Best Time To Exercise

Dear Friend,

When The Best Time To Exercise...For People With Diabetes?

By Katrina McKenna, BA, CES, CSCS

"When is the best time to exercise," is one of the most common
questions I get asked by diabetics and non-diabetics alike. A
common belief is that low intensity cardio on an empty stomach
burns the most fat because carbohydrates are not available.

First, low intensity cardio is not the best for fat loss. The
fat burning zone is myth that does not take into account all
the calories burned during and AFTER the exercise session and
can actually cause you to lose muscle. If you want to lose
fat, then you must preserve your muscles.

Second, research has shown that there is no difference in
how much fat is burned during a moderate intensity cardio
session with or without food. It does make a difference at
lower intensities, but I already said that this is not
ideal. At high intensity training, you need some food to
maintain performance. So actually by eating a small amount
you are allowing yourself to exercise harder and as a result
increasing the amount of calories that you will burn hours
after your exercise session.

Third, you risk increasing the level of your stress hormones
and instead of breaking down fat, your body may break down
muscle. Again lowering your metabolism and pushing you in the
opposite direction of fat loss.

Exercising on an empty stomach can actually cause your blood
sugar to increase if you have diabetes. This seems very
strange since most of the time exercise helps to lower blood
sugar levels. Exercising tells the liver to release its stored
sugar or glycogen into the bloodstream but if there is not
enough insulin in the bloodstream the muscles cannot absorb
the sugar quickly enough.

People with diabetes must check their blood sugar before and
after exercise to determine their response to exercise. If
your blood sugar is very high (consult your health care
provider for the suggested level) then exercise could make
it even higher. This happens due to the stress hormones causing
the release of sugar into the bloodstream, often because of
limited insulin. If your blood sugar level is high test for
ketones in your urine. If there are ketones then you should
NOT exercise until your blood sugar is at a safer level.

Research is showing that you may be able to exercise safely
with high blood glucose level as long as there are not ketones
in the urine. Speak to your health care provider for specific
recommendations. In this case, keep the exercise intensity low,
because high intensity exercise can raise your blood sugar
levels even further.

Now, I know I just said to avoid low intensity exercise for
fat loss but under these conditions, preventing your blood
sugar from going higher is more important for your health
and the prevention of diabetic complications. All exercise
helps your diabetes even if it doesn't promote weight loss.
I'd much rather you keep the habit of exercising than skip
it because it isn't the most efficient for fat loss. Remember
you are exercising for both your health and fat loss. Your
health has priority over fat loss.

Exercise can also cause low blood sugar. As the muscles are
working they are absorbing sugar from the blood stream far
easier than they do when they are not working. If your blood
sugar is too low before you start exercising you must eat some
carbohydrates beforehand. This is not ideal for fat loss, so
timing your exercise session after you eat and avoiding the
peak time of your insulin is best. Depending on the length
and intensity of exercise your blood sugar can go low several
hours after exercise, making exercise close to bedtime risky.

OK, so what is the final answer? You must find a time 1 - 3
hours after you eat but away from the peak action of insulin.
The larger the meal, the more time you should wait. If you
must exercise in the morning, eat something small before
starting, such as low fat yogurt, a handful of nuts, something
that has some carbs, some protein and some fat.

Yours in health,

Katrina
MetamorFitness