For diabetes sufferers.....

[BoB/335]

Hey John,

Sorry if I came off a little hard. It's good that you are taking a pro-active approach with your Diabetes. I go to a support group and I feel most people take this thing way too lightly (as I once did also) so may be why I come down a little tough.

Get the book The Low GI Handbook. It will teach you a LOT about the foods you eat. (One thing I learned, for instance, is that one of my favorite breakfast cereals "was" Crispix as it read 0 sugar on the box. Turns out this is one of the HIGHEST cereals listed for the Glycemic Index.)

Exercise a MINIMUM of 30 minutes 5 times per week with an elevated heart rate. (30 minutes of cardio plus 15 minutes of resitance training of a different body part each day would be superb)

Continue dropping weight. You mentioned 10 lbs. I think you have more to go.

Doing cardio for 30 minutes at a time will put your body into burn mode for hours after you finish. There is nothing better for raising your good cholesterol. This and losing weight will also get your blood pressure under control.

As you read the Low GI Handbook, also look for info on cholesterol lowering foods. Food and exercise are the ways to beat not only your diabetes, but also your cholesterol and blood pressure (although your body may be making too much cholesterol that you might not be able to correct without meds)

Best of luck to you. I'll be 55, 6'2" and 200lbs looking to get back down to 196. I have put on some muscle in the past 4 months so I don't know if I can get back down below 195. My cholesterol came down significantly once I started exercising seriously. "Moderate" exercise can mean so many things to so many people. It's a term that we "use" to make the MINIMUM effort when we who have problems need to make the maximum effort. Turn it up a notch and see what happens.

[bepah]

Hey John,

Sorry if I came off a little hard. It's good that you are taking a pro-active approach with your Diabetes. I go to a support group and I feel most people take this thing way too lightly (as I once did also) so may be why I come down a little tough.

Get the book The Low GI Handbook. It will teach you a LOT about the foods you eat. (One thing I learned, for instance, is that one of my favorite breakfast cereals "was" Crispix as it read 0 sugar on the box. Turns out this is one of the HIGHEST cereals listed for the Glycemic Index.)

Exercise a MINIMUM of 30 minutes 5 times per week with an elevated heart rate. (30 minutes of cardio plus 15 minutes of resitance training of a different body part each day would be superb)

Continue dropping weight. You mentioned 10 lbs. I think you have more to go.

Doing cardio for 30 minutes at a time will put your body into burn mode for hours after you finish. There is nothing better for raising your good cholesterol. This and losing weight will also get your blood pressure under control.

As you read the Low GI Handbook, also look for info on cholesterol lowering foods. Food and exercise are the ways to beat not only your diabetes, but also your cholesterol and blood pressure (although your body may be making too much cholesterol that you might not be able to correct without meds)

Best of luck to you. I'll be 55, 6'2" and 200lbs looking to get back down to 196. I have put on some muscle in the past 4 months so I don't know if I can get back down below 195. My cholesterol came down significantly once I started exercising seriously. "Moderate" exercise can mean so many things to so many people. It's a term that we "use" to make the MINIMUM effort when we who have problems need to make the maximum effort. Turn it up a notch and see what happens.

BoB,

No worries.....it shows that you are concerned and I find that helpful and reassuring.

Just finished a 40 minute erg and feel OK, after a week off due to a touch of the stomach icks....

As to your comments on 'moderate' exercise. My spouse looks at me after I row and wonders if she should call the hospital. I tell her that my moderate level of exercise is probably much more intense than her instense level, which she never actually achieves. I work out at home for moderate workouts, the gym for intense because at the end of an intense workout for me, I sometime wonder if I should call the hospital....

In any case, I will continue to keep at it until I pull a Dick Clark.....

Thanks again!

[kayakr]

I tell her that my moderate level of exercise is probably much more intense than her instense level

Yeah, after erging, most people's "exercise" of walking doesn't feel too much like exercise to me. You hardly need to breathe.

My wife looks at me after erging with the drenched shirt and dripping headsweats beanie and kinda just wrinkles up her face in disgust.

[BoB/335]

When I go walking, I take one 5lb dumbbell with me (originally started with a 2 lb) and do alternating arm exercises while I'm walking the entire 50 minute walk 50-100 reps of each exercise. You'd be surprised...............

[j1huegel]

Though not T2 diagnosed, I was deep into Metabolic Syndrome. Overweight, A1's creeping up, BG's over 100, high BP. And I had a heart attack 3 years ago.

I did Atkins and am on a very low carb diet with high levels of exercise. I dropped 45 pounds, and went from 38" to 31" waist in 8 months. A lot of treadmill, running and recently, more rowing. I just bought my own Model E and am enjoying home-erg.

I recommend you check out Dr. Peter Attia's blog, and Gary Taubes. They have a lot of factual information on the impact of carbs as the main culprit of many health issues, predominately driven by insulin resistance. A great book, "The Art and Science of Low Carb Performance," discusses in detail the mechanism around ketogenic athletics, and the lack of need for carb intake and carb loading to sustain long-term non-anerobic output (like a 90-minute row). I can run 20+ miles with no carb intake before or during, and no bonking or recovery issues.

It seems illogical, but changing to high fat, moderate protein diet low in carbs has improved my lipids so much that I am off triglyceride meds, nearly off beta blockers and I have the best cholesterol readings to date.

[BoB/335]

It's been a while since I visited this section of the forum. I have no expertise in this field so my comments should be taken as such.
My very limited knowledge suggests that a low carb diet certainly helps in fat loss for those in that situation. "I think" that a more reasonable and realistic and sustainable approach is a balanced approach. (Or at least once fat loss is obtained.) It results in healthier kidney function as well as a few other less risky conditions (from what "I" have read)

More important than us bickering over methods is to get our "health meters" in order. November is "Diabetes Awareness Month". Be sure to have your A1C checked (as part of an overall blood work-up) and take "pro active" steps to get and stay healthy.

Being diabetic has almost been a blessing to me. I have taken steps that have resulted in me being in about the best physical condition of my life at age 55. And I feel GREAT! And enjoy all that I eat!!! The Low GI Handbook has taught me better eating habits that have brought about very positive results. I'm sure that I could benefit even more in reading it again and fully implementing this way of eating. (I currently have a lot of "room" in my approach)

[j1huegel]

Carb restriction or elimination will do wonders for you. I was a candidate for T2D having most of the indicators for Metabolic Syndrome: high weight/BMI, high bp, bad lipids, higher bg, etc. Meds did not help much. I had a heart attack in 2009.

I went on low carb high fat diet a year ago and lost 50 lbs without significant sacrifice. At the same time I increased my physical activity both on treadmill and later on the rower.

My tri's went way down, total cholesterol way down, and I'm off most of my meds. My BMI went from 30 to 25 and I'm in the best physical shape of my life.

It may not work for everyone, but my diet change was the SINGLE factor that turned it around for me.

[Harold Ray]

Carb restriction or elimination will do wonders for you.

This is the BEST thing you can do for yourself, your elevated blood sugar problem, your weight problem if you have one, and your long term life. I have exercised a lot throughout my life, and because of that, I thought I could eat whatever I wanted, including lots of Dr. Pepper. I am 5'6" and have always ranged in weight between about 145 and 170, my all time high. During that time, I did a variety of activities, running, aerobics, kayaking, backpacking, rowing machines, weights, you name it. As I got older, losing weight became more of a problem. Finally when my friend and doctor got after me, I cut my Dr. Pepper consumption and other carb intake dramatically. And, I also added some to my exercise routine. My blood sugar values have dropped to the point my last report was, as they said, "Excellent," and I've knocked my weight from 162 to 154. I have shooting for the mid-140s and will stabilize there.

Cut the carbohydrates; white bread and processed grain are not good for you. Go to whole grain!!! Cut the sodas, and if you drink beer, etc., watch that, too. Just doing this will often melt the weight away.

Ray

[Harold Ray]

It may not work for everyone, but my diet change was the SINGLE factor that turned it around for me.

J,

This will work for everybody, to some extent at least; you just have to do it, and that was the hardest part for me. At first, I talked about doing it, reducing the carbs, and not a single pound came off. talking never works. Once I made the commitment and actually began reducing carbs, weight began falling off. I eat more salads now and enjoy them; it was a learning curve. Now, if I eat the heavy foods, I do not feel good. It was amazing.

Ray

[they85]

Regarding gylcemic index I suggest you read this articles:
http://healthiack.com/health/glycemic-i ... mic-load-1
http://healthiack.com/health/glycemic-i ... oad-part-2

Regarding exercise if diabetic:
If you fave diabetes you can still participate in almost all forms of exercise, if you do not overdo it and keep your intensity within limits. The only thing that you have to do is regular and strict monitoring of blood sugar levels - before, during and after exercise.
Here are my suggestions:
1. First check your blood sugar 30 minutes before exercising and then again right before your start your activity

2. Before exercise your blood sugar levels should be between 5.5 and 13.7 mmol / L
3. If your blood sugar level is low, eat a cube of sugar or drink a sugary drink to prevent hypoglycemia (low blood sugar after slipping below 3.5 mmol / L) during a training session.
4. If the blood sugar is higher than 16.5 mmol / L do not exercise!!
5. Do not forget to check your blood sugar during exercise. When it starts to fall, eat something that has sugar in it.
6. After exercising, check your blood sugar levels twice as hypoglycemia may also occur several hours after exercising! Hypoglycemia is more likely to occur if your workout was a little more intense.
By the way - it is great that you exercise. Exercise stimulates the synthesis of glycogen in the muscles and hence lowers blood sugar.

Hope this helps!

[natty dread]

First post. I just finally bought a C2 now that winter is here.

I am too am a type 2 diabetic. My stomach could not handle the drugs after 2 yrs, so I started working out. down from 250, to 220 at 6'3". I was 195 as a swimmer in college, so i think 210 would be a reasonable weight at 41.

I saw some big improvement sin my BS when I got out of the weight room and started biking this summer. I did about 75 miles week, mostly hills. I think the difference between 30 minutes, and 45-60 minutes of cardio is huge. My A1c was 6.2 this month.

For me, my BS is highest in the morning, about 130-140. it might drop 10 pts after a workout, but then it steadily drops all morning to about 90 at lunchtime. Eggs for breakfast only has helped alot, then a cup of fruit around 10, and a salad at lunch.

My biggest problem lately was feeling very tired after lunches. I have to nap for 20-30 minutes, I concluded that even though my BS is very good for no meds, the swings from 130 to 90, were wearing me out.

Its a tough fight, but the bonus is that we have no choice but to workout, and stay active. I put this before all else. I dont want to be buried at 60 with a bunch of money.

Good luck.