[type1rachelle]

Originally Posted by pinklady

Found out I have type 2 in April 2012 when I went in for neck surgery. In July of 2012 I had back surgery. Exercise is pretty much impossible if it involves me standing or walking. Last weekend I had a TIA and a seizure and am not getting my numbers under control at all because of other health issues. Any suggestions on what exercise I can do? I'm only 46 and this doesn't seem real.

exercise is NOT impossible for you - there are things you can do sitting down - rowing, stationary bike, hand bike, etc. for a full body workout that will help with flexibility, you can try swimming as well.

[kge8594]

Hey pinklady I'm in a similar boat. After a spinal fusion surgery, I have found the stationary bike to be the best way for me to get the excercise that I need while being friendly to my neck/back.

[aysegul68]

@ Dano.. Definitely I agree...)

[jlaracue@aol.com]

Almost two years ago, I started a nutritional/exercise plan.
--1600cals/180 carbs per day
--walked 2 to 5 or more miles a
day (dog helps)
--stopped all alcohol & soft drinks
--recorded meals, cals, carbs,
exercises, weight
(use iPhone apps)

Results:
-- down almost 65 lbs
-- off Humalog
-- off Lantus (only take Metformin)
-- improved gl and a1c
-- improved cardio/pulmonary
functions

It was difficult at first, but the gradual weight loss motivated me to continue. I only regret not starting earlier. BTW, both the nutrition and exercise components are important for success.

[miketime50]

Don't give up Pink Lady. Engage your doctor and try a Low Carb diet, and, try swimming or walking in the pool.

These are lite body stress exercises, but, all you need is to start and work up to 30 minutes per day. 15 in morning AFTER breakfast, and, 15 minutes in the evening AFTER dinner.

CONSISTENT and DAILY exercise combined with a low carb diet will help you very much!

Good luck!

[maxtheaxe]

Hey!

Great to see that exercise is exercising our thoughts !

It's interesting that for many folk it's actually the gentlest stuff that works, walking a couple of miles, strolling through a mall or down the local streets makes more difference than a "burn-out".

I think it's great to work- out and raise the heart- beat, getting exercise and losing weight always helps, I am down to a sub-25 BMI at last, but nothing seems to drop the BG numbers as effectively as a nice stroll.

Eat carefully, walk leisurely and enjoy getting better!

[ddloren75]

Per the Joslin Diabetes Center website: "When you exercise your muscles need more glucose to supply energy. In response, your liver increases the amount of glucose it releases into your bloodstream. Remember, however, that the glucose needs insulin in order to be used by your muscles. So if you do not have enough insulin available, your blood glucose levels can actually increase right after exercise. Basically, stimulated by the demand from your exercising muscles, your body is pouring glucose into your bloodstream. If you do not have enough insulin available to "unlock the door" to your muscles, the glucose cannot get into your muscles to provide needed energy. The end result is that glucose backs-up in your bloodstream, causing higher blood glucose readings."

Try testing at various times during your workout to see this effect. I've found that exercising for around 30 minutes cause a dramatic drop in my BG reading as my liver hasn't gotten to work yet so my body draws it's energy from the available glucose in my blood. After 60 minutes my BG always goes up, sometimes back to almost as high as what it was at the start. Regardless of the time spent exercising, 30-60 minutes after I stop exercising my BG always goes up even more which I attribute to my liver still delivering elevated levels of glucose in response to the exercising - it just takes time for it to get the message!

In any case these are all short term effects. What really matters is the long term and I've found that exercising, together with a sensible diet, has been my key in lowering my A1C from 9.8 to 5.1 in four months, not to mention losing 70 pounds in the process!

[msjodi777]

Originally Posted by dano

The answer is YES!!!!!!

Exercise is one of the most important ways to fight off the high blood glucose levels, associated with Type II (T2) Diabetes. The only thing that it does require is that you put forth some effort.

Get off the couch and get some exercise. It won't hurt you and it will actually make you feel better. I hope this helps to motivate you to take care of yourself. We are all in this together!

Danny, you are so very right about how much exercise can help control you numbers. Soon after I was diagnosed, I took a health class at the local community college. We had to write a paper at the end of term so I asked if I could do mine on how exercise affects diabetes.

I was working as a night auditor in a local hotel at the time, so I had access to a treadmill. Each morning when I got off work, I would take my reading, then walk on the treadmill for 10 to 20 minutes. Honestly, that was all... just 10 to 20 minutes. I'm pretty old, and have been out of shape for years, that was about all I could manage. Each time I "worked out" my blood sugar dropped an average of 10 points. By the end of the semester, my "starting point" dropped nearly 20 points. No meds for me then... things have changed, but the lessons I learned from that experiment showed me just how important it is to keep the body moving. Now I am getting out, and about. A lot slower now, but still moving. I know that if I ever stop moving, it will be the death of me, so I keep right on. <><

[kyle0304]

Exercise:

Do the 10,000 steps have to be a brisk walking pace to be affective?

[dano]

Originally Posted by kyle0304

...Do the 10,000 steps have to be a brisk walking pace to be affective?

No, just as long as you do it, that's all that matters. Depending on your gate, this is near 5 miles.