Are Short Workouts Better for Blood Sugar?

Short on time? A mini workout may still do good things for your blood sugar.

In a study of young inactive men, doing a series of sprints on exercise bikes every couple of days seemed to help lower blood sugar and improve insulin function -- even though their total exercise time topped out at less than 10 minutes a week.

No Excuses
Okay, so longer workouts are truly better for your overall health and longevity. But knowing that a mini workout could still do good things for your body should inspire you to squeeze in at least a little something every day -- even if it's just a few trips up and down the stairs. In the study of sedentary young men, body benefits occurred after just 2 weeks of the men doing four to six 30-second bike sprints every couple of days -- pedaling off roughly 250 calories in a week. (Need help sticking to your exercise plans? Get support and motivation from people just like you on the dLife.com community pages.)

How's It Work?
Short, intense workouts may help lower the risk of diabetes by improving the way your muscles take up and use blood sugar. But these workouts won't help you lose weight. And short, high-intensity training may not be appropriate for people with heart trouble, high blood pressure, or other medical conditions. (Body size or exercise: Which matters most? Read more about the debate in this article.)

Try these other tips for getting more out of your body work:

• Think lifting weights is a man's job? Watch this video to discover how strength training helps women burn fat.
• Get a good mix of carbs, proteins, fats, and fluids for a better workout. (This article shows you how much of each you need.)
• Perfect your walk by doing it every day, even if it's just a short distance. (This article shows six easy steps to walking off fat fast.)

Thirty percent of people who have diabetes don't know it. Are you one of them? Take this free Type 2 Diabetes Health Assessment to find out.

Extremely short duration high intensity interval training substantially improves insulin action in young healthy males. Babraj, J. A. et al., BMC Endocrine Disorders 2009 Jan 28;9:3.