I've always had a little insecurity about going to the gym. Most of the time, I'm content to do 30 minutes on the elliptical or follow along with a class. I've never known my way around the gym completely. Between all the different machines and my perfectly-built gym goers, I'd much rather stick to doing something by myself at home either on the Wii or the Total Gym. I don't have to worry about how I look or forgetting my shoes, hairband, or glucose tablets.
But I do have a free gym membership through work, so I might as well take advantage of it. It at least gives me a different scenery for some cardio stuff. And the other day, I happen to meet someone from my office there at the same time. She's a great lady and someone I look up to as far as a professional, but she's also one of those people that make me dread going to the gym. You know who I'm talking about: perfect body, perfect hair, and somehow after having 3 kids. We showed up at the same time and left at the same time, but our workouts were vastly different.
I decided I wanted to do a cardio circuit: 10 minutes on the treadmill, 10 minutes on the bike, and 10 minutes on the elliptical. Even though I had set a reduced temporary basal before I left from work, Constance said I was 73 mg/dL before I started my workout. I decided to ignore it because, darnit, I wanted to get in my workout. By the time I was done with the treadmill, I was below 55 mg/dL. Nevertheless, I kept going and said I was at least going to get in 2/3 of my workout. I started the bike, which was very uncomfortable due to my growing belly--my knees kept hitting the bottom of my belly with each turn. After 5 minutes, I felt my legs getting heavy and my mind getting foggy. I knew I wasn't going to get to the elliptical. Finally, the 10 minutes were over and I sludged my way to the locker room and tested: 29 mg/dL.
I felt frustrated, defeated, and mad at myself that I didn't stop sooner or took some glucose tabs before my workout. I started chomping on my glucose tabs. I don't even remember how many I ate, 10 or 15 at least. I sat in my car and listened to my audiobook while I waited to come up, which was also a stupid move because I could have passed out in the car and no one would have noticed. I concentrated on listening to the rest of the book, and 10 minutes later I was coming out of the fog. I waited a few more minutes before I started the car, I at least had enough sense to tell myself, "Don't you dare try to drive right now!" A few more minutes passed, and I was finally high enough to drive.
As I was pulling out of my spot, I noticed my colleague coming out of the gym after her workout. Now I had a new reason to be jealous of her--she got to finish her workout.
yes. just yes. i don't like to exercise. at all! but i try to get activity in, even though it's so complicated!
ReplyDeletei share your frustration. but we can do this!
I'm SO jealous of your free gym membership! That ROCKS!! I pay $100/month just to have a place to play basketball. Good for you on trying to make some use of it. Don't feel pressured though. Work your way into finding some exercise you enjoy (there is such a thing, I promise!).
ReplyDeleteFor me, exercise with diabetes has been all about trial and error. And by necessity with anything that is trial and error, there are a LOT of errors!
It has taken years of experimenting to get things decently right for basketball. I know years sounds very discouraging, and you're right. I am lucky in that I enjoy the basketball enough to keep me trying new things that will keep diabetes out of my way while I'm playing.
And don't discount the accidental exercise we get - housecleaning and shoveling (granted, you guys probably don't shovel as much where you are as I might have to up here...haha!), stuff like that.
Just keep trying stuff! Jess is right - we can do this!