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Fortunately, walking regularly, which provides countless health benefits, can help reduce insulin resistance. Learn about the connection between walking and insulin resistance, discover exactly how much walking you’ll need to do and follow our seven-day walking plan to help you get moving.
The Best Way to Exercise If You Have Type 2 Diabetes, According to Science
How Walking Helps Insulin Resistance
Walking is like a one-two punch to insulin resistance, says certified sports dietitian and certified strength and conditioning specialistMarie Spano, M.S., RD, CSCD, CSSDRD, “In the short term, exercise helps use blood sugar so the pancreas does not have to pump out as much insulin to keep blood sugar within normal limits,” she explains. In addition, walking is a great way to decrease excess body fat, which contributes to insulin resistance, Spano says. Where this is most impactful is when you lose abdominal fat (also called visceral fat), which is associated with insulin resistance.
All that to say, you can think ofexerciseas a free medicine for your body. Being active helps your body’s cells become more receptive to insulin and allows glucose to enter cells. On the other hand, being sedentary is a risk factor for insulin resistance and other health complications.
How Much to Walk for Insulin Resistance
Both the American College of Sports Medicine and American Diabetes Association recommend 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity per week, which can be broken down into roughly 20 minutes per day.Studies have shown that participants who hit 150 minutes per week saw improvements in insulin sensitivity after eight weeks.
Whether you prefer to complete your daily 20 in one stretch or break it up, the choice is yours. Experts do recommend breaking up prolonged bouts of sitting with short bursts of movement. No matter if you are at the office, working from home or traveling, walking can be done anywhere.
The Best 7-Day Walking Plan for Insulin Resistance
It’s time to lace up your sneakers and hit the pavement, grass, sand, nature trails or wherever you enjoy walking. This walking plan starts with just 10 minutes and gradually builds from there, with the ultimate goal of completing all seven days. Always listen to your body’s signs and slow down or take a break when needed.
Day 1: Start Off Slow
Spano recommends for anyone who hasn’t walked for exercise to start off with 10 minutes at a brisk (or moderate) pace. (You can still talk to a walking buddy at a moderate pace.) Starting slowly is key for successfully completing the first walk. It also will give you a quick boost of endorphins which will have you looking forward to the next day of walking.
Day 2: Begin to Build
Day 3: Stay Consistent
On Day 3, bump up your time again and shoot for a 20-minute walk. Consider splitting the walk into two 10-minute sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon or evening. Breaking up your walk or workout into chunks makes it more doable, especially on hectic days. This also helps interrupt prolonged periods of sitting, which is another risk factor for insulin resistance.
Day 4: Plan for Active Recovery
Everyone needs active recovery days. Drop down to 15 minutes and slow down your pace. Going for a slower walk today can help your muscles recover. If you have an extra 5 minutes to spare, add on a post-walk stretch.
Day 5: Switch Up Terrain
Consider moving your walk from the treadmill or sidewalk to a slightly hillier path, incline, natural trail or beach. Changing the terrain can engage new muscles, increase intensity levels and change up the scenery. Aim for a 25-minute walk today.
Day 6: Take It Up a Notch
Try doing the same route as Day 3, but challenge yourself to walk at a faster pace. Higher intensity can improve insulin sensitivity and get your endorphins soaring!
Day 7: Keep It Going
Congratulations on making it to Day 7! Today’s goal is to walk for 30 minutes at a moderate to vigorous pace. Your total for the week will be 140 minutes of activity—and that deserves a huge congrats. To get up to that 150-minute weekly goal, consider gradually increasing the duration you walk each week. Spano recommends adding 2 minutes per week.
The Bottom Line
Walking is an excellent, free—no gym membership required—form of physical activity that can be completed anywhere. Regularly incorporating walks into your routine can help reduce insulin resistance. Consistency is key, so aim to walk most days of the week. Walk with a friend or family member, grab your headphones and blast your favorite tunes, or explore new paths each week to add variety and boost enjoyment. If you’re in need of a good pair of sneakers, check out our picks for thebest walking shoes. Happy walking!
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Freeman AM, Acevedo LA, Pennings N.Insulin Resistance.In:StatPearls.StatPearls Publishing; 2024.American Diabetes Association.Understanding Insulin Resistance.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes.Remchak ME, Piersol KL, Bhatti S, Spaeth AM, Buckman JF, Malin SK.Considerations for Maximizing the Exercise “Drug” to Combat Insulin Resistance: Role of Nutrition, Sleep, and Alcohol.Nutrients. 2021;13(5):1708; doi:10.3390/nu13051708Syeda, Afsheen & Battillo, Daniel & Visaria, Aayush & Malin, Steven.The Importance of Exercise for Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes.American Journal of Medicine Open. 2023; 9:100031;DOI:10.1016/j.ajmo.2023.100031Lin Y, Fan R, Hao Z, et al.The Association Between Physical Activity and Insulin Level Under Different Levels of Lipid Indices and Serum Uric Acid.Front Physiol. 2022;13:809669; doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.809669
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Freeman AM, Acevedo LA, Pennings N.Insulin Resistance.In:StatPearls.StatPearls Publishing; 2024.American Diabetes Association.Understanding Insulin Resistance.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes.Remchak ME, Piersol KL, Bhatti S, Spaeth AM, Buckman JF, Malin SK.Considerations for Maximizing the Exercise “Drug” to Combat Insulin Resistance: Role of Nutrition, Sleep, and Alcohol.Nutrients. 2021;13(5):1708; doi:10.3390/nu13051708Syeda, Afsheen & Battillo, Daniel & Visaria, Aayush & Malin, Steven.The Importance of Exercise for Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes.American Journal of Medicine Open. 2023; 9:100031;DOI:10.1016/j.ajmo.2023.100031Lin Y, Fan R, Hao Z, et al.The Association Between Physical Activity and Insulin Level Under Different Levels of Lipid Indices and Serum Uric Acid.Front Physiol. 2022;13:809669; doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.809669
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Freeman AM, Acevedo LA, Pennings N.Insulin Resistance.In:StatPearls.StatPearls Publishing; 2024.American Diabetes Association.Understanding Insulin Resistance.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes.Remchak ME, Piersol KL, Bhatti S, Spaeth AM, Buckman JF, Malin SK.Considerations for Maximizing the Exercise “Drug” to Combat Insulin Resistance: Role of Nutrition, Sleep, and Alcohol.Nutrients. 2021;13(5):1708; doi:10.3390/nu13051708Syeda, Afsheen & Battillo, Daniel & Visaria, Aayush & Malin, Steven.The Importance of Exercise for Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes.American Journal of Medicine Open. 2023; 9:100031;DOI:10.1016/j.ajmo.2023.100031Lin Y, Fan R, Hao Z, et al.The Association Between Physical Activity and Insulin Level Under Different Levels of Lipid Indices and Serum Uric Acid.Front Physiol. 2022;13:809669; doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.809669
Freeman AM, Acevedo LA, Pennings N.Insulin Resistance.In:StatPearls.StatPearls Publishing; 2024.
American Diabetes Association.Understanding Insulin Resistance.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease.Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes.
Remchak ME, Piersol KL, Bhatti S, Spaeth AM, Buckman JF, Malin SK.Considerations for Maximizing the Exercise “Drug” to Combat Insulin Resistance: Role of Nutrition, Sleep, and Alcohol.Nutrients. 2021;13(5):1708; doi:10.3390/nu13051708
Syeda, Afsheen & Battillo, Daniel & Visaria, Aayush & Malin, Steven.The Importance of Exercise for Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes.American Journal of Medicine Open. 2023; 9:100031;DOI:10.1016/j.ajmo.2023.100031
Lin Y, Fan R, Hao Z, et al.The Association Between Physical Activity and Insulin Level Under Different Levels of Lipid Indices and Serum Uric Acid.Front Physiol. 2022;13:809669; doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.809669
