Oh, Jane, how I hate you.  Exercise videos were your idea, right? 

Selling people exercise to perform in their own homes?  Lots of people with hard bodies on-screen sweating half as much as the people performing the video in the living room?  People exercising in front of the television that usually serves as a friend?  People's cats (well, my cat) chasing their draping hair during ab crunches or swatting at sneakers during butt kicks?

All of it, torture.  At least Richard Simmons had the decency to include real-life people exercising.  Not you, Jane.  You inspired people like Jillian Michaels.  And she is, no question, SATAN.   I think she's trying to kill me.  For reals.  Or at least get me to wear leg warmers.  And it's your fault, Jane.  

I made it through day 9 of Jillian Michael's 30-day shred video.  It's 28 minutes of circuit training, including strength, cardio, abs.  It's designed to be done each day for 30 days.  Promises on the box include "lose up to 12 lbs" and "get shredded."  I have gotta say, it's a hell of a workout.  I sweat more in those twenty eight minutes than I do in forty five minutes to an hour of strictly cardio at the gym.

And my bloodsugars are having their way with me.  I'd like to blame Jane for that too, or Jillian, but they have nothing to do with my broken pancreas, right?  Deep down inside, I know that.

At any rate, each of the first nine evenings, I've made it through the workout just fine, with perfectably acceptable before and after bloodsugars.  But anywhere from 6-12 hours later, my sugars have been dropping precipitously.  And then staying that way, after 40 or 50 grams of carbs.  At 60 to 70 grams, I've been able to get it up, stable at around 120 mg/dl.  These low bloodsugars, because of the timing of my workout, have been happening in the late night/early morning hours.  

I'd reduced my basals by some, and got a little higher than the 30s on day two and three.  Then a little more, and still more (after consultation with diabetes/exercise friends) - finally landing at around 60% less than my typical dose, where I've been coming in between 90 mg/dl and 120 mg/dl. 

Issue one tackled!

Now, having figured that out, I was ready for day 10.  And, wouldn't you know?  My usual reduction of insulin 1-2 hours prior and eating a small amount of carbs without bolus if I'm not above 180 mg/dl or so?  It failed me, like a pair of too-stretched leg warmers.  I started my workout at 122 mg/dl, with 10 grams of carbs in me, without bolus.  But I only made it about 10 minutes in when my knees weakened to the point of about-to-collapse.  Tested at 62 mg/dl.  Treated, but couldn't get above 115 mg/dl and needed to eat dinner before heading to bed...  In other words, couldn't get back at it, damn it.  

And tonight?  Day 10 redux?  Work derailed me tonight, keeping me in-office until 7:00 and at an event until 10:00.  Eleven hour day, plus Jane/Jillian/legwarmers, no freaking way.  

So tomorrow it's back to day 10.  And then just 20 more days.  God, that does not sound encouraging at all. 

How about day 10 and 1/3 of the way through?  That's better.   Sort of. 

At any rate, balancing diabetes and exercise is a challenge.  

How about a video about that, Jane?  

If you do it, I'll wear my yellow leg warmers to work.  In your honor.