Everytime I work out I go low, then have to eat somthing, what cancels out all the exercise I just did, like come on, whats the point..? ._. I drink orange juice before I work out still go low, so the next day I tryed a banana and orange juice STILL went low, low as in 50-80...
Anthony, how long do your workouts last? You might try eating some protein with those carbs, so that they will digest slower and last a bit longer. Try some crackers and peanut butter, or a glass of milk with the banana. I usually have to do that, plus turn down my basal rate on my pump for a while before I exercise to avoid lows.
Good luck!
What Kim said.
High Intensity (anaerobic) exercises will typically cause a spike in your blood sugar. If this happens, then you should correct with half the amount you normally would, since your body is really just reacting to adrenaline/hormones produced as a result of your putting foot to ass. :)
Contrarily, aerobic exercises (running for long periods of time) can cause your glucose to go low. Your insulin sensitivity increases with exercise, so if you have insulin on board from an earlier bolus, you might want to keep a close tab on your sugar while you exercise, or eat a power bar or something carby during the workout so you stay about even.
If I know the workout is going to be a killer (high-intensity), I will give myself a 1-2 unit bolus before we start the session so that when it spikes at the end, it won't go super high.
Example...last night before our workout (we do structural exercises followed by a metabolic conditioning) my glucose was about 113. The structural exercise was just 5x1 of low bar back squat so the intensity wasn't really there as you were pushing yourself intermittently. Still checked the BG after the squats and I was at 129...not much change.
Our MetCon was another story.
5 Rounds of 3 minutes each doing the following as many times as possible in those 3 mins:
3 power cleans @ 135lbs
6 push ups
9 air squats
1 min rest between rounds.
So all together, about 20 minutes of high intensity stuff...my glucose was 240 when I got home...couldn't test directly after since the sweat was running down my arms and would have ruined the sample.
/Cool story bro
But yeah, long story short, exercise will affect your glucose, and you aren't canceling any gains you've made if you eat afterward. As long as you aren't ordering a "Baconator" or whatever when you finish, you will be fine. Your body needs proteins/fats to use for energy to rebuild the muscle and help you gain strength.
Pat,
Awesome write-up - thank you!
As one last tip, when sweating like crazy, I have found the following works:
grab towel and paper towel- sit on floor - prop elbow on knee and dry elevated hand - use dried hand to get test strip out (or have one out waiting) and plug into meter - re-dry elevated hand - finger stick (dried hand) - bleed - wipe with paper toel- push for second round of blood - apply sample to strip - get reading
Of course - I can TOTALLY understand just waiting 'til you cool down, too - LOL ;)
Cheers!
A-D
I also find that totally frustrating to do a great workout and then have to eat lots of sugar to correct a low! But, even with those extra calories, building muscles is still good for you!
The one additional thing I do that wasn't mentioned is try to exercise at the same time everyday. So, I work out during my son's nap time after lunch (which I should be heading to do right now, lol), so I always use less insulin before lunch, knowing I'll be working out an hour after lunch.
I do work out around the same time, like everyday between 6PM-10PM... 2 far apart? I go when my sister gets out of work what is at 6PM-10PM then I go walking with her around this track, we do 2 miles then we come home I do 40 sit ups, (She does 60) Then I do push ups intill I cant any more, what is allways around 25-35 (one time I got up to 43 :D) and then we do these squat things (20 of them) The one of us take a shower then lye down and relax! lol, 2 much of a work out...?
Anthony ,
For a snack before your workout have you tried an Extend Bar, they are made for ppl with diabetes and provide a good carb base for working out and they are also good for betime snacks. They are sugar free, low glycemic index and gluten free.
They have bars, shakes and other snacks all developed for diabetics. You can google them or they have a page on facebook as well, and you can order all their stuff online if it isn't avaliable at your local pharmacy.
But I would try these with all the advice the others have provided as I don't workout like you but I use these bars alot and since I have found them I love them.
[quote user="CJ"]
Extend Bar,
They have bars, shakes and other snacks all developed for diabetics. You can google them or they have a page on facebook as well, and you can order all their stuff online if it isn't avaliable at your local pharmacy.
But I would try these with all the advice the others have provided as I don't workout like you but I use these bars alot and since I have found them I love them.
[/quote]
Never herd of that... and I cant order things online and my dad dont order things online ._.
Anthony,
I know my dietian gave me a sample of one of the choclate delight bars and I thought it tasted like a choclate rice krispy bar for diabetics. Ask your pharmacy if they carry them or can order them for you. It might be an option cause like you I don't order things online so I asked my pharmacy and they were happy to order them for me. Just a thought!!!
Thanks CJ ill ask next time I go pick up strips or insulin or somthing.
If I'm going to work out, I take less insulin in the last dose before I go sometimes. So if I'm going to run at 3:00, for lunch instead of taking 7 R I'll take like 5R. Seeing how you're always going low, maybe you got a little too much insulin working in there.
Just an idea that works for me.