WMS Muscles for Everyone: Your Power Tool for Weight Loss, Blood Sugar, and Longevity

May 27, 2026

View the Webinar Recording

Summary

Fueling Workouts: In This Webinar…

What is resistance training?
Muscle-strengthening recommendations
Muscles, metabolism, and health: benefits of strength training
Designing your muscle-strengthening plan

Please remember:

The information in this presentation is general information. It is not intended to include specific instructions for individuals. Please ask your healthcare provider for personalized guidance!

If you have heart, metabolic, or kidney disease or are over 45 years old and have 2 or more risk factors (immediate family member with heart disease before age 55, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, or obesity)

What Is Strength Training?

Strength training is also known as muscle-strengthening activity/exercise or weight training. It’s a form of exercise that uses resistance to make your muscles work harder than they do in daily life. This resistance causes micro-tears in the muscle, which heal and grow back stronger.

Recommendations for strength training or muscle strengthening exercise are in addition to recommendations for aerobic exercise.

Aerobic exercise: at least 150 minutes per week of at least moderate intensity. Anything that gets your heart pumping faster counts.
Muscle-strengthening exercises: at least 2 days per week on non-consecutive days. Choose activities that make your muscles work harder than usual

Remember that if that’s more than you can do right now, do what you can. Even 5 minutes of physical activity has real health benefits.

Percent Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines

Activity Guideline Status	Percentage of Adults Meeting Guidelines
Aerobic Only	47%
Strength Only	28%
Both Aerobic and Strength	24%

Benefits of Resistance Training

Resistance Training and Diabetes Risk

Resistance training helps lower risk of diabetes. In one study, each 60 minutes per week of muscle-strengthening exercise was linked to a 13% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. These are reasons why muscle-strengthening exercise can support blood sugar.

Improves body composition with more muscle mass - raising metabolism and fat loss
Increases glucose uptake by muscle cells even without insulin - reducing the need for insulin
Increases insulin sensitivity - leading to lower blood sugar

Muscle Mass Decreases with Aging and Weight Loss

Skeletal muscle tissue—being the first site for glucose and triglycerides disposal—decreases by 3–8% every decade after the age of 30. Muscle power and performance decline. Resistance exercise can help slow the rate of muscle loss. It can also help delay the onset of disability.

For anti-sarcopenia (to preserve muscle mass):

Personalized instruction and supervision
Strength-based resistance
Free weights (dumbbells, kettlebells), elastic bands or unstable tools (Bosu, balls)

Muscle mass also decreases with weight loss. Typically, weight lost during weight loss is 25% muscle and 75% fat. Here are ways to try to shift that ratio to lose more fat compared to muscle.

Strength training
Consuming enough protein
Losing weight at a slower rate
Engaging in regular aerobic activity

Designing a Muscle-Strengthening Plan

Here are considerations for a resistance training plan.

Health Category	Resistance Training Benefits
Skeletal & Joint Health (MSK)	Improves bone mineral density and bone strength Alleviates joint pain and manages arthritis symptoms Enhances flexibility, mobility, and range of motion
Muscular & Neuromuscular	Increases muscle mass and muscle strength Optimizes neuromuscular function Improves balance and coordination
Metabolic & Blood Sugar	Lowers blood glucose levels Enhances insulin sensitivity Aids in the prevention and management of Type 2 diabetes

Consideration

Guidelines & Key Concepts

Frequency

Aim for 2-3 times per week
Target each major muscle group
Schedule workouts on non-consecutive days to allow for recovery

Intensity

Refers to how heavy the resistance (weight) is
The chosen resistance should ensure that the target muscle groups tire by the end of the set

Sets and Reps

Standard goal is 8-12 "reps" per set, for 2-3 sets total

Shoulders

Arms

Legs

Chest

Back

Hips

Core

Here’s a sample workout that includes 2 sets each of several different muscle groups.

✅ Warm-up (e.g., walk/bike)

✅ Set 1, bicep curls (8-12 reps)

✅ Set 1, chest fly (8-12)

✅ Set 1, tricep kickbacks (8-12)

✅ Set 1, squats (8-12)

✅ Set 1, plank (60 seconds)

✅ Set 1, seated row (8-12 reps)

✅ Set 1, shoulder press (8-12)

✅ Set 2, bicep curls (8-12 reps)

✅ Set 2, chest fly (8-12)

✅ Set 2, tricep kickbacks (8-12)

✅ Set 2, squats (8-12)

✅ Set 2, plank (60 seconds)

✅ Set 2, seated row (8-12 reps)

✅ Set 2, shoulder press (8-12)

✅ Cool-down (e.g., walk/bike)

Checklist for A Strength Training Plan

✅ Warm-up, cool-down for each session

✅ 2 sets of 8-12 reps per exercise/muscle focus

✅ Good form (get help!)

✅ Slow contraction, slow release (2 counts each)

✅ “Rest” between sets of same muscle groups (active recovery, working another muscle group, or rest)

✅ Working each major muscle group twice in the week

Experts to Consider Asking

Ask a qualified person to help you choose exercises and perform them with correct form. Here are some possibilities.

Physical therapist
Personal trainer or small group trainer
Group exercise class
Qualified gym staff

Check credentials - don’t assume!

Remember to ask which exercises to do, how often to do them, and whether they can provide any additional information.

Helpful Resources For Choosing Exercises and Learning Correct Exercise Technique

Type	Examples	Facts
Free weights	Dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, household objects	Wide range of possibilities, recruit more muscle
Bands, unstable	Resistance bands, Bosu, stability ball, balance disks	Portable, affordable, variable resistance
Weight machines	Leg press, hamstring curl, lat pulldown, shoulder press	Target specific muscles, good for beginners

Resource & Link	Description
The ONE Group (Oncology – Nutrition – Exercise) View Exercise Videos →	Offers user-friendly exercise videos and clear descriptions demonstrating correct form. Programs require no special equipment and feature a variety of resistance types.
American Council on Exercise (ACE) Browse ACE Library →	A comprehensive exercise library that allows users to search for movements by specific body part, type of resistance, and level of difficulty to ensure safe progression.
National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Browse NASM Library →	An expert-curated exercise library providing broken-down movement tutorials and videos to help individuals understand and maintain proper technique.

Ask your provider which resources are appropriate for you

Compound (Multi-Joint) Exercises Burn More Calories

Here are some examples.

Upper Body	Core	Lower Body
Push-ups Pull-ups Shoulder Press	Planks Superman Bird Dog	Squats Lunges Deadlifts

Track Your Progress

Here’s an example.

Exercise	Sets	Weight	Target Reps	Rest	Notes
Squats	2	45-lb barbell	15	1 minute	Set 1: 20 reps, Set 2: 18 reps
Push-ups	2	Body weight on an incline	Work for 30 seconds	1 minute	Set 1: 12 reps, Set 2: 10 reps
Walking lunges	2	15-lb dumbbell	Lunging for 50 ft	1 minute	50 feet per set
Inverted row	2	Body at a 45° angle	15	1 minute	Set 1: 15 reps, Set 2: 14 reps

Lark Can Help!

If you have a Fitbit: sync it with Lark

Give the Lark app permission to access Google Fit or Apple Healthkit if you use other devices (like an Apple watch)
Answer any questions from Lark about moderate-to-vigorous exercise minutes
Enter your workouts manually in the app

After this webinar…

Motivation! - Identify why you want to strength train
Identify when and where you can strength train, and what equipment you can use
Ask for help finding exercises and learning proper form

References

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd Edition

Moore SC, Patel AV, Matthews CE, Berrington de Gonzalez A, Park Y, Katki HA, Linet MS, Weiderpass E, Visvanathan K, Helzlsouer KJ, Thun M, Gapstur SM, Hartge P, Lee IM. Leisure time physical activity of moderate to vigorous intensity and mortality: a large pooled cohort analysis. PLoS Med. 2012;9(11):e1001335. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001335. Epub 2012 Nov 6. PMID: 23139642; PMCID: PMC3491006.

Majid et al., 2021

Grøntved et al., 2012

Cannataro R, Cione E, Bonilla DA, Cerullo G, Angelini F and D'Antona G (2022) Strength training in elderly: An useful tool against sarcopenia. Front. Sports Act. Living 4:950949. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2022.950949

D’Antona Sports Act. Living 4:950949.

Hemsfield Obes Rev. 2014 Jan 22;15(4):310–321

Hunter GR, Byrne NM, Sirikul B, Fernández JR, Zuckerman PA, Darnell BE, Gower BA. Resistance training conserves fat‐free mass and resting energy expenditure following weight loss. Obesity. 2008 May;16(5):1045-51.

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