2 Strength exercises

No dumbbells? Use two full cans of food from the pantry.

If you’d like a more intense workout, continue with these strength exercises. You’ll need two 1-2kg dumbbells. If you don’t have any, you can use two full cans of food from the pantry. Concentrate on smooth, controlled movements to work your muscles through their range of motions and remember to breathe as you do the exercises. Building and working muscle mass helps to lower your blood glucose levels.

Shoulder Raises

1 With a weight in each hand, palms facing in, extend your arms downwards. 2 Gently bring your arms out and up, raising your hands to about shoulder height to a count of 1, 2. Then slowly lower your hands to a count of 2, 1. Be sure not to lift your arms too high, keep your shoulders down and relaxed, your neck straight and your chin parallel to the floor.

3 Do 15-20 repetitions of this exercise.

Tricep presses

1 With a weight in one hand, extend your arm in front of your body at shoulder height. Support the elbow with your other hand.

2 Raise your hand up and back towards your shoulder, focusing on the tricep muscle on the back of your arm. Slowly lower your hand to the starting position. Count 1, 2 as you raise the weight and 2, 1 as you lower it.

3 Repeat with your other arm. Do 15-20 repetitions of this exercise.

Building and working muscle mass helps

to lower your blood glucose levels.

Hip and thigh toner

1 Sitting on the edge of the chair while holding onto the sides, extend legs in front of your body with your feet flat on the floor. (It may help to lean back slightly.) Keep your abdominal muscles tight to support your lower back. (Place a small pillow under your lower back for support, if you like.)

2 Open your legs in a V-shape and touch your heels to the floor, using the muscles in your inner thighs and outer hips. Also focus on pointing and flexing your feet through the ankle joints.

3 Do 15-20 repetitions of this exercise.

Kick and contract

1 Sitting on the edge of the chair while holding onto the sides, extend one of your legs upwards from the hip joint. Try to sit tall with your torso lifted while you flex your thigh muscle. If you like, you can try raising the knee of your extended leg higher than the knee of the bent leg.

2 Repeat with your other leg. Continue alternating your legs for 3-5 minutes.

Bicep curls

1 Hold a weight in each hand with your elbows at your sides. Slowly raise your hands towards your shoulders while flexing your arms. Keep your wrists straight.

2 Slowly lower your arms and repeat. Keep your elbows pointed toward the floor and use your bicep muscles to control the movements. Count 1, 2 as you raise the weights and 2, 1 as you lower them. Don’t grip the weights too tightly and remember to breathe.

3 Do 15-20 repetitions of this exercise. ■