The following Questions are taken From: DiabeticConnect.com – Jan 13th 2015 – Diabetes and Exercise – #DCDE Twitter Chat that took place. I’ve added my own answers to the Questions as well.
Q1 – What are your primary motivations to exercise?
Mostly to stay in shape for myself and to help with my glucose control
Q2 – Do you ever use diabetes as an excuse to skip exercise? Why?
No, never understood using a medical condition as an excuse not to do something. But maybe that’s because my mom never allowed me to use anything that I was born with as a excuse not to be active unless it truly was an actual limiting reason for not being.
Q3 – What safety precautions do you practice when exercising with diabetes? Is it different for type 1 and type 2?
I always check my glucose levels before I start working out and I’ve also learned that if I’m feeling funny during a work out that I need to stop and check regardless of where I am because its very much possible that I’m going hypo and i’m low enough that it could be a issue.
I assume that both T1 and T2s need to check their levels before working out and after to make sure they are safe and treat anything accordantly upon finding out their levels.
Q4 – What is your preferred type of exercise?
Given a choice I love the Elliptical and Treadmill but since neither are a current option Riding the stationary bike or going for long walks with my mate are my options for working out.
Q5 – What do you attribute your high and low blood sugars to when exercising?
Not had any highs of late from working out so no idea about that side of thing, only thing i do know is that I currently crash when I’m working out if I don’t watch it (30 min on the stationary bio and i’m going from 7 to 2.8 – which is something until the past year I’ve not had that issue with but now do which is annoying).
Q6 – What advice has your healthcare provider given you for diabetes management and exercise?
Nothing, my endo hasn’t said anything about it, I’ve asked and been told that I just been to be aware of what’s going no, no treatment options, nothing to look for etc its all been on my own head to figure out what is right for me to do.
Q7 – How do you balance your food and medication with exercise to avoid blood sugar highs and low?
Still trying to figure that one out when it comes to going low while working out, since I can have a well balanced meal high in protein and still crash.