Exercises Guidelines to Prevent Pre-diabetes

We all know that exercise is a must if we want to prevent pre-diabetes. It has been shown in numerous studies that if you have any of the risk factors of diabetes – family history, being overweight or obese, sedentary life-style, age, ethnicity – the two best ways to deal with it naturally is by correcting your diet and starting a workout program.

As someone with a family history of diabetes and heart disease I have adopted these changes as part of my daily life.

I made the necessary dietary changes, but the key for me was starting a workout program aimed at keeping my blood sugar levels in the normal range.

I became an ardent student of health and fitness and how it can help to prevent pre-diabetes. I started a consistent cardio conditioning routine that included running, swimming, and using a cross-trainer.

I improved my physique with strength training and my balance with a flexibility program done before, during and after each exercise session.

As a I became more experienced in my fitness regimen I couldn’t help noticing that new and even many seasoned exercisers were not getting the full benefit from their workouts.

There were several gym rats who could lift massive weights but were overweight and, in general, seemed out of shape.

I was always amused to see some of these same people doing cardio exercises while having a running conversation on their phones or texting between sets of an exercise.

Many personal trainers were guilty of not focusing on their new clients but were instead surfing the internet or texting.

Preventing pre-diabetes with exercise requires that we follow certain basic rules to have a safe workout session each time we do it.

Steps for a safe workout

In order to safely start and sustain a consistent physical activity program there are certain precautionary steps we must follow.

Get the most out of your exercise sessions by adhering to following the guidelines: 

1. You will need clearance by a qualified medical practitioner. This is very important because if there are any underlying health issues such as diabetes, asthma, heart ailments, nerve damage, foot problems – you could exacerbate it by exercising.
2. Before starting any exercise routine you must warm-up your body by stretching. This gets your body prep for the stress exercising puts it through. Start by doing a dynamic stretching routine. This type of stretching involves active movements to compliment the exercises you will be doing. Notice how the top athletes warmup before starting their games.
3. Get your heart pumping by doing a short cardio exercise – riding a stationary bike, jogging or using a cross trainer – for five to seven minutes. You should break a light sweat.
4. Do the planned exercises with no weights. For example, if you are going to do a squat and lunge routine, go through the movements without any resistance. This gets you body and mind in tuned to the task at hand.
5. It’s important to know how to supply your body with the right nutrients. If you don’t eat an exercise- friendly diet your workout will suffer. Proper nutrition equates good results.
6. Know how to perform the exercises correctly. This is the best way to avoid injuries and get the full benefits from exercising. Seek out the help of a qualified personal trainer.
7. Dress appropriately by wearing clothing that is conducive to wicking away sweat. Sweat socks should be worn with comfortable fitting sneakers. If you are exercising in adverse weather conditions – very hot, very cold, wet or snowy – care must be taken to dress properly.
8. Stay hydrated with water and not sugar sweetened beverages.

The above list is by no means complete but it covers the main ideas to keep in mind when you decide to start your exercise program . . . which is hopefully soon.

Learn from my setbacks

When I first started on my fitness plan years ago I didn’t take many of the above steps into consideration and paid the consequences. My progress was delayed with unnecessary injuries.

Even after several years as an experienced fitness nut I still make the occasional misstep.

Recently, while working out at a local high school track, I did damage to my Achilles tendon. This was a direct result of not following the important rule of warming up properly.

The pain from my injury caused a lot of difficulty in getting around. Needless to say I was unable to do any cardio routines for several weeks. However, it didn’t stop me from doing other exercise related movements. I still experience the occasional discomfort in the tendon even after rehabbing.

Don’t let preventing pre-diabetes lead to unwanted injuries or setbacks. Develop your health and fitness  plan and follow the proven steps mentioned above for safe workouts.