Getting into shape

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Gashouse
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by Gashouse »

Leroy wrote:
May 4 22, 3:03 pm
It is. My extreme stubbornness can be either a blessing or a curse.
Blessing or a curse, the year's accomplishment is something to be proud of. And if you haven't need insulin in 10 months, the ends justify the means.

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Leroy
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by Leroy »

It has been 51 days since I read that to better fight high blood sugar for a type 2 diabetic, you need to really get into lifting weights. I was doing a little from time to time, but in the last 51 days, I have done lifting 41 out of 51 days. I really really hate lifting weights, so I think this is pretty good. The change in blood sugar levels is insane, though. So much better than even before. And I am getting stronger. I do a circle of nine exercises each time on different Nautilus machines. On my first day (crunches, twists, back something, deltoid flies, overhead press, lat pulldown and row) I have gone from 28,600 pounds per workout to 33,900. On the other day (leg curl, leg extension, calf raise, leg press, hip abduction and adduction, bicep curl, tricep extension and chest press) I have gone from 30,900 per workout to 35,250. That seems like pretty good improvement.

In the last town I lived in I used a gym in which the owner was a body builder. A winner in competitions several years ago, he told me that you really won't see results from work for two months. I think he was right. When I first started with mostly cardio, in two months you could see a difference, but it kind of tapered off. Now after two months of lifting the change is very noticeable. I'm quite sure I'm built better than I was in high school when I played all sports. Still have that nagging belly fat, which I have always had, but that is getting better too.

I have had to be really patient and persistent, because I have been at it for 15 months now. But when I started, the only goal was to reduce A1c. That has been accomplished, so everything else is sweet sweet gravy.

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TGantz
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by TGantz »

You're supposed to stop eating gravy when you're trying to get into shape.

AWvsCBsteeeerike3
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by AWvsCBsteeeerike3 »

Especially the sweet gravy!

In all seriousness, that's awesome, @Leroy. Congrats!

Not sure if you've heard this analogy before, but I heard it or some variation of it some time ago, and it's really helped me have a better overall understanding of the relationship between sugar, insulin, and the body.

The body is like a parking lot. There's the close spots that everyone wants (brain and liver), other good spots (muscles), and then a muddy parking lot covered with ants and snakes where your car gets stuck (fat). Cops (insulin) allow cars (glucose) into the close spots and good spots so long as there is space and in theory there should never be an empty space. Empty spaces would be otherwise known as hypoglycemia. But, the close spots and good spots only have so much room. These close/good spots are limited; your brain can only handle so much glucose and won't absorb more than it needs, ditto the liver and muscles.

Conversely, there is no theoretical limit to how many cars you can put in the muddy parking lot. But, cops aren't all that efficient at directing traffic in these lots. Your body will make more fat as needed but it takes more insulin and results in more fat.

It's not a perfect analogy, but the key takeaway I had was...make sure you have space in the brain, liver, and muscles for any sugar you're eating. Of those three, you can physically increase your muscle size and make that parking lot bigger. And, in the process, you'll exercise which also increases the efficiency of the cops, so to speak.

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cardsfantx
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by cardsfantx »

AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:
July 28 22, 10:19 am
Especially the sweet gravy!

In all seriousness, that's awesome, @Leroy. Congrats!

Not sure if you've heard this analogy before, but I heard it or some variation of it some time ago, and it's really helped me have a better overall understanding of the relationship between sugar, insulin, and the body.

The body is like a parking lot. There's the close spots that everyone wants (brain and liver), other good spots (muscles), and then a muddy parking lot covered with ants and snakes where your car gets stuck (fat). Cops (insulin) allow cars (glucose) into the close spots and good spots so long as there is space and in theory there should never be an empty space. Empty spaces would be otherwise known as hypoglycemia. But, the close spots and good spots only have so much room. These close/good spots are limited; your brain can only handle so much glucose and won't absorb more than it needs, ditto the liver and muscles.

Conversely, there is no theoretical limit to how many cars you can put in the muddy parking lot. But, cops aren't all that efficient at directing traffic in these lots. Your body will make more fat as needed but it takes more insulin and results in more fat.

It's not a perfect analogy, but the key takeaway I had was...make sure you have space in the brain, liver, and muscles for any sugar you're eating. Of those three, you can physically increase your muscle size and make that parking lot bigger. And, in the process, you'll exercise which also increases the efficiency of the cops, so to speak.
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Leroy
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by Leroy »

AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:
July 28 22, 10:19 am
Especially the sweet gravy!

In all seriousness, that's awesome, @Leroy. Congrats!

Not sure if you've heard this analogy before, but I heard it or some variation of it some time ago, and it's really helped me have a better overall understanding of the relationship between sugar, insulin, and the body.

The body is like a parking lot. There's the close spots that everyone wants (brain and liver), other good spots (muscles), and then a muddy parking lot covered with ants and snakes where your car gets stuck (fat). Cops (insulin) allow cars (glucose) into the close spots and good spots so long as there is space and in theory there should never be an empty space. Empty spaces would be otherwise known as hypoglycemia. But, the close spots and good spots only have so much room. These close/good spots are limited; your brain can only handle so much glucose and won't absorb more than it needs, ditto the liver and muscles.

Conversely, there is no theoretical limit to how many cars you can put in the muddy parking lot. But, cops aren't all that efficient at directing traffic in these lots. Your body will make more fat as needed but it takes more insulin and results in more fat.

It's not a perfect analogy, but the key takeaway I had was...make sure you have space in the brain, liver, and muscles for any sugar you're eating. Of those three, you can physically increase your muscle size and make that parking lot bigger. And, in the process, you'll exercise which also increases the efficiency of the cops, so to speak.
That's pretty deep, but I walked my way through it.

I really thought doctors were full of it when they said 'diet exercise blah blah', and really kind of set out to prove them wrong. Turns out I was wrong. My levels are at places that I never thought I could achieve.

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thrill
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by thrill »

I’m becoming one of those people who believes deadlifting and squats can cure pretty much any ache or pain when done correctly. Olympic/barbell lifting can seem aggro and intimidating from the outside, but once you get going it’s not at all.

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Re: Getting into shape

Post by cardsfantx »

This s#it can wait till after 5

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Leroy
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by Leroy »

Today is 1 1/2 years of working out everyday. Something I thought was im freaking possible. But here I am. The worst day was a very short 1.7 mile run done during an 18" blizzard (I pictured myself as Rocky in Russia, but probably looked more like a dumbass Danny DeVito), as I couldn't get to the gym. Every day. No exceptions. I'm officially nuts.

Anyway, it has taken a very long time, probably as a result of being diabetic, but for a month now, the weight is really coming off. Partially because we have been moving and I haven't stopped for about three weeks, but either way I weigh 44 pounds less then when I started this journey, and 65 from my life's high point (12 years ago). Basically, I weighed 206 at my worst, had serious liver issues, then stayed about 190 for years. The day this all started, I weighed 185 at the doctor's office. Today 141. I put a weight goal of 145 in my scale when I was 165 and thought I'd never get there. Hell, now I will be below 140. That's about what I weighed when I went to basic training, and I was tiny. Really tiny.

Still gots the belly, but that has been coming off too, as the other fat is almost gone, and for whatever reason the belly is the last to go. After two years, I'm thinking I'll be pretty good.

Remember, not everybody has to be a nut like me and workout everyday. I really believe that 4 a week for a non-diabetic would get it done.

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heyzeus
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Re: Getting into shape

Post by heyzeus »

Leroy wrote:
November 4 22, 8:22 am
Today is 1 1/2 years of working out everyday. Something I thought was im freaking possible. But here I am. The worst day was a very short 1.7 mile run done during an 18" blizzard (I pictured myself as Rocky in Russia, but probably looked more like a dumbass Danny DeVito), as I couldn't get to the gym. Every day. No exceptions. I'm officially nuts.

Anyway, it has taken a very long time, probably as a result of being diabetic, but for a month now, the weight is really coming off. Partially because we have been moving and I haven't stopped for about three weeks, but either way I weigh 44 pounds less then when I started this journey, and 65 from my life's high point (12 years ago). Basically, I weighed 206 at my worst, had serious liver issues, then stayed about 190 for years. The day this all started, I weighed 185 at the doctor's office. Today 141. I put a weight goal of 145 in my scale when I was 165 and thought I'd never get there. Hell, now I will be below 140. That's about what I weighed when I went to basic training, and I was tiny. Really tiny.

Still gots the belly, but that has been coming off too, as the other fat is almost gone, and for whatever reason the belly is the last to go. After two years, I'm thinking I'll be pretty good.

Remember, not everybody has to be a nut like me and workout everyday. I really believe that 4 a week for a non-diabetic would get it done.
I for one fear our newly-ripped Leroy overlord.

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