Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels is crucial to your overall health. It’s natural for your blood sugar to fluctuate throughout the day and possibly even experience small spikes after eating certain foods; however, over time, chronic high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) can lead to a number of health complications, such as eye, nerve, and kidney damage, and ultimately, diabetes, as the NHS notes. Luckily, by incorporating healthy habits into your daily routine, you can keep your blood sugar levels healthy and reduce your risk of these issues. One of the best ways to do that is by staying active and exercising regularly.
To discover some of the best types of exercises you can do every day to regulate your blood sugar, we checked in with certified personal trainer and fitness coach Hannah Shine of Hourglass Waist. She told us that brisk walking, resistance training, and high-intensity interval training are three great options. Read on for all of her expert insight and info on how each of these can help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
1. Brisk Walking
Shine says that exercising to regulate your blood sugar can be as simple as taking a brisk walk each day. "Walking is a low-impact aerobic exercise that can be done anywhere and is easy on the joints," she tells us. According to her, getting up and moving in this simple way can help to improve your insulin sensitivity and increase your muscles' glucose uptake, both of which can help to regulate blood sugar levels. "Additionally, walking after meals has been shown to reduce post-meal blood sugar levels," she says. Incredible!
READ MORE: How Many Miles Do You Have To Walk Every Day To Lose Weight? We Asked A Personal Trainer.
2. Resistance Training
If hitting the gym to train is more up your alley, Shine assures us that this is also a great option for anyone looking to keep their blood sugar in check. "Resistance training exercises, such as weight lifting or bodyweight exercises like push-ups and squats, can help to increase muscle mass and improve glucose uptake by the muscles," she says, noting that all of this can work to regulate your blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
3. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Implementing high-intensity interval training (a.k.a. HIIT) into your workout routine is one of the best ways to shed pounds fast. And according to Shine, it's also highly effective when it comes to regulating your blood sugar. "HIIT involves alternating between periods of high-intensity exercise and rest," she explains. "This type of exercise has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and increase glucose uptake by the muscles, which can help to regulate blood sugar levels." Shine also points out that this may be an especially convenient option for anyone who finds it difficult to work more time-consuming forms of exercise into their busy schedule, as it "can be done in a shorter amount of time than traditional aerobic exercise." Perfect!
The bottom line
Ultimately, keeping your blood sugar regulated requires you to make healthy choices every day. That includes maintaining a balanced diet and limiting your intake of saturated fats, sugar, and sodium in addition to exercising regularly, as recommended by the CDC. And, at the end of the day, as long as you're finding time to stay active, you can't go wrong with the type of exercise you choose. However, when it comes to the best choices out there, Shine's recommendations are always a good place to start.
