Once you get a handle on your diet and insulin routine, it’s important to look at exercise, as it really does help maintain a stable BG level.
Starting out can be really hard but, once again, give yourself a little space, figure out what works and what doesn’t work for you. Depending on your level of activity you may need to factor in breaks to check your BG and maybe even to have a snack.
My health care providers have been very supportive and have given me a lot of resources to help me figure out what I need to do for my body. The most important points I have found are :
- Start slow to see how it effects you.
- Watch for lows – increased regular exercise effects the overall amount of insulin needed. You may need to work with your health care provider to figure out what changes need to be made.
- Monitor ketones – if you are not providing enough energy (glucose) while exercising your body will look elsewhere for it.
Lastly, be proud of yourself for accomplishments. If you can, involve family and friends in your activity, or as a cheering squad. And don’t let people that don’t know you tell you ‘how to’ exercise. (For my cycling challenge I carried extra gear and was questioned on it – august-22-describing-day-1-of-ms-ride. I had been questioned on it during my training and at first felt embarrassed to be carrying extra supplies until I realized no one knows my body as well as I do, so let others think whatever they want!)
Here’s a link to one of the articles I was given by my dietitian to figure out what I needed: diabetes.bm/type1exercisetips.pdf