Never Say Never: Tips For Weight Lifting With Diabetes

While you exercise, your body requires additional energy from blood sugar, which is also known as blood glucose.

During the course of doing something quickly, such as sprinting to catch the bus, your muscles as well as your liver release glucose for fuel.

Exercise (including weightlifting or weight training) usually lowers blood sugar levels. If you are on insulin or diabetes medications, a boost in workout duration and intensity would mean adjusting your medications, diet, or both. Consult a doctor to check what’s right for you.

Tips For Weightlifting With Diabetes

When it comes to diabetes, some form of exercise should be on everybody’s to-do list. Therefore, get started with the help of these go-to tips:

Get Your Doctor’s Approval

Let your doctor know what you intend to do, especially when it comes to weightlifting. They can ensure that you are prepared for it. They will also check whether you need to alter your meals, insulin dosage, or diabetic medications. Moreover, your doctor can let you know if weightlifting at a specific time of the day matters.

Check Your Blood Sugar Levels

Consult your doctor to know if you need to check your blood sugar levels prior to weightlifting. If you plan to workout for a duration exceeding one hour, you must check your blood sugar levels on a regular basis during your workout. In this way, you will know if you need a snack. In addition, check your blood sugar levels after the workout to make necessary adjustments.

Carry Some Carbs

Workouts can lower blood sugar levels. Always ensure that a small carbohydrate snack (such as fruit or fruit juice) is within reach to prevent hypoglycaemia or blood sugar levels from going abnormally low.

Work Your Way Up Steadily

If you are not active presently, begin with 10 minutes of weightlifting at a time. Gradually, you may increase that duration to 30 minutes a day. You must stop exercising if you feel confused, weak, anxious, shaky, have a headache, your pulse rate is racing, or you sweat abnormally more.

Weightlifting Can Be Done Twice A Week

Weightlifting, which is a form of strength training, can improve your control over blood sugar levels. You may lift weights or do workouts with resistance bands. Alternatively, you can have a go at squats, lunges, and push-ups, which use your own body weight. Your weight training program must work your entire body. Set up your schedule so that you concentrate on different muscle groups on different days or engage in a longer workout session less often. It is recommended to workout under the guidance of a certified fitness trainer or instructor to learn the right way to do weight training.

Convert Weight Training Into A Habit

Workout, eat, and take your medications at the same time every day to prevent any chances of hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar levels.

Workout With Friends

It is a clever idea to work out with those who know your diabetic condition and know precisely what to do if your blood sugar levels drop during a workout session. Contact friends and request them to join you. The time really moves briskly when you have a dedicated support system and someone to keep you going. This increases the fun element, too. It is also advisable to wear a medical identification tag or carry a small card that says you are diabetic, which will prove useful during emergencies.

Prioritise Footcare

Wear sports or athletic shoes that are in fine shape and are the optimal type for your activity. For example, do not jog after wearing tennis shoes because your foot needs different support or cushion while sprinting. Your sneakers need to fit optimally, leaving lots of room in the toes. Clean and check your feet daily to detect any blisters, sores, redness, bumps, or cuts, even if you have not worked out that day. If foot care problems arise, immediately consult your doctor.

Keep Yourself Hydrated

Drink copious amounts of water before, during, and post weightlifting, even if you do not feel thirsty.

Stop Lifting Weights If Something Hurts All of a Sudden

If your muscles are a tad sore, that is completely normal. However, pain is not. You are not likely to be injured unless you lift too many weights, too soon.

On A Final Note

When you become aware of the wide range and plethora of health benefits of weight training or weightlifting, you are more likely to turn your workouts into a daily habit.