Zin

This is a thread to share experiences that combine cycling and Type II diabetes.
How do you balance your diabetic diet requirements vs. training and exercise?
Tell us of your success or failures so that all bikeforum.net readers may benefit from your experience.

Feel free to ask questions. You never know, someone may have the same question or an answer or alternative.


Here are some useful links regarding diabetes: (knowledge is power)
American Diabetes Association
Yahoo Diabetes Health Center
MedlinePlus Diabetes Info Page
BikeForums Weight Loss Club



DISCLAIMER:
No advice given in this thread is intended to replace the advice of a health care professional. It is always recommended to discuss any change to your diet or exercise routine with your doctor.

The links included in this post do not represent any endorsement or affiliation of bikeforums.net

Zin

I'll go first.

I was diagnosed 2 years ago. At that time I was around 270lbs. My max weight was 340lbs several years ago.

The doctor told me that I HAD TO EXERCISE! So, I stared riding bikes with our kids around the neighborhood. Then we started going on longer rides on our local M.U.T.

Now, I'm a "hardcore" bike commuter. My round trip is 13.2 miles. I do this almost daily year round. This has been the majority of my cycling mileage. With this meager distance done with regularity and watching my eating habits I have now cut my diabetic oral meds in 1/2. I now weigh ~215lbs.

The more weight I loose, the more I feel like riding. The more I ride the more I loose. Its a win-win situation.

How do I balance the greatly restricted caloric and carb intake of the diabetic diet?

I'll need to brake this down into a couple of parts.

Normal daily routine is to stay to the normally daily diabetic diet with all its restrictions. The restricted diet is intended to get the weight loss started and to control the blood glucose levels. I find that this works ok.

Distance training routine is a bit different. After discussing my nutritional needs with my doctor, I am free to consume sports bars and drinks during the training rides. When I was training for my first century I used Propel and Cliff bars. (both have very little raw sugar in them) I would stop once an hour to take my blood glucose. I recorded my food and glucose readings in a small notebook kept in my rear pockets. When your exercising, your body needs the fuel. Your body burns the fuel. The danger with diabetes is when you over fuel your body. I was able to get into a rhythm with my eating and my fuel needs. The Cliff bar was just what the doctor ordered, so-to-speak.

If you are going to train for distance riding, talk to your doctor or dietitian to get the professional word on your eating needs. This what works for me.

What does everyone else with Type II diabetes do?

gort40

You mentioned that you mointored your glucose level each hour. What meter did you use? My Accu-Chek
Complete seems a bit much to lug along on a ride. Did you notice fluctuation?

I haven't bicycled in 15 years and I currently weigh 245. It's quite a struggle for the first few miles. I'm still trying to find a diet that works or maore accurately that I can follow.

Bokkie

I'm chipping in as a member of the 'other' camp - type 1. I certainly endorse exercise as a major benefit for both camps. However, anyone who is recently diagnosed should have a thorough medical first, to determine if (specifically) neuropathy and retinopathy are present. A good cardio test is very worthwhile.

I generally stoke up on glucose before my ride (mtb) as the exertion involved will soon make use of that so running a bit higher is not too bad for me. Certainly test before riding, and when you get back. I never stop to test during the ride as it's too much of a schlep and what with general grime and sweat, tests would not be completely accurate anyway. I listen to my body and snack if I suspect I'm going hypo, but that has not happened significantly to date. I can certainly ride in the same domain as the non-diabetic riders. We do though, have the condition working against us. I've learned to work with it and not against it.

I have excellent insulin sensitivity and I always removal my insulin pump for both safety and for reasons above. In a warped sense, I'm far healthier now with diabetes than I was without it. Being diagnosed type 1 was serious wake-up call. Right now, I'm too in a win-win situation with it.

Zin

Well, I use a ReliOn meter. I should clarify that I only carried the meter with me when I was training. It helped me to get to know what my body was telling me. Bokkie mentions this in his post. Since I was departing from my normal routine, I thought it prudent to keep a close eye on what my glucose was doing as I rode, ate and drank. I no longer carry the meter along with me on rides.

Congratulations on getting back on the bike! I would suggest you take it slow to begin with. You don't want to harm yourself. Your not training for a race. Your riding to get healthy. Any excercise will be of benefit. As you ride, your weight will start dropping. Your glucose levels will most likely follow.

Don't think of your food limitations as a "diet." I can't stick to a diet. If I could have, I would have never gotten over 300lbs! If you are newly diagnosed, then you have to stick to the meal plan very closely. It is important to learn portion control, and which foods to choose. After a while, this becomes automatic. Myself, I LOVE stir-fry. I make my own using fresh veggies, chicken, or pork.

I think the best advice is to talk with your doctor. Ask him about your diet and activity level. As activity increases, your diet needs to adapt somewhat. Remember, your trying to loose weight and get healthy. Under fueling your body when active will cause your body to hold on to its weight. If you don't have a dietitian, that may be a great place to start.

Well, I hope this helps, if not, please feel free to post further questions.

Bob

jukt

I am type II.

Riding is daBomb, for me. Used to lift weights, but it made me too heavy. Doing crunches with 4 45 lb plates just made my abs thick. Had to stop. Duathlon.

The 2 hour bikes are are making me look vascular. Yesterday walked 2 hours, with a little sprinting, and rode 2 hours. Very tired this AM, and a little calorie deprived.

Chhaa Ching.

I measure my blood sugar every morning. I can eat almost, almost, anything. I stay away from sugar drinks, a gatorade a ride, and do water and sugar free energy drinks. Boo Koo is 24 oz's, and not too hard on the stomach.

Stay away from bagged food, chips, pretzels, what ever. Things with icing are not for me. Fresh fish, veggies, and some soybean products are very beneficial. Beware of any items labeled sugar or fat free. Fat free means all sugar, you may be better off with the fat. Read labels.

Boca makes some great burgers, and hot dogs. No white bread, or potatoes. Had 2 scoops of ice cream, with fresh strawberries, today. Awesome, but only once in a while.

Google glycemic index, and eat things that are ranked low. A 100 means rocket fuel, almost pure sugar. Like white bread and pretzels. Pretzels are death in a bag.

I eat a Cliff bar a ride, real food, great taste.

I am starting to look the way I want to look. Four hours on the road, a few times a week, is the answer, for me.

Bop Bop

How about a third camp, 4 months ago I was diagnosed with "Insulin Resistance" Diabetics. According to the paperwork the Docotor provided me with it is also known as "Pre-Diabetes".

If I do not take care of myself it could turn into Type II. Have to drop about about 20 lbs. Which I have now started to do through cycling, diet change (no more sodas, junk food, white breads, etc). I've replaced them with Grain Breads, Salads, Yougurt, water, fruits, vegtables, etc. In the last 2 to 3 weeks I've dropped 5 lbs. Not alot, but it's a start.

Currently I do not take any meds for it, but am taking 4 meds for extreme High Blood Pressure.

Zin

Bop Bop, sounds like your off to a good start. Now get out and ride! You will be amazed at how much of a difference it will make!

Bop Bop

N7CZinMT,

Thanks! I have been riding, but only twice a week on the weekends. Started off 4 months ago going around the block, today was the second time I did 20 miles in a week.

Starting mid next month when the temps break, it's 105 or better now a days, I will be adding at least one more ride if not more after work. It's 10:00 PM just came from dinner with the wife and friends and the temps is 95. Have to wait, a bit.

Thanks again for the words and support.

capsicum

Whats the main difference between type 1 and 2? They are both hyperglycemic conditions are they not?

Bop Bop

Type 1 - The Pancreas makes no Insulin at all.

Type 2 - The Pancreas makes Insulin but does not respond properly to the Insulin

Zin

There are three major types of diabetes:

* Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in childhood. The body makes little or no insulin, and daily injections of insulin are required to sustain life. Without proper daily management, medical emergencies can arise.
* Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1 and makes up about 90% of all cases of diabetes. It usually occurs in adulthood. Here, the pancreas does not make enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels normal, often because the body does not respond well to the insulin. Many people with type 2 diabetes do not know they have it, although it is a serious condition. Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common due to the growing number of older Americans, increasing obesity levels, and widespread failure to exercise.
* Gestational diabetes is high blood glucose that develops at any time during pregnancy in a person who does not have diabetes.

Source: Yahoo Diabetes Health Center

Map tester

I'm in the same class as Bop Bop. Last December ('03), during my annual physical, my doctor says I'm pre-diabetic. Okay, shock for a week or two, then starting reading everything I could find on the subject. Started exercising in late Dec., eating healthy (whole grains, no sugar, fresh veggies and some fruit). Started biking in March (after a too-long time off) and now my A3C level is what my doc says is probably normal for me. I am commuting everyday. If I take the train in the roundtrip ride is 8 to 10 miles, if I ride all the way in the distance is more like 20 miles roundtrip. I am still losing weight (about a pound a week). Since it took years for me to put all this weight on, I figure I can take a year or so to take it all off. And more good news, at my last doc visit my blood pressure was like 78/115. I still take one med for high blood pressure, but I am hoping once I get all this weight off that med can go away.

And I am eating more now than I used to (just healthier food)! Thank you bicycle gods!

Bop Bop

MapTester,

Way to go!!!!!!

The doctor told me drop the weight, excerise and like you it will have two major effects, the Diabetes issues should clear itself and the drop in my pressure should result in less meds. Seems like he's correct.

The only thing I need to do is get a less stressful job. I supervise a 30 plus person staff adjusting Medicare and Medicaid Claims for 4 different plans in 4 different states. Seems like doctors want their monies timely and correctly, go figure.

Bop Bop

I was looking for Diabetes information on the Net when I came across the site below. Turns out it's the exact info my Doctor gave me. Thought people would find it to be of interest:

https://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pub...linresistance/

Bokkie

There is a sort of no-mans land loosely documented as type 1.5. I had a reduced c-peptide assay but was above the lower range for my lab and coupled with the fact that I otherwise had classic type 1 symptons but had a predictable and immediate and sustained response to insulin (that is, excellent sensitivity). I was initially packaged as a type 1.5, still producing some insulin, but nowhere near enough. My last c-peptide assay showed I am way below the lower range now, so effectively my beta cells have said hasta-la-vista-baby!

Type 2 which used to be late-onset (40+ age group) is now documented in the UK as accounting for nearly 20% of all diabetes diagnosed in under-13 year olds. A decade ago, it was barely 2% maximum. The single culprit is obesity and from reduced or either no exercise at school. Look at the awful diet of kids these days and it's hardly surprising.

I was hit by a viral infection and my weight crashed from 94Kg to 62Kg in no time at all. Best diet I ever had.

Radworld

First let me congratualte everyone that has whatever form of diabetes and they are embracing treatment. I don't know the ages of anybody but I know with younger guys we have a real aversion to going to the doctor...we weigh alot into "well, I'll just get better...especially if I don't acknowledge it." Personally...I knew something was wrong when I drank a gallon of lemonade without blinking an eye and I could have had more. Early detection and treatment is key. Even if you suspect something get yourself checked out...Once I did find out what was wrong I was almost relieved because I knew and I could make a plan in controlling it. Its interesting what gets you where you are...had I not been diagnosed. I'd probably still be eating crap, not execising, feeling crummy and not know why. Having diabetes literally got me back on my bike.

Bop Bop

Radworld,

Could not have said it better. Thank you!

markm109

I'm a type II also. Last year riding my mtb, my glucose (sugar) level would drop significantly, of course I was riding all out balls to the walls and was pretty tired afterward.

This year I've been riding my new road bike and have learned to moderate my pace so I can go long distances (only gone 50 miles at most so far) and I'm tired but not exhausted afterward. My legs may be sore but I'm not out of breath and exhausted like I was last year. Part of this I know is I am much healthier now than when I started biking last year and have lost 30lbs and part of it is how I have changed my biking style.

But here is the strange thing - I have found this year my sugar level is the same or slightly higher after I go for a bike ride of 1.5 hours and 25 miles. I know I am using energy so the only thing I can think of is my body is making more glucose to replace what I am burning and makes more than I burn. My body is often very warm through out the evening and night. I have found that exercise is not depleting my glucose like it once did. The tests the doc runs are normal, glucose (long term) is where it should be. Anyone else experience this? For me, it's a good thing, I don't need to worry about having issues while biking.

I don't eat on these rides and only drink water or poweraid (only 2g sugar).

Mark

gabiker

I'm a type II diabetic and used to do what markm did and not eat while riding. I now replenish myself constantly and have found that my energy level is up and I can ride faster and farther than ever before. Weekend befor last we rode 101 miles on Saturday and 80 on Sunday, but I could have gone much further either day. Last weekend we rode 45 miles Saturday and Sunday averaging over 18mph both days.

My point here is you need to watch what you do, but you also need to replenish what your burning or you won't improve. I might add that my A1C is usually around 6.5 and I really don't have to watch my diet anymore. I do try to eat healthy and when I do eat sweets it is not real icky sweet sweets.

I know everyone is different, but when you cycle for 2 hours or better or even less your body continues burning long after that.

So just keep on riding, because it does amazing things to our health.

Philli....

Zin

gabiker, your right on the money. My doc tells me to carb load the night before and to consume quality carbs during the long rides. I use Cliff bars myself. They don't have a lot of white sugar in them. I tend to nibble on about 1/2 a bar per hour on things like Century rides. I felt great when I did my century in June. I did drop to liquids only for the last 30 miles. I felt full and thought hydration was more important.

wabbit

It seems I keep hearing about how type 2s get into cycling and it keeps them off the meds. Probably cycling is ideal since a leot of type 2s are diagnosed in middle age and it can be hard to take up something like running if you're overweight and say, 45. Cycling is probably ideal since it's not as hard on the joints and burns fat. There also seems to be something about cycling that kickstarts the metabolism; i was diagnosed with a thyroid condition that is also, like type 2, an autoimmune condition and it slowed down my metabolism. SO I gained weight; but then I discovered that the more cycling I did, I'd lose weight in the summer. It took abouat 2 years to get the weight off because my metabolism was slow, but then something happened and my metabolism began functioning again and the weight came off. It was only about 15 lbs but that's a lot on me. Ever since then, my tests have shown normal hormone levels and I have never had to go on medication. I may eventually, since this condition is permanent, like all autoimmune conditions. I keep thinking it had to be all the cycling, because once I really started putting in the miles, that's when my metabolism began to speed up again.

I also found out that autoimmune diseases are often inherited; but if one of your parents had, say thyroid disease, you could also be prone to other types of autoimmune diseases like diabetes. No one really knows what causes these things or what triggers them off. However, it does seem that men more than women get type 2.

TampaRaleigh

I've been on a health roller coaster. Last year, I was having digestive issues: stomach ulcers, gastric reflux, intestinal ulcers, high cholesterol. My diet was horrible... meat and potatoes was 90% of my diet. My doctor told me to cut back on the meats, and my wife suggested that we try vegetarianism. (I still ate seafood, eggs, and dairy).

I was a VERY poor vegetarian. I replaced much of the meat that I was no longer eating with more pasta, potatoes, breads, and rice. I had one of those good news/bad news meeting with my doc. Congratulations, your digestive issues have improved, your cholesterol levels are much better, and you're now type 2 diabetic.

So now I'm cutting the carbs and the sugar, and taking Metformin. Next week is my next doctor's appointment, I wonder what'll be wrong with me this time!