Yes... I have Diabetes

So my numbers haven't been great and just stressed with being sick, a job change and getting my small business up and running so I am really wanting to start exercising and see if that helps sense I havent been able to stay completely on track with the food I'm eating.
I was wondering does anyone use swimming as thier activity? We have a gym close by with an olympic size pool that i can go swim laps in in the mornings before work, but wanting to know how far I would have to swim and at what speed to make it worth it.
Any Ideas or Suggestions??

Thanks

Hi Shellie

In exactly same boat as you!! Also job change and staring small busienss! I am also considering swimming and I think if you swim for half an hour and sprint every 5 th length to get your heart rate up it should be sufficient but add some resistance training too. Also I'm off to buy a mini trampolene and planning to jump for 10 minutes every hour as I work from home so easy to do!! Are you a type 1 diabetc?

Thx
Nix

Type 2 diagnoised in Dec 2011. I Joined the gym and swam for the first time this morning at 5 am.....I managed 6 total laps thats down and back counting as 1 lap and I was conpletely out of breath and I changed up the ways i swam but really enjoyed it. Only thing I am concerned about it is i tested before my swim and was at 113 but after the swim was 160...I have always been told excercise should help lower it, but today is just day one so we will see what happens. Let me know how the mini trampoline works!!

I am also type 2 and diagnosed in Dec 2011.
I personally don't like swimming, but it is a great form of exercise. Really anything that gets you moving is great!!!
What did you eat recently before you went swimming if anything?
If you had not had any calories yet that morning it may have had a sugar dump from the sugar stored in your body. I know if I go more than 12 hours without eating I get a sugar dump and my bs can spike even if I worked out. I tried a few times working out first thing in the morning before I ate breakfast and my bs after workout were in the 200's I have to eat at least a little something before I workout if I do it in the morning.
Hope it helps a bit.

I think that may be what is happening!! I haven't been eating anything before my swim, so maybe thats what it is. I think I will try something in the morning. I did buy The NEw Glucose Revolution Low GI Guide to Losing weight so maybe I can find something in there that will work for me. Thanks So Much for the Info!!

according to the chart i am reading swimming burns 112 kcal per 20 minutes. it doesnt say what rate you have to swim (hate experts who only give you have the info). your sugar going up confuses me also. from what i read it should go down. the books i read all talk about hypo not hyper. good luck.

oh by the way, i plan on taking up scuba because i love the water.

Guess maybe my body got confussed when I started swimming cause I went up for a week, but now I drink a glass of milk or eat a greek yougurt on the way there and now its atleast in the 130's when I'm done.
I've always said when I hit my goal I wanna learn to dive, just cant picture myself in a wet suit yet

I swim twice a week on average. I am now up to 1.5 km or 30 laps. The pool is 25m length. My research for the speed and effort works out to ~700 KCalories. It depends on the effort and stroke so there is lots of variability. In my early years (many decades ago) I was an instructor and lifeguard. If you haven't been swimming, dont be surprised if your out of breath after 6 laps. Keep up the effort. Swimming is good cardio with a atrength component.

I was diagnosed back in 2001 type 2. Over the past year, my balanced diet and exercise routine has brought my A1C back to normal. I no longer take any medication. Believe me a year ago I was a mess. I think the blood glucose reading increases during exercise to give your body something to burn. I never test until an hour after an exercise routine. Of course I am only an amateur.

I am up to a quarter mile 3 times a week....If I drink a glass of milk before i swim my numbers are very low afterwards and I am able to eat breakfast at my normal time. I at least feel better even if nothing else

WTG, always improving. I personally like swimming because I do my best thinking while swimming unlike the treadmill or gym workouts. I need to get outside and do my power walking been years. I have a something to eat before I go swimming but thats due to having to go to work at 7:30 Time mangement. Keep up the good work.