Sugar crashes during or after exercise?

[Guest]

Has anyone experienced sugar crashes (what I guess is a sudden drop in blood sugar) during or shortly after a workout?

I've always been a pretty good exerciser and in the last year of several years of drinking, I would have these sudden crashes during workouts where I would just kind of fold and lose all energy - physical and mental. Sometimes a sports drink or OJ would help, sometimes not.

I put it down to having freaked out my system with all the sugar from the alcohol I was injesting nightly. A few days into abs it happened again but I wasn't that far from having had my last drink so arguably my system was still out of whack.

Just wondering if anyone else has had the same thing happen to them or has any suggestion as to how to be proactive to prevent this. Maybe just time?

Thanks,
Beryl

[Guest]

Sugar crashes during or after exercise?

Hey Beryl,
Yes, sometimes I get funky feelings during or after exercise. Could be a blood sugar crash, or could be some dehydration, or even an electrolyte imbalance. Great job on the days of abs!!!
Before your workout, make sure you are hydrating and are eating something carby, like a whole grain toast, and maybe some peanut butter or something with some protein. Then hydrate before, during, and after your workout. And watch the electrolytes, like you said with a sports drink or something can be helpful, that's not a bunch of hooey!
Grab a health magazine, if you have the inclination. They have usually really good nutrition info, some great recipes sometimes, good tips.
AND get your blood sugar checked . Just in case. Maybe your insulin levels are, in fact, off and certainly that needs to be addressed by your physician!!

Sorry if I preachy!! Doing lots of research on this myself right now, so I hope it was helpful. Good luck and keep us informed. GREAT JOB working out, take it easy!
Becca

[Guest]

Sugar crashes during or after exercise?

Hi Beryl--
This is in the "this is what happened to me" department...
Among my many reasons for going abs was the fact that my blood sugar had gone through the roof until I had been officially diagnosed as "diabetic" by last April. All that wine drinking had definitely had an effect! Now, after 62 days abs and trying to eat as little sugar as possible, my blood sugar is more or less within an acceptable range; I have "cured" myself from diabetes (as well as high blood pressure)!

So, given my experience, it is entirely possible that your blood sugar is out of whack from alcohol and it may just get stablized as your body heals. However, Becca makes a good point and it would probably be a good idea to get some blood tests done just to see where you stand, and in case more aggessive action needs to be taken. Also, those "sports" drinks are largely made up of sugar so one reason you feel better after drinking them is that a whole load of sugar just entered your system, which will inevitably be followed by a crash....Actually, even good old orange juice can overload your system with (natural) sugar (in the form of fructose)....

In my efforts to control my own sugar intake, I not only stopped drinking but I also began to read labels very closely and I discovered that almost everything we eat contains sugar! Manufacturers discovered that stuff with sugar in it sells better (because it tastes better), but they usually call it different things (corn syrup, dextrose, glucose, maltose etc) so that they don't have to have "sugar" as a major ingredient but rather can say that it has small amounts of all these separate things...it's a way to fool us into thinking we aren't really having that much sugar! Even pretzels and ketchup have added sugar...I was totally amazed at how much I was actually consuming--in addition to all that wine!

So, I would second the idea of seeing a doctor about your blood sugar/insulin, as well as suggesting that you begin to watch your overall sugar intake...it can be a little difficult at first because we are basically addicted to it so there is a withdrawal when you will feel tired and maybe a bit out of sorts--but it's worth it in the long run!

My two cents...or was it four?!
best, susan (no longer a diabetic!)

[Guest]

Sugar crashes during or after exercise?

Wow Sujul!! Great inspiration you provide!
I just wanted to also relate what happens for me.. which is that I've noticed on days when I've eaten something substantial like a small meal with carbs & protein about an hour before working out, I feel great! Whereas the days I don't have time to eat for 3-4 hours before working out I get shaky & wierd at workout time.
Just my two cents worth too.
MFM

[Guest]

Sugar crashes during or after exercise?

Excellent point Sujul; I've been moderating but on Sunday decided to go abs for the 30 days, but I added going sugar free/carb free as well for a real cleansing. I'm only on my 4th day of abs+all else, but that's great for me and I have 26 days to go to see how the whole thing feels without the sugar, carbs and preservatives...lol. Although, I have to be really creative about my meals at work now...So I'm doing some cooking and that's not my favorite thing. Congrats on the length of your abs...I'll determine at 30 what I want to do from there..

[Guest]

Sugar crashes during or after exercise?

Thanks everyone!! I really appreciate your advice and support!

I think I will have my doctor check my blood sugar levels. I've certainly noticed I enjoy sweet things more than I did when I was drinking - during which my sweet tooth was dead to the world. Guess I have to watch that I'm not replacing the alcohol sugar with other kinds.

There's an herbal tea that I've been drinking by the gallon as an admitted crutch to get me through when I wish I had something else in my hand. I use a sugar substitute in it called Splenda and I don't think of that as sugar but even without the calories, maybe it has the same effect on insulin?

I guess psychologically I didn't think I could give everything up at once. I'm a pretty smart eater but I've been going easy on myself these first two weeks of abs.

More vigilance!!

Thanks again and best,
Beryl