Today I decided it was time I went to the gym. No, I wasn't motivated by seeing Madonna's muscles it just felt about time that I tackled the gym with my pump, no more excuses.
I had been wondering what I would do when it came to exercising and I wasn't sure which approach to try first so this afternoon I emailed my nurse for some advice (chances are if she hadn't replied that would of been my excuse to put it off till tomorrow...)
I was thinking of perhaps taking my pump off all together and then I wasn't sure if I should eat something beforehand as well. Her advice was to reduce my basal rate by 50% starting one hour before exercise and continuing for one hour afterwards and that would probably mean I didn't need any carbohydrates during.
I ate a cereal bar just before I left work and didn't bolus, blood glucose was 9.6, I was hungry and didn't feel like I would be able to endure much exercise without eating something. One hour later when I got off the Tube it was 9.3. So by now my basal rate was running at 0.15u per hour, not much at all really. Still I wasn't convinced I would make it past putting my trainers on at this rate so I had three jelly babies....then I had one more just for luck.
I did my usual - warm up for 5 mins, 20 mins on cross trainer then some sit ups on the swiss ball. I felt good, like I could keep on going and I wasn't sweating and looking too tomato like, I knew my blood glucose was good maybe even a bit low. Testing in the changing room afterwards - 6.8. Jelly baby for the walk home, 5.3 when I got home.
I was pleased with that, but I would quite like not to have to eat too much before I exercise, that was after all one of the pumps selling points. So if my pump was only dosing 0.15 units during my exercise and I ate 35g of carbs without bolusing I think I could try not wearing it at all next time. Now to get working on those muscles...
Picture via Flickr
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