Walking Is Great. I Still Want You Lifting.

Walking is one of the first things I recommend when someone wants to improve their metabolic health.

You can do it with your kids, after dinner, during lunch, or while you are waiting for practice to end. You do not need a gym membership or an hour carved out of the day.

Keep walking.

I still want you lifting.

Why strength belongs in the conversation

Resistance training means working your muscles against resistance. That could be dumbbells, kettlebells, machines, bands, bodyweight, or some combination of them.

The American Diabetes Association recommends resistance exercise two to three times per week on nonconsecutive days for adults with diabetes as part of a broader activity plan.

That guidance does not mean three lifting sessions will produce a specific A1C change in every person with prediabetes. Strength is one part of the structure.

What walking does well

Walking works because it is easy to repeat. Adult activity guidance recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week along with muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days.

A walk after dinner counts. Walking while your kid is at practice counts. Getting outside during lunch counts. A longer walk on the weekend counts.

Why I do not want cardio doing all the work

Cardio improves fitness. Walking increases activity. Both belong in the plan.

Strength training asks your body to produce force and adapt to resistance.

That matters when you are trying to lose weight because the goal should not be to make the scale smaller at any cost. I want you losing excess body fat while giving your body a reason to hold onto useful lean tissue.

It matters outside the gym too: stairs, groceries, getting off the floor, and normal life.

You do not need a bodybuilding program

For most Project Rebalance clients, I care about a few basic movement patterns: squat, hinge, push, pull, carry, and core stability.

Use enough resistance to challenge the muscles. Practice consistently. Gradually ask your body to do a little more as you get stronger.

What a realistic week can look like

If I were building a starting week for a busy parent whose A1C has been creeping up, I would rather give them something repeatable than something impressive.

• Monday: strength;
• Tuesday: walking and normal daily movement;
• Wednesday: strength;
• Thursday: walking and normal daily movement;
• Friday: strength;
• Weekend: walking, family activity, recovery, or another activity you enjoy.

That is an example, not a prescription. The right starting point depends on the person.

Look at the whole system

If your A1C is moving up, I want to know whether the overall week is moving in a better direction too: strength, activity, eating pattern, body weight or waist measurement when appropriate, sleep, recovery, and consistency.

Your clinician should remain involved in interpreting your bloodwork and medical treatment.