(Diabetes) Are you giving up on exercise because of the cold? Build strength at home.

When muscle mass is lacking, blood sugar levels can easily rise. A reader who wanted to do strength training indoors during the cold winter sent us this story.

 

"I do strength training three times a week without fail. I've mostly been using equipment outdoors, like in parks, but with the recent drop in temperature, I'm starting to dread exercising outside."

 

In winter, when blood circulation is poor, blood sugar control becomes difficult, making it easy to develop complications. This is why diabetic patients should engage in regular strength training even in winter to boost carbohydrate metabolism and improve cardiopulmonary function. However, overexerting oneself outdoors in cold weather can further impair blood circulation, potentially leading to toxicity.

 

You can easily do strength training at home. Even if you don't have any special equipment, try using your body weight. I recommend focusing on thigh strength training, which is where the most muscle is located. Thigh muscles are crucial for blood sugar management, as a 1cm increase in thigh circumference is associated with a 9% reduction in the risk of diabetes.

 

Squats and lunges are representative exercises for building thigh strength. Squats involve standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and lowering your hips until your thighs are parallel. Three to five sets of four to seven repetitions are recommended. Lunges involve standing with your feet wide apart, slowly squatting until your knees are at right angles, and then standing up. Alternating with squats is recommended.

If you find movements that put strain on your knee joints difficult, we recommend riding an indoor bike.

 

Cycling offers both aerobic exercise and lower-body strength training. To reduce the strain on your knees, adjust the saddle height so your knees are slightly bent at 10 to 15 degrees when your feet are at their lowest point.

 

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Looking at your posts, it seems like you ride indoor bikes a lot.

It seems to be effective

Squats are a frequently used exercise.

 

It seems difficult, but try setting a day and starting.