Part 6: How to Balance Blood Sugar- Movement

In this blog post, I am going to discuss how movement can help support blood sugar balance.

Step 10: Move After Meals

When your body moves, muscles contract, and contracting muscles require glucose for energy. This means that after a meal, your muscles can use the blood glucose from the food you just ate to fuel their activity. For example, if you take a 10-minute walk after a meal, your muscles will shuttle some of the glucose from your bloodstream into the muscle tissue, where it will be converted into energy for the muscle to use.

This is an effective way to reduce the blood sugar spike after meals. Some of the glucose from your meal is absorbed by the muscles, helping to lower the amount of glucose circulating in the bloodstream.

When muscles contract, they do not require insulin to absorb glucose. This is unlike other cells in the body that rely on insulin for glucose uptake. This means that moving after a meal can help lower blood sugar and reduce the amount of insulin your body needs to process the glucose from the meal.

Post-meal movement is especially helpful after meals that are higher in carbohydrates, such as pasta, rice, or even desserts like cake. For example, if I have pancakes for breakfast, I like to go for a walk afterward. This helps my muscles use the glucose from the pancakes, preventing a blood sugar spike and leaving me feeling energized rather than fatigued after the meal.

How to Incorporate Movement After Meals

The general rule of thumb is to aim for at least 10 minutes of movement after a meal. Here are 8 ways to add movement into your routine:

1. 10-20 minute walk (my personal favorite)
2. 10-minute ab routine
3. 10 minutes of bodyweight exercises (e.g., squats, lunges)
4. Stationary bike for 10 minutes
5. Walk the stairs at work for 10 minutes
6. Use a Flexispot desk bike for 10-20 minutes
7. Stretching or static movements of your choice
8. Cleaning your house (vacuuming, washing dishes, etc.)

By adding just a small amount of movement after meals, you can support your body’s ability to process food more efficiently, stabilize blood sugar, and avoid those energy crashes that often follow large meals.

10 Steps to Balance Blood Sugar

So far, I’ve taught you 10 simple steps that you can take to balance your blood sugar.

1. Eating breakfast within the first hour of waking up.
2. Balancing your plate with protein, carbohydrates, and fiber.
3. Eating energy-dense meals instead of small snacks.
4. Snacking when necessary.
5. Honoring your hunger and fullness cues.
6. Timing your meals right.
7. Eating your vegetables first.
8. Eating protein second.
9. Eating carbohydrates last.
10. Moving after meals.

What steps are you going to implement to help support blood sugar balance?

In Part 7, I am going to teach you strategies you can use if you have afternoon sugar cravings!