Welcome to our second installment of Resolutions Month here on the blog! This week we are tackling workouts- which ones are best for people with diabetes and also tips and tricks for getting back into the groove. So if you’re ready to get sweaty, read on!
There are two workouts that are best for weight loss for people with diabetes. These both help get you in shape, keep you fit and healthy, and have positive benefits for your diabetes management as well!
HIIT Training
Your body has two different types of fat, called subcutaneous and visceral fat. Subcutaneous fat is the kind that sits just under the skin and visceral fat is the kind that is in your midsection and sits within your body cavity with your organs. Visceral fat is nicknamed “active fat” as it affects your hormone levels and directly influences your health. It can increase your risk of diabetes complications as it causes insulin resistance. High intensity interval training is one of the most efficient ways to combat this visceral fat! HIIT workouts alternate between shorter bursts of intense activity with periods of less intense active rests to follow. For instance, you can sprint for 1 minute and then walk for 2 minutes and repeat. There are many classes you can take that focus on HIIT style workouts, or you can create your own!
Weight Training
Weight training is not what people often think of when they are looking to loose weight. However, it has been shown that an increase in lean muscle helps burn calories faster and that in turn helps regulate your glucose levels. As you get stronger your muscles are better at storing glucose. Additionally, as your muscle-to-fat ratio increases your body needs less insulin to store energy in fat cells. It is recommended to do weight training at least twice a week, and always be sure to focus on correct form and work a variety of muscles throughout your body.
It can be tough getting back into the grove of working out in your weekly schedule. We’ve got five tips for how to ease into exercise as well as how to keep from getting bored or plateauing.
- Set attainable goals – If your goals are too high you may be quickly discouraged. Don’t make your goals too easy, but rather something realistic that you can achieve if you put in the effort.
- Start small and work your way up – Jumping in too hard or too fast can cause injuries. If you haven’t worked out in a while do shorter and less intense workouts to begin with and once your body has adjusted you can level up.
- Keep track of insulin and know your body – Have a healthy snack before hitting the gym and pay attention to your blood sugar levels. Try writing a workout log to see if you can spot any patterns of how your workouts affect your BS so you can be armed with the knowledge to keep everything in check.
- Work out with a friend – Having trouble with accountability? Get a workout buddy! You can both help each other with attendance, motivation, and of course keep each other company and make going to the gym something fun to look forward to.
- Join a class – If you don’t have a workout buddy or simply aren’t sure what to do when you get to the gym (believe me, you are not alone on this!) try joining a group fitness class. There are a ton of different types of classes you can try out and having a schedule will make it much easier to fit into your schedule.
