Exercise

Type 1 and LADA
1

Hey Everyone-

I have a question about exercising. My workouts generally include 1 mile run warm-up followed by an hour of weights. Sometimes my sugar stays relatively stable and sometimes no matter how much work I’ve done beforehand, it’s a steady plummet. So, in general:

  1. is there anything you recommend eating before you begin working out?
  2. do you go on a temp basal setting? if so, how long before and after your work-out are you on it? (I have the Paradigm 722)

I know that everyone is different, so what works for you might not work for me, and vice-versa. I’m just trying to see what people are trying out.

Thanks!

2

I use the method described by Dave, but also give the missed basal as a bolus when I finish, as I tend to go high after exercise if I don’t do that. I also usually bolus for breakfast then (because i exercise before breakfast).

I do mostly cardio-- so I’m not sure how much you will need to adjust your basal for weights.

If you find the right way to adjust your basal, you should not need to eat in order to exercise. This is one of the huge advantages of the pump in my opinion. I do not eat for exercise (unless I go low, which rarely happens using this method).

3

Yeah, what Dave and Kristin said.

If you’re reducing your basal, do it one to two hours before you start exercising. It takes about that long (closer to two hours) for the insulin to peak in your system. I time my temp basal to end at the same time as my exercising ends. If, for some reason, you don’t actually get to exercise after you’ve set your temp basal, just stay on top of your BG and make it up with a correction bolus. It happens.

I usually eat before a work out and I start with an elevated blood sugar if possible, between 150 to 200 depending on what I’m going to do. I tend to eat a light sandwich and a piece of fruit - about 30 to 45 grams of carbs. If I bolus at all, I reduce it by 1 unit for each 30 minutes of planned exercise. Always carry a monitor with you (I recommend the One-Touch Mini) as well as fast acting carbs like candy, glucotabs or sports gels. For longer workouts, e.g. long runs of one hour or more, be prepared to carb up during your run.

I know, for instance, that if I’ve been running for 30 minutes and my BG is 112, I’m on the way down and I’m going to crash soon. I take three glucotabs (4g each - 30 BG points, for me). I try to test every 30 minutes during exercise.

Unlike Kristin, I don’t do a ‘make up’ bolus for the missing basal on the theory that the exercise has done the job of helping me absorb any excess glucose.

Trial and error, experiment, ymmv . . . yadda, yadda, yadda.

Good luck,

Terry

(Excellent advice on this topic is available in “The Diabetic Athlete” by Sheri Colberg and “Pumping Insulin” by John Walsh.)

4

I drop really fast from exercise and tend to do more distance stuff so I usually make sure I am fairly high or have reduced my basal long enough before so I can handle longer times. The other week I knew I would be going out for an hour jog so I let myself get to 365 (it takes me getting pretty high for pretty long to spill ketones) and I was 100 by the end. if I am higher and have taken less of a basal, I will usually give myself a little bolus 15 min before I finish, then immediately do a correction when I finish. Harder to do when you are lap swimming, but otherwise it is what I have found to work for me. I did a 55 mile bike ride the other week (training for a 100 mile ride!) and am training for my 2nd triathalon in October. For longer bike rides, I don’t worry about getting too high because I can drink Gatoraid during the ride… ahhh all the details can be freaking annoying to handle but it is worth it.

5

Thanks for the tips everyone. I’m trying to piece together how to get myself on the right path. Nothing “kills” me more than having to stop exercise to treat a low. I’m currently trying the halving my basal rate two hours before (with some success) and tomorrow I’m going to try halving my bolus on breakfast (I work out in the late morning).

I’ll let you know how it goes, I guess.

Also:

Hilariously (and helpfully) enough, diabetes mine has a really good .

Thanks again!