Weight Lifting Helps Control Blood Sugar

Q.I am 56 years old, 5-foot-10, and have had a full hip replacement, quit smoking and have been working out for a year. I have slightly high blood sugar, but so far have not been diagnosed with diabetes. I have started to lose more weight than I want to — now at 185 pounds down from 200. How can I add muscle and not lose more weight?

A. Tackling rehabilitation after major hip replacement surgery, quitting smoking, losing weight and getting into regular exercise all in one year is a major commitment to a better life, and you are to be commended! “Slightly high blood sugar” is nothing to trifle with, however, so you may have one more hurdle to clear in your obstacle course toward a healthier life.

Hyperglycemia is an abnormally high level of sugar in the blood, and can be caused by stress, injury, illness, surgery and eating more food (particularly foods that are highly processed or high in sugar) than necessary for your needs. Uncontrolled weight loss, along with dry mouth/thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, blurry vision and constant hunger are all symptoms.

Some other causes of weight loss are pancreatitis, hyperthyroid, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer.

Also, there is a very fine line between hyperglycemia and diabetes, so do not delay in getting to a specialist in metabolic disorders for blood work and urinalysis.

To get to some possible and practical answers for why you are experiencing high blood sugar, do a complete and honest food diary for one week. This means that you write down everything you eat, regardless of how small or innocent. A registered dietitian can then analyze your food choices to see if you are eating too many foods with a high glycemic index.

Foods high on the glycemic index tend to convert to glucose more quickly and, thus, flood the bloodstream with sugar. Foods high in sugar and refined flour (most processed foods) are in this category. Foods high in fiber (fruits, vegetables, grains and beans) tend to be lower on this index.

As for exercise, weight lifting is an excellent way to control blood sugar, because increased muscle size means greater metabolic activity. Weight lifting can also increase your overall strength and improve your general quality of life. Checking your blood sugar level before exercising is very important, however. If your blood glucose level is above 250 mg/dl or if you have high levels of ketones in your urine, do not exercise. (Ketones are chemicals that appear in the urine when body fat is being broken down for energy instead of sugar. Ketosis also occurs when not enough food has been eaten to provide the energy the body needs.)

If weight lifting is a new activity for you, begin with lighter weights, performing 12-15 repetitions per set. At first, one set per exercise might be enough, but as you become stronger more sets can be added. Lifting twice a week is a good schedule for people new to lifting. If you find this an enjoyable activity and you like the results, feel free to add a couple more days of lifting to your weekly schedule. A certified fitness trainer can teach proper form and help organize a suitable workout routine for your goals.

-If you want personalized workout advice from Linda Buch, and you’re willing to be featured in the newspaper, send your dilemma to My Workout. E-mail your name, age, weight, height, hometown, current exercise routine and question/goal to linda@ljbalance.com or write to My Workout, 4770 Willow Road, Pleasanton, CA, 94588.

Linda Buch is a certified personal trainer. She will answer fitness questions in Body Language but not individually. Send questions to Body Language, Bay Area Living, 4770 Willow Road, Pleasanton, CA 94588 or e-mail her at linda@ljbalance.com.