How does weight lifting affect blood sugar levels in diabetics. What are the benefits of strength training for people with diabetes. Can weight lifting improve insulin sensitivity. How to start a safe weight lifting routine with diabetes.

The Surprising Connection Between Weight Lifting and Blood Sugar

Weight lifting isn’t just for bodybuilders anymore. This form of exercise offers numerous health benefits, particularly for individuals managing their blood sugar levels. But how exactly does pumping iron impact glucose control? Let’s dive into the science behind this powerful connection.

When you engage in weight lifting, your muscles require energy to perform the exercises. This energy comes primarily from glucose in your bloodstream. As you lift weights, your body taps into these glucose reserves, effectively lowering your blood sugar levels. This process can help stabilize blood sugar and improve overall glycemic control.

The Immediate Effects of Weight Lifting on Blood Sugar

During a weight lifting session, you may notice an initial spike in blood sugar levels. This is due to the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which can temporarily raise glucose levels. However, as you continue exercising, your muscles begin to utilize this glucose for energy, leading to a gradual decrease in blood sugar.

Is this temporary spike in blood sugar harmful? For most people with well-managed diabetes, this short-term increase is not a cause for concern. In fact, the long-term benefits of regular weight lifting far outweigh any momentary fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

6 Key Benefits of Weight Lifting for Blood Sugar Control

Incorporating weight lifting into your fitness routine can yield significant advantages for those managing their blood sugar. Here are six compelling reasons to pick up those dumbbells:

1. Improved blood sugar control
2. Enhanced weight management
3. Increased insulin sensitivity
4. Greater glucose storage capacity
5. Reduction in dangerous belly fat
6. Improved overall health and well-being

Let’s explore each of these benefits in more detail to understand how weight lifting can be a game-changer for blood sugar management.

1. Improved Blood Sugar Control

One of the most significant advantages of weight lifting for individuals with diabetes is its positive impact on blood sugar control. As you engage in strength training exercises, your muscles use glucose for energy, helping to lower blood sugar levels naturally.

How long does this blood sugar-lowering effect last? Studies have shown that a single session of weight lifting can improve blood sugar control for up to 24 hours post-exercise. This means that consistent weight training can lead to better long-term glycemic control.

2. Enhanced Weight Management

Weight lifting is an excellent tool for managing body weight, which is crucial for individuals with diabetes. Building lean muscle mass through strength training can increase your resting metabolic rate, helping you burn more calories even when you’re not exercising.

Does weight lifting burn as many calories as cardio? While cardio exercises may burn more calories during the actual workout, weight lifting has a unique advantage known as the “afterburn effect.” This phenomenon, also called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), means your body continues to burn calories at an elevated rate for hours after your weight lifting session.

3. Increased Insulin Sensitivity

Insulin resistance is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes, making it difficult for cells to respond to insulin and effectively use glucose from the bloodstream. Weight lifting can help combat this issue by improving insulin sensitivity.

How does weight lifting enhance insulin sensitivity? When you lift weights, your muscles contract, causing glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) proteins to move to the surface of muscle cells. This action allows more glucose to enter the cells, reducing blood sugar levels and improving insulin sensitivity.

4. Greater Glucose Storage Capacity

As you build muscle through weight lifting, you’re also increasing your body’s capacity to store glucose. Muscles act as a reservoir for excess glucose, helping to prevent blood sugar spikes after meals.

Can increased muscle mass replace the need for diabetes medication? While building muscle can significantly improve blood sugar control, it’s essential to work with your healthcare provider to determine the best treatment plan. For some individuals, increased muscle mass and regular exercise may lead to reduced medication needs, but this should always be monitored by a medical professional.

5. Reduction in Dangerous Belly Fat

Visceral fat, the type of fat that accumulates around the organs in your abdominal area, is particularly harmful to metabolic health. Weight lifting can help target this dangerous belly fat, reducing your risk of diabetes-related complications.

Is weight lifting more effective than cardio for reducing belly fat? While both forms of exercise can help reduce visceral fat, some studies suggest that a combination of weight lifting and cardio may be the most effective approach. Weight lifting helps build lean muscle mass, which can boost your metabolism and contribute to fat loss, including in the abdominal area.

The Science Behind Weight Lifting and Glucose Metabolism

To fully appreciate the impact of weight lifting on blood sugar control, it’s essential to understand the underlying physiological processes at work. When you engage in strength training, several mechanisms come into play that influence glucose metabolism:

• Muscle contraction-induced glucose uptake
• Glycogen depletion and replenishment
• Hormonal responses to exercise
• Increased mitochondrial function

Let’s delve deeper into these processes to gain a comprehensive understanding of how weight lifting affects blood sugar levels.

Muscle Contraction-Induced Glucose Uptake

During weight lifting, muscle contractions stimulate glucose uptake independently of insulin. This means that even if you have insulin resistance, your muscles can still effectively remove glucose from the bloodstream during and after exercise.

How long does this increased glucose uptake last after a weight lifting session? Studies have shown that the effects can persist for several hours post-exercise, contributing to improved glycemic control throughout the day.

Glycogen Depletion and Replenishment

Weight lifting depletes muscle glycogen stores, which are then replenished in the hours following exercise. This process of glycogen depletion and subsequent replenishment helps improve insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake in the muscles.

Does the intensity of weight lifting affect glycogen depletion? Yes, higher-intensity weight lifting sessions tend to deplete glycogen stores more rapidly, potentially leading to greater improvements in insulin sensitivity and glucose control.

Designing a Safe and Effective Weight Lifting Routine for Diabetics

While weight lifting offers numerous benefits for blood sugar control, it’s crucial to approach it safely, especially if you have diabetes. Here are some key considerations when designing your weight lifting routine:

1. Start slowly and gradually increase intensity
2. Focus on proper form to prevent injuries
3. Include a variety of exercises targeting different muscle groups
4. Monitor blood sugar levels before, during, and after exercise
5. Stay hydrated throughout your workout
6. Consult with your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise program

Let’s explore these points in more detail to help you create a safe and effective weight lifting routine.

Starting Slow and Progressing Gradually

If you’re new to weight lifting, it’s essential to start with lighter weights and focus on proper form. As you become more comfortable with the exercises, you can gradually increase the weight and intensity of your workouts.

How often should diabetics engage in weight lifting? The American Diabetes Association recommends at least two to three sessions of resistance training per week, with at least one day of rest between sessions. However, it’s important to listen to your body and adjust your routine as needed.

Proper Form and Injury Prevention

Maintaining proper form during weight lifting exercises is crucial for maximizing benefits and preventing injuries. Consider working with a certified fitness trainer who has experience with diabetic clients to ensure you’re performing exercises correctly.

Are certain weight lifting exercises better for blood sugar control than others? While all forms of resistance training can be beneficial, compound exercises that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously (such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses) may have a more significant impact on blood sugar levels due to the greater muscle activation involved.

Monitoring Blood Sugar During Weight Lifting Sessions

For individuals with diabetes, monitoring blood sugar levels before, during, and after weight lifting is crucial for safety and optimal performance. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

• Check your blood sugar before starting your workout
• Have a snack if your blood sugar is below 100 mg/dL
• Monitor your blood sugar during longer workouts (60 minutes or more)
• Check your blood sugar after completing your weight lifting session
• Be prepared to treat hypoglycemia if necessary

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your weight lifting sessions are both safe and effective for managing your blood sugar levels.

The Importance of Proper Hydration

Staying hydrated is crucial during weight lifting, especially for individuals with diabetes. Dehydration can affect blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity, potentially leading to complications.

How much water should you drink during a weight lifting session? While individual needs may vary, a general guideline is to drink 7-10 ounces of water every 10-20 minutes during exercise. It’s also important to hydrate before and after your workout.

Combining Weight Lifting with Other Forms of Exercise for Optimal Blood Sugar Control

While weight lifting alone can significantly improve blood sugar control, combining it with other forms of exercise can lead to even greater benefits. Here’s how you can create a well-rounded fitness routine:

1. Incorporate aerobic exercise (e.g., walking, cycling, swimming) on non-weight lifting days
2. Add flexibility training (stretching or yoga) to improve range of motion and reduce injury risk
3. Consider high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for additional metabolic benefits
4. Balance your routine to include 2-3 weight lifting sessions and 3-5 aerobic sessions per week

By combining different types of exercise, you can maximize the benefits for your blood sugar control and overall health.

The Synergistic Effects of Weight Lifting and Aerobic Exercise

Research has shown that combining weight lifting with aerobic exercise can lead to greater improvements in blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity compared to either form of exercise alone.

What’s the ideal balance between weight lifting and aerobic exercise for diabetics? While individual needs may vary, a general recommendation is to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, along with 2-3 weight lifting sessions. However, it’s essential to consult with your healthcare provider to determine the best approach for your specific situation.

Nutritional Considerations for Weight Lifting with Diabetes

Proper nutrition is crucial for supporting your weight lifting efforts and managing blood sugar levels. Here are some key nutritional considerations:

• Timing of meals and snacks around workouts
• Balancing macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats)
• Adequate protein intake for muscle recovery and growth
• Staying hydrated before, during, and after exercise
• Monitoring carbohydrate intake to prevent hypoglycemia

Let’s explore these nutritional aspects in more detail to help you optimize your diet for weight lifting and blood sugar control.

Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition

Proper fueling before and after your weight lifting sessions can help stabilize blood sugar levels and support muscle recovery. Here are some guidelines:

Pre-workout: Consume a balanced meal containing complex carbohydrates and lean protein 2-3 hours before your workout. If needed, have a small snack 30-60 minutes before exercising.

Post-workout: Eat a meal or snack containing both carbohydrates and protein within 30 minutes of finishing your workout to replenish glycogen stores and support muscle recovery.

What are some good pre- and post-workout snack options for diabetics? Some suitable options include Greek yogurt with berries, a small apple with peanut butter, or a protein shake made with low-fat milk and a scoop of protein powder. Remember to monitor your blood sugar and adjust your intake as needed.

Overcoming Challenges and Staying Motivated with Weight Lifting

Starting and maintaining a weight lifting routine can be challenging, especially when managing diabetes. Here are some strategies to help you stay motivated and overcome common obstacles:

1. Set realistic, achievable goals
2. Track your progress (both in terms of strength gains and blood sugar control)
3. Find a workout buddy or join a supportive community
4. Vary your routine to prevent boredom
5. Celebrate small victories along the way
6. Be patient and consistent with your efforts

Remember that building a sustainable weight lifting habit takes time, but the benefits for your blood sugar control and overall health are well worth the effort.

Addressing Common Concerns About Weight Lifting with Diabetes

Many individuals with diabetes may have concerns about starting a weight lifting routine. Let’s address some common worries:

Will weight lifting cause dangerous blood sugar fluctuations? While exercise can affect blood sugar levels, proper monitoring and gradual progression can help minimize risks. Work with your healthcare provider to develop a safe exercise plan.

Is it safe to lift weights if I have diabetes-related complications? Depending on your specific complications, you may need to modify certain exercises or take additional precautions. Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting a new exercise program.

Can I build muscle effectively if I have diabetes? Yes, individuals with well-managed diabetes can build muscle effectively through weight lifting. Proper nutrition, consistent training, and good blood sugar control are key factors in muscle growth.

By addressing these concerns and working closely with your healthcare team, you can safely and effectively incorporate weight lifting into your diabetes management plan.

Weight Lifting and Blood Sugar: How They’re Connected

The bodybuilding craze of the 1960s built a lasting image around weight lifting that still scares some people away from their local gym. Think Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gold’s Gym, Pumping Iron. But weight lifting doesn’t have to be about entering bodybuilding competitions or winning awards. 

The truth is that weight lifting can benefit your body inside and out, help you lose weight, and help you maintain and manage various health conditions. From controlling your blood sugar to increased mobility, let’s explore what you stand to gain and how to get started with weight lifting. 

6 Benefits of Weight Lifting for People Controlling their Blood Sugar Control 

How would you define weight lifting? Most people will likely describe rows of heavy barbells, complicated equipment, and men as large as school buses wearing sleeveless shirts. 

While that image may accurately portray the most extreme weight lifters, practically anyone with access to some weights can pursue weight lifting.  

Regardless of your age, size, or body composition, your body will use your muscles to help you move. As such an important, integral part of your body and its systems, training your muscles yields many health benefits many people might find surprising. Here are just a few. 

1) Lifting Weights Improves Blood Sugar Control 

Most pertinent to those living with conditions like prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, or anyone who needs to regulate their blood sugar, is the benefit lifting weights has on these levels. 

As some research finds, strength training exercises like weight lifting can be beneficial for those with type 2 diabetes. You may notice increased control over your blood sugar levels in response to weight lifting. 

As you exercise, your body uses your blood sugar to fuel the physical activity you’re putting it through. The more fuel you burn up, the more room you’re making for your body to take the edge off sugar spikes and otherwise flatten the bumps in your sugar levels throughout the day.  

2) Encourages Weight Loss (Physically and Mentally) 

It shouldn’t surprise you that routine exercise promotes weight loss over time. Any physical activity, including weight lifting, demands energy expenditure to fuel that activity, and calories are the metric used to calculate that energy. 

Burning more calories than you consume through your diet can translate into weight loss. The logic may sound simple, but consistently adjusting your lifestyle to include exercise can be challenging. 

Overcoming that challenge is worth it, though. Losing excess weight, and keeping it off, pays dividends to your overall wellbeing. But the benefits don’t stop with your body! Weight lifting can help shed mental and physical weight, as more studies and research show that your mood may improve after working out. 

3) Can Improve Insulin Sensitivity 

Insulin resistance is one of the significant risks leading to a diagnosis of prediabetes or diabetes. If you’re resistant to the insulin your body releases, you have a more challenging time putting your blood sugar to work. This excess sugar can lead to diabetes and other related complications. 

Thankfully, it’s now well understood that exercise improves insulin sensitivity, even right after exercise. While all exercise is generally beneficial to your overall blood sugar and insulin maintenance, focus on your particular insulin needs when engaging in weight lifting. 

Weight lifting is an anaerobic exercise (your muscles are active in short bursts, compared to sustained usage like running), which means glucose is the main energy source here. This is unlike aerobic exercise, which uses more oxygen and fat as the main energy source. 

Because the more intense the anaerobic session, the more glucose breakdown you may see from the demands of the physical activity, this may lead to an increase in your blood sugar. 

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4) Can Increase Glucose Storage 

Your muscles store a lot of glucose. The bigger they are, the more blood glucose they can hold after exercise, improving your carbohydrate tolerability. To benefit from this, you don’t have to struggle for big bodybuilder muscles: even a simple routine will yield valuable results. We outline an example of such a routine later in this article. 

5) Helps Target Dangerous Belly Fat 

Evidence continues to grow that belly fat is particularly harmful compared to fat around other body areas. It’s known as visceral fat, and it typically collects deep within your core beyond the subcutaneous fat you see on the surface. 

Researchers claim the danger stems from how the belly fat surrounds your organs, correlating to various increased risk factors for your health. Following guides for six-pack abs and performing hundreds of crunches may not be as helpful as you’d think since this fat is beneath the muscles associated with those exercises. 

Weight lifting and basic strength training may be a more prudent use of your time and sweat. After all, visceral belly fat typically responds just as well to generalized exercise as the rest of your body.  

6) Weight Training Helps Prevent Diabetes

By improving your body’s management and tolerances of blood sugar, you’re building a foundation for altogether preventing diabetes, even if you’ve already been diagnosed with prediabetes.

As some research shows, regular weight training can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. 

Other Benefits of Lifting Weights 

Benefits to your health are far and wide beyond what weight lifting can do for your blood. Your overall health has everything to gain from routine weight lifting, including: 

• Increased muscle mass, helping to make moving through your daily tasks easier.
• Increased longevity.
• Improved mobility and the ability to get up and stay up and active for longer.
• Improved flexibility, enabling you to keep doing the things you love and avoid injury.
• Stronger and more protected joints, reducing chances of pain and stiffness. 

Risks of Weight Lifting 

Even though it’s healthy, no physical activity comes risk-free. It’s always a good idea to consult with your doctor before exploring any new type of exercise, especially if you have diabetes. 

For one, working out has a direct impact on your blood sugar during exercise, immediately, and even for hours afterward. 

So, it’s essential to start slow and keep track of your sugar levels as you get into the habit of weight lifting. We mentioned weight lifting might raise your blood sugar, which can pose a risk to your health if your levels were already high when you began your exercise for the day. 

It’s a good idea to avoid exercise for the moment if your blood sugar is outside of normal ranges (for your specific body and age—remember that this differs). You may also want to stop and reevaluate your routine if you’ve recently taken medication for diabetes treatment such as insulin, or anything that may stimulate insulin release, increasing your risk of hypoglycemia. 

There are other, more typical risks to keep in mind that have simple counter-strategies, such as: 

• You should stretch and warm up to avoid injury.
• It’s a good idea for any exercise to avoid overexertion. 
• Staying hydrated is essential, exercise or no exercise. 

Sample Weight Training Workout Plan + Tips to Getting Started

With any exercise goal, consistency is the cornerstone for success, and it helps to have at least a simple plan to help build the habit. We think the following workout plan provides a confident way to dip your toes into the waters of weight lifting. It may be helpful to consult with a personal trainer who has experience with weight training to ensure proper form and reduce your risk of injury. 

Remember that any exercise is good, so if you find it challenging to keep up with this plan, you can break it down into even more manageable, bite-sized chunks! 

Day 1: Upper Body 

Stretch! Stretching is one of the simplest methods of avoiding exercise-related injury and increasing mobility. Consider adding it to your daily routine, even when you’re not working out. 

We recommend picking and choosing different stretches to kick off your particular weightlifting routine. After stretching, follow this workout. Feel free to add, remove, or change it up to meet your needs! 

• Front raises: Three sets of 16 repetitions 
• Shoulder press: Three sets of 15 repetitions 
• Pushups: Three sets of 10 repetitions 
• Chest flys: Three sets of 12 repetitions 
• Tricep dips: Three sets of 12 repetitions 

Day 2: Arm and Back Muscles 

It’s important to balance which muscles you target when weight lifting on consecutive days. So on this day, focus on your biceps, triceps, and back muscles. Repeat this routine three times.

• Stretch 
• Bicep curls: 12 repetitions 
• Kneeling single-arm rows: 10 repetitions 
• Hammer curls: 12 repetitions
• Lat pull-down (or pull-ups): 10 repetitions 

Day 3: Legs and Core 

Many people neglect to work their core, believing it’s only helpful to train those muscles to gain beach body abs. They end up missing out on the additional support those muscles provide, relieving your back muscles and spine of the weight of the upper body, increasing flexibility, and staving off dreaded back pain. 

• Stretch 
• Side plank, once per side of the body: 10 to 30 seconds 
• Toe taps: 10 to 20 repetitions 
• Plank: 10 to 30 seconds 
• Standing calf raises: Up to three sets 
• Wall sit: Up to 120 seconds 
• Squats: Three sets of 15 

Repeat this routine two to three times.

Rest Day 

It might sound counterintuitive to give yourself a break when you want to reap the benefits of all that exercise. Still, it’s important to give your body and muscles a chance to recover. 

Muscles are broken down during exercise and grow as the fibers are rebuilt. That rebuilding happens during your rest days and denying your muscles that resting period may hinder rather than help your progress.  

However, it’s a good idea not to go into total couch potato mode. Your rest days are the perfect opportunity to keep your blood flowing and body accustomed to moving. 

A low-key day enjoying the outdoors, keeping up with a simple yoga practice, or just walking around your local farmers market are great ways to stay on the move. 

Tips for Your Exercise Routine

Start slow and stay slow! Feel out how many repetitions and how much weight is appropriate for you to lift. Everyone starts somewhere. While weightlifting, use slow, deliberate movements and avoid sudden, jerky motions. Your muscles will benefit much more from the exercise, and you will significantly reduce the risk of injury. 

1) Rest Between Sets

Make sure to rest—but not for too long. It’s necessary to catch your breath and regroup. But it’s also important to maintain your increased heart rate and keep your muscles warm.

Recommendations on this vary, with some sources saying between 30 to 90 seconds here is ideal to induce muscle hypertrophy but also two to five minutes for max strength development. Remember, this will change according to your needs so consult an expert to find the perfect fit for you. 

2) Modify Exercises to Match Your Skill Level

Some exercises, like pushups, can be modified to shift your weight to make things more or less difficult. Only you know your body, so make sure you are working within your abilities, especially in the beginning.

If you have access to a gym full of machines, that’s fantastic. But you can do most of these exercises with a simple set of free weights, resistance bands, or even just your body weight.

3) Pace Yourself

• Focus on your warm-up: Warm muscles are less injury-prone. A light, quick cardio routine and some jumping jacks can do the trick. 
• Cool down: Allow your heart rate to return to normal by gradually easing it down through some more light cardio. 
• Don’t worry if you miss a day: Even pro athletes forget. And sometimes, you just don’t have time or need to take a break.  
• When in doubt, ask someone: If you aren’t sure how to perform an exercise, it’s much better to ask a professional how to do it rather than risk pulling a muscle.

Here’s chart to pin up to remind you what you should do on each of the three days you weight lift. It’s a good idea to stretch often (consider stretching before this routine begins on day one) and remember to rest on day four! 

Why You Should Be Lifting Weights if You Have Type 2 Diabetes

No one’s disputing the benefits of regular aerobic exercise for diabetes management. Running, walking, swimming, and biking can all help you keep your blood sugar level in check while boosting your overall health.

But now scientists are finding that people with diabetes can benefit from regular weight lifting, or strength training, as well. In fact, research in the Internal Journal of Cardiology shows that in people with type 2 diabetes, strength training can be more beneficial to blood sugar regulation than cardio,” says Audra Wilson, RD, CSCS, a bariatric dietitian and strength and conditioning specialist at the Northwestern Medicine Metabolic Health and Surgical Weight Loss Center at Delnor Hospital in Geneva, Illinois. That said, she points out that research in JAMA shows the best results come when strength training combines with aerobic exercise.

That’s why in a November 2016 position statement the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommended that, in addition to performing at least 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per week (or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise), adults with type 2 diabetes strength train at least two or three times per week.

RELATED: 6 Great Exercises for People With Diabetes

Before starting any new exercise routine, it’s important to talk with your doctor about any special considerations you need to make. Complications of type 2 diabetes, such as heart disease, peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, blood pressure issues, and osteoporosis, can influence which forms of exercise (and strength training) are healthiest for you, according to the ADA.

So what’s so great about weight lifting with type 2 diabetes?

Lifting Weights May Make Managing Type 2 Diabetes Easier

Diabetes is marked by the body’s inability to process glucose and use insulin efficiently, but strength training can help with those issues in various ways.

Burns Up Blood Sugar

Strength training relies primarily on the body’s glycolytic, or glucose using, metabolic system for energy. “As we go through a strength-training workout, we use stored muscle glycogen for fuel,” explains Nick Occhipinti, CSCS, an exercise physiologist based in Red Bank, New Jersey. “Once this stored muscle glycogen runs out, we start to mobilize extra glycogen from the liver and from the blood. This helps to directly decrease blood glucose as well as deplete stored muscle and liver glycogen stores, giving blood glucose a place to go next time we eat.”

Improves Glucose Storage

Your muscles serve as storage facilities for consumed sugar and carbohydrates. “Trained muscle has a higher capacity to store blood glucose in the form of glycogen, aiding in lowering blood glucose,” he says. That means lowered blood sugar levels and easier glucose management.

Spurs Weight Loss

In people carrying extra weight, losing 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can improve A1C scores, the two- to three-month average of blood sugar levels, according to John Hopkins Medicine. Apart from burning calories during your workouts, strength training promotes fat loss by increasing levels of lean muscle mass. “Muscle is one of the few metabolically active tissues in the body at total rest,” explains Occhipinti. “This means that even as we sit around and watch football or sit at a desk and work, the muscle we have on our body is serving to burn calories.”

Targets Harmful Belly Fat 

Abdominal fat, also called visceral fat because it resides in and around the body’s visceral organs, exacerbates insulin resistance and complicates blood sugar management, he says. He explains that, in addition to storing energy, visceral fat cells produce chemicals and hormones that inhibit the body’s effective use of insulin. Fortunately, high-intensity resistance training is effective (even more than cardiovascular exercise) at reducing visceral fat levels and managing blood sugar in people with insulin resistance, per the Internal Journal of Cardiology research.

RELATED: Lose Belly Fat Fast With This Diabetes-Friendly Exercise Routine

Strength Training Helps Protect Against Diabetes Complications

By improving insulin health and lowering high blood sugar levels, strength training helps guard against some of the complications of type 2 diabetes. But it also takes on diabetes complications in other ways, too.

Improves Heart Health 

Type 2 diabetes is a leading risk factor in the development of heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fortunately, strength training increases levels of good cholesterol in the body while reducing bad levels, Occhipinti says. Research in the Journal of Human Hypertension shows it also helps lower hypertension, or high blood pressure.

Boosts Bone Density

While people with type 2 diabetes often have normal bone mineral density scores, they are at a heightened risk of bone fracture, according to a study published in January 2016 in the journal Bone. Weight-bearing strength training, especially performed from a standing position, builds strength in the bones of the legs, spine, and hips to reduce the risk of bone breaks, Wilson says.

Prevents Age-Related Muscle Loss

Building muscle through strength training directly combats the muscle loss that can occur through the decades. According to the ADA position statement, type 2 diabetes is an independent risk factor for accelerated declines in muscle strength. Research published online in January 2017 by PLoS One has linked severe age-related muscle degradation, called sarcopenia, to loss of physical function, cancer, and depression, and an increased risk of early death.

Reduces the Risk of Peripheral Neuropathy and Vision Loss

“When we have chronically high blood sugar, glucose molecules start attaching themselves to everything, including our red blood cells. This can prevent healthy blood flow many places in the body where we have very small blood vessels,” Occhipinti says. It just so happens that the eyes and nerves of the hands and feet have these small vessels. When these areas don’t get the blood flow they need, peripheral neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy can result. Strength training improves blood flow to reduce the risk of these complications, Occhipinti explains.

RELATED: 7 Ways to Stay Motivated to Exercise When You Have Type 2 Diabetes

6 Tips for Starting to Strength Train with Diabetes

The ADA suggests that people with type 2 diabetes engage in two or three strength-training sessions per week, on nonconsecutive days. Here are some strategies to help you get the most benefits from your strength-training sessions.

1. Talk to Your Healthcare Team

As with any exercise program, check with your healthcare team before starting a weight-training regimen. Especially important is to discuss is your blood sugar management. “People don’t typically associate strength training with low blood sugars, but some patients will have significant impacts on blood sugar with strength training,” Wilson says. Your doctor may recommend testing your blood sugar level before, during, and after exercise, as well as eating carbohydrates around workout time to prevent or address hypoglycemia, she says.

2. Ask for Help 

“To gain more health benefits from physical activity programs, participation in supervised training is recommended over nonsupervised programs,” Wilson says. For some guidance, consider working out with a certified trainer or joining a weight-training class. These are offered both in person and online.

3. Focus on the Body’s Largest Muscle Groups

Work on your glutes, hamstrings, quads, lats, traps, and chest. Some of the best strength exercises to target such groups are compound, multijoint movements such as squats, lunges, dead lifts, hamstring curls, rows, lat pull-downs, chest presses, and push-ups, Occhipinti says.

4. Follow a Plan

Mapping out what you want your workouts to look like can help you make and keep a routine, Wilson says. If you plan to strength train two or three times per week, you’re better off making all of your workouts total-body ones. However, if your strength training is going to be more frequent, such as four or five days per week, alternating between upper- and lower-body workouts, or push and pull workouts, can help ensure that each muscle group still gets the recovery time it needs, she says. Every now and then, try new variations of your favorite exercise, or alter the number of sets or reps you are doing, to keep your workouts, and results, progressing.

5. Prioritize Recovery 

Giving yourself one, if not two, days in between working a given muscle group can help give it time to repair, Wilson says, while still training it with sufficient frequency to adapt and grow. Great options include foam rolling, stretching, and low-intensity cardio like walking or cycling.

6. Consider Multiple Tools

Yes, barbells, dumbbells, and weight machines can be useful strength-training tools, but they aren’t mandatory, Occhipinti says. Resistance bands, filled duffle bags, and other household items are effective in loading the muscles and are especially great for helping you get in more at-home workouts.

RELATED: 8 Ways to Sit Less and Move More Each Day

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Physical Activity – All About Diabetes

Diabetes experts recommend an active lifestyle as a key component of diabetes control. Regular physical activity can help avoid health problems. Monitor your weight and create conditions for insulin to be more effective in lowering blood sugar levels and providing better energy.

Try to enjoy physical activity by doing different activities and joining different groups, or by choosing an activity that suits you:

• Walk briskly where you like, such as in the park
• Climb stairs whenever possible
• Swim or take a water aerobics class
• Take a dance class
• Take a bike ride or exercise go indoor bike
• Play basketball, volleyball, tennis or other group sports.

Reduced physical activity

Reduced physical activity is a global problem that affects not only adults and the elderly, but even children. General urbanization and intense globalization mean that we spend more time sitting at the computer, driving a car and spending a lot of time at work or school. And we don’t pay attention at all to the fact that we move a little, not to mention sports. Mankind has largely overcome epidemics of infectious diseases, but cannot overcome non-communicable diseases, which are becoming more and more widespread every year, namely: cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer. It is the low level of physical activity that is one of the significant risk factors for the development of these serious diseases¹.

According to experts, reduced physical activity is one of the main causes of the development of breast and rectal tumors, it was found that 21-25% of patients with these diseases lead a sedentary lifestyle. Also, low physical activity can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes – in 27% of the total number of cases.

What prevents us from changing our habits and breaking the circle of inaction?

We refer to overload at work or school, postpone changes until the next Monday or next month, and do our best not to change anything. We spend our free time at home sitting at a computer or TV and reassure ourselves that there is not enough time for sports. And in order to change something, it is enough to replace at least 1-2 hours of watching TV or a computer with physical activity: a walk in the park, cycling or daily morning exercises.

Studies show that lifestyle changes that include at least 30 minutes of daily moderate physical activity and a calorie-restricted diet (25-30 kcal/kg/day) reduce prediabetes progression and risk by 1.5 times type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Exercising in the gym requires more energy than sitting in front of a TV or computer. Sitting, we spend about 50 kcal per hour, and in the gym – an average of 300-400 kcal. Physical exercise helps to use the excess calories taken during the day and prevents them from being stored as adipose tissue. If you constantly play sports, then the metabolism improves significantly and becomes more intense. But it must be remembered that our muscles and body very quickly adapt to certain exercises or loads, and we no longer get the desired effect. Therefore, if you plan to lose weight, then you need to increase the intensity of the load or change the exercises. If your goal is to lose weight and prevent the development of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, then exercise will contribute to the expenditure of excess calories, making it easier to control body weight. Regular exercise reduces fat deposits and increases muscle mass. Your appearance will improve as your muscles grow and strengthen and their tone increases. Your body will become more flexible and your risk of injury during exercise or other physical activity will decrease.

The purpose of exercise

If you have prediabetes (impaired glucose tolerance) and plan to lose weight, then exercise along with diet can help:

• Normalize blood sugar;
• Reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes;
• Reduce weight;
• Prevent heart disease and stroke;
• Improve your appearance and well-being;
• Relieve stress;
• Normalize sleep;
• Improve metabolism.

If you have type 2 diabetes, regular exercise can help:

• Lower blood glucose levels;
• Reduced need for insulin;
• Prevention of heart disease and stroke;
• Weight control.

Weight Loss Exercises

If your goal is to lose weight, you need to combine aerobic and anaerobic exercise and diet. If possible, before starting such training, you should consult with a therapist, nutritionist and trainer to draw up the correct training scheme.

1. Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise – this can be brisk walking, slow to moderate running, cycling, swimming, dancing, aerobics, gardening and housework.

During these exercises, the muscles use oxygen intensively for their work. Glycogen and fats that are in the muscles in the presence of oxygen begin to break down. But, unfortunately, the first 20-30 minutes of exercise, first of all, glycogen is broken down, and only then comes the turn of fats. Therefore, for weight loss, overweight people need to perform aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes daily.

2. Anaerobic exercises

Anaerobic exercises are strength exercises with dumbbells, exercises on simulators, running or riding a stationary bike for 3-5 minutes with maximum acceleration, a series of squats, pull-ups or push-ups, jumping rope, intensive lifting on stairs. For this type of exercise, the muscles do not use oxygen for their work. Muscular work should last 3-5 minutes, after which 1 minute is needed for recovery (rest). In these exercises, sets (series, approaches) are distinguished – a short period of time during which highly intensive work is performed. Usually perform 3-4 sets of 10-12-15 of one exercise and after each set do 1 minute of rest. Workouts should not last more than 50 minutes.

3. Combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercises

It is better when aerobic and anaerobic exercises are combined in one workout. For example, training starts with 5 minutes of walking on a treadmill or orbit track, then several sets of exercises for the muscles of the arms, legs, torso are performed and, at the end of the workout, 20-30 minutes on a treadmill, orbit track or exercise bike. You need to train 2-3 times a week.

4. Diet

Balanced calorie restricted diet.

Doctor’s consultation

If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, you should first see a doctor for a general medical examination. The examination will help you find out if your exercise program will increase your risk of diabetes complications. For example, the severity of retinopathy (damage to the retina of the eye, may develop with diabetes) may increase with physical activity such as jumping or jogging. If you are taking insulin, remember that during exercise and often for several hours afterwards, blood glucose drops. Therefore, before and after exercise, you need to check your blood sugar levels to prevent hypoglycemia. Exercise can help your body’s cells use insulin better. You may become more sensitive to insulin, so you may need to lower your insulin dose on the days you are active.

Exercise for type 2 diabetes

What kind of physical activity is optimal for type 2 diabetes?

It depends on your age, stage and severity of the disease. But almost everyone is suitable for moderate-difficulty exercise, such as brisk walking. Walking is a simple form of physical activity and you can do it almost anywhere. The only equipment required is comfortable clothing and properly sized shoes and socks. Running, cycling, swimming and dancing are also great physical activities. Choose the type of physical activity that you enjoy and is comfortable for you. For example, you can go brisk walking 3 times a week for 30-40 minutes and additionally do yoga, swimming or dancing twice a week. Carry an ID with you at all times, which should state that you have diabetes and information about the medications you are taking and an emergency phone number. This way, if you have a problem exercising, other people will know who to contact and how to help you.

The optimal time to exercise for most people with diabetes is 1-3 hours after a meal.

This is the time when blood glucose levels are highest and the risk of low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) is lowest. It is best not to exercise when insulin or antidiabetic pills have reached their peak. If you don’t know when this happens, your diabetes care team can tell you when different medicines are likely to be at their peak.

If you inject insulin or take blood sugar tablets, check your blood glucose levels before exercising.

Do not exercise if your blood glucose is very low. And always carry foods high in simple carbohydrates (sugar, glucose tablets, fruit juice or soda) with you in case you experience low blood glucose.

It is advisable to measure blood glucose levels 15 minutes after the end of exercise.

Start today

Start by asking a family member or friend to join you in your exercise. Or choose a team sport. Exercising with other people can be a joy, and with their company, you can better stick to your program.

Start big changes with small ones.

If you are taking the bus to work, try walking to the next bus stop rather than using the closest stop. Perhaps you can take a walk during your lunch break. Or take the stairs instead of using the elevator.

Refs:

1. Global recommendations on physical activity for health. World Health Organization, 2010.
2. Global health risk: mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2009.
3. Pan XR et al., Effects of diet and exercise in preventing NIDDM in people with impaired glucose tolerance: The Da Quing IGT and Diabetes Study. Diabetes Care 20: 537-544, 1997.

Exercise in diabetes – general recommendations and contraindications

Today we continue the publication of a series of articles for patients with diabetes and propose to discuss general recommendations and contraindications for physical education.

Exercise is an essential part of comprehensive diabetes care that can be beneficial, especially for type II diabetes, as obesity and inactivity contribute to the development of glucose intolerance in people. Regular physical activity helps to reduce body fat, increases the level of “good” lipids in the blood and lowers blood pressure. In people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, exercise can lower plasma glucose levels (during and after exercise) and improve insulin sensitivity.

Despite these benefits, physical activity is a major problem for people with diabetes, as their glucose regulation mechanisms are impaired.

In individuals without diabetes, normal plasma glucose levels are maintained during and after exercise.

In individuals with type I diabetes, exercise may cause hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, depending on pre-exercise plasma glucose concentration, circulating insulin levels, and exercise-induced counterregulatory hormone levels.

People with diabetes should delay exercise at plasma glucose levels greater than 250 mg/dL, as these levels indicate insulin deficiency and may lead to hyperglycemia.

Exercise hypoglycemia in diabetics occurs when blood glucose levels are 100 mg/dL or lower just prior to exercise. In this case, the person should eat a carbohydrate snack or reduce the dose of insulin.

To avoid exercise-related hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, people with type I diabetes should monitor their plasma glucose levels before, during, and after exercise and adjust their insulin dose and food intake accordingly.

For people with type II diabetes who use only diet, exercise is unlikely to cause hypoglycemia. People who take oral hypoglycemic drugs or insulin may suffer from hypoglycemia. Since patients with type II diabetes are not completely deficient in insulin, they are less likely to experience hyperglycemia in response to exercise. Light regular exercise, such as walking or cycling, is safe and effective for them ¹ .

With the above in mind, be sure to check with your healthcare provider about what physical activity you are allowed to do and what could be harmful, and ask him if your chosen sport requires dietary or therapy adjustments.

There are objective circumstances that may limit your choice of physical activities available to you, as well as the frequency and intensity of exercise. These circumstances include:

• your age;
• the state of the cardiovascular system, whether the risk of heart attack is high;
• your physical form;
• whether there is obesity and if so, how much;
• how many years have you had diabetes;
• what are the usual indicators of sugar in the blood;
• what complications of diabetes have already developed.

All these factors must be taken into account to determine which types of physical activity will be most suitable for you, which are undesirable, and which are absolutely forbidden.

One of the biggest risks of exercising with diabetes is to make your foot problems worse. There is a significant chance of injury to the leg, and any wounds and injuries in diabetic patients heal especially poorly. An injury to the leg may fester, gangrene will develop, and the entire foot or leg will need to be amputated. This is a very common scenario. To avoid it, learn and carefully follow the rules for foot care in diabetes.

Cardiovascular system . Every person over the age of 40, and diabetics over 30, should be examined to find out how much their coronary arteries are affected by atherosclerosis. The coronary arteries are those that supply blood to the heart. If they are clogged with atherosclerotic plaques, then a heart attack can occur. This is especially likely at times of increased stress on the heart, when you are exercising or when you are nervous.

At a minimum, you need to undergo an electrocardiogram, even better – an exercise ECG. The results of these examinations should be discussed with a good cardiologist. If he sends you for additional tests or examinations, then they also need to be passed.

It is highly recommended to buy a heart rate monitor and use it during training. The maximum allowable heart rate is calculated using the formula “220 – age in years”. For example, for a 60-year-old person, this is 160 beats per minute. But this is the theoretical maximum heart rate. It’s best not to even get close to him. A good workout is when you accelerate your heart rate to 60-80% of the theoretical maximum. Based on the results of examinations, a cardiologist can say that your maximum allowable heart rate should be even much lower so that a heart attack does not happen. If you use a heart rate monitor, after a few months of regular training, you may notice that your resting heart rate drops. This is a good sign that the endurance and performance of the heart is increasing. In this case, you can slightly increase the allowable maximum heart rate during exercise.

All diabetic patients are advised to consult an ophthalmologist before starting exercise. And you need not just an ophthalmologist, but one who can assess how advanced diabetic retinopathy – is a complication of diabetes that makes the blood vessels in the eyes very fragile. If you overexert yourself, lean headfirst, or land hard on your feet, there is a risk that the blood vessels in your eyes will suddenly burst. Hemorrhage will occur, which can lead to blindness. An ophthalmologist who has experience treating diabetic retinopathy can assess the likelihood of this happening.

If the risk of bleeding in the eyes is high, then the diabetic has a very limited choice of exercise options. Under the threat of blindness, he is forbidden to engage in any sports that require muscular tension or sudden movement from place to place. Weight lifting, push-ups, sit-ups, running, jumping, diving, basketball, rugby, etc. are contraindicated. Such patients are usually recommended to go swimming without diving or cycling. Of course, you can also walk.

Diabetic neuropathy – is a conduction disorder of various nerves due to chronically high blood sugar. Diabetic neuropathy causes many problems, one of which is fainting. If you experience fainting, then you need to be especially careful when exercising. For example, it is dangerous to faint when you lift the barbell if no one is belaying.

If tests show that you have protein in the urine , then under the influence of physical activity it will become even more there. Physical education is a burden on the kidneys and can accelerate the development of kidney failure. This is perhaps the only case when it is not known what is more – the benefits of physical education or harm. In any case, walking in the fresh air, as well as a set of exercises with light dumbbells, will benefit and not harm your kidneys ² .