Exercise and Type 1 Diabetes

We all are told that exercise is supposed to be good for us.

As a pump and sensor wearing Type One diabetic, I have the data to support that argument.

About ten months ago, I decided to try and lose some weight. Although I do not look fat, technically I am more than fat - I am obese. So I became encouraged to so something about it.

I started off by examining the foods I was eating - so I taught myself to count carbohydrates and was horrified at what I found out - I was eating a huge amount of carbs - sometimes topping 100 grams in one meal! It turns out that eating out is probably the worst thing in the would you could be doing to yourself if you are becoming sensitive to carbs - and we unfortunatly ate out all of the time. Personally, I was disgusted by the huge numbers of carbs - and the awareness of what foods had in them (carb wise) encouraged me to go low carb.

What do I mean? Well, just avoiding carby foods like breads, rice, pasta, etc. And instead trying to find veggies, proteins, and other things to fill up on. I embarked with a goal of not exceeding 100 grams a day.

The insulin pump I wear, the Medtronic 722 with Sensor - keeps track of the amount of carbs I eat - as well as my blood sugar levels - so it was easy to run reports on my performance over the months. And I found that just slightly altering your diet - becoming aware of carbs and eating more of the other things - my blood sugars became easier to control.

And my A1C lowered.

And I was losing weight. About 25 pounds over the course of four months - which I consider to be a decent accomplishment. All from eating under 100 grams of carb a day (actually my average was 62.)

But I needed to sustain the results and my weight seemed to be plateauing. What could I do?

Exercise.

I started walking one hour a day - each and every day - and I did this for four months. I also ate the NutraSystem-D diet - which was /more/ carbs than my low carb diet - more on that later.

Walking at first was difficult - it was easy to try and not do it - but I remained motivated and did it each and every day - through the rain, and cold. It became easier as it went - and I increased my pace so that I was walking over an hour and hitting about 7 miles each walk.

Weight loss continued - and over the second course of months I lost another 15 pounds - which was an awesome result.

But something else happened.

I was needing less insulin - much less.

The one hour walk each day was somehow altering my chemistry or biology to the point that I was using insulin more efficently. My basal requirements (the insulin you need when not eating) was reduced by a shocking 20% !!!!! As was my bolus or food requirements.

I was stumped by this revelation. So as winter came and the snow and ice fell, I decided to stop walking for a period of three months (during the worst of it) to see what would happen. Which is where I am today.

The diet continues, I am eating about 60 grams on average of carbs per day.

My weight loss has stopped - but my weight is a constant. So pounds are gladly not being accumulated.

And my basal/bolus numbers are back to the pre-workout levels.

So exercise, in my experience, makes a Type 1 diabetic more efficently use insulin. And so I am now back to my daily walks, looking to reduce my insulin use and have a more stable experience.

TSD