# Joined the gym.. what to eat before?



## cr1979 (Apr 6, 2022)

Hey guys!

i've rejoined the gym, and im starting tonight. I'm looking for ideas on what to eat before hand to make sure that I have the energy etc. I would have had some greek yoghurt and a banana before... HELP!!


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## helli (Apr 6, 2022)

Why do you think you need to eat anything? 
We are all different and we do different exercise but unless you are on insulin which may drop your blood sugar levels, I would not bother eating anything before the gym.
You can then get a feeling for what *you *need for *your *exercise and try something next time if you feel you need it.

Personally, I find eating before a workout makes me feel sluggish but I feel famished when I finish.


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## cr1979 (Apr 6, 2022)

helli said:


> Why do you think you need to eat anything?
> We are all different and we do different exercise but unless you are on insulin which may drop your blood sugar levels, I would not bother eating anything before the gym.
> You can then get a feeling for what *you *need for *your *exercise and try something next time if you feel you need it.
> 
> Personally, I find eating before a workout makes me feel sluggish but I feel famished when I finish.


Yeah I was thinking ill maybe just have a banana and some yoghurt and feel it out. Cheers!


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## helli (Apr 6, 2022)

cr1979 said:


> Yeah I was thinking ill maybe just have a banana and some yoghurt and feel it out. Cheers!


I am not sure what it is like for someone with type 2 but, with Type 1 we are advised not to exercise if our levels are too high. It can result in causing extra strain and our levels rising further. 
For that reason, I would be nervous about eating something high carb such as a banana before exercising. 

I don't know what exercise you plan to do but, bear in mind, resistance training such as weights may cause your levels to go up whereas cardio, typically has the opposite effect.


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## Felinia (Apr 6, 2022)

I have never been able to eat before exercise, so I have a protein drink - half before and half after.


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## travellor (Apr 6, 2022)

As a type 2, when I was, it made no difference.
Eat stodgy food, eat protein, don't eat, it depended on the type of exercise, and if it made you feel sick if you did, or if you hit the wall if you didn't.
Personally, from what you said you eat, it's a mix of fat, carbs, and a bit of protein, that'll slow the carb release anyway, so stick with it.


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## Wheelz (Apr 6, 2022)

Are you on insulin? If not, don't worry. If you are on insulin then the advice given to me (on here) was weak juice (not sugar free) to top your sugars up slowly as you exercise. 
I've been carrying peanuts lately, only 16g carbs per 100g, but enough to nibble a few when I'm on my adventures.
My sugars plummeted after an hour of cardio last week, from 6.4 to 3.7 but as others have said, everyone is different. I can't even guarantee that cardio was the full reason my sugars dropped so low, there's many other factors that can affect your blood sugars. Like today, I've just got back from 5 miles at Derwent Reservoir & my sugars have been in the 5s all day with the help of the aforementioned peanuts.


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## Drummer (Apr 6, 2022)

If you are type two then you night be best not eating - we do not need to replenish glucose stores, in fact, I suspect that an ordinary type two has glucose stores rammed full and allowing exercise to draw out glucose is a good thing - it has certainly sorted me out. I only eat twice a day, and my first meal these days is rather small.
It has never made sense to me to be constantly topping up 'for energy' when at a pinch we could treck for three days to reach safety with our liver breaking down fat along the way to keep us going. That is how we work.


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## Wheelz (Apr 6, 2022)

Drummer said:


> If you are type two then you night be best not eating - we do not need to replenish glucose stores, in fact, I suspect that an ordinary type two has glucose stores rammed full and allowing exercise to draw out glucose is a good thing - it has certainly sorted me out. I only eat twice a day, and my first meal these days is rather small.
> It has never made sense to me to be constantly topping up 'for energy' when at a pinch we could treck for three days to reach safety with our liver breaking down fat along the way to keep us going. That is how we work.


I'm T2 & on insulin and my sugars plummet if I don't refuel during exercise.


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## Drummer (Apr 6, 2022)

Wheelz said:


> I'm T2 & on insulin and my sugars plummet if I don't refuel during exercise.


Ah - not an ordinary type two as I think of them then - do you reduce the insulin on gym days? That would seem to be obvious, but some people are instructed not to even thing about altering anything.


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## Wheelz (Apr 6, 2022)

Drummer said:


> Ah - not an ordinary type two as I think of them then - do you reduce the insulin on gym days? That would seem to be obvious, but some people are instructed not to even thing about altering anything.


Yes, I do seem to be an oddball T2. Not overweight & quite active. I was initially diagnosed T1.
I've just started working on my fitness, I'm already pretty strong being a wheelchair user but my cardio could do with improvement. 
I'm pretty sure I'll have to lower my basal as my fitness improves, but for the meantime I'm just keeping myself topped up. 
My Doctor & diabetes nurses know that even if they did instruct me not to alter anything, I'd ignore them. I've been on insulin since diagnosis so I've pretty much got it down to a tee.


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## Drummer (Apr 7, 2022)

Wheelz said:


> Yes, I do seem to be an oddball T2. Not overweight & quite active. I was initially diagnosed T1.
> I've just started working on my fitness, I'm already pretty strong being a wheelchair user but my cardio could do with improvement.
> I'm pretty sure I'll have to lower my basal as my fitness improves, but for the meantime I'm just keeping myself topped up.
> My Doctor & diabetes nurses know that even if they did instruct me not to alter anything, I'd ignore them. I've been on insulin since diagnosis so I've pretty much got it down to a tee.


Hmm. Topping up with carbs is often what type twos are often accused of in order to give themselves diabetes. I have learned to smile, raise my eyebrows and say nothing. I'm sure they will eventually get the message, but maybe not in my lifetime.


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## Wheelz (Apr 7, 2022)

Drummer said:


> Hmm. Topping up with carbs is often what type twos are often accused of in order to give themselves diabetes. I have learned to smile, raise my eyebrows and say nothing. I'm sure they will eventually get the message, but maybe not in my lifetime.


Sorry, what I meant by "topping up" was nibbling a few peanuts (around 50g = 8g of carbs) during my cardio exercise/adventures. If I were to eat even 8g of carbs without exercise or insulin, my sugars would rocket. Yesterday at Derwent Reservoir I ate around 50g of peanuts in around 5 miles. My sugars were 5.1 when I set off & 5.5 on my return to the car. I actually went for a coffee before I drove home because I was convinced my sugars were going to drop further (they didn't).


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