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Trainer Garett Reid recommends that people with diabetes new to exercise begin with a low-intensity, full-body strength routine and track blood sugar around each session. His advice is to focus first on learning how the body responds, not on building muscle; the workout is not presented as a guarantee of safety or a substitute for individual medical guidance.
Trainer Garett Reid, who works with clients living with diabetes, recommends starting exercise with a low-intensity, full-body strength routine and monitoring blood sugar before and after sessions. In a Fit&Well report, Reid said the first goal should be learning how an individual responds to exercise, rather than pursuing muscle growth; the routine is guidance, not a guarantee that exercise will be safe for every person.
Reid, an NSCA-certified trainer with the wellness app BetterMe: Health Coaching, recommends six exercises that cover major muscle groups. The report’s routine includes squats, glute bridges, wall push-ups, a banded bent-over row and a standing resistance-band overhead press. The source material cuts off during the press instructions and does not show the sixth exercise, so a complete six-movement list cannot be confirmed from the supplied report excerpt.
For the exercises, Reid’s starting prescription is two sets of eight to 12 repetitions, with 90 seconds of rest between sets. He advises keeping effort modest, finishing each set with the capacity for three or four more repetitions, and repeating the routine two to three times a week for four weeks. He recommends keeping the early sessions consistent so clients can observe their responses before gradually changing resistance or intensity.
The report advises checking blood glucose before exercise, immediately afterward, and again two to four hours later. It says this approach is intended to help people see how their levels respond to training. The report notes that its advice was reviewed by Neil Gibson, Diabetes UK’s senior physical activity advisor, and that BetterMe recently launched workouts for people with diabetes in collaboration with Diabetes UK.
Why Early Blood Sugar Tracking Matters
The recommendation puts individual response monitoring ahead of a standard fitness target. People can respond differently to exercise, and the blood sugar checks described in the report are meant to help identify changes across a session and in the hours afterward. That information may help a person and their care team make more informed choices about activity, while the report does not claim the routine prevents glucose fluctuations or replaces medical advice.
The gradual format may also make starting strength training feel more manageable. Reid says beginners can first build familiarity with the movements and learn how their bodies react, then consider increasing resistance. This matters for readers who may otherwise assume they need to train intensely or pursue muscle gain immediately. The report frames exercise as something to adapt carefully, rather than offering a single plan as suitable for everyone.
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How Reid Frames a First Month
Reid tells Fit&Well that he typically encourages clients with diabetes to begin with strength training, saying many people have low muscle mass and do not regularly lift weights. He argues that strength training can improve insulin sensitivity and that cardio can support muscle function and the body’s ability to regulate glucose. These are his explanations for the approach, not findings established by the workout description itself.
His stated first-month emphasis is adaptation and observation, not progression. The advice is to repeat the same sets and repetitions at first, then increase weight or effort only after learning how the body responds. Fit&Well says the guidance was reviewed by Diabetes UK’s senior physical activity advisor; the provided material does not include a separate statement from Diabetes UK about the specific routine.
“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
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Limits of the Workout Guidance
The supplied report does not provide the complete workout: it lists five movements, then ends partway through the overhead-press instructions. The missing sixth exercise and the remainder of that movement’s directions cannot be verified here. It also does not specify participants, clinical outcomes, or evidence showing how the routine affects blood sugar across different people.
The report does not give individualized adjustments for medication, insulin use, complications, fitness levels, or other health conditions. It does not establish that the routine is safe for every person with diabetes, nor does it explain how to respond to a high or low reading. Readers should not treat the workout as personal medical advice; the appropriate activity and monitoring plan can depend on individual circumstances.
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Monitor Before Increasing Intensity
Reid’s proposed next step is to repeat the beginner routine for four weeks while recording blood sugar before exercise, immediately afterward and two to four hours later. After learning how their bodies respond, clients can gradually increase resistance or intensity, according to his guidance. The report does not set a universal threshold for when to progress.
People considering the routine can discuss exercise and glucose monitoring with their healthcare professional, particularly if they use glucose-lowering medication or have diabetes-related complications. The available source does not state whether Diabetes UK or BetterMe will publish further details or a complete version of the workout.
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Key Questions
What workout does the trainer recommend?
Reid recommends a beginner, full-body strength routine. The supplied report excerpt names squats, glute bridges, wall push-ups, banded bent-over rows and standing resistance-band overhead presses, but cuts off before it confirms the sixth movement.
How often should beginners do the routine?
Reid’s recommendation is two to three sessions per week for four weeks, starting with two sets of eight to 12 repetitions per exercise and 90 seconds of rest between sets.
When does the report recommend checking blood sugar?
It recommends checking before exercise, immediately afterward and two to four hours later to track how the body responds. The report does not provide individualized instructions for interpreting readings.
Does the report say the workout is safe for everyone with diabetes?
No. Reid presents it as a way to introduce exercise cautiously and learn an individual response, but the report does not establish that it is safe or appropriate for every person. Individual advice from a healthcare professional may be needed.
Source: rss
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