DEBOLINA ROY
Be sure to sit upright and keep both feet flat on the floor with the toes firmly planted. Gradually raise your heels and do this several times in a proper and controlled manner. It is not just an easy ankle jiggle; it is a purposeful soleus contraction, which research indicates can significantly lower glucose spikes post-meal if it is performed regularly.
While sitting, raise your heel as far as you can and then slowly lower it, keeping your toes on the ground. This easy plantar flexion activates muscles without stressing the joints, which is great if you're working at a desk or have just eaten. Make it your goal to perform as many sets as possible during the day in order to keep the glucose consumption going.
Support yourself with a chair or a wall if you want. Do it with both feet together. Lift both heels up to get on the balls of your feet, hold the position for a moment, and then slowly return to the initial position. The slow and controlled movement engages both the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles; as a result, more muscle ffibresare activated, and this leads to improved glucose uptake.
Place the balls of your feet on the step, lift both of your heels up and then lower your heels to below the level of the step (be sure to support yourself in some way by holding onto a rail or chair). Eccentric (lengthening) contractions stimulate muscle metabolic activity and capillary blood flow in such a way that they allow the muscles to draw glucose from the blood into the muscle fibres more efficiently after eating and/or snacking.
While standing or sitting, lift one of your heels off the floor and hold it up for approximately 2-3 seconds before lowering the heel back to the floor, then tap the heel off of/simply touch the floor and repeat. By doing this exercise, you will increase the duration of time that your calves are under tension while also increasing your body’s use of glucose over short periods of time.