What the Science Says About How Strength Training Can Prevent and Reverse Diabetes

Did you know strength training can do more for type 2 diabetes than medication ever could?

Amy Hudson and Dr. James Fisher continue their series on the benefits of strength training and reveal how powerful it can be for managing—and even reversing—type 2 diabetes.

They break down why excess sugar builds up in the bloodstream, how your muscles play a critical role in blood sugar control, and what kind of training yields real, measurable results—without needing extreme diets. If you—or someone you know—is dealing with type 2 diabetes, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

• Dr. Fisher defines type 2 diabetes: it’s a condition where the body becomes unresponsive to insulin, leaving glucose floating in the bloodstream instead of being stored and used properly.
• Dr. Fisher breaks down how insulin resistance begins. When your body stops reacting to insulin’s signal to store sugar, it starts a cascade of health issues that lead to type 2 diabetes.
• According to Dr. Fisher, over 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, and the disease causes at least 1.5 million deaths every year.
• Dr. Fisher highlights how diabetes is largely lifestyle-driven. That means many cases are preventable or reversible with the right habits—especially consistent exercise and dietary awareness.
• Amy poses the big question: Is sugar intake or lack of exercise the real issue? Dr. Fisher explains that both matter—but without regular movement, even a modest diet can lead to sugar overload and poor glucose control.
• If you're not actively burning glucose through movement, even a “normal” Western diet is likely giving you far more sugar than your body can handle.
• Strength training is a powerful tool against diabetes. Studies show it reduces waist size, body fat, blood pressure, cholesterol, and most importantly, HbA1C—the key marker of blood sugar control.
• Amy reminds us that it’s easy to believe you need drugs or extreme diets, but strength training alone can help manage your blood sugar levels.
• Dr. Fisher outlines the most effective approach to strength training. The best results came from lifting moderate to heavy weights (over 60% of one-rep max) with high effort, two to three times per week.
• Why intensity matters more than duration. You don’t need long workouts—you need focused, high-effort sessions that push your muscles to adapt and grow stronger.
• Amy makes an encouraging observation about habit stacking. When people begin exercising, they often naturally start eating better, sleeping more, and making other healthy choices.
• Dr. Fisher shares results from a large meta-analysis covering 1,100 people. The most impactful programs were progressive—meaning the weight and difficulty increased over time, keeping the body challenged.
• Why working with a personal trainer or a supervisor can accelerate your progress. Supervised sessions ensure your workouts are safe, structured, and progressively harder.
• The academic consensus is crystal clear. Strength training helps regulate blood sugar, reduce HbA1C, improve insulin sensitivity, and may even reverse type 2 diabetes in certain cases.
• Amy offers a compelling reason to start now. Even if you're healthy, strength training provides peace of mind that you’re protecting yourself against future metabolic diseases.
• Dr. Fisher shares his 80/20 approach to eating. He focuses on clean, whole foods 80% of the time and gives himself the freedom to enjoy things like cookies and chips without guilt the other 20%.
• Amy reminds us that healthy living isn’t about being flawless—it’s about staying consistent and doing your best most of the time, even if you stumble occasionally.

 

 

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