How to Gain Muscle With Diabetes - Part3 Staying Safe While Exercising

Part3 Staying Safe While Exercising

1 Monitor your blood sugar. You should continue to check your blood sugar before and after working out, even when you've been exercising for a while. If you being noticing that your blood sugar drops a lot during workouts, you should consult your doctor for the best action to take.^[18]

2 Watch for signs of hypoglycemia. Exercise can lead to a sharp drop in blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. This can lead to fainting or a diabetic coma. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop working out immediately and test your blood sugar.^[19]

• Dizziness and confusion.
• Shakiness and muscle weakness.
• Extreme hunger.
• A headache.
• Irritability.
• A pounding heartbeat.
• Pale skin.

3 Keep a source of carbohydrates with you when you exercise. If you feel hypoglycemic, test your blood sugar. If it is too low, take a rest and eat this emergency snack. It will help bring your blood sugar back up and prevent further complications. There are a number of sources of carbohydrates that you could use to treat hypoglycemia.^[20][21]

• A few pieces of hard candy (not sugar-free).
• 1/2 cup of a soft drink.
• 1/2 cup fruit juice.
• 1 cup skim milk.
• Glucose tablets designed to treat hypoglycemia.

4 Wear a medical identification bracelet. This will let any emergency personnel know that you are diabetic. This is important because if you experience hypoglycemia, you could faint. If first responders know that you are diabetic, they can treat you more effectively. Consider wearing this sort of identification while working out just in case of emergencies.^[22]

5 Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated is an essential part of exercising safely. Be sure to replace all of the water you're sweating out while exercising.^[23] Be on the lookout for the following symptoms of dehydration.^[24]

• Dizziness or confusion.
• Dry mouth and swollen tongue.
• Fatigue.
• Decreased or ceased sweating.

6 Check your body for abrasions or blisters after every workout. These minor injuries can be very slow to heal if you have diabetes and could get infected if left untreated. Be sure to inspect your body for any injuries after every workout. Focus especially on your hands and feet, since these will be stressed the most during your workout. If you find one, see your doctor as soon as possible so he can properly clean and wrap the wound.^[25][26]

7 Get adequate rest. With or without diabetes, rest is essential for any weight training program. You have to give your body adequate rest time to repair itself after workouts. Otherwise, not only will you not build muscle, but you could seriously hurt yourself. When doing a weight training program, aim to workout every other day. That will allow your body to rebuild its muscles so you build the muscle mass you're looking for.^[27]