People with diabetes need to modify their lifestyles and adopt habits that support glycemic control. One of these habits is a well-balanced diet or regular exercise. While it’s recommended to exercise on this diet, what to expect with weightlifting? Is weightlifting allowed for people with diabetes? Do you need to avoid lifting heavy weights? Get the answers to these questions below.
Is weightlifting safe for people with diabetes?
Not only is weightlifting safe for people with diabetes, but also incredibly beneficial.
A study from the International Journal of Cardiology found that strength training is more effective for blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes than in cardio.
A study from JAMA revealed that a combination of strength and cardio training is the best for diabetes management and improved HbA1c levels.
For that reason, the American Diabetes Association recommends strength training at least two or three times a week in addition to a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise.
Weightlifting isn’t just beneficial for the management of type 2 diabetes, it can also prevent it. In one study, moderate strength training increased overall muscle mass by 32% and reduced diabetes risk. This type of training can also slow down the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes.
For people who are not diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, weightlifting can lower the risk of this lifelong condition and thereby help you avoid complications of this disease.
Benefits of weightlifting for diabetes
As seen above, weightlifting can be of huge help to people who have diabetes (and even to those who don’t have it). Below, you can see some of the most important benefits of weightlifting for people with this condition.
Lower blood glucose levels
Weightlifting, or strength training in general, mainly relies on the glycolytic i.e. glucose-using metabolic system for energy. As you progress with the workout, the body uses the stored muscle glycogen as fuel. After these stores run out, the body opts to mobilize additional glycogen from the blood and liver. That means the next time you eat, your blood glucose will have more space to go.
When it comes to the benefits of weightlifting for people with type 2 diabetes, it’s useful to mention that trained muscle has a higher capacity to store blood glucose, which also decreases blood glucose levels.
In other words, weightlifting has a simple mechanism of action. It doesn’t eliminate the body’s need for insulin. Instead, it gives the body a route to burn blood glucose for fuel without producing more insulin.
When the term weightlifting comes to mind, people immediately think of huge muscles. But it’s not about muscles per se, you don’t need to build muscle to experience these results. Weightlifting is mainly about becoming stronger.
Weight loss
Excess weight increases the risk of diabetes-related complications. At the same time, type 2 diabetes can contribute to weight gain, which makes it trickier to manage the underlying problem. Indeed, diabetes can cause a vicious and repetitive cycle, but relying on weightlifting can help lose weight and thereby make the condition more manageable.
In people with excess weight, dropping five to ten percent of body weight can lead to a significant improvement in A1c scores.
So, if you are looking for an effective way to slim down, this is the best option. Weightlifting doesn’t just burn calories, it also supports fat loss by raising levels of lean muscle mass. That’s why it’s a great strategy for people who want to slim down but without losing muscles.
Targets abdominal fat
Also known as visceral fat, abdominal fat worsens insulin resistance and makes blood glucose management even more complicated. Visceral fat cells store energy, but they also produce hormones and chemicals that prevent the body from using insulin properly. The good news is that high-intensity strength training can lower abdominal fat and contribute to the management of blood sugar.
Lower risk of complications
Weightlifting helps directly manage blood sugar levels and thereby enables you to keep your diabetes under control. This demanding yet rewarding type of physical activity can also lower the risk of diabetes-related complications.
For instance, this type of training raises levels of HDL or good cholesterol while reducing LDL or bad cholesterol. Evidence confirms weightlifting can lower hypertension as well. This is important because high levels of bad cholesterol and high blood pressure can pave the way to cardiovascular problems such as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis increases the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke.
Weightlifting is the perfect choice for a person with diabetes because this metabolic condition is the leading risk factor for heart disease development.
According to a study from the journal Bone, people with type 2 diabetes are at a higher risk of bone fracture. Strength training, particularly when performed in a standing position, can strengthen your bones and thereby protect them from fractures.
In people with type 2 diabetes, weightlifting training can prevent age-related muscle loss and lower the risk of peripheral neuropathy and vision loss.
How often to do weightlifting?
It’s recommended to do strength training three to four days a week for the best effects. However, everyone’s different, and some people may need less than that. There is no magic number in terms of the frequency of sessions, repetitions, and sets. Everything depends on a person. Make sure the ideal duration of a weightlifting session is 45 minutes, but if you are a beginner 10 to 20 minutes is a good way to start.
Conclusion
Weightlifting is a tough workout, which is why it’s easy to think you should avoid it at all costs. For people with diabetes, weightlifting is great training because it helps manage blood sugar levels and lowers the risk of complications. Strength training is also beneficial because it lowers the risk of diabetes in people who don’t have this condition already. Ideally, you should aim for three to four workout sessions a week. Results are the best when you combine this training with cardio. Make sure to consult your doctor about this training and its effect on blood glucose management. Connect with a personal trainer who can create a great workout plan bearing in mind your condition.