When muscle mass decreases, blood sugar levels tend to rise easily. During the cold winter, a reader sent in a story about wanting to do strength training indoors.

 

I do strength training three times a week without fail. I mainly exercise outdoors using equipment in parks, but recently, with the temperature dropping, I am afraid to work out outside.

 

During winter when blood circulation decreases, blood sugar control becomes more difficult, making complications more likely. This is why diabetes patients should maintain regular strength training to keep carbohydrate metabolism active and improve cardiopulmonary function even in winter. However, exercising outdoors excessively in cold weather can impair blood circulation further and may actually be harmful.

 

You can do strength training at home as well. Even without special equipment, try using your body weight. I recommend strength exercises focused on the thighs, where muscle mass is the greatest. Thigh muscles are important for blood sugar control, as a 1cm increase in thigh circumference can reduce the risk of developing diabetes by 9%.

 

Squats and lunges are the most representative exercises for strengthening the thigh muscles. A squat involves spreading your feet shoulder-width apart and lowering your hips until your thighs are parallel to the ground; doing 3 to 5 sets of 4 to 7 repetitions each is appropriate. A lunge involves stepping forward and backward with your feet wide apart, then gradually sitting down until your knees form a right angle, and then standing up again. It is good to alternate between squats and lunges.

If certain movements strain your knee joints, indoor cycling is recommended.

 

Riding a bicycle allows you to enjoy both aerobic exercise and lower body muscle strengthening at the same time. To reduce the strain on your knees, adjust the saddle height so that when your foot is at the lowest point, your knee is slightly bent at about 10 to 15 degrees.

 

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I saw your post, and it looks like you also ride a lot on the indoor bicycle.

It seems to be effective.

This is a frequently mentioned exercise in squats.

 

It seems difficult, but try starting with a set day.