I Need To Exercise To Reduce Diabetes Risk
This morning I did not look in the mirror - instead I looked at my blood glucose monitor (an overdue check). This told me I need to exercise more to reduce my diabetes risk - and less for vanity.
With my blood sugar levels creeping up - it's time to do HIT Training again. I don't like it but i don't like type 2 diabetes either so if this is what I must do.
Why I Have A Blood Glucose Monitor
I first bought this about 3 years ago after an over 40's health check from the GP. This revealed a highish blood sugar – which was teetering around the pre-diabetes level. The doctor was not concerned but I was - I do not want type 2 diabetes, especially when there is a fair bit of evidence to suggest that in many cases we can exercise to reduce diabetes risk, and along with a healthy diet diabetes can even be reversed. So I bought myself a blood glucose meter so I could check to see if I could reduce my blood sugar levels.
Diet & Exercise To Reduce Diabetes Risk
In an attempt to help myself I have cut out all added sugar and high GI (glycaemic index) foods, plus exercised that bit harder. All has worked well and I did at one point reduce my blood sugars to a more normal level by eating nothing that contained added sugar and embarking upon a programme of High Intensity Training (HIT) that is proven to help insulin sensitivity. This was three years ago and whilst I still as a rule have nothing that contains added sugar or high GI foods - I do sometimes now make the odd exception. However the HIT training has not lasted and I have not done this for over a year now - because I really don't like it!
What this morning has told me
My fasting blood sugar has crept up and although just under pre diabetes levels is literally so close it is definitely the highest end of normal you can get. Therefore I need to nip it in the bud now and really get on top of it again.
Proven Exercise to Reduce Diabetes Risk
My diet is still pretty good – but it is my fitness that I need to work on. The specific exercise to reduce diabetes risk is HIT training involving cycles of exercise and relaxation periods. It is horrible - as if it's done correctly it almost seems to hurt! It is exactly as the name suggests High Intensity but it really does work, so I know that I must do it. Perhaps it's comparable to the old saying that the worse the medicine tastes the more good it can do you!
Scissors
The simplest form of hit training for me is to do just one exercise that involves no equipment – so that I can do it anywhere, at any time. There are many different ways to carry out HIT training but to ease me into it I will do the following every day:
The Scissors exercise makes your legs act in a scissor like motion.
- 30 seconds of scissors (as many leg swaps as I can manage)
- 30 seconds rest
- 30 seconds of scissors
- 30 seconds rest
- 30 seconds of scissors
- finish and record total amount of scissors completed.
After a week of doing this Ill aim to add another work phase in.
Any Exercise
This High Intensity training is all about working your body hard for
short bursts. Scissors is only one exercise - you can do anything as
long as it involves some major muscle groups, and gets you out of breath
so that you cannot speak.
If you're new to training then scissors may not be the best exercise to start with. If you need any help or exercise suggestions you can ask me here
As you jump up swap legs over.
The leg at the rear is brought forward as you jump up.
At this point you'll have jumped off the ground to be able to quickly swap legs over.
Back on the ground with legs swapped over, ready to repeat as many times as possible.Monitoring Success Of Exercise To Reduce Diabetes Risk
I'll give it three weeks to work and recheck my blood sugar levels, which as it happens will be on my birthday – my 50th so a good incentive!. I'll let you know the results.
