo!


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## megga (Feb 17, 2013)

Well spoke to quickly, went out today, 7.9 starting, 10 grams carbs, 25 mins later after stopping at the very big hill i still cant conquer, 3/4 the way up i stopp and thought would be a good time to check, 3.1  so i took 20 grams of dextrose and 20 grams normal, took 10 mins to kick in, it anoyed me as i just wanted to carry on, when my b/s went up to 4.5 (i know its still a bit too low) i went on, after 8 miles, i had to stop at red lights, and tested, 4.2, so i had some more dextrose and went home, not happy as i wanted at least a 15 mile ride. But thinking about it, the normal (mid range GI) carbs are not what i need.
So just been to boots and got some Glucose C, stick that in my bottle and just keep sipping it, see how i go with that.
As for jelly babies, they are a weekness that i just cant fight, and the whole pack would be consumed in record time.
Will try the fast acting carbs when i finish, it does make sense when you think about it.


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## Northerner (Feb 17, 2013)

If you took the dextrose and normal carbs at the same time then the dextrose wouldn't have acted as quickly, as it wouldn't have reached the gut as quickly. All good experience and lessons learned! I look forward to hearing about you conquering that hill!


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## trophywench (Feb 17, 2013)

I vote for a bottle of Lucozade which you can swig without stopping as aften as you like given one of those proper bottles with the straw.

When you stop to test then take on 'eaten' carb - and chocolate AIN'T on the menu at all.  How about summat with dried fruit in it?  Or, just dried fruit?


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## megga (Feb 17, 2013)

Not of untill Wednesday, so will have another go then. Like the sound of a handle mounted drinks bottle holder, but my gear leavers and my computer are on the drop handle bars, so not much room.
Never thought about taking quick acting with slow carbs before, so will give try and seperate them. Well it aint gonna beat me, and that hill will become a piece of cake (albeit sugar free cake)

Thankes for the advice


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## megga (Feb 18, 2013)

As i am trying to loose weight as well as get fit, i am a bit concerned that i am eating carbs and cals to do it, EG: yesterday when i went out i burned 291 cals on my bike ride but took on 246 to do the ride, this has to be counter productive, or am i looking at things wrong? Does my nut it when none diabetics just dont bother and what we have to go through


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## Northerner (Feb 18, 2013)

megga said:


> As i am trying to loose weight as well as get fit, i am a bit concerned that i am eating carbs and cals to do it, EG: yesterday when i went out i burned 291 cals on my bike ride but took on 246 to do the ride, this has to be counter productive, or am i looking at things wrong? Does my nut it when none diabetics just dont bother and what we have to go through



Don't worry, you will continue to burn calories long after the actual period of effort, if you make the exercise a regular part of your routine. So, although the actual bike ride may seem to match the carbs consumed in terms of calories expended, it's only part of the story. building and toning muscle will improve your metabolism, and the increased insulin sensitivity will mean less insulin required to keep your blood sugars under control - which again means less likelihood of weight gain


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## Dory (Feb 20, 2013)

Northerner,

thanks for the tip about fast acting carbs at the end of activity - that's something I'm finding is occurring and it's annoying me!

How much do you have and what (if you say jelly babies I will cringe  !) - if you have fast acting I could easily take a persimmon or two, or some grapes.


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## Northerner (Feb 20, 2013)

Dory said:


> Northerner,
> 
> thanks for the tip about fast acting carbs at the end of activity - that's something I'm finding is occurring and it's annoying me!
> 
> How much do you have and what (if you say jelly babies I will cringe  !) - if you have fast acting I could easily take a persimmon or two, or some grapes.



I usually have a small glass of cranberry juice  Or a Belvita biscuit, so around 8-15g carbs.


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## Dory (Feb 20, 2013)

hmm, so something that gets into system fairly quickly.....so my persimmons could do (they're 13g CHO at the current size)?


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## Northerner (Feb 20, 2013)

Dory said:


> hmm, so something that gets into system fairly quickly.....so my persimmons could do (they're 13g CHO at the current size)?



I don't think it matters particularly about speed - the cranberry is fairly swift, but the Belvita is quite slow. I think it's just having a little something which prompts the liver to switch off. So I would try the persimmons and see what happens!


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## Dory (Feb 20, 2013)

thank you! will do!


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## megga (Feb 20, 2013)

Well made up 50grams of glucoseC and took some dried fruit (Thatks for that tip Trophy) took less insulin for my breakfast, and waited, my b/s went up to 12, bit high for my liking, so took 1/2 unit, and went of, every so often i took a swig, around 4 miles, stopped took my blood, 8.4 so a few bits of dried fruit and a drink, then on to the big hill, paced myself and made it so instead of finishing, i went on to do anothe 50% and all the way round my blood stayed in the 8's.
When i got home i was so pleased, i took my dog out for a good walk (another 1 1/2 hours) but after the walk instead of my b/s going up they started dropping, and i have managed to keep the around 5 all day


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## Northerner (Feb 20, 2013)

megga said:


> Well made up 50grams of glucoseC and took some dried fruit (Thatks for that tip Trophy) took less insulin for my breakfast, and waited, my b/s went up to 12, bit high for my liking, so took 1/2 unit, and went of, every so often i took a swig, around 4 miles, stopped took my blood, 8.4 so a few bits of dried fruit and a drink, then on to the big hill, paced myself and made it so instead of finishing, i went on to do anothe 50% and all the way round my blood stayed in the 8's.
> When i got home i was so pleased, i took my dog out for a good walk (another 1 1/2 hours) but after the walk instead of my b/s going up they started dropping, and i have managed to keep the around 5 all day



Sounds good megga! Well done!


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## Dory (Feb 21, 2013)

well done megga!


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## Dory (Feb 26, 2013)

Oh dear Northerner.....it would appear what works for you doesn't work for me at all!

16.30 - post lunch - 9.7
18.30 - pre 1st cardio class - 9.7 - had an Alpen bar and an apple (without bolusing) and set a TBR of 50% reduction to cover through all classes (until 21.30)
19.30 - post 1st class - 8.2
21.00 - post 2nd toning class - 8.4

PERFECT!  I thought.  Had a banana as per your suggestion, didn't bolus.....

checked reading before bed at 23.30......16.5  

not thinking properly, the meter suggested a correction of 6.6 which I just accepted (rather than remembering that peaks from high sugar foods like bananas leave my system a few hours later + delayed effects of exercise lower my bG hours later) so I woke up at 6.30 this morning with a scary 2.6 - took 30 minutes to get up (which resulted in a reading of 11.0 half hour later later and then me crashing again at 9.00 with a reading of 4.7).  Still working on trying to stop the yo-yoing now, well into working day... 

Hey ho, you live and learn.  Are you on a pump or MDIs?  I was thinking last night that may be why things were so different for us.....


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## megga (Feb 26, 2013)

And just to thow a spanner in the works, when i went out on the bike (Sunday) i forgot to reduce my basel (normaly reduce it by 80%) but my  blood sugars stayed quite even this has totaly thrown me as on a reduction i normaly have to have more carbs. Just when you think your understanding diabetes, it starts to mis behave.


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## Dory (Feb 26, 2013)

diabetes: the petulant child!!


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