Are you worried about your blood sugar levels? Do you have pre-diabetes? If so, exercise could be the key to managing your condition and preventing it from turning into full-blown type 2 diabetes. In this blog post, we’ll explore the role of exercise in managing pre-diabetes and blood sugar levels.
The Link between Pre-Diabetes and Exercise
Pre-diabetes is ahealth condition characterized by blood sugar levels that exceed the normal range, but do not reach the threshold to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Individuals diagnosed with pre-diabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, the condition can be reversed through modifications in one’s lifestyle.
One of the most effective lifestyle changes is exercise. Exercise helps to lower blood sugar levels by improving insulin sensitivity. Insulin is a hormone that helps to regulate blood sugar levels, but in people with pre-diabetes, their bodies are less responsive to insulin. Exercise helps to make the cells in the body more responsive to insulin, which means that less insulin is needed to regulate blood sugar levels.
What Types of Exercise are the Best?
Any type of exercise is better than none, but some types of exercise are more effective than others. The best types of exercise for managing pre-diabetes and blood sugar levels are:
- Aerobic exercise: This includes activities like brisk walking, cycling, swimming, and dancing. Aerobic exercise helps to lower blood sugar levels by increasing the body’s demand for energy, which means that more glucose is taken up by the cells.
- Resistance training: This includes activities like weightlifting, push-ups, and squats. Resistance training helps to build muscle, which can improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels.
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT): It’s a type of exercise that involves brief, vigorous periods of physical activity followed by short intervals of rest or low-intensity activity. Research has demonstrated that HIIT can be especially beneficial for enhancing the body’s ability to use insulin and decreasing levels of glucose in the bloodstream.
How Much Exercise Do You Need?
The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with pre-diabetes aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week. This can be split into 30-minute sessions, five days a week. However, any amount of exercise is better than none, so if you’re just starting out, aim for 10 minutes of exercise per day and gradually build up to 30 minutes or more.
Other Lifestyle Changes for Managing Pre-Diabetes
Exercise is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to managing pre-diabetes. Other lifestyle changes that can help include:
- Eating a healthy diet: A diet rich in fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, lean protein, and vegetables can help to regulate blood glucose levels.
- Losing weight: Reducing your body weight by only 5 to 10 percent through a weight loss program can enhance your body’s ability to respond to insulin and decrease the levels of glucose in your bloodstream.
- Quitting smoking: Smoking increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, so quitting smoking can help to reduce that risk.
How Love This Diet Can Help
If you’re struggling to make the necessary lifestyle changes to manage your pre-diabetes, Love This Diet can help. Jim and Genice are dietary consultants in Kansas City who specialize in low-carb, Keto, and prediabetes diet plans. We can help you create a personalized meal plan that will help you regulate your blood sugar levels, lose weight, and improve your overall health.
So, what’s the hold-up? Get in touch with us today and get started towards a healthier lifestyle.
