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Thread: Blood Sugar Target Training

  1. #1
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    Default Blood Sugar Target Training

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    Blood Sugar Target Training Log

    Read This First:
    I do not adhere to all Starting Strength principles, and have no interest in explaining or debating why, but it is not because I think they are incorrect. Unsolicited form checks and/or programming advice will be ignored. Other topics, such as nutrition are open.


    I'm posting again because I thought this log might have a niche interest. If there is not, I will stop logging here. I am using activity as one factor (among several) to learn how to manage blood sugar and insulin. I am beginning to methodically measure my blood sugar several times per day and looking for cause/effect relationships with activity, nutrition, and supplementation.

    I've posted here before and have several logs, but left the SS forum because I no longer follow SS dogma. Some of these logs are:
    - Want to quit feeling like crap and improve diabetes...
    - Andy Baker's 14-week KISS made complicated

    I also log on Instagram, which includes video of my lifts, daily glucose readings, cover cats, and cat memes: Login • Instagram

    I am formerly a Type 2 diabetic, but am no longer diabetic or prediabetic. Critical numbers are:
    - Last A1C: 5.0
    - Mean Daily Blood Sugar: Roughly 100
    - Weight: Apx 190lb
    - Height: 5'10"
    - BFP: Apx 16-17%
    - Age: 50 years
    - Deadlift 1RM: 375lb (proven/tested)
    - Bench 1RM: 260lb (proven/tested)
    - High Bar Squat 1RM: 240lb (235lb proven). I do not low bar squat. Refer to read this first.
    - Steep Incline Bench: 170lb (165lb proven). My press replacement. Refer to read this first.

    These blood sugar numbers are considered by the medical establishment "normal". They are below prediabetic (about 5.7 a1c/115 glucose).
    However, they aren't "good" - a1c over 4.6 is strongly correlated to higher risk of mortality and heart disease, rapidly going up the more you are above 4.6.
    "Good" would be an a1c of 4.7 or less, with average blood glucose under 90. That is the goal.

    Overall strength and body composition is a secondary/derived goal. Muscle mass improves insulin sensitivity. Strength improves muscle mass.

    Unfortunately, since my blood sugar is "normal", I have no medical support in this endeavor. My PCP won't give me Metformin or any prescriptions to help manage my blood sugar. So, I am on my own using lifestyle, OTC drugs, and unregulated supplements (which sucks).

    It is important to remember that my study size is one person. When/if I find a cause/effect relationship, that means it works for me. It may not work for you. How individuals handle different foods, activities, and supplements vary. I am willing to discuss/debate the logic behind my non-programming/technique decisions. For programming and technique, talk to a SSC.

    Current Plan:
    Strength Training:
    For strength training, I am using a highly modified version of the Baker Barbell 5x5 template. I am making the following changes:
    - I am doing two "template" training sessions per week instead of three. This is a generally-approved modification that Andy has tested and works.
    - I am splitting each workout into two half-sessions, making my frequency is 4x/week with very short sessions. This has not been tested or approved by Andy.
    - I am substituting steep incline bench press for press because the ceilings in my basement are low.

    Conditioning:
    - I am adding fasted morning cardio 3x/week on non-training days. The type of cardio and fasting state may vary as experiment with what different activities to manage blood sugar.

    Nutrition:
    Nutrition will adapt as I learn cause/effect relationships between diet and blood sugar.
    - I am starting on a cut, about 1900-2000 calories per day. I know this will make strength gains difficult and muscle mass gains impossible, but makes blood sugar analysis easier.
    - The starting diet is mostly low carb, with bigger carb meals at breakfast and the night before strength training sessions.
    - Carbs the evening before fasted cardio are much lower, pushing keto diet levels.
    - I will not stay on a cut very long. I am currently a healthy weight, and losing more than 15lb of fat would make me unhealthily underweight.
    The reasoning for this is that it is easier to manage blood sugar on a low calorie diet. More food and carbs yields more variance in blood sugar, making analysis more difficult. As I learn when and how I can add calories without blowing up my blood sugar, I will do so, with the goal of eventually being able to eat more, bulk up, and gain muscle mass while keeping blood sugar under 90.

    Supplementation and Drugs:
    - I am currently taking Berberine, an herbal insulin-sensitizing agent similar to Metformin. 500mg, 3x/day with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I have not (yet) methodically tested its effectiveness, but multiple scientific studies support it.
    - I also currently take low dose Atorvastatin (10mg every other day) and Vitamin D as prescribed by my PCP.
    - I take acid-blockers every other day due to acid reflux.
    - I have a CPAP, but haven't used it recently. I may attempt to use it again to see if it affects blood sugar.
    - I will be testing and considering other supplements.

  2. #2
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    Default

    Thanks for this Adam. I for one will find it interesting. I think most of us here are not too concerned with the "starting strength thing" as most people pretty much go their own way . (At least the people I follow.) I do listen to what Dr. Sullivan has to say about us late sixties folks.

  3. #3
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    Default Week Ending 10-1-21

    Week Ending 10-1-21

    Quote Originally Posted by Fred J View Post
    Thanks for this Adam. I for one will find it interesting. I think most of us here are not too concerned with the "starting strength thing" as most people pretty much go their own way . (At least the people I follow.) I do listen to what Dr. Sullivan has to say about us late sixties folks.
    Thank you, glad there is some interest. Again, I assume most of the folks on this board aren't interested in this.

    Activity (Not logging walks in park with kid)
    Sunday/Intensity Deadlift Day
    -- Deadlift 1x4x320lb
    -- Neutral Grip Chins BWx6,5,4,4,4,4
    -- Kettlebell Swing: 3x15x55lb
    Monday/Volume Bench Day
    -- Bench 5x5x187.5lb
    -- CGBP 1x7x157.5,2x8x147.5
    Tuesday/Cardio
    -- Treadmill 10deg/3MPH/55Min
    Wednesday/Cardio
    -- Treadmill 10deg/3MPH/55Min
    Thursday/Volume Squat Day
    -- High Bar Squat 5x5x172.5lb, 1x10x147.5lb
    Friday/Intensity Press Day
    -- Steep Incline Bench: 1x3x145lb
    -- Dead Stop LTE: 50x
    -- Dips: (BW+36lb)x14, (BW+26)x11, (BW+16)x12
    Saturday/Cardio
    -- Treadmill 10deg/3MPH/55min

    Nutrition
    Presentation.jpg

    Glucose Graph and raw data for week
    The red line is average blood daily glucose relative to time an event (such as morning/fasting, or two hours after breakfast). Thin lines are daily numbers and can be used to show variance from the mean. Vertical yellow highlights are meals.
    Graph.jpgRawData.jpg

    What I learned this week:
    - The combination of my standard breakfast and the 30 minute strength training sessions appear to spike blood sugar a lot (30-70mg/dl). I'm not sure what I can do to combat this, but it seems to be my biggest blood sugar problem, containing nearly every point with blood sugar >115. Then, it looks like my body overcorrects, resulting in lower than normal blood sugar an hour later. This effect occurred on all training days except intensity press (which is the easiest session). On cardio days and intensity press day, there was a spike, but a much smaller one. The biggest spike was on the hardest workout day (volume squat).
    - My average blood sugar is about 99 - I want to bring that down at least ten points.
    - The range between the 5th and 95th percentile of all my readings is 32 points - lots of spikes. This means my blood sugar is not well controlled. I would want to keep it within a 15 point range.
    - Large values (>115) tend to be followed by a rapid drop. This could mean I have a well-functioning/strong/overcompensating phase 1 insulin response, which, as a former type 2 diabetic, would be a surprisingly good thing.
    - Buy test strips in bulk off eBay. Costs much less than WalMart.
    - When I want to experiment with different foods effect on blood glucose, go with the 2PM/afternoon snack meal. It's at a consistent time of day, I'm awake to take 1-hour, 2-hour and 3-hour readings, and it's the second most consistent meal in terms of the readings I'm getting, making it easier to spot differences.

    Probable cause/effect relationships:
    - I noticed increases in blood sugar from my workouts, with the strongest increases from intense strength training.
    - Lesser blood sugar increases appear to be a result of scheduled treadmill sessions (10deg/3MPH/55Min) or intensity press day.
    - Walking in the park with my son at no incline and about 3MPH appears to lower blood sugar significantly.
    - My body rapidly compensates for high blood sugar levels (>115ish).

    Established/Proven cause/effect relationships:
    - None.

    What I am going to try next week:
    - Adding supplmentation with R-ALA and Primrose Oil, which are supposed to act as insulin mimetics, pushing sugar out of the bloodstream and into the liver/muscles. Basically, a weak form of "fake" insulin. I'll begin with a dose of 200mg ALA and 500mg Primrose 3x/day.
    - Adding Biotin because that is recommended when taking R-ALA (R-ALA reduces biotin in the body).
    - Keeping diet and activity similar to this week to better analyze R-ALA effect.
    - See if taking walks is a repeatable way to reduce blood sugar. Due to life constraints, these tests will be ad-hoc and not scheduled.
    - Observe the morning combination of breakfast and strength training to see if the trend remains consistent.

    Items to be tested in the future (I am open to suggestions here):
    - Effect of high fat/protein meals such as salmon/steak/chicken thighs.
    - Effect of Keto-grain products, like keto buns and low-carb tortillas.
    - Determining how much glucose/carbs my phase 1 insulin response can handle.
    - Effect of CPAP usage.
    - Test effectiveness of Berberine, Chromium and Cinnamon.
    - Effect of slow/complex carb meals like beans and steel-cut oats.
    - Effect of fasting and high protien pre-workout meals.
    Last edited by Adam Levine; 10-03-2021 at 04:49 AM.

  4. #4
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    Default

    Hello, Adam. I'm also interested in your log. We are about the same age with similar blood sugar levels (my last A1c measurement a few years ago was 5.0. My last fasting blood sugar level was upper 90s). Because of the similarities, I'm very interested to see what works for you that also may work for me as well in terms of control of blood sugar. Happy training!

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by irongeek View Post
    Hello, Adam. I'm also interested in your log. We are about the same age with similar blood sugar levels (my last A1c measurement a few years ago was 5.0. My last fasting blood sugar level was upper 90s). Because of the similarities, I'm very interested to see what works for you that also may work for me as well in terms of control of blood sugar. Happy training!
    Thank you.

    Interesting measurement today - Intensity Squat day. I'll normally only log once a week unless something unusual (like this) happens.

    There was a bigger delay than normal between breakfast and the start of my workout today.

    The blood sugar spike that I was attributing to the workout happened BEFORE the workout. Thus, the workout was not the cause. I'm now thinking the culprit is my standard breakfast of frozen blueberries, yogurt, and creatine. It is one of my highest carb meals of the day, even though the blueberries are supposed to have a low glycemic index.

    I'm not going to do anything about it this week because I'm still analyzing the R-ALA effect (if any), but it's at the top of my list for later.
    Last edited by Adam Levine; 10-03-2021 at 06:51 AM.

  6. #6
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    Additional thought:

    It seems that activity affects blood sugar in somewhat unpredictable ways. My incline treadmill walks seem to consistently increase blood sugar, while shorter less intense walks with my kid usually (but not always) reduces it. Strength training also probably has an effect, but it's hard to separate that effect from breakfast given that I train first thing in the morning. A point for further testing.

  7. #7
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    Default Week Ending 10-8-21

    Week Ending 10-8-21

    Activity (Not logging active rest)
    Sunday/Intensity Squat Day
    -- High Bar Squat 205x4
    -- Barbell Row 155x10,10,9
    Monday/Volume Press Day
    -- Steep Incline Bench: 122.5x5x5, 107.5x10, 102.5x7, 97.5x7
    Tuesday/Cardio
    -- Treadmill 10deg/3MPH/55Min
    Wednesday/Cardio
    -- Treadmill 10deg/3MPH/55Min
    Thursday/Volume Deadlift Day
    -- Deadlift 260x5x5
    -- Romanian Deadlift 205x8
    Friday/Intensity Bench Day
    -- Bench 235x1 (missed reps - poor performance probably related to diet and loss of weight)
    Saturday/Cardio
    -- Treadmill 10deg/3MPH/55min

    PRs Set This Week
    High Bar Squat: 4 rep PR
    Steep Incline Bench: 5 rep, 5x5 rep, and 6-10 rep PRs

    Nutrition and Body Composition
    Screenshot_20211009-052232~2.jpg

    Glucose Graph and raw data for week
    The red line is average blood daily glucose relative to time an event (such as morning/fasting, or two hours after breakfast). Thin lines are daily numbers and can be used to show variance from the mean. Vertical yellow highlights are meals.

    On the raw data chart, colored cells contain extreme values - either under the 5th percentile or above the 95th percentile.
    Picture2.jpg
    Picture3.jpg

    What I learned this week:
    - My "natural" blood sugar appears to be between 90 and 110, with the vast majority of points in that range. Not good.
    - High blood sugars in the morning are not caused by lifting activity. May be dawn phenomenon or poor breakfast choices.
    - No evidence of R-ALA and EPO working to reduce blood sugar at the selected dose (600mg R-ALA and 1500mg EPO per day).
    - Nearly all high blood sugar values occurred in the morning, around workout time, and after breakfast. These tended to be followed by sharp drops an hour later. These two factors accounted for 70% of all extreme blood sugar values in the chart.
    - A second spike occurs an hour after the afternoon snack. I suspect that meal has more sugar than the nutrition information states.
    - When I want to experiment with different foods effect on blood glucose, go with the 2PM/afternoon snack meal. It's at a consistent time of day, I'm awake to take 1-hour, 2-hour and 3-hour readings, and it's the second most consistent meal in terms of the readings I'm getting, making it easier to spot differences.
    - The most consistent time of day for blood sugar appears to be two hours after breakfast.

    Probable cause/effect relationships:
    - Walking in the park with my son at no incline and about 3MPH appears to lower blood sugar significantly, although this is not consistent.
    - My body rapidly compensates for high blood sugar levels (>115ish), resulting in results below the mean one hour later. This behavior is not totally consistent, but occurs about 75% of the time.

    Established/Proven cause/effect relationships:
    - None.

    Disproven cause/effect relationships
    - Taking 600mg/day of R-ALA and 1500mg/day of EPO appears to have no effect on average blood sugar. However, fasting blood sugar was slightly lower, but that may not be a cause/effect relationship.

    What I am going to try next week:
    - Doubling down on R-ALA and EPO, nearly tripling dosage to 1500mg/day of R-ALA and 2500mg/day of EPO. See if it affects fasting blood sugar, average blood sugar, and/or blood sugar consistency.
    - I won't be able to stick to the diet and measurment regimen Saturday because of life. Will remove Saturday from the numbers next week showing a 6-day week.
    - Keep diet and activity similar to this week to better analyze R-ALA effect.
    - Attempt various activities just before the 2 hour after breakfast glucose reading. All readings in this timeframe have ranged from 95-102, a fairly tight range, making it easier to judge what different activities do to blood sugar.

    Items to be tested in the future (I am open to suggestions here):
    - Effect of high fat/protein meals such as salmon/steak/chicken thighs.
    - Effect of Keto-grain products, like keto buns and low-carb tortillas.
    - Determining how much glucose/carbs my phase 1 insulin response can handle.
    - Effect of CPAP usage.
    - Test effectiveness of Berberine, Chromium and Cinnamon.
    - Effect of slow/complex carb meals like beans and steel-cut oats.
    - Effect of fasting and high protien pre-workout meals.
    - Effect of replacing standard breakfast of blueberries and yogurt with something low-carb
    - Does fat and carbs affect blood sugar differently than pure carbs?
    - Effect of fiber supplementation

  8. #8
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    Good article on normal vs. ideal blood sugar targets and goals. This info is fairly hard to find - most of what is written about blood sugar is from the perspective of a diabetic.

    What should your glucose levels be? Here's the ultimate guide to healthy blood sugar ranges - Levels

  9. #9
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    Week Ending 10-16-21

    Activity (Not logging active rest)
    Sunday/Intensity Deadlift Day
    -- Deadlift: 335x2@9
    -- Neutral Grip Chins: Bodyweightx7,5,4,4,4,4
    -- Kettlebell Swings: 35x?,20,20
    Monday/Volume Bench Day
    -- Bench: 190x5x5
    -- Close Grip Bench: 150x10,8,7
    Tuesday/Cardio
    -- Treadmill 10deg/3MPH/55Min
    Wednesday/Cardio
    -- Treadmill 10deg/3MPH/55Min
    Thursday/Volume Squat Day
    -- High Bar Squat: 175x5x5, 150x10
    Friday/Intensity Press Day
    -- High Incline Bench: 152.5x1,1
    Saturday/Cardio
    -- Treadmill: 10deg/3MPH/55min
    -- Dip: BW+38.5x9, BW+28.5x10, BW+18.5x12
    -- Dead Stop LTEs: 50x11, 45x11, 40x12

    PRs Set This Week
    PRs are becoming hard to come by because of the diet - I've lost some top end strength, not recovering as well, DOMS lasting longer... Higher rep ranges seem to be less affected.
    - Close grip bench: 9-10 rep PR
    - Squat: 5x5 volume PR

    Nutrition and Body Composition
    Picture2.jpg


    Glucose Graph and raw data for week
    The red line is average blood daily glucose relative to time an event (such as morning/fasting, or two hours after breakfast). Thin lines are daily numbers and can be used to show variance from the mean. Vertical yellow highlights are meals.

    On the raw data chart, colored cells contain extreme values - either under the 5th percentile or above the 95th percentile.
    Graph.jpg
    Picture3.jpg

    What I learned/suspect this week:
    - My blood sugar hates me sitting at my desk - even a little activity seems to help a lot. It seems to be the difference between blood sugar of 105-115 vs. 90-100ish. I'm not talking about exercise, just walking around. Unfortunately, I'm a tech writer, so hours at my desk are a thing.
    - R-ALA and EPO supplementation appears to have no effect. I didn't see any noticable change after using it for two weeks.

    Probable cause/effect relationships:
    - Walking in the park with my son at no incline and about 3MPH appears to lower blood sugar significantly, although this is not consistent.
    - My body rapidly compensates for high blood sugar levels (>115ish), resulting in results below the mean one hour later. This behavior is not totally consistent, but occurs about 75% of the time.
    - Taking a blood sugar measurement 50 minutes after a meal is HUGELY different than 70 minutes after a meal. I think I screwed up some measurements due to this effect, which I was unaware of.

    Established/Proven cause/effect relationships:
    - None.

    Disproven cause/effect relationships
    - Taking 600mg/day of R-ALA and 1500mg/day of EPO appears to have no effect on average blood sugar. However, fasting blood sugar was slightly lower, but that may not be a cause/effect relationship.
    - Taking 1800mg/day of R-ALA and 3000mg/day of EPO appears to have no effect on average blood sugar.

    What I am going to try next week:
    - Discontinuing R-ALA and EPO supplementation.
    - Keeping nutitrition plan the same - watching to make sure discontinuing supplements don't increase blood sugar. I don't think they will.
    - I am going to do a few "zoom in" meals where I take blood sugar every 15-20 minutes for about two hours after a meal. I think I will see the following, but want to verify:
    --- 1) A rapid blood sugar increase, peaking about 45-55 minutes after the meal, up to about 120-140.
    --- 2) My surprisingly strong phase 1 insulin response kicks in, and rapidly knocks it down to about 65-85 about an hour in. I think my phase 1 response tends to overcompensate.
    --- 3) A slow raise to around 110. Not sure why it goes up like this - my phase 2 insulin response may suck and be unable to keep up with the proteing being converted to sugar, or I may be releasing sugar from my liver and muscles.
    - Next will be my last week on this diet. The following next week, calories will strategically increase.

    Items to be tested in the future (I am open to suggestions here):
    - Effect of high fat/protein meals such as salmon/steak/chicken thighs.
    - Effect of Keto-grain products, like keto buns and low-carb tortillas.
    - Determining how much glucose/carbs my phase 1 insulin response can handle.
    - Effect of CPAP usage.
    - Test effectiveness of Berberine, Chromium and Cinnamon.
    - Effect of slow/complex carb meals like beans and steel-cut oats.
    - Effect of fasting and high protien pre-workout meals.
    - Effect of replacing standard breakfast of blueberries and yogurt with something low-carb
    - Does fat and carbs affect blood sugar differently than pure carbs?
    - Effect of fiber supplementation
    - Different brand of R-ALA
    - Effect of active rest type activities

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    My first "zoom in" meal - homemade Turkey Fried Rice.
    56g carb, 20g fat, 49g protein - so not a low carb meal

    My predicted results were:
    Quote Originally Posted by alevine
    — 1) A rapid blood sugar increase, peaking about 45-55 minutes after the meal, up to about 120-140.
    — 2) My surprisingly strong phase 1 insulin response kicks in, and rapidly knocks it down to about 65-85 about an hour in. I think my phase 1 response tends to overcompensate.
    — 3) A slow raise to around 110. Not sure why it goes up like this - my phase 2 insulin response
    The reality:
    - Rapid blood sugar rise happened, but earlier and not as severe as expected. 36 minutes in, blood sugar was 109, only about 15 points above the average for the day.
    - The rapid, overcompensating drop happened. 53 minutes in, blood sugar was 62, which is almost hypoglycemic.
    - Blood sugar slowly rose back up to normal for me 90+ish about 110 minutes after the meal.
    - A confounding factor is that my son wanted to go for a walk, which probably suppressed blood sugar somewhat.

    This is good! It means that my body can clear 56g of carbs, not spike blood sugar, and store it as glycogen pretty quickly. I think there is a use for that in hypertrophy, but I'm not sure how to use it.

    ZoomMeal1.jpg

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