The Right Exercise for Diabetes and Weight Loss

Hello, everyone! This is Dr. Cho. In my recent content, I've emphasized the importance of exercise and stress management. You might think that food is the key to managing diabetes, high blood pressure, or weight loss, but exercise is just as critical. You simply can't be healthy without it—it's tough but true. Any exercise is better than none, but the wrong kind can actually backfire.

For people dealing with diabetes, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, or those aiming to lose weight, certain exercises are better suited—especially after age 40. Even 20-somethings can have insulin resistance these days, so this advice applies to just about everyone. In this article, we'll explore the right exercises to prioritize, the ones to avoid, and the bigger picture of why exercise matters so much. If you've been neglecting it, I hope this hits home and motivates you to get started!

You've heard the phrase "you need to exercise" a million times, right? But if you think exercise is just about burning calories or shedding pounds, you're mistaken. The media loves to push the "No Pain, No Gain" mentality, suggesting that torturing your body is the path to results. That might work for Olympic athletes, but for most of us, it doesn't.

Choosing the right exercise for your specific goals is crucial, but avoiding the wrong ones is just as important. Some exercises can actually worsen diabetes, insulin resistance, or even hinder your weight loss efforts.

What comes to mind when you hear "insulin resistance"? It's essentially when your hormone balance is thrown off, and your body can no longer regulate blood sugar properly after years of imbalance. Food triggers insulin to manage blood sugar levels, but in insulin resistance, that system starts to falter.

Three key hormones are involved in this process: insulin, cortisol, and growth hormone.

• Insulin: This hormone signals your cells to store glucose when blood sugar rises.
• Cortisol: Known as the stress hormone, it spikes blood sugar to provide quick energy in emergencies—like running from a tiger. But high blood sugar then triggers insulin to clear it out, and cortisol plays a significant role in developing insulin resistance.
• Growth Hormone: In kids, it drives physical growth; in adults, it helps regenerate muscles, fights aging, and boosts metabolism. Bodybuilders often seek ways to increase it. Exercises that raise your metabolism keep your basal metabolic rate (BMR) high, which aids in weight loss.

Exercise itself is a form of stress, so we need to manage it carefully—mental and physical stress differ—to maintain hormone balance and minimize any negative side effects.

Exercise directly impacts cortisol and growth hormone, with insulin being affected more indirectly. You've probably heard that "exercise improves insulin sensitivity and reduces insulin resistance," but that's only half the story. Insulin resistance can occur in the muscles and the liver. Intense exercise can boost insulin sensitivity in your muscles, but if your liver function is poor, exercise alone won't fix the issue much.

So, what exercises should you actually do? Some people just want the short version, but trust me—skipping the details means you'll forget them later. Let's start with the exercises to avoid. The American Diabetes Association recommends "moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise 5 times a week, 30 minutes per session" or even "10-minute brisk walks after meals" if you're busy. That sounds reasonable, but there's a catch.

Moderate and vigorous exercises trigger very different hormonal responses. Low-to-moderate exercise is generally fine, but vigorous ones can backfire. For instance, brisk walking right after eating is problematic. After a meal, your parasympathetic nervous system should activate to produce stomach acid and enzymes for proper digestion. Walking immediately shifts you into the sympathetic nervous system, diverting resources away from digestion. This can lead to acid reflux or indigestion. Even if you don't notice issues now, building this habit can cause problems down the line.

Focusing solely on calories—"30 minutes of walking burns 170 calories, running burns more, and stairs burn double!"—often leads people into the "No Pain, No Gain" trap. Punishing your body isn't the sustainable answer.

Exercise generally falls into three categories: aerobic, anaerobic, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Let's break down how they affect your hormones.

1. Aerobic Exercise: This is low-intensity activity that's sustainable for hours, burning glycogen and fat with plenty of oxygen available. There's no lactic acid buildup, so you're not gasping for air, and you can even chat while doing it. Your heart rate stays around 60% of your maximum (about 120 beats per minute for those aged 20–40). Examples include walking, cycling, swimming, hiking, stair climbing, and jogging (depending on your fitness level).
2. Anaerobic Exercise: This is high-intensity activity where oxygen can't keep up with the demand. Your heart rate hits 60–80% of max (around 140–160 bpm). It primarily burns glucose and produces lactic acid, which leads to muscle soreness. Examples include basketball, tennis, soccer, boxing, Zumba, and aerobics classes. It's great for building fitness, but it can be too stressful for those with insulin resistance, especially after middle age.
3. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): This involves extreme-intensity anaerobic bursts for very short periods (just minutes). Think 30 seconds of sprinting followed by 30–60 seconds of rest, repeated. It pushes your heart rate to 95% of max (calculated as 220 minus your age). For me, at 38, that's about 182 bpm, but as a regular exerciser, mine can hit closer to 190. HIIT sessions last only 3–5 minutes max—imagine the intensity of running from a bear.

Exercise, particularly HIIT, boosts growth hormone, which supports anti-aging, muscle maintenance, metabolism, and weight loss.

• Aerobic: Produces some growth hormone.
• Anaerobic: Generates more growth hormone but also a lot of cortisol, which can worsen insulin resistance if the activity is prolonged.
• HIIT: Skyrockets growth hormone by 300–400% in just 2–3 minutes, and it stays in your blood for 48–72 hours. Cortisol rises too, but the short duration minimizes the harm.

For middle-aged individuals with insulin resistance or diabetes, the focus should be on aerobic exercise or HIIT. Anaerobic exercise can spike cortisol and insulin, potentially leading to overeating, quitting exercise altogether, and worsening diabetes or weight gain.

• Aerobic Examples: Walking, cycling, swimming, rowing, hiking, and stair climbing. Aim for 30–90 minutes, 3–5 times a week, with breaks as needed. Jogging often turns anaerobic for about 90% of people, including me—only marathon runners might experience it as truly aerobic.
• HIIT Examples: Sprinting, intense cycling, or Tabata workouts (20 seconds of effort, 10 seconds of rest, repeated for 8 cycles—totaling just 4 minutes). Do this 2–3 times a week for 3–5 minutes. Focus on lower-body moves like squats or lunges, or full-body exercises.

Personally, I sprint 100 meters uphill in a park, doing 4–5 reps per set for 3 sets—my legs feel like jelly afterward! Tabata workouts are excellent for beginners; you can find plenty on YouTube. There's no excuse about time—5 minutes is all it takes!

Exercise does far more than just burn calories. Here are some key benefits:

1. Improves blood circulation and aids in detoxification.
2. Boosts heart and lung function.
3. Increases growth hormone, which supports muscle maintenance, anti-aging, metabolism, and weight loss.
4. Enhances brain health by preventing depression, boosting mood, focus, and memory; reducing dementia risk; and relieving stress.

Exercise even aids digestion. Your brain controls stomach muscles, acid production, and enzymes through the autonomic nervous system. It can help with insomnia too—most people with sleep issues simply aren't exercising enough.

Some people say, "Any exercise works!" or share stories like "I fixed my diabetes with hardcore anaerobic workouts!" But if you're just burning calories without addressing insulin resistance, stopping exercise can crash your metabolism, making diabetes and weight gain worse. Choose exercises that suit your age, fitness level, and goals—ones that balance your hormones. Brute force might work temporarily, but a smart strategy works better in the long run!

If this article helped you, feel free to share your story or experiences. For more on diabetes management and exercise tips, check out my other content. Let's build a healthier life together! Thanks for reading!