Exercising with T1D

Exercising is such an integral part of maintaining good blood glucose levels. I consider it to be the second best way (insulin being the first) to keep my sugars under control. In fact, I like to do fairly rigorous 15-minute workouts if my blood glucose levels are a little high in order to bring it down. Even though exercise is so important, it can be difficult for persons with T1D to figure out how to manage blood glucose levels during exercise. For this reason, I decided to make a video that provides some helpful exercise management tips.

A few notes about the video:

• I always get my blood glucose levels into the 140-180 mg/dL range with an upward trend prior to exercising. It's not shown in this video, but my blood glucose was 145 mg/dL when I started working out.
• I use a pump and do not adjust basal rates during the work out.
• Checking blood glucose levels is the key! You have to know what's going on during before, during, and after working out.
• I do bolus entirely for the recovery drink. You might not have to!
• It has taken me a while to figure out the best exercise routine that works. What I do may or may not work best for you. Diabetes is an individual disease after all.
• I am not a doctor. Please consult a licensed physician before beginning an exercise routine!

I hope you enjoy the video!