By Sheri R. Colberg, PhD, FACSM
In some circumstances, elevated blood glucose levels can be indicative of medical concerns like insulin deficiency. People with type 1 diabetes are more susceptible to insulin deficiency since they have almost no ability to produce any insulin; therefore, they need to receive instruction on why and when to check for ketones. This is especially important if the individual is using an insulin pump. If ketones are present, then the higher blood glucose levels are a result of insulin deficiency, and corrective action should be taken immediately.

By Sheri R. Colberg, PhD, FACSM
What do you do when someone asks you to participate in a physical activity on the spur of the moment, but you just took some insulin? You may be stuck trying to compensate for this activity entirely with food, but you may have some newer options that come from technology. For starters, if you wear a pump you can choose to lower your basal insulin delivery, and you can use its insulin-on-board calculator to see how much insulin you need to offset with either insulin reductions or food intake. However, just using your blood glucose meter can help you stay on top of your glucose levels, so check often during the activity.

Sheri R. Colberg, PhD, FACSM is Professor Emerita of Exercise Science from Old Dominion University and an internationally recognized authority on diabetes and exercise. She is the author of 12 books, 27 book chapters, and over 400 articles. The author of "Exercise and Diabetes: A Clinician's Guide to Prescribing Physical Activity," published by ADA in 2013, she is also the lead author on a new ADA position statement on physical activity and diabetes published last fall. In 2016, she received the ADA Outstanding Educator in Diabetes Award.

In this Exclusive Interview transcript, Sheri Colberg talks with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed during the ADA 2018 convention in Orlando about low carb and other diets and their impact on exercise, as well as good exercises for people with diabetes.

In this Exclusive Interview, Sheri Colberg talks with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed during the ADA 2018 convention in Orlando about various forms of food consumption and their impact on exercise, as well as good exercises for people with diabetes.

In part 1 of this Exclusive Interview, Sheri Colberg discusses the dietary habits of athletes in a talk with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed.

In part 2 of this Exclusive Interview, Sheri Colberg talks with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed about the true effectiveness of carb loading before athletic activity.

In part 3 of this Exclusive Interview, Sheri Colberg shares her primary recommended form of exercise in a discussion with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed.

In part 4 of this Exclusive Interview, Sheri Colberg talks with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed about the consumption of sports drinks versus water.

In part 5, the conclusion of this Exclusive Interview, Sheri Colberg talks about how to communicate about physical activity with patients newly diagnosed with diabetes in a discussion with Diabetes in Control Publisher Steve Freed.