I Can't Believe I Ate the Whole Gym.
Here’s the quandary: I hated my old job. HATED IT. The stress was incredible and my boss was so tightly wound that he would have benefited from at least an afternoon nap. So I found a new gig at dLife and quit the old chaos.
Upside: I enjoyed a few weeks off in May and June and became accustomed to a relaxed, beach bum sort of lifestyle. I scored a very nice tan. I was at the gym more often than not. And my sleeping schedule morphed from “schedule” to “haphazard, at best,” sleeping whenever I felt like it and staying up all night sometimes. It was like college again. I knew this was (maybe) the last chance in my life to be so loose with my schedule. So I was all about it.
Downside: The lack of regimentation took it’s toll on me. I wasn’t eating at standard times. Dinner was oftentimes served at midnight. “Morning” became a relative term, as I missed a number of mornings entirely. I tested very often (per usual) and kept my boluses tight, but not keeping to a decent schedule set my internal clock to cuckoo.
Now that the dust is finally settling here in Norwalk, I am reclaiming some semblance of schedule. I’m at work for a definitive set of hours per day. I am eating meals at the same times. After work, I’m at the gym by 7 o’clock and working out until about 8 p.m.
And I’m rocking out low bloodsugars to the tune of almost two per day, ranging from an upper 65 mg/dl to the pitfalls of 38 mg/dl. Symptoms are all in check (unlike what I was experiencing a few months ago) and they are most certainly kicking my ass. These lows are intense. The trembling hands, the waves of nausea/dizziness, and that “lost” look that Chris says I have when I’m low. I’m crying. I’m becoming intolerably grumpy and miserable during these reactions.
I’m a mess.
And I’m consuming juice in mass quantities at the moment. Two reactions per day adds up to many empty calories. Faux-Fitness Kerri does not like empty calories. She works too hard to keep her weight in check to give in to these lows. She even does this in third person, as she’s noted.
After downing a sports bottle of juice last night and recovering from a 47 mg/dl, I turned to Chris, tears in my eyes and a smirk on my face and said, “I can’t believe I ate the whole gym.” I am consuming more calories than I’m burning during my workout. I am eating my workouts these days.
I’m actively recording bloodsugars and doing my best to keep track of boluses. I am attempting to test my basals but these lows are thwarting my efforts some days. Over the next few days, I’m sure things will even out after some tweaking and I’ll be back to my regularly scheduled programming.
Until then, I’m keeping a bottle of juice by the bed. And some alka-selzter.
Comments
Quick dumb question? Are you dropping your basal before you go to the gym?
I had one of those too, yesterday because silly me forgot to drop my basal before I worked out.
I've either got to "eat the gym" or drop my basals.
Posted by: Kathleen Weaver | July 12, 2006 05:50 PM
Definitely not a dumb question, Kathleen. I am clicking down my basal about an hour and a 1/2 before I go to the gym and I disconnect my pump for the duration of my workout.
I'm pretty sure I can balance things out, but there may be a few more lows before I've got the trends nailed down. :)
Posted by: Kerri. | July 12, 2006 06:03 PM
Good -- I bet you get it nailed soon, but isn't it frustrating in the meantime!
And have I told you congratulations on the new job?!!!! If not, CONGRATULATIONS.
Posted by: Kathleen Weaver | July 12, 2006 06:26 PM
I really enjoyed reading this post - I was so damn intrigued by the title, and just entertained to pieces when you pulled it together for us. Very nicely done!
As you (and Kathleen) have said, I'm sure you'll nail it down soon.
Change is always traumatic. I think it's usually good too, but it's most certainly always traumatic.
The storm will soon pass.
Posted by: Scott K. Johnson | July 12, 2006 06:51 PM
Hi, Kerri. Boy, can I empathize with the "eating the whole gym" idea. It's depressing to consume calories that we can't get rid of. I'm surprised you have the energy to go to the gym!
Hang in there...
Posted by: Nic | July 12, 2006 09:24 PM
I also can relate to eating your workout. When I first switched to the pump three years ago that was my remark to the nurse-it would be great to workout without eating up all the calories. Exercise is hard to adjust for. I tend to eat less at meals to allow for low BS corrections during the day. I use mainly glucose tabs-low cals-high sugar to correct and go through bottles each month. Good Luck, If your schedule is at all regular the reducing the insulin 90 minutes ahead of time works really well.
Posted by: Lisa | July 12, 2006 09:55 PM
Like Lisa said, try the glucose tabs instead of the juice. I sometimes find its hard to trust the glucose tabs when I am in the low 30s, something about my stomach and brain not believing that something so small is going to actually get the job done. But they do work. It has to be the most frustrating aspect about Diabetes, that you have to eat to avoid passing out. It must be easier on the pump, but after 15 years of Type 1, making huge changes to meal patterns, amount or just skipping a meal altogether can really throw me off. Don't get me wrong, I love food and used to relish low blood sugars and the excuse to eat as much as I wanted to, but there are times when its just not fun to eat when you're not actually hungry.
Posted by: Alexis | July 13, 2006 03:15 AM
Kerri, the phrase that really amused me was "faux fitness." :)
It sounds like those lows are not necessarily immediately following workouts, but a couple of times a day, right?
Are you pumping some heavy iron? LOL
Posted by: Johnboy | July 13, 2006 05:59 AM
You pretty much addressed what I would've said about your numbers evening out once your body adjusts to a new schedule.
As for drinking your workout, could you keep smaller juice boxes with you and drink one of those and check your numbers before chugging a whole larger bottle of drink stuff?
Just throwing out ideas here :)
And it's so great to read about you being happy at your job....you deserve it!!
Posted by: Shannon Lewis | July 13, 2006 06:13 AM
I once read in a medical journal that having a low blood sugar while in the third person can cause one's time-space continuum to warp a little. Oh please do tell what it's like on the other side...
Posted by: Kevin | July 13, 2006 08:16 AM
Kevin - I keep waiting for the jet engine with the fibonacci spiral on it to drop from the sky.
Johnboy - The lows aren't always exercise related, but the ones that are near my workouts are making me completely batty.
Shannon - I am drinking the little sports bottles of juice, averaging around eight ounces and 36 grams of carbs. It's what I need to get from 40 mg/dl back up to 120 mg/dl or so. If I chugged a whole family-sized bottle, I'd be sick for sure!
Posted by: Kerri. | July 13, 2006 08:22 AM
Haha, I was picturing you drinking the bigger bottles....I was thinking, "dang, she can hold a lot!" lol.
Posted by: Shannon | July 13, 2006 08:41 AM
Ugh I feel like that is forever my problem I work out to loose weight I get low then I have to treat the low .. Hello waisted my whole work out then I give up I am glad to read that you still trying and staying strong makes me want to keep trying too thanks for this
Posted by: Julie | July 13, 2006 08:51 AM
Yep, been there, ate the whole gym. Can you temporarily lower your basals across the day, or at least those a few hours before you're having lows, and see how that works?
Posted by: Lyrehca | July 13, 2006 09:20 AM
i don't go to the gym. i go cycling for hours at a time. i eat a snack before i go out of no more that 30gs of carbs, sometimes i have a sports drink. take no insulin and leave off my pump.
it goes ok but at bedtime i have to drop my tbr by 10% for 4 hours.
if i change me exercise and do like punching this big "slam man" we have like when i want to get rid of anger. i drop so low no matter what i do then eat all the calories i have just burned off.
it's a thankless task exercising.
Posted by: v i c k i | July 13, 2006 11:24 AM
Kerri, remember that you are still getting benefit out of going to the gym. You're keeping your muscles toned, and probably ensuring you build up more lean muscle mass, rather than fat.
I understand, and sympathise with, how horrible it is to have so many lows. How they can make just as frustrated as a string of highs, and oftentimes make you feel worse. In some ways I guess I was "lucky" to find a reason, (in the form of Addison's) for the high number I had been having.
I hope you get it figured soon.
Posted by: Caro | July 14, 2006 03:12 AM
Kerri,
So sorry to hear you are struggling. I will be thinking of you....I hope things get back on track soon for you.
Posted by: Taocat | July 15, 2006 10:28 AM
Hey. Remember me? Thanks to the wonderful power of Google, combined with the fact that you have a fairly unique name, I tracked you down. Obviously, this comment has nothing to do with diabetes; still, I thought I would say hello - after, what, 7 or 8 years, right? I still have the apron thing...
Posted by: Bob | July 15, 2006 11:41 AM