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Trainer Garett Reid recommends a beginner strength workout for people with diabetes, focusing first on learning how exercise affects their blood sugar rather than building muscle. The guidance calls for two sets of eight to 12 repetitions per exercise and checking blood sugar before, immediately after and two to four hours after a workout.
Trainer Garett Reid recommends that people with diabetes who are new to exercise start with a simple, low-intensity strength routine and monitor their blood sugar before and after sessions. The approach, described in a Fit&Well report, puts learning how an individual responds to exercise ahead of increasing strength or muscle size; it is guidance, not a guarantee that a particular workout is safe for everyone.
Reid, a trainer with the wellness app BetterMe: Health Coaching, says he typically begins clients with a familiar strength-training routine. The aim during the first month is to observe how training affects blood sugar, rather than to pursue muscle growth. Fit&Well reports that the advice was reviewed by Neil Gibson, senior physical activity adviser at Diabetes UK.
The suggested structure is two sets of eight to 12 repetitions for each exercise, with about 90 seconds of rest between sets. People should finish each set feeling they could complete three or four more repetitions, keeping the effort moderate. Reid recommends repeating the workout two to three times a week for four weeks, then adjusting gradually as the person learns how their body responds.
The routine includes squats, glute bridges, wall push-ups, a resistance-band bent-over row and a standing resistance-band overhead press. The source material also refers to a sixth exercise, but its instructions are incomplete in the supplied report excerpt. It recommends checking blood sugar before exercise, immediately afterward and again two to four hours later. The report does not specify individual glucose thresholds or provide a full medical plan.
Why Blood Sugar Tracking Matters
The advice addresses a practical concern for people considering exercise: responses can vary, and the report frames the first weeks as a period of observing those responses. Tracking levels at several points, including hours after a session, may give a person and their care team information to discuss when deciding how to approach activity.
Reid says strength training can improve insulin sensitivity and that cardio can support muscle function. Those are his explanations for the potential benefits of exercise, not a promise of a specific result for every person. The central point of his recommendation is more limited: begin at a manageable effort, keep the routine consistent and learn how the body responds before increasing the challenge.
That emphasis matters because a generic workout prescription cannot account for every person’s diabetes treatment, health history or activity level. The report offers a starting framework, but it does not replace personal medical advice or set rules for changing medication, food intake or treatment.
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How the Starter Plan Is Structured
Reid tells Fit&Well that he generally favors strength training at the start because, in his experience, many people do not train with weights and may have low muscle mass. He says increasing muscle mass over time can help the body store glycogen. The report presents these points as the trainer’s rationale for the routine.
His suggested plan uses movements that target several areas of the body and can be adapted with equipment such as resistance bands. The exercises are intentionally kept at a repeatable level. Reid says the first sessions are not meant to push close to failure; after a person understands their response, they may gradually increase resistance or intensity.
BetterMe has recently launched a series of workouts for people with diabetes in collaboration with Diabetes UK, according to Fit&Well. The source says that series also emphasizes blood sugar checks before and after activity. The article excerpt does not give the launch date, program access details or further information about the charity’s review process.
“Your first month, don’t even worry about building muscle. In my opinion, you need to learn how your body reacts to the training.”
— Garett Reid, trainer at BetterMe: Health Coaching, speaking to Fit&Well
Individual Safety Needs Differ
The report does not establish that this workout is safe for every person with diabetes. It does not provide individual blood sugar thresholds, explain how to respond to a high or low reading, or address differences in medication, diabetes type, complications or other health conditions. The supplied excerpt also cuts off during the overhead-press instructions and does not include the sixth exercise’s details.
It is not clear from the report what specific guidance Diabetes UK provided for the workout series or whether the charity reviewed each exercise. Reid’s comments are attributed to him as a trainer; readers should not interpret them as individualized clinical advice. People who are unsure whether or how to exercise should seek guidance from a qualified health professional familiar with their circumstances.
Monitor Before Increasing Effort
Under Reid’s suggested approach, a beginner would repeat the moderate routine for four weeks while checking blood sugar at the recommended times and noting how they feel. The next step would be to use those observations to discuss any concerns and decide whether to adjust the workout. The report says resistance or intensity can be increased gradually once a person has a clearer sense of their response; it does not prescribe a universal progression or a specific glucose target.
The article excerpt provides no announced date for further updates to BetterMe’s program. Readers seeking the complete exercise list should consult the full Fit&Well report or the relevant program materials, and should follow advice from their own care team about activity and blood sugar monitoring.
Key Questions
What workout does the trainer recommend?
Reid recommends a beginner strength routine that includes squats, glute bridges, wall push-ups, a resistance-band row and a standing overhead press. The provided source excerpt refers to a sixth exercise but does not include its instructions.
How often does the suggested routine take place?
The report says Reid recommends doing the routine two to three times a week for four weeks, with two sets of eight to 12 repetitions and about 90 seconds of rest between sets.
When does the report advise checking blood sugar?
It recommends checking blood sugar before a workout, immediately afterward and two to four hours later. It does not give a universal target or instructions for responding to particular readings.
Does the report say this workout is safe for everyone with diabetes?
No. It describes a trainer’s suggested starting routine, but does not establish individual safety or account for differences in treatment and health history. People with questions should consult a health professional familiar with their circumstances.
Source: rss
