Exercise for Type 2 Diabetics
Exercise definitely DOES have an effect on a type 2's blood glucose levels.
Along with diet it is one of the first lines of defence for us. This is because our diabetes is caused, not by of a lack of insulin production, but because of an inability to properly utilise the insulin we have - we are Insulin Resistant (IR).
Exercise, when combined with a suitable diet, can sometimes control Type 2 diabetes without the need for other medication.
Most of us type 2's are overweight so again exercise is beneficial as any, even a small amount, of reduction in weight leads to a reduction in IR.
Exercise makes us more sensitive to our own insulin (lower IR) but this sensitivity begins to decline in as little as 1 to 2 days without exercise.
During exercise glucose is used for energy so that means glucose is removed from your bloodstream, which equals lower BG levels.
While you are exercising you do not directly burn fat, but once you stop the glycogen which has been utilised by the liver must be replaced.
This can be done either by eating food or by the liver drawing fat from the body's adipose tissues.
If your diet is low in calories then there will not be enough food available as replacement material and the fat stores will have to be drawn on to replace the glycogen used up while exercising.
Studies show that "fat-burning" may last for anywhere from six to twenty-four hours after a regular exercise program. So even moderate exercise has long term benefits.
The more intense your exercise is the less energy you get from fat usage. So for weight loss it is better to do low density long duration regular exercise than short intense exercise.
Up until now the advice on exercise for type 2’s has been “It is the duration of the exercise rather than the intensity that matters”. If we walked at a ‘brisk’ pace for a minimum of 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week, then we would gain health benefits, such as lower Bg’s and weight loss.
However it appears that though long duration, low intensity, exercise may lead to weight loss it does not appear to have any effect on one’s blood glucose. To get such an effect one needs moderate intensity exercise.
This latter fact has come up out of research done in Canada.
For those of us type 2’s who think we normally walk at a pace that could be termed ‘moderately intense’ I have some bad news – researchers at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada have found out that most type 2‘s actually only walk at the ‘low intensity’ level.
Apparently to achieve moderate intensity exercise one has to walk at a speed of 4km per hour (2.5 miles pr hour) but most of us are only averaging around 3.3 km per hour (around 2 miles per hour) and this is just not fast enough.
Anything under that magical cut of point of 4km/hour is not going to benefit our blood glucose at all, though it may still do something for weight loss IF we do enough of it.
So it looks as if it is not only the duration of the exercise that matters, the intensity IS important too.
So sorry folks, you are going to have to step out ‘right briskly’ to get the benefits you need.
That does not mean you can skimp on the amount of exercise you do just because you have upped the intensity either.
Apparently the effect on insulin sensitivity, after 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, lasts for between 24-48 hours. So it is not a good idea to skip more than one day and it would, in fact, be best it you exercised EVERY day!
What will a type 2 get out of exercise?
Many of those factors mentioned for type 1's plus:-
1. Improved physical fitness therefor increased stamina and more energy.
2. Improved cardio-respiratory endurance.
3. Improved blood lipid profiles.
4. Muscle strength.
5. Lower blood pressure.
6. A better self-image and therefore more self confidence.
7. Weight loss.
8. Better hgA1c profiles.
9. Can help to relieve depression.
10. Lower Insulin resistance.
Type 2's taking sulphonylurea drugs or insulin should be aware that strenuous exercise can cause hypoglycemia and like type 1s they should always carry a quick form of carbohydrate snack with them (glucose tablets or fruit, juice are some suggestions).
Exercise is something that we who are coach potatoes know nothing about. We have now acknowledged the benefits and know we need to embrace this way of life but where do we start? The answer is - slowly!
There is no way an overweight coach potato is going to stick to a regime that involves climbing Everest before breakfast, swimming 3 quick laps across the English Channel after lunch and finishing off giving Atlas a hand supporting the world at dinner!
Fortunately it has been found that walking is one of the best ways for us to start - and most of us mastered that art around 1-2 years of age!
All we need to do is extend the ability to last for at least 30 minutes a day for a minimum of 5 days a week.
Walking is one of the list of aerobic exercises and is a good starting exercise as it does not require more than a comfortable pair of shoes and somewhere to walk.
If you can vary the route you take it at least allows for some interesting things to look at and stops you getting bored while you gain the benefit of the exercise.
When I started out I was lucky enough to be able to walk down country lanes and pick my fruit quota for the day from the overloaded blackberry bushes on route!
If you live in the city you have the advantage of window shopping along the way, as long as it is via swift glances, not prolonged stops - tantalising!
The one disadvantage of walking is the weather. It is no fun walking in weather that is so hot that two steps down the road you are bathed in sweat and dying of thirst, nor is it any joy in pouring rain or freezing cold. This is where most of us tend to give up.
The oft given suggestion that one should, under these conditions, take ones walk in a shopping mall may work for some, but not for all. Firstly the nearest shopping mall may be a considerable distance away (in my case an hour's drive) and secondly it is very boring on your own.
"So take a friend" I hear you say. Yip, you can do that, but have you ever noticed that one of the main activities of two people wandering through a shopping mall is the steady progress towards the 'place of refreshment'? And shopping malls are stuffed full of such places, all releasing wonderful smells and enticing you to break your diet. It is very hard to sip your milkless, sugarless tea while said friend tucks into a milkshake and cream cake!
One way to get around this weather problem is to join a gym, if there is one close to you. This does offer you all the benefits of year round temperature control, varied types of exercise and the advise of professionals who can draw up a schedule to suit your individual needs.
One of the disadvantages are that they cost for membership. The other one may not be a disadvantage for all of you but certainly is for many, and especially the very overweight type 2 ladies.
You may not care to wander off to a public gym dressed in your oversized T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms to train alongside lissom ladies in their multi coloured stretch lycre outfits, all discussing how they just "have to lose those 5 pounds before next weeks beach party". There are just too many bits of equipment lying around a gym that would do very nicely as murder weapons!
So what is the remedy for folk in this position? Home equipment, that's what. With the modern craze for fitness many of the types of equipment that you find in a gym are available for purchase for home use.
A great one for folks who are doing the walking or running regime is a treadmill. Then there are steppers, elliptical trainers, stationary cycles, rowing machines and a host of others to suit most requirements and pockets.
As regard to the latter, good equipment new is not exactly cheap but there are usually bargains to be had out there in the second hand market - all those unwanted and unused birthday and Christmas presents!
At last! I have managed to get my own treadmill! Go to this link to read about my love affair with my treadmill.
Good advice for very large people.
Being obese, in other words having a BMI over 30, makes living, never mind exercise, more than a tad interesting, as I well know! One feels very conspicuous when amongst average weight people. The things they find so easy are frequently, to put it mildly, a major challenge to you. For instance they have no difficulty tying their shoe laces, you cannot even see yours!
This makes it very difficult to join in exercise classes. You may be aware that water aerobics is best for you and it may be the one thing you would love to do, but do it's proponents really think you can find a swimming costume to fit and even if you did, that you would be seen dead in public in it?
There are some gyms that have classes that cater for large people only and if you can get into one of them it can make things much easier.
However there are plenty of exercises you can do at home whatever your level of fitness.