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Q:

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes over the summer, so I’ve been taking daily walks to help control my blood sugar. But I’m worried I’ll backtrack over the winter, when it’s too cold to get outside. I don’t have a treadmill. What else can I do without joining a gym?

A:

Cardio isn’t the only type of exercise that balances blood sugar—doing simple strength-training moves two to three times a week can bring similar benefits. Here’s how: During exercise, muscle cells pull glucose from your blood to help them work, an action that clears sugar from your system. And even at rest, a toned muscle stores more glucose to better regulate blood-sugar levels. That’s why Tufts University researchers found that people who did strength-training exercises experienced blood-sugar improvements that were three times greater than those of their non-exercising counterparts.

The best part? You can exercise in the comfort of your own home using small, inexpensive hand weights, resistance bands or even your body weight. If you’re new to strength training, start slow and consider picking up a DVD from your library. A good rule of thumb: Work a different muscle group each time (upper body one day, lower body the next) so your muscles have time to recover. Choose a weight you’re able to lift for one set of 8 to 10 reps, and work up to completing one set of 15 reps. Once you can do so, aim for two to three sets, then move on to heavier weights. You may also want to try to work in some stretching, which a study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science found improved blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

Finally, even when you can’t walk outdoors, taking a 15-minute walk around the house or your office a half hour after meals has been shown to lower post-meal blood-sugar spikes.