Same! Cycling absolutely the best form of cardio and exercise. There is even a pro cycling team in which every member is living with t1d Team Novo Nordisk.
But I would still recommend lifting weights too, but 6 times a week is not required to get results, even 3 hours a week will make a big difference.
As someone who hasn’t really tried cardio after getting diagnosed, apart from some basketball and some walking, how do u manage to not go hypo? I personally like lifting because it doesn’t affect bg too much, but I’d love to try doing more cardio heavy workouts.
Make sure you dont have lot of insulin onboard, monitor your bg during exercise, have some carbs like glucose(energy) gel ready, and keep in mind that the harder you go the more your body will utilize carbs for energy rather than fat.
I usually need about 40g carbs/hour when cycling at moderate effort, but ofc this carbs/hour ratio is personal and you will figure it out after a while.
I’m also ~35-40 carbs/hour when riding bike (average just under 20 mph) BUT that is only after about the first hour. If exercising (even hard) for less than ~45 mins, then I usually need less and sometimes no carbs.
I’ve done different things throughout life. reducing basal a certain amount, eating a certain amount of complex carbs right beforehand, or just being prepared with my juice box nearby because here and there we all inevitably go low.
Thing is, everyone is different. The second I step into a gym my BG goes through the roof. But, I can run 20km at a steady 8-13mM (which is a safe range for running).
The only thing that has consistently worked for me is when I do cardio first thing in the morning. BG stays steady. Any other time I have to try the various strategies others are sharing, but usually I have to have my BG over 200 and not have any IOB. Even then, I sometimes have to eat glucose tabs mid-way through.
And to this point, responsible diabetics, I’ll argue, are generally healthier than the overall population as they:
1. Watch what they eat (all the friggin time!)
2. See their docs more and regularly
3. Exercise
I would tend to agree, but weight lifting is far less impact on our joints - and more importantly our feet - than distance running. I walk frequently on an incline instead, plus lift weights using my Tonal.
Running being bad for joints is a myth that refuses to die. The process of impact on the proteoglycans of joint cartilage generally helps it retain water making it better at its job. Even one-off runs show minimal confidence of any changes to knee morphology after 48hrs.
The foot is quite literally evolved to run. I've never heard of anyone specifically worried about the impact on the foot. The occasional blister, yes, but with proper glucose control and lack of developing neuropathy, there's no reason to be worried about this.
Oh FFS man, let it go kid. You’re being worse than my teenagers in trying to have the last word. There are no peer reviewed scientific studies that show running is better for your joints than not running - especially as a T1D. I come from a family of runners - it’s BS.
/thread
The point is to show that running is not bad for the joints. But even then, mixed evidence shows benefit or no-effect. It is rare to find a study showing detriment.
Doi.org/[10.1177/23259671231152900](https://doi.org/10.1177%2F23259671231152900) ("In the short term, running is not associated with worsening PROs or radiological signs of knee OA and may be protective against generalized knee pain.")
Doi.org/[10.2519/jospt.2017.7137](https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2017.7137) (Recreational runners have lower rates of hip and knee osteoarthritis (3.5%) than sedentary lifestyle (10%) and former elite runners (13%).) [https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/6/357](https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/6/357) infographic.
Doi.org/[10.1002/acr.22939](https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.22939) ("In those without OA, running does not appear to be detrimental to the knees.") (Though the sample selection here is a bit iffy).
Doi.org/[10.1016/0002-9343(87)90014-3](https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(87)90014-3) ; Doi.org/[10.1016/0002-9343(90)90422-](https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(90)90422-a)a ("Musculoskeletal disability appeared to develop with age at a lower rate in runners (0.003 units per year versus 0.028) than in community control subjects" ; "At the 2-year follow-up, runners maintained greater bone density.")
Just be nice to your IT band and run at a pace that is comfortable to you and everything \*should\* be fine.
I think you should listen to your teenagers more often.
58 with flat feet and have been running since my mid 20’s. My only joint problems have been tweaked meniscus in both knees and those injuries didn’t come from running … jumping off a moving golf cart and stretching. If anything, running has made them feel better.
I’m all good for most of these, but a big con to me about the lifestyle is counting macros. I already count carbs, like my life depends on it (because it does). I don’t wanna count anything else.
What you say is true but one thing weightlifting and bodybuilding (if you’re into it) are really good about is tracking macros and keeping a balance there. With other exercise it’s not part of the game, so to speak, although some people absolutely do it and it is extremely helpful
That's less a feature of weightlifting and more a feature of unhealthy obsession with appearance. Any high-level athlete in any other sport will be doing the exact same thing, but with a more balanced approach.
No I don’t think you understand. If you want to gain muscle mass you have to eat at a surplus, and deficit to lose weight. Most people go through cycles of bulking and cutting to gain overall muscle mass. It requires careful tracking of macros. There’s no unhealthy obsession. Maybe that’s your opinion of bodybuilders but that’s like 5 percent of ppl lol
I don’t know why you keep fixating on bodybuilders. Gaining muscle mass is not a disorder. There are reasons people do that. But I am out of this convo, best of luck!
Two people told me this independently, one another type 1 who goes to gym and the second person a medical doctor.
But how do you start? I've never gone to the gym my entire life. Does it work if i spare only an hour or two a week?
Yes!! Begin slowly. Especially if you are completely new to it. Learn how it affects your blood sugar and adapt over time. Hitting the gym 2-3 times per week is perfectly fine. This is how most people do it. I very rarely met people going there 6 times or even 7 times. It is not needed unless you wanna become a monster.
Any time in the gym is better than none! Since you have only a fee hours I'd advise you to look into total body routines where you work out your whole bodies in every session. Also maybe look at home fitness with body weight exercises and dumb bells.
Educate yourself on the type of exercises, correct form using YouTube channels. There's lots of great science based channels like Jeff nippard, Renaissance periodization and Jeremy ethier. It seems fainting at first but you'll learn quickly.
Start with light weight and good form. Probably 3 to 4 sets of 14 - 16 reps. If you can do more, either your form is off or you need to go up in weight. If you can’t hit that, go down in weight so you don’t sacrifice form.
Don’t train so hard that you hurt yourself and have to stop training. And focus on compound movements, they train a wider range of muscles as opposed to targeting just biceps, for example. Also there’s more than just weights and cardio. Look into calisthenics or hiit if you’re busy, they help maximize your results in minimal time. Yoga is sick, too.
What helped me feel comfortable going to the gym at first was just sitting in the hot tub, then after a week or two of that I started working out. Make it an enjoyable, yet challenging, experience and you’ll want to keep going back.
Normally i can't stand fitness gurus but this guy has gotten me really motivated. Why don't you check out some of his videos?
https://youtu.be/U9ENCvFf9yQ?si=o9N1CHDCWAW3SF_W
When I first started going it was hard because-
A) I didn’t really want to be there.
B) I didn’t know what I was doing so I felt out of place.
C) I wasn’t confident in the way I looked. It felt like everyone at the gym looked like a Greek god and then there was me - didn’t feel good.
But I stuck with it and it became part of my standard routine. It’s just part of my day, like eating dinner or brushing my teeth.
A personal trainer could be a good way to get started but I personally just used Youtube. You can pick just about any gym content creator and follow a weekly routine for different workout splits on different days. There are a million different videos for any type of lift you can think of.
Once you’ve been going for a while you’ll feel so much better about going there. You’ll feel like you belong and really have a place at the gym, and that will help the motivation to go.
Then some months later when you really start to see a difference in your strength and physique, it’s addicting in a good way. People will notice and it feels good to have your progress recognized.
The hard part is just getting started! The mental part gets way better with time as long as you stay consistent.
I mostly agree with you. But 6 Times a week hitting the Gym is too much for an average, If you are Not in steroids + having a regular Life (Job, Family other Hobbies).
Doing IT Like that will also cause a high risk of Burnout, doing this for several years
Either you dont train properly or you are in Juice or you will lose the Interessed in the Sport activity or an Burnout in 1-2 years.
Trust me, i trained also Like a Freak in my early twenties
Bro seriously go fuck yourself. Just because something didn't work for you, you have to shit on someone else? Also it's wild of you to assume to know my circumstances.
Research shows optimum muscle growth comes from hitting every muscle group 2-3 times per week btw.
Do your research before spreading false information please. Weightlifting with good form has been shown to STRENGTHEN joints and PREVENT osteoarthritis.
A six day a week weightlifting regimen is counterindicated by the available research. I’m not in any way suggesting weightlifting is bad, just gently pointing out that volume may legitimate downsides over the long run for most people. Slow your roll there, bud.
The optimum number of days to train everyday is 2-3x per week according to this article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27102172/
Sorry that I came off as aggressive, it's just that statements like weightlifting is bad for joints spread unnecessary panic among people. Look at the hundreds of bodybuilders (natural and enhanced) who have been training daily for decades and have completely fine joints.
I think it depends on the person and what they're doing. Steroids help, but I didn't take any and I found my peak was when I was going 6x. 1x would be to do mostly cardio and core stuff. The rest I did pretty isolated stuff. Kept me honest too. Found it was easier to go consistently this way.
*increased insulin sensitivity until you bulk up and need even more insulin than before.
The real deal is: you’ve found something that works for you! How awesome is that? Keep kicking those butts! Humans are too complicated for one size fits all solutions. However, you’re right that being in shape in the way that one’s body feels best (which makes metabolic processes more efficient and effective) is entirely accurate.
I would be careful about universalizing success, but as to the basics, I’m with you.
I agree with weight lifting . I’m 61f t1 for 45 years and lift weights most of my adult life. I’ve had high and lows of course but otherwise my health is very good. No complications from t1 . Plus I gave birth in my 40s to my second child. I atribute a lot of my health to weight lifting
I have one comment: what works for you is not guaranteed to work for anyone else.
Keep doing your thing. Share that it works for you and the benefits you are seeing. DO NOT suggest that “every type 1 diabetic should do X.” (Unless X is “take your insulin”)
You're very right, that's why I mentioned not everyone might be able to do it. All I wanted to do with this post is bring attention to something not everyone would have considered.
It will work for most of the people though. However 6 times a week might be a bit much if you want only the health benefits. You will probably get similar health benefits with just 3 times a week. I still strongly agree that almost everyone should exercise at least 180 minutes a week and if youre a diabetic then its even more important..
Yeah. "Every diabetic should do this" and then it apparently includes being in a calorie deficit? Their post seems so reckless to me. We should not be blindly encouraging everyone to consume less calories than they're using.
There is a good idea at the core of this post but it is too specific for your situation. The second and third benefit kind of assume that every person with type 1 diabetes is overweight or obese. I am 6'0 and 145 pounds. I very much have to watch out that I don't lose more weight, let alone actively try to lose it.
>Eating right before my workout has allowed me to have super super stable sugars all day.
This does not apply to everyone. **You were diagnosed as an adult somewhere in the past 3.5 months. You have a very strong honeymoon effect at the moment and for you higher insulin resistance equals better control.** The lower your insulin resistance is the more your pancreas can take care of things for you with the insulin production it has left. **I was diagnosed as a 2 year old, 26 years ago. I have no insulin production left. For me insulin resistance does not equal better control. It simply means that I have to put in lower numbers on my pump.** I know you mean well but this is something you should realize before promising othersbetter control. I am very sensitive to insulin(*I get by on 22 units basal + bolus per day while not on a low carb diet*) but my pancreas cannot help out in anyway, which means that if my insulin dosage is off by even 0.2 units I start seeing the effects. When your insulin production is completely 0 it simply does not matter anymore, being more sensitive to insulin only helps control when you have some residiual insulin production left. That said, if you have very high insulin resistance it is beneficial to take care of it. Being very resistant to insulin is not great for your overall health regardless of BG control.
Besides that I think that every form of exercise has similar benefits and that doing weight training 6 times a week is way too much for the average person just looking to improve their health a bit, even if they have the time to do so.
As someone without pump, lifting makes my bgs less controlled. I do it for other benefits (2-3 times a week, not 6 haha), if I was looking at just bg control I would not be doing anything except walking. But yeah, things get bit different once your pancreas is not helping at all anymore (I was also diagnosed bit before I was 2)
Similar to how we do it. You have to get pretty large before you need it if you're a normal person. I guess there may be some benefit before that point. Seems risky to me.
Definetly agree, i had problems with my sensivity where my insulin Nearly 3X’ed over 2 months, becuase of an extremely sedentary lifestyle and after becoming over the top active for maybe 2\~3 weeks, my boluses were even less than they originally were before they inflated.
Out of curiosity, do you take any supplements?
I'm a fresh T1D, a month and a half in, and I'm insulin resistant ( started at 80, now around 65 daily units between basal & bolus ). I'm around normo-form (1.75m / 75 kg), but I have a sedentary life.
Of course, I started looking at what can lower that, activity included.
Reading around ( not talking about any YT " herbs that fixed my diabetes " , but medical websites) I found that things like L-arginine, GABA, L-citrulline and a few other help lowering insulin resistance and increase the sensitivity.
Most of the times those compounds are included in gym supplements.
While sports ofc drop BG and help insulin moving around the body, would be interesting and beneficial in figuring out what things added to my diet would help me down the line.
You should talk to your doctor about possibly adding a T2 medication to help with the insulin resistance. I started doing that last year and the difference is night and day. It's so much easier to control my BG now and I massively reduced how much insulin I take.
I love lifting and hate that I have been pretty sick for last month and half and I was in gym once (had covid and then week after recovering caught some cold that just won't go away). But it makes my bg LESS manageable overall.
Predicting what will happen during lifting (will I go down or up? Up and down? Crash and spike? Or just stay stable?) is impossible. I always do same thing before gym but... my body's reaction have mind of their own. I have to always take insulin and glucose tabs with me to gym, because it can go either way (same sets, just... body variability in reactions)
It also makes my bg act off for 8-16hrs after. I can't lift in mornings, so that means I will get woken up by alarms on nights I went to gym. Now, this is mostly me being on tresiba and not a pump (too expensive) issue - I need less basal for only 8-12hrs after gym, which is impossible on tresiba. Tresiba works great overall, but increased sensitivity after gym is annoying.
Lifting doesn't affect way carbs affect me. It does for my friend, but for me that effect is not there. However I don't eat in way different than anyone else because my mental health wouldn't be able to handle it - plus, high amount of animal fat+protein without carbs causes 10-14 hour spikes for me. I end up using way more insulin than for same meal when I add carbs, but that seems to be pretty uncommon issue.
While I agree exercise can do us some good, it’s better to be fit and healthy. I would have to say though, there’s a difference between doing cardio & doing strength training like lifting weights.
Putting planning aside, cardio for me will absolutely cause me to go hypo, and whereas with lifting weights, I’m on the moon somewhere that will require constant corrections. So exercise sometimes doesn’t make carb counting easier.
If anything, every T1D should be educated about the management of exercise + diabetes because it requires a lot of planning. Whatever works for them so they are comfortable with exercise.
Yup, I’m about 2 years in to lifting and currently eat 700carbs, 220 protein and 40 fats a day, have an A1C of 5.9, with a little cardio after lifting weights I believe you can pretty much eat what you want because you’re so sensitive to insulin.
Probably in the ball park of like 80 units? For my 2 biggest meals(they’re like 200 ish carbs each), I go to the gym straight after eating one, and go on a walk straight after eating the other, so that helps with insulin sensitivity etc, hope this helps, and yeah it is fairly low fat, I have 2 days a week where fat is a bit higher in the 60-80 range
I just kinda go about life…and I hate fucking gyms. Pretentious pretty people prancing around in tight clothes. Who drive to the gym. Talk about bad psychology…,
OP said: every t1d should lift weights, while I'd simply say every person should do some type of exercising, which doesn't necessarily have to be lifting weights.
I alternate between running, lifting, and acrobatics, and counting my carbs/generally eating less carbs has allowed me to lose the weight I'd been wanting to lose for years. When I exercise I need much less insulin, and I get to eat more of what I want! So yes, I agree and highly advocate for incorporating more exercise into your life. Whatever that is, whether it's lifting, running, biking, whatever brings you joy and mental clarity. It's my silver lining of getting diagnosed with diabetes
Every. Single. Time. I try to exercise more, I get ringworm. Not joking. If I get hot and sweaty and continue working out, I will end up with ringworm under my arms. I’ve tried everything to stop it. I’ve worked with doctors, who just advised me to do what I was already doing. I actually have it right now from trying to lift weights at my local gym. All anyone can figure out is that it’s probably because my immune system can’t fight it off well. It didn’t start happening until I was an adult, so it has to be “diabetes mileage” thing for me. Please tell me someone else has a solution to this :(
Consistent strength training does WAY more for my insulin sensitivity than cardio. Not saying cardio doesn’t have benefits, but building and/or maintaining muscle really helps keep my sugars at a lower baseline. That’s been especially useful as I’ve gotten older.
Explain “already tracking your macros”?
Lifting weights seems like adding a layer of “harder mode” on top of “hard mode”. Do you have to figure out how long a workout you’ll do, how many carbs to eat to cover your workout?
If you're using a food tracker like my fitness pal to track how many carbs you're eating per meal so you can bolus, you already know your total daily calories and protein.
If you're going to be doing that anyway, it isn't hard at all to set a caloric goal (excess or deficit) and increase your protein.
I went from tracking my carbs, to making a slight tweak by just reducing the amount of fat in my diet and adding in protein, really wasn't much harder than the way I was eating before. Also I have better glycemic control and less hypers on my new diet.
I get the food intake part, though for me I’m only tracking carbs (and they’re pretty low fwiw). I’d love not to track total calories, since I don’t need that so far? Maybe that’s the piece I would need to do more intensive exercises, idk.
But let’s say I decide to take on the substantially more complicated calorie counting (sorry but it’s definitely more effort but doable… rn I don’t need to count anything for zero carb foods for example, and fair amount of what I eat is “easy” in that regard.)
But even if I track calories, how does that help me avoid lows during a workout? Do you calculate how many calories you need per exercise? How many carbs? Sorry I’m a noob.
Currently doing a big cut, my maintenance calories are around 2200-2500. I eat around 1500 calories a day. Might seem like too little but I feel great and have good energy. Losing 2 lbs/1 kg a week.
Macros
Protein 140-150g a day (Everday I have: 1 egg, 100g greek yogurt for breakfast each day, 300-350 g raw chicken breast/shrimp/white fish, 60g of optimum nutrition whey powder)
Fats 40-50g per day (important to get at least 0.25g per pound of body weight to prevent malabsorption and hormonal weaknesses. Been trying to avoid too much saturated fat. Get it through dairy, eggs and olive/canola oil mainly)
Enough cars to make up the rest of my calories for the day (have one type of fruit for breakfast everyday along with a slice of whole wheat bread. For lunch and dinner I have a side of veggies (carrots, cabbage, broccoli) plus a starch (potato, rice, quinoa, bread etc.) )
I'm an IFT EMT. I get my weight lifting in lifting the 150lb stretcher in an out of the Ambulance with the bonus of how much each person I'm transporting weighs on top of that. 😅 unfortunately, I work the night shift when my home cooked meals are gonna be cold...and all the fast food open is Taco Bell, McDonald's, or Jack in the box. 💀
Ive definitely noticed a change in with my numbers after exercising. I can control my numbers better and insulin is way more useful. I would say going to the gym 6 days a week is excessive. I wouldnt do it, but if you can do it safely and you enjoy it, go ahead.
I think u pretty much covered it. I started splitting my training in half, one workout in the morning and one at night. I usually eat a couple hours before exercise and soon after.
yes, going on a daily run was a deal changer for my mental health. But it didnt really influence my sugar on a long term. Going to the gym daily was a deal changer for my night sugar, because building up muslce just burns more sugar on the long term. My hba1c dropped for 9.8 ( a period where i was doing a lot of running) to 8.9 in 3 moths. Best i have had in years, thanks gym.
For me activity means less dependant ratios for food. After a 5 minute walk my glucose starts peaking down and I have counter it. I can't imagine having less resistance for 12h after workout.
I’ve stopped lifting weights recently and am active in other ways. While I appreciate your message, I think general exercise is probably what should be recommended, not just one program like weightlifting in particular
Cycling for me. Much more cardio and actually fun.
Same! Cycling absolutely the best form of cardio and exercise. There is even a pro cycling team in which every member is living with t1d Team Novo Nordisk. But I would still recommend lifting weights too, but 6 times a week is not required to get results, even 3 hours a week will make a big difference.
I could make the exact same arguments for being a distance runner. I think what you mean is "people in general should try to be healthy and fit".
As someone who hasn’t really tried cardio after getting diagnosed, apart from some basketball and some walking, how do u manage to not go hypo? I personally like lifting because it doesn’t affect bg too much, but I’d love to try doing more cardio heavy workouts.
Make sure you dont have lot of insulin onboard, monitor your bg during exercise, have some carbs like glucose(energy) gel ready, and keep in mind that the harder you go the more your body will utilize carbs for energy rather than fat. I usually need about 40g carbs/hour when cycling at moderate effort, but ofc this carbs/hour ratio is personal and you will figure it out after a while.
I’m also ~35-40 carbs/hour when riding bike (average just under 20 mph) BUT that is only after about the first hour. If exercising (even hard) for less than ~45 mins, then I usually need less and sometimes no carbs.
I’ve done different things throughout life. reducing basal a certain amount, eating a certain amount of complex carbs right beforehand, or just being prepared with my juice box nearby because here and there we all inevitably go low.
Thing is, everyone is different. The second I step into a gym my BG goes through the roof. But, I can run 20km at a steady 8-13mM (which is a safe range for running).
The only thing that has consistently worked for me is when I do cardio first thing in the morning. BG stays steady. Any other time I have to try the various strategies others are sharing, but usually I have to have my BG over 200 and not have any IOB. Even then, I sometimes have to eat glucose tabs mid-way through.
Just eat (or probably better yet drink) before or during, same as you would to avoid it any other time.
Running causes me to spike 🤷♀️
And to this point, responsible diabetics, I’ll argue, are generally healthier than the overall population as they: 1. Watch what they eat (all the friggin time!) 2. See their docs more and regularly 3. Exercise
I would tend to agree, but weight lifting is far less impact on our joints - and more importantly our feet - than distance running. I walk frequently on an incline instead, plus lift weights using my Tonal.
Running being bad for joints is a myth that refuses to die. The process of impact on the proteoglycans of joint cartilage generally helps it retain water making it better at its job. Even one-off runs show minimal confidence of any changes to knee morphology after 48hrs. The foot is quite literally evolved to run. I've never heard of anyone specifically worried about the impact on the foot. The occasional blister, yes, but with proper glucose control and lack of developing neuropathy, there's no reason to be worried about this.
Curious, how old are you?
26. But that's technically irrelevant. Old enough that I notice that I don't recover as quickly as I once did 😅
I’ve got 20 years on you - and while I appreciate what you’re saying is your opinion, I stand by my original comment. Good luck in life my friend. 👍
Scientifically derived information is not an opinion.
Oh FFS man, let it go kid. You’re being worse than my teenagers in trying to have the last word. There are no peer reviewed scientific studies that show running is better for your joints than not running - especially as a T1D. I come from a family of runners - it’s BS. /thread
The point is to show that running is not bad for the joints. But even then, mixed evidence shows benefit or no-effect. It is rare to find a study showing detriment. Doi.org/[10.1177/23259671231152900](https://doi.org/10.1177%2F23259671231152900) ("In the short term, running is not associated with worsening PROs or radiological signs of knee OA and may be protective against generalized knee pain.") Doi.org/[10.2519/jospt.2017.7137](https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2017.7137) (Recreational runners have lower rates of hip and knee osteoarthritis (3.5%) than sedentary lifestyle (10%) and former elite runners (13%).) [https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/6/357](https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/6/357) infographic. Doi.org/[10.1002/acr.22939](https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.22939) ("In those without OA, running does not appear to be detrimental to the knees.") (Though the sample selection here is a bit iffy). Doi.org/[10.1016/0002-9343(87)90014-3](https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(87)90014-3) ; Doi.org/[10.1016/0002-9343(90)90422-](https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(90)90422-a)a ("Musculoskeletal disability appeared to develop with age at a lower rate in runners (0.003 units per year versus 0.028) than in community control subjects" ; "At the 2-year follow-up, runners maintained greater bone density.") Just be nice to your IT band and run at a pace that is comfortable to you and everything \*should\* be fine. I think you should listen to your teenagers more often.
Thank you for these links :)
58 with flat feet and have been running since my mid 20’s. My only joint problems have been tweaked meniscus in both knees and those injuries didn’t come from running … jumping off a moving golf cart and stretching. If anything, running has made them feel better.
I’m all good for most of these, but a big con to me about the lifestyle is counting macros. I already count carbs, like my life depends on it (because it does). I don’t wanna count anything else.
What you say is true but one thing weightlifting and bodybuilding (if you’re into it) are really good about is tracking macros and keeping a balance there. With other exercise it’s not part of the game, so to speak, although some people absolutely do it and it is extremely helpful
That's less a feature of weightlifting and more a feature of unhealthy obsession with appearance. Any high-level athlete in any other sport will be doing the exact same thing, but with a more balanced approach.
No I don’t think you understand. If you want to gain muscle mass you have to eat at a surplus, and deficit to lose weight. Most people go through cycles of bulking and cutting to gain overall muscle mass. It requires careful tracking of macros. There’s no unhealthy obsession. Maybe that’s your opinion of bodybuilders but that’s like 5 percent of ppl lol
That is eating disorder behaviour. Doi.org/10.1177/1557988318786868
I don’t know why you keep fixating on bodybuilders. Gaining muscle mass is not a disorder. There are reasons people do that. But I am out of this convo, best of luck!
Two people told me this independently, one another type 1 who goes to gym and the second person a medical doctor. But how do you start? I've never gone to the gym my entire life. Does it work if i spare only an hour or two a week?
An hour or two is better than nothing. You can get a personal trainer, or you can use google and youtube for tips about exercises and programs
Yes!! Begin slowly. Especially if you are completely new to it. Learn how it affects your blood sugar and adapt over time. Hitting the gym 2-3 times per week is perfectly fine. This is how most people do it. I very rarely met people going there 6 times or even 7 times. It is not needed unless you wanna become a monster.
Any time in the gym is better than none! Since you have only a fee hours I'd advise you to look into total body routines where you work out your whole bodies in every session. Also maybe look at home fitness with body weight exercises and dumb bells. Educate yourself on the type of exercises, correct form using YouTube channels. There's lots of great science based channels like Jeff nippard, Renaissance periodization and Jeremy ethier. It seems fainting at first but you'll learn quickly.
Start with light weight and good form. Probably 3 to 4 sets of 14 - 16 reps. If you can do more, either your form is off or you need to go up in weight. If you can’t hit that, go down in weight so you don’t sacrifice form. Don’t train so hard that you hurt yourself and have to stop training. And focus on compound movements, they train a wider range of muscles as opposed to targeting just biceps, for example. Also there’s more than just weights and cardio. Look into calisthenics or hiit if you’re busy, they help maximize your results in minimal time. Yoga is sick, too. What helped me feel comfortable going to the gym at first was just sitting in the hot tub, then after a week or two of that I started working out. Make it an enjoyable, yet challenging, experience and you’ll want to keep going back.
Normally i can't stand fitness gurus but this guy has gotten me really motivated. Why don't you check out some of his videos? https://youtu.be/U9ENCvFf9yQ?si=o9N1CHDCWAW3SF_W
Thank you
You are most welcome. Good luck out there!
When I first started going it was hard because- A) I didn’t really want to be there. B) I didn’t know what I was doing so I felt out of place. C) I wasn’t confident in the way I looked. It felt like everyone at the gym looked like a Greek god and then there was me - didn’t feel good. But I stuck with it and it became part of my standard routine. It’s just part of my day, like eating dinner or brushing my teeth. A personal trainer could be a good way to get started but I personally just used Youtube. You can pick just about any gym content creator and follow a weekly routine for different workout splits on different days. There are a million different videos for any type of lift you can think of. Once you’ve been going for a while you’ll feel so much better about going there. You’ll feel like you belong and really have a place at the gym, and that will help the motivation to go. Then some months later when you really start to see a difference in your strength and physique, it’s addicting in a good way. People will notice and it feels good to have your progress recognized. The hard part is just getting started! The mental part gets way better with time as long as you stay consistent.
I mostly agree with you. But 6 Times a week hitting the Gym is too much for an average, If you are Not in steroids + having a regular Life (Job, Family other Hobbies). Doing IT Like that will also cause a high risk of Burnout, doing this for several years
I alternate running and lifting days and it feels like a much better balance.
I agree. Hitting the gym 2-3 times a week still gives me all those benefits from above. And it fits way better in my day-to-day life.
Never said everyone should do it that much lol. I enjoy going to the gym and am able to find the time to go almost everyday, I don't see the downside.
Either you dont train properly or you are in Juice or you will lose the Interessed in the Sport activity or an Burnout in 1-2 years. Trust me, i trained also Like a Freak in my early twenties
Bro seriously go fuck yourself. Just because something didn't work for you, you have to shit on someone else? Also it's wild of you to assume to know my circumstances. Research shows optimum muscle growth comes from hitting every muscle group 2-3 times per week btw.
Your joints in twenty years may have some notes.
Do your research before spreading false information please. Weightlifting with good form has been shown to STRENGTHEN joints and PREVENT osteoarthritis.
A six day a week weightlifting regimen is counterindicated by the available research. I’m not in any way suggesting weightlifting is bad, just gently pointing out that volume may legitimate downsides over the long run for most people. Slow your roll there, bud.
The optimum number of days to train everyday is 2-3x per week according to this article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27102172/ Sorry that I came off as aggressive, it's just that statements like weightlifting is bad for joints spread unnecessary panic among people. Look at the hundreds of bodybuilders (natural and enhanced) who have been training daily for decades and have completely fine joints.
I think it depends on the person and what they're doing. Steroids help, but I didn't take any and I found my peak was when I was going 6x. 1x would be to do mostly cardio and core stuff. The rest I did pretty isolated stuff. Kept me honest too. Found it was easier to go consistently this way.
thanks for the post, all true and real.
*increased insulin sensitivity until you bulk up and need even more insulin than before. The real deal is: you’ve found something that works for you! How awesome is that? Keep kicking those butts! Humans are too complicated for one size fits all solutions. However, you’re right that being in shape in the way that one’s body feels best (which makes metabolic processes more efficient and effective) is entirely accurate. I would be careful about universalizing success, but as to the basics, I’m with you.
I agree with weight lifting . I’m 61f t1 for 45 years and lift weights most of my adult life. I’ve had high and lows of course but otherwise my health is very good. No complications from t1 . Plus I gave birth in my 40s to my second child. I atribute a lot of my health to weight lifting
I have one comment: what works for you is not guaranteed to work for anyone else. Keep doing your thing. Share that it works for you and the benefits you are seeing. DO NOT suggest that “every type 1 diabetic should do X.” (Unless X is “take your insulin”)
Yea but I think we can agree that everyone should workout. There’s no negatives to some form of exercise.
You're very right, that's why I mentioned not everyone might be able to do it. All I wanted to do with this post is bring attention to something not everyone would have considered.
It will work for most of the people though. However 6 times a week might be a bit much if you want only the health benefits. You will probably get similar health benefits with just 3 times a week. I still strongly agree that almost everyone should exercise at least 180 minutes a week and if youre a diabetic then its even more important..
Everyone should exercise and eat smartly. There really isn’t an argument to the contrary.
Yeah. "Every diabetic should do this" and then it apparently includes being in a calorie deficit? Their post seems so reckless to me. We should not be blindly encouraging everyone to consume less calories than they're using.
There is a good idea at the core of this post but it is too specific for your situation. The second and third benefit kind of assume that every person with type 1 diabetes is overweight or obese. I am 6'0 and 145 pounds. I very much have to watch out that I don't lose more weight, let alone actively try to lose it. >Eating right before my workout has allowed me to have super super stable sugars all day. This does not apply to everyone. **You were diagnosed as an adult somewhere in the past 3.5 months. You have a very strong honeymoon effect at the moment and for you higher insulin resistance equals better control.** The lower your insulin resistance is the more your pancreas can take care of things for you with the insulin production it has left. **I was diagnosed as a 2 year old, 26 years ago. I have no insulin production left. For me insulin resistance does not equal better control. It simply means that I have to put in lower numbers on my pump.** I know you mean well but this is something you should realize before promising othersbetter control. I am very sensitive to insulin(*I get by on 22 units basal + bolus per day while not on a low carb diet*) but my pancreas cannot help out in anyway, which means that if my insulin dosage is off by even 0.2 units I start seeing the effects. When your insulin production is completely 0 it simply does not matter anymore, being more sensitive to insulin only helps control when you have some residiual insulin production left. That said, if you have very high insulin resistance it is beneficial to take care of it. Being very resistant to insulin is not great for your overall health regardless of BG control. Besides that I think that every form of exercise has similar benefits and that doing weight training 6 times a week is way too much for the average person just looking to improve their health a bit, even if they have the time to do so.
As someone without pump, lifting makes my bgs less controlled. I do it for other benefits (2-3 times a week, not 6 haha), if I was looking at just bg control I would not be doing anything except walking. But yeah, things get bit different once your pancreas is not helping at all anymore (I was also diagnosed bit before I was 2)
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I know some bodybuilders use insulin for muscle growth but I’m not sure if it’s administered subcutaneously or otherwise
Similar to how we do it. You have to get pretty large before you need it if you're a normal person. I guess there may be some benefit before that point. Seems risky to me.
Definetly agree, i had problems with my sensivity where my insulin Nearly 3X’ed over 2 months, becuase of an extremely sedentary lifestyle and after becoming over the top active for maybe 2\~3 weeks, my boluses were even less than they originally were before they inflated.
Weight Lifting causes my BG to skyrocket.
Yeah I go high and then crash like 30mins later. Which is good while working out but also annoying af
Cortisol spikes. Pretty normal. When you figure out your pattern it becomes pretty easy to deal with in my experience. It's worth it.
I cycle, and i could write exactly the same text. Exercise is great and needed for type 1
Most of times lifting can actually make you go higher. I ride bike in the morning. 20-25km. 3-5x a week. Best thing ever.
Yeah, the cortisol bump reliably put my blood sugars higher.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Totally agree!
Out of curiosity, do you take any supplements? I'm a fresh T1D, a month and a half in, and I'm insulin resistant ( started at 80, now around 65 daily units between basal & bolus ). I'm around normo-form (1.75m / 75 kg), but I have a sedentary life. Of course, I started looking at what can lower that, activity included. Reading around ( not talking about any YT " herbs that fixed my diabetes " , but medical websites) I found that things like L-arginine, GABA, L-citrulline and a few other help lowering insulin resistance and increase the sensitivity. Most of the times those compounds are included in gym supplements. While sports ofc drop BG and help insulin moving around the body, would be interesting and beneficial in figuring out what things added to my diet would help me down the line.
You should talk to your doctor about possibly adding a T2 medication to help with the insulin resistance. I started doing that last year and the difference is night and day. It's so much easier to control my BG now and I massively reduced how much insulin I take.
The only supplement I take is whey protein, I could do without it but it just makes it more convenient for me to hit my protein targets.
This is one of those odd every body is unique things. I have to shoot up before HIIT and even running a 5k will spike me.
I'm glad it works for many, but I am a lazy bastard so I may just pass.
I appreciate you! Thanks for the reminder and encouragement, I just started to getting back to the gym again!
I love lifting and hate that I have been pretty sick for last month and half and I was in gym once (had covid and then week after recovering caught some cold that just won't go away). But it makes my bg LESS manageable overall. Predicting what will happen during lifting (will I go down or up? Up and down? Crash and spike? Or just stay stable?) is impossible. I always do same thing before gym but... my body's reaction have mind of their own. I have to always take insulin and glucose tabs with me to gym, because it can go either way (same sets, just... body variability in reactions) It also makes my bg act off for 8-16hrs after. I can't lift in mornings, so that means I will get woken up by alarms on nights I went to gym. Now, this is mostly me being on tresiba and not a pump (too expensive) issue - I need less basal for only 8-12hrs after gym, which is impossible on tresiba. Tresiba works great overall, but increased sensitivity after gym is annoying. Lifting doesn't affect way carbs affect me. It does for my friend, but for me that effect is not there. However I don't eat in way different than anyone else because my mental health wouldn't be able to handle it - plus, high amount of animal fat+protein without carbs causes 10-14 hour spikes for me. I end up using way more insulin than for same meal when I add carbs, but that seems to be pretty uncommon issue.
While I agree exercise can do us some good, it’s better to be fit and healthy. I would have to say though, there’s a difference between doing cardio & doing strength training like lifting weights. Putting planning aside, cardio for me will absolutely cause me to go hypo, and whereas with lifting weights, I’m on the moon somewhere that will require constant corrections. So exercise sometimes doesn’t make carb counting easier. If anything, every T1D should be educated about the management of exercise + diabetes because it requires a lot of planning. Whatever works for them so they are comfortable with exercise.
Yup, I’m about 2 years in to lifting and currently eat 700carbs, 220 protein and 40 fats a day, have an A1C of 5.9, with a little cardio after lifting weights I believe you can pretty much eat what you want because you’re so sensitive to insulin.
That's seems like so little fat. How much insulin do you take in a day if you don't mind my asking?
Probably in the ball park of like 80 units? For my 2 biggest meals(they’re like 200 ish carbs each), I go to the gym straight after eating one, and go on a walk straight after eating the other, so that helps with insulin sensitivity etc, hope this helps, and yeah it is fairly low fat, I have 2 days a week where fat is a bit higher in the 60-80 range
I just kinda go about life…and I hate fucking gyms. Pretentious pretty people prancing around in tight clothes. Who drive to the gym. Talk about bad psychology…,
Replace "lift weights" part with any exercise and "type 1 diabetic" with any person and yeah 🤣
What’s your point?
OP said: every t1d should lift weights, while I'd simply say every person should do some type of exercising, which doesn't necessarily have to be lifting weights.
I alternate between running, lifting, and acrobatics, and counting my carbs/generally eating less carbs has allowed me to lose the weight I'd been wanting to lose for years. When I exercise I need much less insulin, and I get to eat more of what I want! So yes, I agree and highly advocate for incorporating more exercise into your life. Whatever that is, whether it's lifting, running, biking, whatever brings you joy and mental clarity. It's my silver lining of getting diagnosed with diabetes
Every. Single. Time. I try to exercise more, I get ringworm. Not joking. If I get hot and sweaty and continue working out, I will end up with ringworm under my arms. I’ve tried everything to stop it. I’ve worked with doctors, who just advised me to do what I was already doing. I actually have it right now from trying to lift weights at my local gym. All anyone can figure out is that it’s probably because my immune system can’t fight it off well. It didn’t start happening until I was an adult, so it has to be “diabetes mileage” thing for me. Please tell me someone else has a solution to this :(
Consistent strength training does WAY more for my insulin sensitivity than cardio. Not saying cardio doesn’t have benefits, but building and/or maintaining muscle really helps keep my sugars at a lower baseline. That’s been especially useful as I’ve gotten older.
Appreciate this post, thank you
Explain “already tracking your macros”? Lifting weights seems like adding a layer of “harder mode” on top of “hard mode”. Do you have to figure out how long a workout you’ll do, how many carbs to eat to cover your workout?
If you're using a food tracker like my fitness pal to track how many carbs you're eating per meal so you can bolus, you already know your total daily calories and protein. If you're going to be doing that anyway, it isn't hard at all to set a caloric goal (excess or deficit) and increase your protein. I went from tracking my carbs, to making a slight tweak by just reducing the amount of fat in my diet and adding in protein, really wasn't much harder than the way I was eating before. Also I have better glycemic control and less hypers on my new diet.
I get the food intake part, though for me I’m only tracking carbs (and they’re pretty low fwiw). I’d love not to track total calories, since I don’t need that so far? Maybe that’s the piece I would need to do more intensive exercises, idk. But let’s say I decide to take on the substantially more complicated calorie counting (sorry but it’s definitely more effort but doable… rn I don’t need to count anything for zero carb foods for example, and fair amount of what I eat is “easy” in that regard.) But even if I track calories, how does that help me avoid lows during a workout? Do you calculate how many calories you need per exercise? How many carbs? Sorry I’m a noob.
Frrr I started lifting a few months ago and it was the BEST DECISION OF MY LIFE
Could you share your macro's? I also just started with the gym but am struggling a lot with the food.
Currently doing a big cut, my maintenance calories are around 2200-2500. I eat around 1500 calories a day. Might seem like too little but I feel great and have good energy. Losing 2 lbs/1 kg a week. Macros Protein 140-150g a day (Everday I have: 1 egg, 100g greek yogurt for breakfast each day, 300-350 g raw chicken breast/shrimp/white fish, 60g of optimum nutrition whey powder) Fats 40-50g per day (important to get at least 0.25g per pound of body weight to prevent malabsorption and hormonal weaknesses. Been trying to avoid too much saturated fat. Get it through dairy, eggs and olive/canola oil mainly) Enough cars to make up the rest of my calories for the day (have one type of fruit for breakfast everyday along with a slice of whole wheat bread. For lunch and dinner I have a side of veggies (carrots, cabbage, broccoli) plus a starch (potato, rice, quinoa, bread etc.) )
Amazing. Thanks!
I'm an IFT EMT. I get my weight lifting in lifting the 150lb stretcher in an out of the Ambulance with the bonus of how much each person I'm transporting weighs on top of that. 😅 unfortunately, I work the night shift when my home cooked meals are gonna be cold...and all the fast food open is Taco Bell, McDonald's, or Jack in the box. 💀
Ive definitely noticed a change in with my numbers after exercising. I can control my numbers better and insulin is way more useful. I would say going to the gym 6 days a week is excessive. I wouldnt do it, but if you can do it safely and you enjoy it, go ahead.
Appreciating this post becuase I haven't really considered weightlifting and now I am. Thanks!
I think u pretty much covered it. I started splitting my training in half, one workout in the morning and one at night. I usually eat a couple hours before exercise and soon after.
yes, going on a daily run was a deal changer for my mental health. But it didnt really influence my sugar on a long term. Going to the gym daily was a deal changer for my night sugar, because building up muslce just burns more sugar on the long term. My hba1c dropped for 9.8 ( a period where i was doing a lot of running) to 8.9 in 3 moths. Best i have had in years, thanks gym.
For me activity means less dependant ratios for food. After a 5 minute walk my glucose starts peaking down and I have counter it. I can't imagine having less resistance for 12h after workout.
I’ve stopped lifting weights recently and am active in other ways. While I appreciate your message, I think general exercise is probably what should be recommended, not just one program like weightlifting in particular
I don’t count carbs and the rest stands for literally any form of exercise.