The Best Exercise Order for Postmenopausal Women with Type 2 Diabetes: What Science Says

Working out with a friend is a trick I use to stay motivated and accountable to my exercise programs

For postmenopausal women living with Type 2 diabetes, staying active isn't just about maintaining fitness—it's a crucial strategy for managing blood sugar, blood pressure, and overall heart health. But here's a question that many fitness enthusiasts and healthcare providers have been asking: when combining aerobic exercise (like walking or cycling) with resistance training (like weightlifting), does the order matter?

A recent study has shed new light on this important question, and the results might surprise you.

Why This Matters More Than You Think

Postmenopausal women with Type 2 diabetes face a perfect storm of health challenges. The decline in estrogen that comes with menopause, combined with the metabolic dysfunction of diabetes, creates heightened risks for heart disease and other complications. While we know that both aerobic exercise and resistance training are beneficial, understanding how to maximize their combined effects could make a real difference in managing these conditions.

The Study: Putting Exercise Order to the Test

Researchers designed a clever study to answer this question once and for all. They recruited 15 postmenopausal women with Type 2 diabetes and had each participant try three different approaches on separate occasions:

• Aerobic first: 30 minutes of aerobic exercise followed by 30 minutes of resistance training

• Resistance first: 30 minutes of resistance training followed by 30 minutes of aerobic exercise

• Rest day: A control session with no exercise

The researchers then carefully monitored what happened to blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and heart rate variability (a measure of how well the heart responds to different demands) during and after each session.

The Results: Aerobic First Takes the Lead

The findings revealed some compelling differences between the two exercise orders:

Blood Sugar Control: When participants did aerobic exercise first, their blood sugar levels dropped more significantly during the workout compared to both the resistance-first approach and the rest day. The total blood sugar response during exercise was also better with the aerobic-first approach.

Blood Pressure Benefits: Both exercise orders helped reduce blood pressure after the workout, but the aerobic-first approach had an edge. While both sequences lowered systolic blood pressure (the top number), only the aerobic-first approach also reduced diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number).

Heart Rate Variability: Interestingly, both exercise orders had similar effects on heart rate variability, suggesting that the cardiovascular benefits were comparable regardless of which type of exercise came first.

What This Means for Your Workout Routine

These findings suggest that if you're a postmenopausal woman with Type 2 diabetes looking to optimize your combined exercise sessions, starting with aerobic exercise might give you the biggest bang for your buck. The aerobic-first approach appeared to be more effective at controlling blood sugar during exercise and showed slightly better blood pressure benefits afterward.

However, it's worth noting that both exercise orders provided significant health benefits compared to not exercising at all. The most important thing is that you're incorporating both types of exercise into your routine, regardless of the order.

The Bottom Line

While this study provides valuable insights, it's important to remember that the best exercise routine is one that you can stick with consistently. If you find that you prefer doing resistance training first, or if your gym's schedule works better with a different order, don't let perfect be the enemy of good.

The key takeaway? Combined aerobic and resistance exercise sessions offer substantial benefits for postmenopausal women with Type 2 diabetes, and there may be a slight advantage to starting with aerobic exercise. But most importantly, both approaches are far superior to remaining sedentary.