What an amazing difference muscle makes.....

[Southernfit]

Hi everyone!! I have to share this story. It is another reason why I am and always will be an exercise advocate.

I am a devoted Cathe follower and have been for about a year now. I have a 3 year old little girl and am 28 weeks pregnant with my second child ( a little boy). During my first pregnancy, I did nothing active. I was a gym person prior to that pregnancy and did not work out at all once I was pregnant. I failed both the one hour and three hour sugar tests during my first pregnancy. I was sent to a dietician and had to follow a strict diet and monitor my blood sugar daily.

Here we are 3 years later and I am pregnant again. This time around I have been making healthier eating choices and working out. Due to morning sickness in the beginning and now a growing belly, I have definitely had to modify, but I am still working out. I make sure I do 3-4 days of cardio and weight work each week.

Last Monday I took the 1 hour sugar test and failed. I was so bummed and mentally preparing myself to go through all of it again. Last Friday I took the 3 hour sugar test and Passed. My blood sugar numbers were GREAT!!!!!!!!!!! The doctor's nurse told me my exercising was paying off. Muscle burns sugar much more efficiently than fat. THANK YOU CATHE!! Because of the exercise, I am now a much healthier mom-to-be than with my last pregnancy. I am also looking forward to the day (after the baby is born) when I can add power back into my step workouts.

Thanks for listening!! This is a great forum!!
Jessi
EDD 7/25

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Congratulations on passing your sugar test!

To add to your comments, my husband was diagnosed as having type 1 diabetes 4 years ago(needs insulin injections before every meal). He isn't your typical candidate for this condition he's very very slim and always looked after himself and his diet, I think he slipped through the net as far as stereotyping what kind of person develops this illness.

Anyway, he's always been a runner but decided to take up weight training too, mainly because now he is more aware of his health, and so in the early days of his weight training regimen after a few months of recording dangerously low sugar readings on particular days, we concluded that it was only after his weight training session that for 2 whole days afterwards, his insulin requirements needed to be drastically reduced per mealtime. After any running session however, his sugar readings were always normal and he didnt need to adjust any insulin requirements whatsoever. We were very surprised that his heavy cardio sessions left his sugar levels unaffected but the weight training had a dramatic effect on his levels.

 

[kristi]

Jessi,

I cannot tell you how happy I am to hear your news! While I was pregnant with my son (he will be 2 next month) I was borderline for gestational diabetes so I had to do the daily finger pricking and checking my glucose levels 4 times a day, as well as eating the special diet by the dietician. Lately I have been thinking about having another baby, but I was so worried that this time around I might have gestational diabetes and go through the process all over again. Your news gives me hope that when I do decide to get pregnant again that maybe I won't have to go through this again. My doctor told me the next time I get pregnant that I will need to do the sugar test within the first month. Congratulations on your good news and good luck with your son's delivery!

Kristi