DBW: Let's Get Physical

Let's just start off with this photo:

Diabetes isn't just about what you eat.   You can avoid sugar, you can cut out carbohydrates and still deal with high blood sugar. Likewise, you can eat extra food, take less of a bolus, set a temp basal, and still end up low.   I find exercise and diabetes one of the most annoying combinations in the history of combos.   The issue is that no day is the same, I could eat the exact same thing [which I do] every morning and do the same amount of fitness [which I do] and have completely different numbers.  I think that when it comes down to it, it's about being prepared for whatever diabetes throws at you. If you're going to the gym, keep your tester near by and your low supplies close.  As much as we try to pre-plan it can be extremely difficult.

Personally, I do not go to the gym. I used to go all the time, but then I realized it wasn't practical for me and I wanted to find something that didn't stress me out, yet also kept me active. I work with children so I am constantly running around whether that is playing at the park, walking around the neighbourhood or jumping on a trampoline.  To me, this is fun, and also keeps me active, which is good enough for me.

The difficult part is that when I am active is when I am working, and since I mentioned I work with children it's so important that I make sure I am not going low and if I do go low [which happens] I make sure that I have the proper things I need to bring me back up.   If I am going for a long walk, I bring my supplies, a snack, low treatment and my debit card just in case I need to further purchase more food.

Since my exercise is based around/during my work schedule, there really is no need for added motivation. I have made it apart of my routine and it has worked out well for me.  Almost every day at work I reach over 15,000 steps before noon. It's the weekends that I slack, I do run a lot errands but not enough to classify as exercise I don't think.

All and all I have learned how important it is to find something that works for your schedule and also something that doesn't stress you out. When I had a gym membership I would stress that I didn't go often enough or that I was spending too much money on the membership.   I found that once I withdrew from that and began walking with the children and with my friends and partner, I felt much better overall and was still getting a workout in.

Kayla