Shining light on night blindness. Can watching sports be bad for your health? Beyond the usual suspects for healthy resolutions. August 2, For people who have diabetes—or almost any other disease, for that matter—the benefits of exercise can't be overstated. Following are some highlights of those results: Exercise lowered HbA1c values by 0.

All forms of exercise—aerobic, resistance, or doing both combined training —were equally good at lowering HbA1c values in people with diabetes. Resistance training and aerobic exercise both helped to lower insulin resistance in previously sedentary older adults with abdominal obesity at risk for diabetes.

Combining the two types of exercise proved more beneficial than doing either one alone. People with diabetes who walked at least two hours a week were less likely to die of heart disease than their sedentary counter- parts, and those who exercised three to four hours a week cut their risk even more.

These benefits persisted even after researchers adjusted for confounding factors, including BMI, smoking, and other heart disease risk factors. Share This Page Share this page to Facebook Share this page to Twitter Share this page via Email.

Print This Page Click to Print. Related Content. Heart Health. Free Healthbeat Signup Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox! Newsletter Signup Sign Up. Close Thanks for visiting. The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness , is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

Figure 4 Effect of different exercise modalities versus control no intervention on HbA1c. Results from the studies that used AT and RT as interventions showed no significant reduction in 2hPP levels Figure 5.

Figure 5 Effect of different exercise modalities versus control no intervention on 2hPP. Thirteen studies were included in the network meta-analysis. When comparing different types of physical activity to no exercise, all exercise modalities showed a decrease in glycemic indices Figure 6.

The effect of exercise modalities on lowering FPG and HbA1c was higher for IT compared to other exercise modalities Mean Difference: This effect was statistically significant for the reduction of HbA1c.

However, for 2hPP levels, the studies included in the network meta-analysis involved AT and RT. Nevertheless, both exercise modalities did not have a notable effect in reducing 2hPP levels in participants with prediabetes Figure 6C.

Figure 6 Results of network meta-analysis for exercise modalities and glycemic control variables. A Network meta-analysis for exercise modalities and FPG B Network meta-analysis for exercise modalities and HbA1c C Network meta-analysis for exercise modalities and 2hPP glucose.

The size of the nodes is related to the number of participants in that intervention type, and the thickness of the lines connecting interventions is linked to the number of studies for that comparison Figure 7. Figure 7 Network plots for studies included in network meta-analysis.

A Exercise modalities and FPG B Exercise modalities and HbA1c C Exercise modalities and 2hPP glucose. The main findings of the present meta-analysis indicate that IT and RT are useful interventions to control FPG levels in people with prediabetes.

In contrast, AT does not show significant differences in FPG levels compared to a control group, and neither does RT in terms of HbA1c or 2hPP glucose levels.

Additionally, the network meta-analysis shows that any type of PA in comparison with no exercise achieves lower glycemic indices, and IT shows differences with all other modalities for HbA1c.

However, no significant differences were found between AT and RT in any glycemic indexes. A previous meta-analysis performed with a population with T2D and prediabetes compared HIIT with moderate-intensity continuous training, and found no significant differences in FPG or HbA1c In that meta-analysis, only one study include a population with prediabetes 71 , and no differences were also found as well.

Another meta-analysis showed that both AT and RT led to reductions in HbA1c compared to a control group In our meta-analysis, we only identified three studies that compared AT with RT, but no significant differences were found.

This could be due to the small sample size, or the limited number of studies included in the analysis. Interestingly, some evidence suggests that AT appeared to be more effective in isolated IGT as it conferred benefits in 2hPP However, a previous systematic review with diabetic patients concluded that, despite differences in some glycemic control reaching statistical significance in favor of AT, there was no evidence that these differences were of clinical importance or had an impact on cardiovascular risk markers or safety On the other hand, there are contradictions in the role of RT on glycemic control 75 — In a meta-analysis with the T2D population, RT showed reductions in HbA1c, but there were no correlations between RT intensity, duration, frequency, and changes in HbA1c levels Another meta-analysis with the T2D population observed greater reductions in HbA1c when RT was performed at a moderate-vigorous intensity compared to light intensity, indicating that the training component with the greatest effect on HbA1c is intensity, rather than frequency or duration 77 , Another study conducted with an adult population with T2D showed that RT was more effective than AT in HbA1c control In contrast, a recent meta-analysis with a prediabetic population that compared AT with RT or a combination of both, concluded that all modalities exerted beneficial effects, but AT or a combination of AT and RT provided better glycemic control than RT alone One of the possible explanations for the inconsistency of the results obtained in the literature may be due to small sample sizes and interventions not being implemented in a controlled, supervised, and systematic manner.

For instance, Yan et al. Similarly, Dai et al. By contrast, Yuan et al. However, significant improvements were observed in all three glycemic control variables when comparing AT or RT separately with the control group.

In this study, each group had a sample size of 80 participants, and the exercise sessions were well-detailed and supervised. Both interventions improved FPG and HbA1c compared to the control group, and high-volume HIIT showed greater reductions in HbA1C The remarkable aspect of this article is the high intensity of the intervention and the detailed description of the sessions, which ensures a systematization of the intervention.

This finding is consistent with other studies that have suggested that the reduction in HbA1C after HIIT is the result of a lowering of hepatic endogenous glucose production Based on the data of the included studies in this systematic review with meta-analysis, physical activity has a positive effect on the parameters of glycemic control.

However, there is insufficient evidence to determine which type of exercise, intensity, duration, and frequency is most beneficial for glycemic control in people with prediabetes. Further research with methodological rigor and larger sample sizes, such as the GLYCEX study 81 , should be conducted to provide better levels of evidence to determine which exercise modality is most effective for glycemic control in people with prediabetes.

Among the strengths of this study, we would like to highlight the registration of protocol in PROSPERO, the adoption of state-of-the-art analytical methods, and a comprehensive search strategy that enabled the inclusion of a large number of studies.

An extensive search for relevant studies was conducted in literature sources, grey literature, and reference lists of eligible articles. When necessary, the authors of potentially eligible studies were contacted to obtain additional data for meta-analyses.

Moreover, followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols PRISMA-P statements. However, some limitations should also be acknowledged. Firstly, the control group intervention was not described in detail in most of the studies, possibly leading to an underestimation of the beneficial effects of different exercise modalities when compared to an active control group.

Secondly, there is currently no consensus regarding the diagnostic criteria for prediabetes. Moreover, the cut-off levels for HbA1c vary across different guidelines 85 , As a result, different studies included subjects with IFG or IGT or both, which could have acted as potential confounders that influenced the results of the meta-analysis.

Thirdly, it is possible that this review did not include all relevant publications due to insufficient information, unavailability of authors, or unanswered communication attempts.

Furthermore, different types of activities were included for AT interventions, such as running, brisk walking, aerobic dancing, nordic walking, and cardiovascular machines, among others.

Moreover, in some studies, the exercise intensity was not well defined or was described in a vague manner 41 , 50 , 56 , 57 , Lastly, most of the studies showed methodological limitations, such as small sample sizes participants per group and lack of clear information in some data.

This review suggests that exercise interventions could be effective in individuals with prediabetes to reduce the risk of developing T2D. However, these results should be taken with caution as the main variable of assessment in this meta-analysis was glycemic control Engaging in any type of physical exercise leads to improved glycemic control compared to no exercise.

Our findings showed that AT was not effective in glycemic control, while RT and IT have demonstrated significant benefits, especially in FPG levels, in individuals with prediabetes compared to a control group. Further studies with larger sample sizes and including control groups are needed to determine which exercise modality, frequency, and duration are needed to reverse prediabetes status and prevent the progression to T2D.

Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author. MB-V, IH-B, and AY contributed to the conception and design of the study. MB-V, NM, AG-P, IH-B, and AY contributed to data acquisition. NG-C and AG-P provided expertise on the topic of the review. IR-C provided expertise in systematic review and meta-analysis methodology.

NM and AY performed the statistical analysis. MB-V, NM, AG-P, and AY drafted the manuscript. All authors contributed to the interpretation of the data and approved the final manuscript. The study was also supported by the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan, funded by the European Union under NextGenerationEU.

The funders had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. We thank all the researchers of the reviewed articles for their contributions, and all the collaborators of this article for their work and dedication. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Risk Factor Collaboration. Worldwide trends in diabetes since a pooled analysis of population-based studies with 4. Lancet — doi: PubMed Abstract CrossRef Full Text Google Scholar. Chamnan P, Simmons RK, Forouhi NG, Luben RN, Khaw KT, Wareham NJ, et al.

Incidence of type 2 diabetes using proposed HbA1c diagnostic criteria in the european prospective investigation of cancer-norfolk cohort: implications for preventive strategies. Diabetes Care 34 4 —6. Standl E, Khunti K, Hansen TB, Schnell O.

The global epidemics of diabetes in the 21st century: Current situation and perspectives. International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas.

Brussels, Belgium: International Diabetes Federation Google Scholar. Bommer C, Sagalova V, Heesemann E, Manne-Goehler J, Atun R, Barnighausen T, et al. Global economic burden of diabetes in adults: projections from to Diabetes Care 41 5 — Tabak AG, Herder C, Rathmann W, Brunner EJ, Kivimaki M.

Prediabetes: a high-risk state for diabetes development. Khetan AK, Rajagopalan S. Can J Cardiol 34 5 — Bock G, Dalla Man C, Campioni M, Chittilapilly E, Basu R, Toffolo G, et al.

Diabetes 55 12 — Carnevale Schianca GP, Rossi A, Sainaghi PP, Maduli E, Bartoli E. The significance of impaired fasting glucose versus impaired glucose tolerance: importance of insulin secretion and resistance.

Diabetes Care 26 5 —7. Kanat M, Norton L, Winnier D, Jenkinson C, DeFronzo RA, Abdul-Ghani MA. Impaired early- but not late-phase insulin secretion in subjects with impaired fasting glucose.

Acta Diabetol 48 3 — American Diabetes Association. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes: standards of medical care in diabetes Diabetes Care 45 Suppl 1 :S17— World Health Organization.

Geneva: World Health Organization Nathan DM, Davidson MB, DeFronzo RA, Heine RJ, Henry RR, Pratley R, et al. Impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance: implications for care. Diabetes Care 30 3 —9. Kivimaki M, Tabak AG.

Does addressing prediabetes help to improve population health? Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 6 5 —6. Zhang X, Gregg EW, Williamson DF, Barker LE, Thomas W, Bullard KM, et al.

A1C level and future risk of diabetes: a systematic review. Diabetes Care 33 7 — Hostalek U. Global epidemiology of prediabetes - present and future perspectives. Clin Diabetes Endocrinol Bennasar-Veny M, Fresneda S, Lopez-Gonzalez A, Busquets-Cortes C, Aguilo A, Yanez AM. Lifestyle and progression to type 2 diabetes in a cohort of workers with prediabetes.

Nutrients 12 5 Boniol M, Dragomir M, Autier P, Boyle P. Physical activity and change in fasting glucose and HbA1c: a quantitative meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Acta Diabetol 54 11 — Jadhav RA, Hazari A, Monterio A, Kumar S, Maiya AG. Effect of physical activity intervention in prediabetes: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

J Phys Act Health 14 9 — RezkAllah SS, Takla MK. Effects of different dosages of interval training on glycemic control in people with prediabetes: A randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Spectr 32 2 — Rowan CP, Riddell MC, Jamnik VK.

The prediabetes detection and physical activity intervention delivery PRE-PAID program. Can J Diabetes 37 6 —9. Gidlund EK, von Walden F, Venojarvi M, Riserus U, Heinonen OJ, Norrbom J, et al. Humanin skeletal muscle protein levels increase after resistance training in men with impaired glucose metabolism.

Physiol Rep 4 23 :e Dai X, Zhai L, Chen Q, Miller JD, Lu L, Hsue C, et al. Two-year-supervised resistance training prevented diabetes incidence in people with prediabetes: A randomised control trial. Diabetes Metab Res Rev 35 5 :e Yan J, Dai X, Feng J, Yuan X, Li J, Yang L, et al.

Effect of Month resistance training on changes in abdominal adipose tissue and metabolic variables in patients with prediabetes: A randomized controlled trial. J Diabetes Res Adams OP. The impact of brief high-intensity exercise on blood glucose levels. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes — Asano RY, Sales MM, Browne RA, Moraes JF, Coelho Junior HJ, Moraes MR, et al.

Acute effects of physical exercise in type 2 diabetes: A review. World J Diabetes 5 5 — Bacchi E, Negri C, Zanolin ME, Milanese C, Faccioli N, Trombetta M, et al. Metabolic effects of aerobic training and resistance training in type 2 diabetic subjects: a randomized controlled trial the RAED2 study.

Diabetes Care 35 4 — It is for our well-being. Other participants engaged in physical activity as a hobby or for recreation. It becomes a part of you. One day if I miss out on the cycling, I will feel uncomfortable. Even my mother until today, ninety-two already, still physically active.

I mean what the doctor says is good for me right? For others, a conducive work environment facilitated meeting the recommendation. These participants were able to access exercise programmes or facilities near or in their workplace.

nowadays they have a lot those parks being connected to one other, including the one at my place too, so it is convenient to exercise there. Figure 2 showed the overview of the themes and subthemes pertaining to barriers for those who reported not meeting the recommendation.

Their commitments differed by sex. Most female non-doers cited the various life roles particularly family obligations they had to fulfil which they regarded as more important than physical activity. then Saturday and weekend I need to run errands for my children, my husband, and on top of that there is the housework.

I also need to spend some time to visit my parents. Time is very important to me, I have so many duties and roles to fulfil, my first priority is always my family.

For others, they either felt too lazy to engage in physical activity or too tired to do so. And at another time it was inflamed, in fact a few times. it is very bad Then it is ok, we can talk and exercise at the same time. No one in the family or my friend encourages me to exercise.

It is not our family culture to do any exercise, has been like that since the children are young. The Active SG credit cannot be used to pay for this as the class is not part of their recognised list. The lack of such classes in certain neighbourhoods, particularly for young housing estates, was cited as another barrier.

The equipment there is always occupied, and you have to wait, so forget about it. But these are targeted at people who can exercise. The lack of public indoor exercise facilities that could be used during bad weather also emerged as a barrier.

In contrast, fulfilling the recommendation was less prevalent among those with osteoarthritis and those who spent more hours sitting or reclining daily.

Reasons existed at different levels for facilitators and barriers related to physical activity. The correlates from the quantitative phase were generally supported by barriers and facilitators from the qualitative phase, hence there was data triangulation. Similarly, for barriers to physical activity, the correlate of having a history of osteoarthritis from the quantitative phase concurred with the recurrent theme of medical conditions hindering physical activity particularly osteoarthritis from the qualitative phase.

The proportion of those who met the recommendation Consistent with other findings, the prevalence of having sufficient physical activity was more common among males [ 12 , 13 ].

The IDIs suggested that the various roles that females undertook in society, compared to males, was likely a key factor. This was also consistent with other studies where women typically reported greater barriers, such as household and caregiving responsibilities, which took precedence over physical activity [ 39 ].

Interestingly, housing status showed a dose-response relationship with meeting the recommendation. This was similar to another study in South Korea where Lee et al. reported that among metabolic syndrome patients at risk of diabetes, physical activity adherence was lowest in the first It was not clear from our IDIs how housing status contributed to this difference.

A future study would lend valuable insights into socioeconomic status as a possible determinant for physical activity and the causal pathways at work.

Meeting the recommendation was negatively associated with sedentary time spent reclining or sitting. Sedentary behaviour is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, independent of physical inactivity [ 41 ].

According to a meta-analysis, greater sedentary time was associated with a significantly increased risk of diabetes even after adjustment for physical activity pooled relative risk 2.

This group would be at the greatest risk for diabetes. Other than promoting physical activity, special attention should also be directed towards decreasing sedentary time among patients with prediabetes. This would further reduce their risk of diabetes.

This was also a major recurrent theme in our IDIs. The direct influence would come from exercising together with the participants; alternatively, the influence may also be indirect, by providing encouragement or reminders. This is not surprising given that the family is often regarded as the basic societal unit in Asia [ 43 ].

To address this, instead of placing sole attention on patients with prediabetes, their family members and peers could be engaged as agents of change.

Other settings such as the primary care setting, workplaces and the community could also be utilised to implement more family or peer-based physical activity promotion activities.

Meeting the recommendation was negatively associated with having osteoarthritis. This was also highlighted in our IDIs. Another study reported this association in the United States where arthritis was associated with insufficient physical activity among adults aOR 1.

During the IDIs, participants shared that they lacked the knowledge and skills to exercise. This was particularly so among those with osteoarthritis as they did not know which exercises were appropriate for their condition. Therefore, in the primary care setting, physical activity prescription and coaching could be introduced to address this lack of exercise knowledge and skills.

Given that osteoarthritis was one of the five leading causes of disability in Singapore [ 44 ] and was present in close to one-fifth of our participants, healthcare professionals, particularly doctors, could specifically look out for arthritis-related functional limitations when assessing for prediabetes progression in their patients.

It is important to remember that individuals with prediabetes are not a homogenous population; a nuanced approach that addresses various needs and preferences will be required. Accordingly, national health promotion messages and programmes on physical activity should also promote non—weight-bearing exercises such as stationary cycling, armchair exercises, and aquatic exercises as alternatives to walking or jogging for the population with prediabetes.

Research into physical activity has always focused on intrapersonal and interpersonal factors, partly due to the difficulties in examining structural and social influences [ 15 ]. Our results showed that physical activity promotion should make its way into the community.

Being the first line contact, the effectiveness of delivering education by healthcare professionals in the primary care setting cannot be over-emphasised. However, promotion of physical activity and reduction of sedentary behaviour would need to go beyond the healthcare system to the national and societal level.

We have found how environmental modification measures taken by the government, such as the park connector network, as well as the Active SG credit national programme, have served as facilitators to physical activity in the IDI results.

Other organisations and settings, such as workplaces, the neighbourhood and the community at large, should also be effectively engaged to promote behavioural change. As a start, other than initiating conversations on physical activity, polyclinic healthcare professionals should also direct patients with prediabetes towards appropriate community resources.

In addition, practitioners and policy makers must continue to address the social, cultural and physical barriers to physical activity, in tandem with national policy refinements, to promote physical activity. An example would be to increase the types of physical activity offered by community centres, particularly in the young housing estates, as well as to increase the list of programmes or classes that could be payable with the Active SG credit.

There were some limitations. Firstly, we could not exclude social desirability bias since there was sole dependence on self-reported data. Nevertheless, we have described in the Methods section the steps which have been taken to reduce this bias. Secondly, we cannot infer causal relationships from a cross-sectional study first phase.

Thirdly, we did not show the transcript to the participants during the qualitative phase to confirm whether their responses had been accurately documented. There were notable strengths despite the limitations. The GPAQ component of the survey has been validated in the local population. This was one of the very few studies to utilise a mixed methods approach in understanding the correlates, barriers and facilitators pertaining to meeting the physical activity recommendation among primary care patients with prediabetes.

This approach facilitated triangulation since not only were some of the correlates in the quantitative analysis recurrent themes in the qualitative analysis, the IDIs also enabled better understanding of these correlates.

We reached data saturation for the qualitative analysis. Although our study sample was not generalisable to all individuals with prediabetes in Singapore, it largely reflected the total NHG Polyclinic patient pool with prediabetes. The data used to support the findings of this study are included within the article, which are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Bansal N. Prediabetes diagnosis and treatment: a review. World J Diabetes. Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar. Tabák AG, Herder C, Rathmann W, Brunner EJ, Kivimäki M. Prediabetes: a high-risk state for diabetes development. Lim R, Chen C, Naidoo N, et al. Anthropometrics indices of obesity, and all-cause and cardiovascular disease-related mortality, in an Asian cohort with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes Metab. Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar. Allender S, Foster C, Hutchinson L, Arambepola C. Quantification of urbanization in relation to chronic diseases in developing countries: a systematic review. J Urban Health. Deepa M, Grace M, Binukumar B, et al. High burden of prediabetes and diabetes in three large cities in South Asia: the center for cArdio-metabolic risk reduction in South Asia CARRS study.

Diabetes Res Clin Pract. Hootman JM. J Athl Train. Colberg SR, Sigal RJ, Yardley JE, et al. Diabetes Care. Roberts CK, Hevener AL, Barnard RJ. Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance: underlying causes and modification by exercise training. Compr Physiol.

PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar. Hallsworth K, Fattakhova G, Hollingsworth KG, et al. Resistance exercise reduces liver fat and its mediators in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease independent of weight loss.

Article PubMed Google Scholar. Taylor LM, Spence JC, Raine K, Sharma AM, Plotnikoff RC. Self-reported physical activity preferences in individuals with prediabetes. Phys Sportsmed. Vähäsarja K, Salmela S, Villberg J, et al. Perceived sufficiency of physical activity levels among adults at high risk of type 2 diabetes: the FIN-D2D study.

Int J Behav Med. Han BH, Sadarangani T, Wyatt LC, et al. Correlates of physical activity among middle-aged and older Korean Americans at risk for diabetes. J Nurs Scholarsh. Strauss SM, McCarthy M. Arthritis-related limitations predict insufficient physical activity in adults with Prediabetes identified in the NHANES Diab Educ.

Article Google Scholar. Taylor LM, Raine KD, Plotnikoff RC, Vallance JK, Sharma AM, Spence JC. Understanding physical activity in individuals with prediabetes: an application of social cognitive theory.

Psychol Health Med. Hill JO, Galloway JM, Goley A, et al. Scientific statement: Socioecological determinants of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Thornton CM, Kerr J, Conway TL, et al. Physical activity in older adults: an ecological approach. Ann Behav Med.

Elder JP, Lytle L, Sallis JF, et al. A description of the social-ecological framework used in the trial of activity for adolescent girls TAAG. Health Educ Res. Mehtälä MA, Sääkslahti AK, Inkinen ME, Poskiparta ME.

A socio-ecological approach to physical activity interventions in childcare: a systematic review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act.

Mainous AG 3rd, Tanner RJ, Baker R. Prediabetes diagnosis and treatment in primary care. J Am Board Fam Med. O'Brien MJ, Moran MR, Tang JW, et al.

Patient perceptions about Prediabetes and preferences for diabetes prevention. Wong LY, Toh MP, Tham LW. Projection of prediabetes and diabetes population size in Singapore using a dynamic Markov model. J Diab. Nanditha A, Ma RC, Ramachandran A, et al. Diabetes in Asia and the Pacific: implications for the global epidemic.

Creswell JW, Clark VLP. Designing and conducting mixed methods research.

The aim of our study was to focus on the effectiveness of physical activity PA intervention program on different outcome measures in individuals with prediabetes. The effort of the present review was to contribute to the existing literature by strengthening the evidence pointing toward the positive impact of physical activity in individuals with prediabetes.

Methods: Studies have been identified through database like PubMed, Scopus, and ProQuest. Randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials have been included. Not only is weight gain a risk factor for developing diabetes, but also it can make it more difficult for our internal organs to do their job.

The best exercise Rx for prediabetes includes both aerobic and strength training, Walker says. Ahead, we'll focus on the "what," or the exercises to try. But what about the "how much"? The physical activity guidelines for a person with diabetes or prediabetes is the exact same as any American adult.

The World Health Organization WHO recommends that we accumulate:. If you're starting from the couch read: you don't exercise regularly ATM , start by walking. Aim for 30 minutes per day at a moderate to brisk pace , or about a to minute mile, Johnson suggests. Try this strategy to work your way up:.

At month two, try incorporating walking at an incline, either on hills outside or using a treadmill walking workout , and add on the next exercise for prediabetes below. The core, quadriceps, hamstrings and hips become activated when walking on steeper ground.

As a result, more glucose is burned during activity and at rest, as muscle fibers use this energy to recover," Walker says.

Once you've mastered your walking workout throughout month one, during month two, start peppering in 2 days of total-body strength training. The goal is to work up to 3 over time, Walker says. Space out these muscle-building workouts throughout the week—say, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday—so your body has time to rebuild and recover.

By targeting all muscle groups in the body every 2 to 3 days, we can utilize blood sugar around the entire body and recover for the next workout," Walker says. For a well-balanced strength training program for beginners, Walker recommends:. No weights? No worries; try this minute equipment-free strength workout for diabetes.

Choose a weight that allows you to complete 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps with the last few reps in each set being relatively challenging, Johnson advises, then rest for 30 to 45 seconds between each set. Plus you can start increasing your weights once the ones you're using begin to feel easy.

Higher-intensity aerobic exercises burn more calories than lower-intensity ones, such as walking. So when you're ready to step things up, consider picking up the pace with your choice of one of the activities above. Try it to replace one day of your walking workout, then add one or two more days of high-intensity aerobic activity so you have a mix of walking, strength training, and high-intensity exercise.

Walker prefers step aerobics over jogging as a first step up from walking since it elevates the heart rate, is safe for the lower back and is low-impact. Similarly, rowing and cycling are an efficient cardio workout that can be scaled to your desired intensity and is performed while sitting which can be more comfortable for some individuals.

And jogging , or even jogging intervals, are excellent options when you're seeking a do-anywhere option. ICYMI, here's how to jog off 10 pounds. Be sure to stretch after all of the above best exercises for prediabetes to help your muscles cool down and to maintain flexibility.

If you start eating great and exercising and reverse your prediabetes symptoms, then return to your previous way of eating and inactivity, you could develop prediabetes again.

If you could use some coaching about how to build a prediabetes remission program that is personalized for you—and one that you can stick with long-term—consult with your primary care doctor, a dietitian and a trainer. Use limited data to select advertising.

Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Can watching sports be bad for your health? Beyond the usual suspects for healthy resolutions.

August 2, For people who have diabetes—or almost any other disease, for that matter—the benefits of exercise can't be overstated. Following are some highlights of those results: Exercise lowered HbA1c values by 0.

All forms of exercise—aerobic, resistance, or doing both combined training —were equally good at lowering HbA1c values in people with diabetes. Resistance training and aerobic exercise both helped to lower insulin resistance in previously sedentary older adults with abdominal obesity at risk for diabetes.

Combining the two types of exercise proved more beneficial than doing either one alone. People with diabetes who walked at least two hours a week were less likely to die of heart disease than their sedentary counter- parts, and those who exercised three to four hours a week cut their risk even more.

These benefits persisted even after researchers adjusted for confounding factors, including BMI, smoking, and other heart disease risk factors.

Share This Page Share this page to Facebook Share this page to Twitter Share this page via Email. Print This Page Click to Print.

Related Content. Heart Health. Free Healthbeat Signup Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox! Newsletter Signup Sign Up. Close Thanks for visiting. The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness , is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

I want to get healthier.