Diabetes has always been considered to be the disease of the lethargic and lazy. Therefore, it comes as no surprise to us that exercise helps to alleviate symptoms in diabetics.
A trial was conducted, which was random but controlled. This study group had 251 adults aged 39-70. All of them had no regular exercise routine and all of them suffered from type 2 diabetes. Now, the tests were conducted with aerobic and resistance exercises and a combination of both.
Four groups were made. One consisted of performing 45 minutes aerobic training three times per week, while other consisted of performing 45 minutes resistance training instead of aerobic training three times per week. The third group had to perform 45 minutes each of both resistance and aerobic training, three times per week, while the fourth group were allowed to go without any exercise at all.
The first two groups showed improvements in blood sugar control, decreasing it by about 0.5 percent. The third group, the one that did both types of training, showed about twice as much improvement with a 0.97 decrease in their blood sugar. The last group remained the last, without showing any improvement at all.
This study proved that a combination of aerobic and resistance exercise can maximise the positive effects of exercise on type 2 diabetes. It not only reduces the blood sugar, it also reduces your risk of cardiovascular death and improves your strength, endurance, bone density and hence, your overall functional capacity.
How does it work?
Aerobic exercises make your body more sensitive to insulin. Therefore, if you are properly nourished, it will restore your normal glucose metabolism as well as decrease your body fat.
Exercises like walking or stationary cycling are low impact and effective in promoting weight management. For best results, you should exercise five times per week. Your workouts should last at least 40-60 minutes and it is okay to stay in the moderate intensity zone.
Remember that you will not be able to reach this goal soon. You will have to work on it and gradually you will see yourself there. You can start from scratch, from as low as 10-20 minutes only a few times per week. You can slowly increase any one factor, like the days per week, length of your workout or intensity and gradually reach your desired level.