Tag: biking

Diabetes ABCs

Diabetes ABCs: E

Posted on by mghdiabeteseducation

Exercise
By Paula Cerqueira, Dietetic Intern 

E

Exercise is an integral part of diabetes management. It helps improve blood glucose control in the long run; reduces insulin resistance; increases insulin sensitivity for up to 72 hours after an activity session; promotes modest weight loss and weight maintenance; lowers blood pressure, LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides; decreases risk of heart disease and stroke; and reduces stress, anxiety and depression.

In order to get the greatest benefits from your workouts, it’s recommended that you participate in 150 minutes per week of moderately intense physical activity, such as: walking at a brisk pace, jogging, swimming, bicycling, playing tennis or using an elliptical.

While exercise is an important part of any diabetes treatment plan, it needs to be started carefully.  Check in with your healthcare provider before starting an exercise program. For those who take insulin or medication that stimulates insulin production, it’s critical to check your blood sugar levels before, after, and during your workout to avoid dangerous blood sugar fluctuations.

Prior to exercise, if your blood sugar is below 80 mg/dL, it may be too low to safely do moderate physical activity.  Eat a small carbohydrate-containing snack, such as a medium piece of fruit or a slice of toast, before you begin your workout.  If your blood sugar levels are greater than 250 mg/dL, you should test your urine for ketones (a byproduct of fat metabolism). Hormones associated with exercise can further raise blood ketones and cause a drop in your blood pH.  Wait to exercise until urine ketones are at a low level. Contact your healthcare provider with any questions regarding exercise and/or your diabetes care plan.

(Reviewed by Debra Powers, MS, RD, CDE, LDN, Senior Clinical Nutritionist)
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Fitness

Spring Fitness Ideas

Posted on by mghdiabeteseducation

woman running outside wth dogAre you finding it harder to feel motivated to exercise?  Is your regular exercise routine feeling a little well, dull?  You may be in a bit of a fitness rut.  

Let’s face it, winter sometimes means exercise is primarily an indoor activity (it’s cold and windy, it gets dark early, there’s a mountain of snow on the sidewalk, etc).  Doing the same exercise in the same setting, whether at home or at the gym, does get tiring after a while.  If this sounds familiar, it may be time to give your routine a pick-me-up.  Not only is it a great way to combat the boredom factor, it’s great for your body too.  Adding variety to your workouts keeps your body guessing so you can continue to build strength and endurance.  As the weather gets milder, there are plenty of opportunities to mix up your routine with some outdoor exercise. 

One of the best outdoor activities is walking. It’s an easy and effective way to exercise, and since there’s no fancy equipment required (aside from a good pair of sneakers) it’s an activity you can do anywhere.  You can go for a walk at lunch or stop at the high school on your way home from work and do a couple of laps around the track.  There are plenty of great places to walk in Boston, as well as a number of hiking and walking trails in many of the state parks and forests.  

Take a pedometer with you to track the number of steps you take—see if you can work up to 10,000 steps a day.  Pedometers vary in price and number of functions (some only count steps, while others measure things like distance traveled, calories burned and average speed) and are available online and in department or sporting goods stores (there are even pedometer apps for the iPhone or iPod touch). 

Do you usually ride the exercise bike at the gym?  Mix it up by going for a bike ride instead.  The new scenery will make your ride more interesting, and changes in terrain add a greater degree of difficulty than a stationary bike (and, if you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, biking is an environmentally friendly mode of transportation).  Don’t have your own bike?  The city of Boston recently announced plans to launch a bike share-program this summer.  Participants can rent bicycles from kiosks located around the city; so if you live in or near the city, you can still enjoy the benefits of an outdoor bike ride. 

Another great benefit to biking (and walking, too) is the ability to bring along a friend.  Working out with a buddy can help you stay motivated to stick with your routine, and you both can push each other to work harder.  Whatever activity you choose, it’s a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider before starting an exercise program.  Also, be sure to monitor your blood sugar and carry a snack or fast acting glucose to treat potential lows.       

What are your favorite spring-time exercise activities?  Do you garden?  Play sports? Run?  We’d love to hear your suggestions.

(Information reviewed by the Clubs at Charles River Park)
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