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Thread: Diabetes and Carbs for Training

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Default Diabetes and Carbs for Training

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    Background:
    I have been doing SS (following mostly the Barbell Prescription by Sullivan and Baker) for almost 10 weeks and missed 1-2 workouts. I've gain about 15 pounds, added 100 pounds to squat and about 30 to bench. Deadlift was progressing well but I pulled lat and the pain when deadlifting heavy was pretty extreme, so I focused on rehabbing the lat with light pulldowns, assisted chins, etc. During that time, I did back extensions. I think the lat is pretty much back to normal after 3 weeks or so and I picked up deadlift where I left off.

    Stats:
    47 yo
    182 lbs
    latest working set weights:
    Squat 210 (3 sets of 5)
    Bench 145 (3 sets of 5)
    Press 90-95 (3 sets of 5) but haven't been able to press consistently due to a lat injury and shoulder pain, replaced with landmine one-arm presses
    Deadlift 255 (1 sets of 5) but had to deadlift light for about 3 weeks due to a lat injury
    Clean—I have yet to teach myself the power clean but hope to work on it this summer.

    I am a type 2 diabetic (diagnosed at 38 yo) whose symptoms basically suggest it is more like Type 1. That is, body is not producing insulin. I do not track macros explicitly but have 3 meals a day. Each meal has either eggs, meat, or both. On training days, I add a low-carb protein shake (~25g protein). I use almonds, mixed nuts, cottage cheese for snacks and get protein from those. I eat a lot of vegetables, cooked and raw. My carbs per day are usually below 100 and probably often below 75. I was already eating low-carb, high fat before SS. Once I starting SS, I starting eating considerably more as suggested. It is very hard for me to take enough insulin to cover the additional food, especially if carbs increase, to avoid high blood sugar levels.

    Have you found it necessary to adjust training and/or expectations for people who need to restrict carbs to this level? Any advice on how to balance the need for calories for training/recovery and the need to control blood sugar?

  2. #2
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    Aug 2013
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    Default

    I don't find that diabetics need to restrict carbs below 100 grams per day. It's not productive and illustrates a misunderstanding of the pathophysiology.

  3. #3
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    Mar 2022
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    Default

    Thank you for your input.

  4. #4
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    Mar 2021
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Santana View Post
    I don't find that diabetics need to restrict carbs below 100 grams per day. It's not productive and illustrates a misunderstanding of the pathophysiology.
    Would you care to expound on your thoughts here ^.

    I was prediabetic once ... about 10 years ago when I was 40. Big wake up call for me.

    I found that restricting carbs was the ticket

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by bkcoff View Post
    Thank you for your input.
    You are welcome.

    Quote Originally Posted by Farmer View Post
    Would you care to expound on your thoughts here ^.

    I was prediabetic once ... about 10 years ago when I was 40. Big wake up call for me.

    I found that restricting carbs was the ticket
    What was your carbohydrate intake prior to restricting and what did you restrict it to? Describe your physical activity level. Were you training?

  6. #6
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    Mar 2021
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Santana View Post
    What was your carbohydrate intake prior to restricting
    Didn't track exactly, because at the time I didn't know there was a problem.
    It was on the healthy side (what I perceived at the time) of the typical american diet: some pasta, breads, root veggies, rice, etc ..."whole foods", etc.


    and what did you restrict it to?
    less than net 30 g per day for 3 weeks.
    Then well less than 100g until now.


    Describe your physical activity level. Were you training?
    Lifting 3-4 days / week.
    Before, after, during the 'carb' intervention was at the same amount of activity.
    Some outdoors activity on the weekend (chores, yard work, hiking, etc).
    I move around a bit for work during the week as compared to most.

    Anyway, blood sugar/A1c/lipids were all getting to the point of 'bad'.
    Now they are in a reasonable range afterwards.

  7. #7
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    Without a baseline, it's hard to say that the amount that you restricted to was necessary. Have you been hitting PRs on sub 100 g/d? If so, what are those PRs? Keep in mind that a guy your age doesn't need as many carbs as a younger guy but that doesn't mean sub 100 g/d is "the ticket."

  8. #8
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    Mar 2021
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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Santana View Post
    Without a baseline, it's hard to say that the amount that you restricted to was necessary. Have you been hitting PRs on sub 100 g/d? If so, what are those PRs? Keep in mind that a guy your age doesn't need as many carbs as a younger guy but that doesn't mean sub 100 g/d is "the ticket."
    Training hasn't been as consistent lately with everything going on in the world / my world.
    And I've shifted away from strictly SBD based training of late, so hard to compare "PR's".
    Generally speaking, I'm sure I was stronger when I was fatter before, sure.

    Main thing was I got my blood sugar under control, and lost a lot of weight and mostly fat.

    Right now I'm going through a silly bodybuilder / hypertrophy phase....we'll see. Maybe a bench press PR coming soon?

  9. #9
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    starting strength coach development program
    If you are pushing the needle on performance, 100 g/d is not enough and prediabetes doesn't = keto it means cleans shit up.

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