Exercise and BG Levels am I Cheating?

Alsvic

My doctor told me to take my BG levels twice a day in the morning before breakfast and at night after dinner.

I have been exercising to 75-80% of my Target heart Rate twice a day (stationary bike 1/2 hour) I usually get up make a pot of coffee and then ride the bike while the coffee is brewing. I then grab a cup and sit down and take my BG Reading usually between 5:30 AM and 6:00.

As you know after exercise your BG levels are usually way down mine are usually less than 105 after I exercise. Hell usually less than 100.

If I don't exercise they are usually 125mg

I then was told to take my levels two hours after eating dinner. Well I usually eat around 6:00 PM then wait a half hour and hop on the bike for my evening workout My levels are usually around 115 or so in the evening. So basically what I am doing is taking my BG Levels after exercising.

My question is do you think I am cheating on my readings taking them when I do?

MysteriousMerlin

Not in my opinion. Exercise in general will make your blood sugar for the day be lower (at least in my case it does).
You could always test right when you wake up, then test again after your exercise, and ask your doctor which would be better to give him.

CrisEBTrue

I agree.

It sounds like you're doing all the right things.

bdubya55

Agreed. You're doing great alsvic!:drinker:

albertabeefy

If you are ALWAYS exercising 1/2 hour or so AFTER you eat - then don't worry about it too much, because the exercise will burn excess glucose before it can do damage to your system, and you'll burn it as you digest as well.

What you MAY want to do, however, is SKIP the evening check a couple times and instead check both one hour and two hours after LUNCH (or breakfast) the following day. That way you know if what you're eating at your lunch meal is potentially damaging to you.

The point of testing after meals is to ensure your post-prandial readings are healthy, so you can adjust carbohydrate intake (and/or bolus insulin) if you need to. If you're always exercising after dinner that'll ensure your dinner post-prandials are OK, but you have no idea about your post-prandials after breakfast or lunch ... Without knowing whether or not you're going above the 140 mg/dl (or 7.8 mmol/L if you live outside the USA) damage limit, you don't know if you're causing damage after those other meals.

GlucernaBrand

I like the idea to get more information about how exercise is affecting your blood sugar levels by sometimes testing first thing in the morning when you wake up, before you exercise and then test again after exercise. Also sometimes test 1-2 hours after dinner before you exercise, and then test again after exercise. That way you'll know more about how your body responds to exercise at different times of day, and also how your body is handling the evening meal. ~Lynn /Glucerna

Alsvic

Thanks every one for your input, it pretty much was what I hoped to hear. As you can imagine my middle aged hugely overweight body is already wondering what the heck I'm doing to it.

I think I am going to stay with the 1/2 hour bike rides twice a day when I am able, and not worry to much about whether it falls in that two hour window after a meal.

Thanks again. I really appreciate the feedback.

Now if I could just figure out why I get 5 or 10 good readings under 120 and one spike over 150 out of the blue, I would be living in "Tall Cotton" then.

Alsvic

I like the idea to get more information about how exercise is affecting your blood sugar levels by sometimes testing first thing in the morning when you wake up, before you exercise and then test again after exercise. Also sometimes test 1-2 hours after dinner before you exercise, and then test again after exercise. That way you'll know more about how your body responds to exercise at different times of day, and also how your body is handling the evening meal. ~Lynn /Glucerna

Lynn that was the reason I asked. I notice that if I exercise and then take my readings they can be 10-20% lower. I was diagnosed with T2 at the end of January and I have been taking my BG levels at different times through out the day. I went through the first 150 test strips and went to buy more before my prescription was due. (how a box of test strips costs more than a meter is beyond me) But I called the doctor and she said to just test twice a day.

I have noticed that the more weight I lose and the more I exercise, the more my Blood Sugar levels have been gradually dropping. regardless of when I test.

Once again thanks for the input. it is great to have this a resource for those of us that are new to this.

scubasuenc

Actually initially exercise makes my blood sugar level go up, and then it will go down. If I take my blood sugar 30-45 minutes after riding they will be higher than before I started even if I haven't eaten anything.

My numbers might look something like this. Get up and do a fasting check, BG 85, ride my exercise bike for 45 minutes, then spend another 30 minutes getting ready for work. Take my BG before breakfast 95, eat breakfast with 44g of protein and about 30g of carbs. 2 hours after breakfast my BG will be 105. It is clear that the exercise has impacted my post-meal reading. If I don't exercise that same meal might make my BG go up 25 or 30 from before and after meal.

I think it is better to get your checks before and after meal without involving exercise for a while. That will give you a better sense of how your food is impacting your BG levels.

GlucernaBrand

It's great that you're noticing two important things about exercise and blood sugar: exercise often decreases blood sugar right after the exercise period, and exercise can also help keep BG levels lower throughout the day. Another good reason to do some type of physical activity every day. It's really motivating to hear your stories! ~Lynn /Glucerna