Are you looking for an evidence-based way to regulate your blood sugar level, combat insulin resistance, or effectively support medical weight loss? Discover the Metabolic Health training program from EGYM. Optimal progression throughout the workout sessions makes getting started easy and effectively prepares you for higher loads.

Physical activity is far more than just burning calories. In modern diabetology, targeted strength and endurance training is considered a "medication" that directly addresses the physiological cause and can, for example, actively counteract insulin resistance. Our tailored training program, developed on the basis of sports science studies on EGYM Smart Strength machines, safely and effectively leads you to a healthier metabolism—regardless of whether you have just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or want to optimize your medical therapy. The program is optimally tailored to your specific needs.

Type 2 diabetes: When the metabolism gets out of rhythm 

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by insulin resistance that leads to elevated blood sugar levels. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, normally acts as a "key" that allows muscle and liver cells to absorb glucose (sugar) from the blood.

In type 2 diabetes, the cells no longer respond adequately to this signal. As a result of the defective action of insulin or the insensitivity of the body's cells to insulin, blood sugar levels remain elevated, which can lead to long-term damage to blood vessels, nerves, and organs. Due to this damage, the risk of serious complications such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney damage (nephropathy), nerve damage (neuropathy), and retinal damage (retinopathy) can be drastically increased.

According to the German Diabetes Society (DDG) and the RKI, approx. 90%–95% of the now more than nine million diabetes patients in Germany have type 2 diabetes. Initially, no symptoms or only very non-specific symptoms occur, such as fatigue, increased susceptibility to infections, frequent urination, dry or itchy skin, or increased thirst. Therefore, type 2 diabetes is often diagnosed during routine examinations. Aside from genetic predisposition, your lifestyle is the deciding factor influencing the onset and progression of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is primarily favored by obesity and a lack of physical activity. If your diet is dominated by too much sugar and fat, your body weight increases and your physical fitness is impaired. Regular training is therefore extremely important for your health.

The "game changer": Training vs. weight-loss medications 

The treatment of diabetes and obesity has been revolutionized by new medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists (such as semaglutide or tirzepatide). These drugs mimic a gut hormone, increase insulin secretion, and promote a strong sense of satiety.

Why medications alone are not enough: Current studies show that with rapid weight loss through GLP-1 drugs without accompanying exercise, up to 40% of the weight loss can consist of valuable muscle mass (Sargeant et al., 2019; Wilding et al., 2021). This loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) is critical because muscles are our most important metabolic organ. Less muscle means a lower resting metabolic rate—the notorious yo-yo effect is programmed as soon as the medication is discontinued.

This is where EGYM steps in with the Metabolic Fit Training Program: The program counteracts muscle loss and ensures healthy "body recomposition"—fat is reduced while metabolically active muscle mass is preserved.

The physiology: Why strength endurance acts like medicine 

Strength endurance training offers several physiological benefits that no medication can fully replace.

It has a positive effect on sugar metabolism and increases the insulin sensitivity of cells, causing blood sugar to drop acutely as a result of training. This means that increased physical activity can counteract the impaired transport of glucose from the blood into muscle cells.

Regular training can help lower long-term blood sugar levels (HbA1c). Strength endurance training helps increase muscle activity, build muscle mass, and reduce excess fat. It increases calorie expenditure, and building muscle simultaneously boosts your resting metabolic rate.

In addition, systematic strength endurance training can, among other things, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, strengthen the immune system, improve sleep quality, enhance overall well-being, promote general health, and reduce the risk of secondary diseases such as vascular conditions.

Your path to success: Full-body strength endurance training on EGYM Smart Strength machines 

How often, how intensely, in what manner, and with which equipment you train has a major impact on your training success. That is why we designed Metabolic Health as an exceptionally targeted training program for you. In this modern training approach, endurance and strength training are optimally combined in a circuit setup.

Previously, such specialized training was only possible with the high effort of 1-on-1 personal training. EGYM training, on the other hand, is completely automated so you can train independently—tailored entirely to your individual intensity needs. Regular, automated maximum strength tests serve as the basis for every EGYM workout, guaranteeing the correct load dosage at all times. Furthermore, consistent training with moderate weight protects your blood pressure. 18 strength endurance sessions are followed by six hypertrophy (muscle-building) sessions for enhanced sustainability.

Since overexertion is counterproductive—especially at the beginning—Metabolic Fit uses intelligent periodization. This means training stimuli change systematically across four phases to prevent plateaus and guarantee optimal adaptation processes.

Different training methods are used across the various phases, applying distinct training stimuli to boost training results.
 

The four phases of the Metabolic Health Training Program

Scientifically proven training program for blood sugar control 

Our Metabolic Health program is based on a nationwide study conducted in Germany in cooperation with the University of Leipzig and EGYM partner gyms. The goal was to measure the effectiveness of a digitally supported strength training program (whose efficacy was previously proven in experimental studies) when used by type 2 diabetics in standard fitness and health facilities.

The main objective of the study was to reduce the HbA1c value. The HbA1c value reflects long-term blood sugar levels and correlates with the severity of the condition. All test subjects had a value equal to or greater than 6.9 (Ø7.6) and were thus classified as diabetic.

The results speak for themselves, showing a positive impact on all health parameters studied:

• Long-term blood sugar value: HbA1c -10% (***) HbA1c value: Average reduction of 10% (significant improvement in blood sugar control)

• Functional tests: Strength +39% (), Walking test +35% (), Chair stand test +32% (***)

• Body measurements: Body weight -3 kg (), Waist circumference -5 cm (*), Hip circumference -3 cm () Body composition: 5 cm reduction in waist circumference and an average weight loss of 3 kg

• Blood pressure: Systolic -3%, Diastolic -6% (*)

Significance levels: p < 0.05 () / 0.005 () / 0.0005 ()

Based on the findings of our diabetes study, we developed the Metabolic Fit program. With it, we now offer an effective, scientifically validated training program that is proven to help lower long-term blood sugar levels and improve overall health. You can find more information about the study results here: EGYM's diabetes training program shows positive results.

Training tips and safety guidelines for diabetics during training 

Regarding strength endurance training, you should generally keep the following two points in mind:

• Hypoglycemia risk – Check blood sugar frequently and avoid low blood sugar: During physical exertion, your muscles consume a lot of energy. This can cause blood sugar levels to drop significantly. How much it drops varies from person to person. Therefore, it is advisable to measure and log your blood sugar before, during, and after workouts. This helps you learn how your levels respond.

• Emergency carbohydrates – Keep fast and slow carbohydrates handy at the gym: During longer exercise sessions, a combination of fast and slow carbohydrates is recommended to raise blood sugar levels and keep them relatively stable. Fast carbohydrates include glucose tablets, while slow carbohydrates are provided by options like granola bars. People with diabetes who are prone to hypoglycemia should always bring a small emergency kit with fast-acting carbohydrates to their workouts as a precaution.

• Combination with GLP-1: If you use GLP-1 agonists, pay special attention to getting adequate protein intake around your workouts to support muscle building. For a pre-workout snack, it is best to eat your last meal 3-4 hours before training, as gastric emptying is delayed; eating shortly before a workout can sit like a stone in your stomach and induce nausea. If hunger sneaks up on you right before training, it makes sense to rely on liquid protein in the form of a shake. Do not eat during training to avoid risking severe stomach cramps. It is essential to ensure adequate fluid intake during the workout. Post-workout, consuming protein within the anabolic window helps promote recovery.

Sources:

• Deutsche Diabetes Gesellschaft (DDG) & diabetesDE – Deutsche Diabetes-Hilfe. (2024). Deutscher Gesundheitsbericht Diabetes 2024: Die Bestandsaufnahme. Kirchheim Verlag. https://www.deutsche-diabetes-gesellschaft.de/

• Robert Koch-Institut (RKI). (2023). Diabetes-Surveillance in Deutschland: Kennzahlen und Atlas. Journal of Health Monitoring. https://diabsurv.rki.de/

• Sargeant, J. A., Henson, J., King, J. A., Yates, T., Khunti, K., & Davies, M. J. (2019). A review of the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors on lean body mass in humans. Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, 2(3), e00072. https://doi.org/10.1002/edm2.72

• Torgerson, J., et al. (2019). Projected prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Germany in 2040. This frequently cited study predicted the increase that was confirmed in the recent 2024/2025 numbers from the DDG.

• Wilding, J. P. H., Batterham, R. L., Calanna, S., Davies, M., Van Gaal, L. F., Lingvay, I., ... & Kushner, R. F. (2021). Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine, 384(11), 989–1002. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183