More than 100 million children and adults in the U.S. are now living with either diabetes or prediabetes.
While there is no cure for diabetes, with proper care and a healthy lifestyle, the symptoms can be managed.
One promising way to manage your symptoms is through weight training. Keep reading to learn how it can help you manage your diabetes, and how to get started.
How Weight Training Helps Manage Diabetes
Weight training offers many benefits to patients with diabetes. Those with type 2 diabetes may see the greatest results.
Patients with type 1 diabetes may also see the benefits listed below. However, they do need to be more mindful while engaging in any form if aerobic exercise. Otherwise, they may risk
Weight training has even been shown to reduce the risk of developing diabetes in the first place.
There are two distinct ways that weight training can help an individual manage their diabetes better.
Increasing Lean Muscle Mass
One reason why weight training is a great choice for anyone, regardless of whether they have diabetes or not, is that it helps to build lean muscle mass.
Besides making you stronger, lean muscle is also composed of insulin-sensitive tissue. This helps to make your muscles more sensitive to insulin.
Following meals, blood sugar levels usually spike within about two hours of finishing eating. Those with greater amounts of lean muscle will see more controlled blood sugar levels instead.
Lowering Your BMR
Another big benefit that individuals with type 1 diabetes can gain by introducing weight training into their regimen is a lower BMR or basal metabolic rate.
Your BMR is the rate at which your body is able to burn calories while you are at rest. The higher your BMR is, the more weight you are able to burn, even if the number of calories you are consuming remains the same.
For diabetes patients, weight loss can be a struggle. But being overweight can make the symptoms of diabetes much more difficult to control. Weight training is a great way to start lowering your BMR is other aerobic exercises, like walking or running, aren’t an option.
Getting Started With Weight Training
Like with any change to your diet and exercise regimen, you should talk to your doctor before you take up weight training.
Once you are given the clear, start with just a few reps on resistance machines or light weights. If you don’t have prior experience with lifting, it might also be a good idea to sign up for a few sessions with a personal trainer. That way you can ensure that you learn to lift properly and don’t injure yourself.
Hopefully, you will see results and an improvement in your management of diabetes with weight training or a healthy lifestyle. But it can never replace regular visits with a doctor with a specialty in diabetes care, like United Medical.
Staying Healthy With Diabetes
Weight training, a healthy diet, and good lifestyle choices can all help you manage your diabetes and allow you to live a full, happy life.
For other ways to stay healthy while dealing with the symptoms and demands of diabetes, check out these tips next.
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