How your club can tap into the glucose monitoring boom

As the intersection between health and fitness grows, gyms are evolving to become spaces where members can support their medical and training needs. Some operators are already in on the action, working with GPs to offer exercise referral schemes, certified medical exercise programs, and overall wellness offerings.

And while fitness trackers provide helpful data as part of this equation, scientific research is key to fully understanding it and helping exercisers achieve meaningful health improvements. Now, new research from Les Mills has cracked the code for how operators can support members with exercise and insights to manage glucose stability. By tapping into the research and supporting members with the recommended workouts, serving new audiences and winning their loyalty could be easier than you might think.

The research saw 35 healthy adults wearing a continuous glucose monitor for two weeks, while maintaining their typical routines. In addition, participants wore a heart monitor during planned exercise. They logged training sessions (total time, intensity zones, perceived exertion) as well as daily meals (time of day, macronutrient grams), sleep (total time, subjective quality), and emotions (stress, motivation, fatigue).

The results found that short bursts of cardio help keep glucose levels stable, specifically by adhering to the following workouts:

• 2x weekly sessions of vigorous exercise, including 20 minutes within each session above 80% heart rate max, or Zone 4.
• 2x weekly sessions of longer duration moderate cardio, with a minimum of 60 minutes between 60-70% heart rate max, or Zone 2.
• 2x daily cardio sessions separated by 4-6 hours when possible, comprising a minimum of 20 minutes each, above 60% heart rate max.

DIET, EMOTIONS AND SLEEP

A diet that supports stable glucose levels promotes longevity, preventing blood sugar variability and crashes that can affect energy, focus, and mood. Researchers found:

• Ideal meal macronutrient percentages equated to 50% carbohydrate, 35% protein, and 15% fat.
• A breakfast rich in protein is optimum for stabilizing glucose, with 20+ grams an ideal minimum.

Ensuring good sleep health helps reduce glucose variability, with high-quality sleep correlated to reduced glucose variability. Researchers advised that 7 hours of sleep per night is the recommended minimum to reduce glucose variability, with 8-9 hours the ideal amount.

Bryce Hastings, Les Mills Head of Research says, “Glucose is the main sugar found in our blood, acting as our body’s primary source of energy. Exercise plays a key role in maintaining glucose health because it helps regulate blood sugar naturally and improves overall metabolic health. These findings offer tangible insights into exercise and lifestyle choices that help reduce glucose variability.”

Lead researcher Dr Jinger Gottschall adds: "We’re seeing growing interest in glucose tracking for health reasons beyond diabetes. Many people are unsure what constitutes healthy glucose variability, but it’s important to understand what lifestyle habits enhance frequent fluctuations in glucose levels and the long-term consequences associated with them.

“The key benefit of this research is that it provides manageable, actionable steps that can be incorporated into daily life to reduce glucose variability – whether or not you have access to a tracking device. We know data tracking can be overwhelming, so instead, we want to demonstrate that small adjustments – such as frequent cardio and increasing protein intake – can make a significant difference.”