If there is one health condition that greatly affects women’s health on a global scale it is diabetes. The challenge doesn’t just lie with the condition itself, but in the different challenges that women have to cope with while living with the health condition.
These challenges are exclusive to women and can cause spikes in blood sugar levels and they include pregnancy, menopause, and fluctuating hormonal levels.
But despite these challenges, women can manage their diabetes condition by adopting a diabetes-friendly fitness routine.
The best workouts for women with diabetes aim to regulate weight gain, support heart health, control blood sugar spikes, and greatly improve insulin sensitivity.
In this article, we will highlight the best workouts for women with diabetes including strength training, cardio, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and yoga.
Why You Should Adopt Strength Training for Diabetes Management
While there are quite a large number of women that tend to avoid engaging in weight training mainly because they fear looking too masculine.
However, there is more to strength training than just bulking, the truth is, weight training helps in maintaining a healthy metabolic rate, and improving insulin sensitivity.
Also, skeletal muscles absorb a greater amount of glucose during weight training which then results in a much better regulation of blood sugar.
In summary, weight training will help women managing their diabetes condition to :
- enhance muscle mass and regulate blood sugar levels in the process.
- maintain a really healthy body weight by boosting metabolic rate.
- lower the risk of brittle bone syndrome or osteoporosis (a condition that is quite common amongst women with diabetes) by boosting bone density.
- ensure the body’s efficient use of insulin thereby significantly reducing insulin resistance.
Best Strength Training Workouts for Diabetes Management
The best strength training workouts for diabetes management are the following:
#1. Lower Body Workouts
For lower body workouts, you can try out glute bridges, lunges and squats. These exercises help to boost glucose absorption through the strengthening of the large lower body muscle groups.
#2. Upper Body Workouts
To improve your upper body, you should try upper body exercises like push-ups, shoulder presses, and dumbbell rows which help to boost metabolic function while improving overall strength and performance.
#3. Core and Stability Workouts
Core and stability workouts will improve your general health and fitness levels while promoting better core stability and balance. Core and stability workouts like leg raises, Russian twists, and Planks should be part of your fitness routine.
Your strength training program should include between 2 to 3 weight training sessions in a week.
Try to concentrate on performing either splits (i.e. lower/upper body days) or full-body exercises.
To optimize your workout, you can run several repetitions (reps) using light dumbbells, your body weight or resistance bands.
Cardio Exercises for Blood Sugar Control and Diabetes Management
If you want to regulate your blood sugar levels and boost your heart health, then cardio is your go-to workout routine.
It is a well-known fact that diabetes is a precursor for cardiovascular disease and many women living with diabetes also suffer from one cardiovascular health condition or another. However, by including aerobic workouts to your overall fitness routine, you will be doing your heart health a big favor.
In summary, cardio exercises will help women living with diabetes to :
- manage their blood glucose levels better by improving insulin sensitivity.
- minimize the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- reduce excessive body fat to manage weight.
- combat general fatigue caused by diabetes by boosting both energy and mood.
The Best Cardio Exercises for Blood Sugar Control and Diabetes Management
You should incorporate steady-state cardio exercises to help in controlling your blood sugar levels and managing diabetes.
Spend about 150 minutes of your time engaged in moderate-intensity cardio every week which amounts to about 30 minutes of cardio workout for five days in a week.
Alternatively, you could spend about 75 minutes of your time in a week engaged in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or running sessions.
The cardio exercises for blood sugar control you can try out today include:
#1. Aerobics
With aerobic exercise, you will boost your insulin function while burning excess body fat in the process.
#2. Brisk Walking
Brisk walking is a low-intensity workout that will not only help you regulate your blood sugar, but also burn excess calories.
#3. Cycling
By engaging in cycling, you will boost your cardiovascular health (which often worsens with diabetes) while also strengthening your leg muscles.
#4. Swimming
Swimming is a diabetes-friendly fitness routine that promotes better blood circulation while training your entire body.
Yoga and Pilates for Diabetic Women
Did you know that stress can negatively impact your blood sugar levels?
What’s more, women tend to be susceptible to stress-related spikes in their blood glucose levels due to sudden changes in their hormonal balance.
The hormone responsible for rising stress levels is known as cortisol and this hormone is capable of causing a myriad of health issues including general fatigue, greater fat deposits, and insulin resistance.
However, with Yoga and Pilates, you have two low-intensity exercises that will improve your core strength and flexibility while also providing relief from a high state of stress caused by rising cortisol hormone levels.
In addition to this, Yoga and Pilates will help to control glucose levels as well as improve blood circulation.
The Best Yoga and Pilates Routine for Diabetic Women
Diabetic women can spend anywhere from 2 to 3 sessions in week engaged in a variety of yoga and pilates routines, such as;
#1. Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose
This yoga and pilates routine will help to relax your nervous system while also improving blood circulation.
#2. Seated Forward Fold
The seated forward fold is an exercise routine that helps to improve digestion while stimulating your pancreas.
#3. Twisting Poses (Spinal Twist)
The spinal twist will Improve metabolic function as well as promote the detoxification of the body.
When performing yoga and pilates routines, you should also implement deep breathing techniques to help improve your insulin function and reduce your stress levels.
HIIT for Rapid Blood Sugar Control and Management
With high-intensity interval training or HIIT, you will not only save time on your workout sessions, but also enhance insulin sensitivity, increase your metabolism, and efficiently burn excess body fat.
HIIT sessions are typically characterized by short bursts of highly intense workouts immediately accompanied by short periods of rest.
Do you know that spending between 10 and 20 minutes on HIIT will not only boost your fitness, but also significantly lower your blood sugar levels?
You should perform between 2 and 3 HIIT sessions in a week. Make sure to start off at a slow pace then build your intensity from there.
HIIT Routines for Managing Diabetes in Women
The best workouts for women with diabetes include;
- Jump Squats: Engage in this HIIT workout for about 30 seconds followed by 15 seconds of rest time.
- Jumping Jacks: Also perform this HIIT routine for 30 seconds and rest for 15 seconds.
- Mountain Climbers: Spend 30 seconds of your time performing a mountain climbers HIIT routine followed by 15 seconds of rest.
- Push-ups: You should do as many push-ups as you can within a 30 second window followed by 15 seconds of rest.
Build a Sustainable Fitness Routine Involving the Best Workouts for Women with Diabetes
If you want to maintain a fitness routine that will help you manage your diabetes in the long-term, you need to first consider your specific needs and lifestyle choices.
In all, a comprehensive fitness program should consist of cardio, weight training, HIIT and yoga for strength gains, hormonal balance, flexibility, and general relaxation.
If you want to manage your diabetes long-term, below are some tips you should take to heart.
- Make sure you set only realistic fitness goals.
- Consistency is key, so make sure you stick with your daily routine without fail.
- Track your blood sugar level before your workout and after a session.
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated at all times.
- Maintain a balanced diet.
- Pay attention to your body and either slow down your workout intensity or rev it up if needed.
- Connect with other people with similar fitness goals. You can join a fitness community and be mentored by an experienced trainer on diabetes-friendly fitness routines.
On a final note, you should always try to stay motivated as this is the key to consistency. To this end, perform only those workouts that you find interesting and track your progress using either an app or by documenting your progress in a journal.
Finally, you should try setting goals on a weekly basis and be sure to celebrate whenever you achieve these fitness goals as this further increases your motivation and desire to persevere, be consistent, and succeed.
You can chat (for free) with an expert on the best workouts for women with diabetes and find that routine that suits your peculiar lifestyle, fitness needs and goals today.
