Let’s Talk About Basal Insulin
Let’s Talk About Basal Insulin Basal insulin affects every workout. This episode unpacks how small tweaks can prevent mid-exercise chaos. Today, We’re Covering: Why aerobic and anaerobic workouts need different basal plans My early...
The episode, word for word
Here's a wild idea no one told me for years:
You can do everything right for your workout, carb up, hydrate, warm up, and still crash...
...because your basal insulin is silently wrecking your plan in the background.
Let that sink in.
Basal insulin is like a background app draining your battery, and if you don't tweak it before aerobic exercise, you're basically setting yourself up to fail.
Hey, I'm Neil, and this is Your Best T1D Year. I've lived with type 1 diabetes for a few decades now and...
Today, we're talking about one of the most overlooked parts of exercise and T1D... and how one simple change in your basal game can save you from the crash.
Let's get into it.
Quick refresher: Basal insulin is your background dose.
It's like the slow drip that keeps you steady between meals and overnight.
But here's the kicker:
When you move your body, especially with aerobic exercise (like walking, biking, swimming), your insulin sensitivity increases.
Your body doesn't need as much insulin to lower your blood sugar.
So if you've got a full dose of basal running and then go for a 45-minute walk?
Boom. Hello, hypo.
Meanwhile, with anaerobic stuff (lifting, sprinting, CrossFit), your body might release glucose due to stress hormones, causing a spike.
Which can trick you into rage bolusing and... guess what?
Another crash.
Back when I trained for my first half marathon, I kept crashing.
I'd eat. I'd prep. I'd pray.
Still crashed.
Turns out, I wasn't adjusting my basal at all.
I figured: "If I eat a banana, I'm good."
But the insulin train kept rolling under the surface.
It wasn't until I reduced my basal by 30, 50% an hour before longer cardio workouts that I found some breathing room.
If you're on a pump, this is where temp basal settings can help.
If you're on MDI (multiple daily injections), ask your provider about basal dose timing the night before or morning of exercise days.
And no, you're not being "extra."
Take Erin, she's @runningT1D on instagram - a lifelong T1D runner and sub-4 marathoner. She shared on Instagram that she reduces her basal rate about an hour before her longer runs and sometimes even suspends her pump for shorter sprints.
Beyond that, a Beyond Type 1 guide recommends shaving off 25, 50% of basal one hour in advance and noting insulin on board going in.
That kind of attention to basal insulin is what helps control blood sugar before, during, and long after, the workout ends.
The big idea?
There's no one-size-fits-all, but there are patterns.
And if you're constantly low during workouts, it might not be your carbs.
It might be your background insulin asking for a demotion.
If you're on a pump: Experiment with a temporary basal reduction (talk to your care team first)
If you're on MDI: Talk with your provider about how to adjust your basal around workout days
Write down what you try, and what your blood sugar does
Keep the data, not the judgment
If your body's giving you feedback, learn from it.
Want a guide to help map it all out?
Grab the free T1D Movement Planning Guide, it'll walk you through everything to consider pre-, mid-, and post-workout.
[ ](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gwITtfF8tD8wtRmkyPtsOFnRRY0g_bit/view?usp=drive_link)
Shoutout to today's sponsor: Blue Circle Health
Feeling like your care team doesn't get this??? Blue Circle Health does. They offer free, virtual T1D care, including pump settings, basal tuning, and carb coaching. No insurance. No barriers. Just real care that works.
You're not asking for special treatment.
You're asking smarter questions.
And the better the questions?
The better the results.
Let's keep stacking the wins.
New episodes drop every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
See you Friday for strength training and blood sugars.
69 - July 23
This is the script as read on the mic, lightly tidied for reading. Education, not medical advice. Talk to your care team before you change anything about your insulin.