The biggest muscles in the body are our:
- Butt – gluteus maximus and gluteus minimus – which is why you might have heard them called ‘glutes’
- Upper thighs (front) – Quadriceps – because there are a group of 4 muscles
- Upper thighs (back) – Hamstrings
Being that these are some of our biggest muscles, when it comes to diabetes and exercise, these muscles are some of the best muscles to work.
Why?
Because you want to increase your insulin sensitivity and exercising those big muscles, that host many body cells, really helps.
In type 2 diabetes, your ability to use glucose effectively is impaired. One major reason for this is that the cells in the liver and muscles don’t respond to insulin as effectively.
By incorporating regular exercise, you encourage the insulin “key” to your body cells to open up more easily, which helps lower blood glucose and helps you manage overall levels more effectively in the long-term.
Bridges
Bridges are an easy exercise that almost anyone can do.
The benefit of bridges is you can do them on the floor, they are easy on the joints, you can adjust your ‘lift’ to suit your level, and of course, they work the butt, and thighs (front and back).
Here’s a video to show you how to do it the pilates way.
More Exercises to Explore
- Squats – in different fitness levels
- Chair leg lifts
- Walking
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