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With 415 million people living with diabetes worldwide, we often still feel alone and unprepared. With diabetes bags made for organization and a community of people who are just like you, Myabetic will help you feel connected and prepared for every day with diabetes.

3 Tips for Exercising with Type 1 Diabetes

Posted by Jade Venhaus on

Staying healthy is important to you. But exercising with diabetes can be a real challenge. I’ve been there! I have been living an active lifestyle with diabetes for 19 years, and I’ve learned how to better avoid the highs and lows. Here are my best practices for exercising with diabetes:

 

1. Get to Know Your Body

Always make sure to have a starting BG (blood glucose) that makes sense for YOU! For example, I like to keep my starting BG around 150 if I am planning to go for a run, since I know this type of exercise will make my sugars drop. Whereas, if I am doing light exercise such as gentle yoga, I will have my starting BG be closer to 120. These numbers will not be the same for everyone, so it’s important to get to know your body. Before I found what works best for me, I would keep track of things by using a diabetes-logbook. I have found trial and error is what works best.

 

2. Prepare Ahead of Time

Make sure to be prepared for your workout. If you like to workout in the morning, be mindful you’re on an empty stomach. Or, if you workout in the evening hours after lunch, you’ll also want to keep in mind you haven’t recently eaten. In both of these cases you’d want to have a balanced pre-workout snack such as a slice of toast with peanut butter. It’s also important to always keep your diabetes supplies with you just in case you need to check. I like to use this diabetes-backpack, which fits all of my essential supplies, but is still easy to carry with me, or set to the side. I have realized the more consistent I am with my exercise routine, the more likely I am to have stable blood sugars.

 

3. Find Your Balance

Finding your balance is key in exercising with diabetes! Somedays you will think you did everything right but still run into some lows or highs. That is totally okay! I still experience highs and lows from time to time too. Even with the conscious effort I make to keep my blood sugars in range during exercise, it just doesn’t always happen. This is why it’s important to keep a positive attitude. Just do the best you can!

 

You can keep moving and have diabetes. It just requires some mindfulness. Sweat it out!

 

Jade Venhaus @vibrantlybalanced

Living with Diabetes Since 2000

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4 comments

  • Hi Abigail,

    Yes! This can still happen to me from time to time. I would recommend logging everything you do for at least a week. For example, when I first started my workout journey, I would try doing 30 minute workouts 3-4 days a week. And I kept track of everything that happen. If this isn’t something that ends up working for you, I would highly suggest reaching out to your doctor for further help.

    With Love,
    Jade

    Jade on

  • Honestly I wish I could still workout. But even when I start with a higher sugar (150-200), I still drop low every single time. Does this ever happen to you?

    Abigail on

  • I’ve seriously struggled with being active and having diabetes. I feel like my sugars are just always all over the place. But after reading this it gives me some hope. Maybe I will have to try the whole logbook thing. Thanks

    Carter on

  • I like to start my workouts a bit high too. That usually puts my blood sugar in range by the time I’m done!

    Sheri on

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