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During which types of exercise do you feel most confident in your ability to maintain comfortable blood glucose levels?
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Outdoor bicycling
If I don’t have IOB, I do pretty well with any of the types of exercise/activity I do. If I do have IOB, activity seems to make it go into overdrive, so I have to be careful about lows.
I say confident in a few things but ONLY if I have food with me. One time many years ago when a newbie, on vacation in Caribbean, I got on a bus tour and had no food and panicked a little. I felt myself going low. When the bus stopped, they had juice cups waiting for us! That was God intervening because we took many excursions on that trip and nowhere else did that happen.
Outdoor cycling, canoeing.
The type of exercise that is most difficult to maintain proper glucose levels is swimming.
I find that working out first thing in the morning helps prevent lows – no extra IOB, and the exercise usually counteracts any early morning spikes in my BG. Sometimes after strength training I do have to give a little bolus to prevent post-exercise hypers.
For me it’s less about the type of activity, it’s about the pre-planning and reduction of basal and/or bolus in advance of the exercise activity. Unless I’m weight lifting – the anaaerobic activity will balance out my going low – or require some insulin.
I agree with the Pre planning needed for any exercise. I need to plan at least an hour ahead. I hate that I cannot spontaneously exercise.
It takes different approaches for each type of exercise and the ability to reduce IOB ahead of time as well as make adjustments during and after exercise. Being flexible and prepared makes all types of exercise manageable, but it is one of the most difficult things to do with t1d.
I have an adult tricycle which is perfect for outdoor exercise. However, moderately paced walking is good for the bones. I always carry my Jitterbug flip phone, reader for the Abbot Freestyle Libre, and candy just in case.
an avid all year outdoor cyclist, yes, with snow / ice / rain , avg 10,000 per year. Now, take into account winds & elevation alterations it takes effort to maintain great trend lines, here is where a CGM pays huge dividends
Bicycling and hiking
After a substantial breakfast of fruit, cottage cheese, two freezer waffles, and coffee, I can run around the pool and lift weights easily for an hour. A handful of nuts if I get hungry, and I can add a 2-3 mile walk in the late afternoon. I don’t ever eat lunch. I have lost 25 lbs and kept it off , while maintaining balanced blood sugars and an A1c under 7.
I set my Tandem pump to exercise when I go to the gym and only stay about an hour. I check that BG is high first and do always carry glucose tablets. If I work in the yard collecting sticks or pulling weeds it is worse. I do go low and have to stop. Long ago I discovered that just putting my hands on a lawn mower causes a low BG.
None. Absolutely none. Not scared, but just not confident.
All forms cause me to crash. The effects last for days.
I eat a snack when I exercise, which keeps me level. I hate adding more carbs to my diet, but I know the exercise benefits me in so many ways. My heart, deep breathing, metabolism, flexibility and energy level are all affected.
I enjoy many types of activities/exercise. I think I am more afraid of the consequences of high blood sugar tan I am of going low. I carbs with with at all times and wear a cgm. Besides I like being active- hiking, biking, walking, wood working, yard work and more. I enjoyed running for many years until I broke my neck in 5 places- 300+ races and 40,000+ miles. I am recovered from my accident but have some nerve damage in one leg.
Flat water kayaking. But, like anything else to do with T1D it’s really all a crap shoot.
“Most confident” is a definite exaggeration. Aside from walking up and down two flights of stairs multiple times on a daily basis from our second floor apartment, my primary exercise/activity is walking/bending/kneeling on photoshoots in neighborhood/Madison parks, Olbrich Botanical Gardens and weekly farmers’ markets. Even though I’m not walking fast during the two to three hour shoot, all of the positioning I’m doing to capture the images I’m after does lower my glucose level. My camera bag and pockets are always filled with fast acting carbs, just in case.
Any exercise I can get lows but if I have no extra insulin on board I am more likely not to go low or be able to treat with small amounts of carb.
I’ve been golfing for over 40 years. I 7sed to get lows a lot. I just bring a Coke with me. It’s better since I’m using a CGM.
Creative movement stretch and dance. I can pace myself without getting overworked.
Skiing
I clean the house the one we live in gets so dusty that have to clean everyday or your house looks really bad
My answer is none of these exercises if I want to maintain a normal blood sugar level. With my Tandem pump I can sit and do very little all day and keep a pretty straight line. But if I eat I must get up and walk it off or if I exercise and then eat the roller coaster begins.
Almost any physical activity helps me and gets me off my butt.
Any exercise or activity I know must have snacks handy, check glucose before I start, during water breaks. So automatic for me.
I play Pickleball for 1-2 hours and try not to have any IOB.
any bit of exercise makes me drop like a rock but could be hours later and sometimes for 2 days after
Long distance outdoor cycling – 50 miles or more
I have found that all these activities will lower my blood sugar if I do not Temp Target my pump 30 minutes before activity.