Getting Lean with Diabetes

Diabetes is an auto-immune disease and therefore makes it a bit more difficult for us to build muscle, but it can be done, as long as you take take the right steps. 

Throughout my years of training and having diabetes I have gathered a lot of information about building muscle and staying lean. Of course I don't know all there is to know, but over time, through countless trial and error I have come up with some key tips to help diabetics (and people without) train effectively, build muscle and stay lean, all while keeping blood glucose levels within range (no need to worry about this if you're not diabetic, your body will take care of itself). Don't rub it in.

1) Check blood glucose. This has to be my first tip. I really can't emphasise enough how important it is to frequently check your blood sugar levels. Apart from leading to serious long term complications such as blindness, loss of limbs, alzheimer's disease and even putting a dint in your life expectancy, it is almost impossible to build muscle when your blood glucose is off. So, be sure to check!

2) Don't eat after a certain time. Continuing on with blood glucose management, something that has always annoyed me about my training while having diabetes is waking up with high blood sugars. You can have a great workout, a perfect meal afterwards and go to bed satisfied, only to wake up with high sugars. It's almost like taking a step back with your training because while you've been asleep your body has been breaking down that muscle as a result of the high bloods. What I've learned to do to prevent this from happening is to have my last meal about two hours before bed. This will give your blood sugar time to settle and therefore you can correct any abnormal blood readings with a simple insulin injection.

3) Eat frequently. I am constantly hungry. No matter what I eat there's always room for more. Maybe you're the same? What I find works well for my diabetes and for my training is to eat about every 2-3 hours. If you're diabetic I'm sure you have realised that if you go long periods of time without eating your blood sugars will drop. Eating frequently throughout the day will help keep them at a steady reading and will also be fueling your body with the proteins, carbs and fats it needs to build muscle.

4) Be conscious of calories. I don't mean you need to keep track of every grain of rice, or each separate chip, just be cautious. Calories you eat and calories you burn are what determines whether you lose or gain weight. Because I am diabetic I find tracking my food to be hugely beneficial. I know how many carbs I'm eating per meal (therefore I know how many units of insulin are needed) and I can work out how many calories I eat on a daily basis. Burning more calories than you're taking in, over an extended period of time will assist you in losing weight and vice versa to gain weight muscle.

5) Eat protein. High protein diets are definitely a great way to get lean and stay lean. Protein is what makes up and rebuilds your muscles. Without sufficient protein intake your body is incapable of maintaining/gaining muscle. You should try to get about 1gram of protein per pound of body weight. Play around with those figures to suit your own body. More will benefit in muscle growth.

6) Get the heart pumping. Our bodies were designed to move so make sure you do it. You need to burn fat to get lean. Along with keeping a clean, healthy diet, cardiovascular training will burn fat off those stubborn edges. This type of exercise can be something you love to do; football, swimming, running, cycling or even some private time with that special someone, ifyouknowwhatimsaying. Anything that gets the heart pumping and your body sweating will burn fat.

7) Weight/strength training. Studies show that weight training is as good as aerobic exercise at boosting your body's ability to use insulin. The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes start a strength training program to help with blood sugar control. Weight training is a key element of building muscle and the more muscle tissue you have, the more calories you burn at a resting heart rate.

8) Drink water. The importance of drinking water is completely underestimated. Our bodies are made up of about 60-70% water so it should be an essential part of our diets. Drinking water can increase your metabolism and reduce appetite and in turn aid with weight loss. You may be running to be bathroom more often but there are many health benefits linked to increased water consumption such as boosting your immune system, flushing out toxins, increasing your energy and improving skin complexion.

These are just a few of my own suggestions that have worked well for me. Don't take these as medical advice or overlook what a health professional may tell you. I am not a doctor..... or am I? 

No, I'm not.