How to Manage Type-2 Diabetes with Strength Training

Strengthening your muscles is vital for staying healthy when you have type-2 diabetes. It’s a key part of any fitness plan. Research has established that regular strength training can reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, and type-2 diabetes. Strength training also helps build stronger bones and promotes weight loss. An important factor for many with type-2 diabetes because the higher the muscle mass, the more calories you burn, and strength training helps you do just that!

According to The American Diabetes Association, strength training helps with blood sugar control for people with Type-2 Diabetes. Strength training offers numerous benefits for people with type-2 diabetes such as:

• Reduces weight
• Improves the body’s response to insulin
• Lowers risk for heart disease
• Controls blood sugar level

If you are new to strength training, start slow and don’t overdo it. Keep in mind that steady progression is key here. Ensure that you rest muscles a day between sessions and if you feel sore for any reason, ease up until you feel better. Strength training can be conducted with free-weights or exercises that use your own body weight.

Let’s look at three easy exercises that you can start right away:

1. Chair Dips

Steps to perform:

•  Use a sturdy chair or low table and sit on the edge of the chair with your arms behind you
•  Now, place your palms on the edge of the chair and keep your fingers pointed towards you
•  Take your feet a little forward and lift your buttocks off the chair
•  Ensure that your knees don’t bend past your toes
•  Bend your elbows slowly, lower your body and then straighten it

The major muscle group that chair dips work are:

• Triceps
• Deltoids
• Pectoral muscles

2. Wall Squats

Steps to perform:

• Stand with your back faced against the wall
• Keep your feet about a foot in front of you
• Now, bend your knees and lower your back along the wall (you should reach a position similar to the one if you’d be sitting on a chair)
• Hold this position for several seconds and then stand up

The major muscle group that wall squats work are:

• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps

3. Curls

To perform curls, you will need a pair of lightweight dumbbells.

Steps to perform:

•  Hold a dumbbell in each hand with arms at your side and your palms facing up
•  Curl up your forearms and bring the weight to your shoulders, whilst keeping your elbows steady
•  Now, return to the starting position

The major muscle group that curls work is:

•  Biceps

Aim for two sets of 8 to 12 reps for each of these exercises and always warm up before you exercise. Before you start with the exercises, we recommend that you check with your doctor. Reason being, strength training can lower your blood sugar level. Furthermore, check your blood sugar before and after strength training to see the effect of the workouts on your body.

Strength training is just one part of a well-rounded fitness program. In addition to strength training, one should also get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as jogging or cycling, each week. By following the workout over the course of a few months, you should start to see great results!