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Trainer Garett Reid recommends a beginner strength routine for people with diabetes, with the first month focused on learning how exercise affects blood sugar rather than building muscle. The advice calls for checking glucose before and after exercise, including again two to four hours later; it is not a guarantee that the workout is safe for every person.
Trainer Garett Reid recommends that people with diabetes beginning exercise start with a low-intensity, full-body strength routine and focus first on how their blood sugar responds, rather than on building muscle. The guidance, reported by Fit&Well, also calls for glucose checks before exercise, immediately afterward and again two to four hours later; it does not establish that the routine is safe for everyone.
Reid, identified by Fit&Well as an NSCA-certified trainer who works with BetterMe: Health Coaching, said he typically starts clients with diabetes on a simple strength program. The report presents the workout as a way to introduce exercise gradually and observe individual responses, with appropriate precautions. Reid advised beginners not to make muscle growth the priority during their first month.
The routine is designed for two to three sessions a week for four weeks. Its instructions begin with two sets of eight to 12 repetitions per exercise, leaving enough effort in reserve to complete roughly three or four more repetitions, and 90 seconds of rest between sets. The report lists squats, glute bridges, wall push-ups, banded bent-over rows and a resistance-band overhead press. Its supplied material cuts off during the overhead-press instructions and does not provide the remaining workout details, including any sixth exercise.
Fit&Well says Reid advises tracking glucose before a session, immediately after it and two to four hours later. The report says participants can consider gradually increasing resistance or effort after learning how their bodies respond. It also says BetterMe recently launched a series of diabetes-focused workouts in collaboration with Diabetes UK. The source describes this as general exercise guidance, not an individualized medical plan.
Monitoring Glucose During Exercise
The guidance places monitoring and gradual adaptation ahead of performance goals. For readers with diabetes who are considering strength training, that distinction matters: a workout can affect people differently, and the report’s proposed checks are intended to help track an individual response rather than promise a particular blood sugar outcome.
The advice also gives a simple structure for starting: modest sets and repetitions, rest between them and a repeated routine over several weeks. Reid told Fit&Well that strength training may improve insulin sensitivity, while cardio may support muscle function. Those are his explanations for the potential benefits, not a guarantee of a health result for every participant. The source does not provide clinical trial data or a comparison showing how this specific routine affects glucose.
Readers should not interpret the headline claim that the workout will be safe as a universal assurance. People’s health, treatment plans and exercise needs vary. Anyone with diabetes who is unsure how to begin, or who has other health conditions, should seek advice from a qualified health professional about suitable activity and monitoring.
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A Four-Week Introductory Plan
Reid’s approach, as reported by Fit&Well, starts with strength work because he believes many clients have limited muscle mass and may not regularly strength train. He said building muscle over time may support glycogen storage and affect glucose in the blood. These points are the trainer’s rationale for his programming, rather than proof that the routine produces a specific outcome.
He recommends selecting exercises that work major muscle groups and keeping early training intensity low. The report describes a repeatable plan, with the same sets and repetitions in each session, followed by gradual increases only after the person has learned their response. It lists bodyweight movements and resistance-band exercises, with harder variations offered for some of them. The supplied text does not include the full instructions for every listed exercise.
Fit&Well says the advice was reviewed by Neil Gibson, a senior physical activity adviser at Diabetes UK. The report also links the routine to BetterMe’s recently launched diabetes-focused workout series, developed in collaboration with the charity. No launch date, program details or independent evaluation are included in the material provided.
“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
Limits of the Workout Report
The source does not provide a publication date, a complete version of the workout, or the full directions for the overhead press. Although it refers to six exercises, the supplied material names only five and ends mid-instruction, so the sixth movement and the complete session cannot be verified from the text available.
It is also unclear whether the routine was tested in a clinical study, what outcomes participants might expect, or which people should avoid or modify particular movements. The recommendation to monitor glucose is reported, but the source does not give individual targets or instructions for responding to a reading. Reid’s use of the word “safely” should be read as advice about a cautious introduction, not as confirmation of safety for all people with diabetes.
Individual Guidance Before Progression
Reid’s reported plan is to repeat the introductory routine for four weeks while monitoring blood sugar at the recommended times, then gradually increase weight or effort if the person has learned how their body responds. The source does not report a formal follow-up study or provide a timetable for future updates to the workout series.
For readers considering the program, the next step is to review the complete workout instructions and discuss exercise and glucose monitoring with a health professional familiar with their circumstances. Any changes to medication or diabetes management should be handled with their care team, not inferred from a trainer’s general workout advice.
Key Questions
What workout does the trainer recommend?
Reid recommends a beginner full-body strength routine, including squats, glute bridges, wall push-ups, banded rows and a resistance-band overhead press in the supplied report. The source says the plan includes six exercises, but the provided text does not identify the sixth.
How often does the report say to do the routine?
It recommends repeating the routine two to three times per week for four weeks, starting with two sets of eight to 12 repetitions and 90 seconds of rest between sets.
When does the report recommend checking blood sugar?
The report says to check glucose before exercise, immediately after and again two to four hours later. It does not specify personal target ranges or what action to take for a particular reading.
Does the report confirm this workout is safe for everyone with diabetes?
No. It presents a trainer’s general recommendation for introducing exercise cautiously. It does not establish that the routine is appropriate for every person, and people with questions about exercise or glucose monitoring should consult a qualified health professional.
Source: rss
