When exercise recommendations are given for health improvement, particularly for diabetes prevention, it is usually suggested that you get a good half hour of aerobic exercise daily. It has been previously found that men can achieve a similar if not greater benefit through weight training, and now that study has been done for women as well.
The plan yielding the best results for women in the study was 150 minutes weekly of aerobic activity and at least 60 minutes a week of muscle-strengthening activities. Serious weight training requires recovery to be effective and safe. An ideal schedule would be 2 weight training sessions, with at least 2 days rest between them, and half an hour’s good walk on the other 5 days.
While you’re preventing or reversing diabetes, weight training offers a second and quite important benefit. I have talked elsewhere on this site about sarcopenia, the loss of muscle that comes naturally with aging, unless you take specific action to prevent the loss. Maintaining muscle function is vital to maintain independence and confidence through aging. Although aerobic training can be effective, resistance or weight training exercise seems to have a larger effect on reversing muscle wasting and improving muscle strength.
Weight training must be done carefully to avoid injury! Even if you have a gym available but lack coaching, you can get properly coached through an online group called EPLifeFit that advises you on your workouts and will review video clips of your weight-lifting technique to correct any mistakes that could lead to injury.
