Prediabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal but not in the type 2 diabetes range, and it’s the stage where exercise and eating changes have the best evidence. Diabetes Canada says more than half of people with prediabetes can delay or prevent type 2 diabetes, and recommends regular exercise building to 150 minutes a week, a health-promoting eating pattern and a conversation with your provider about weight (Diabetes Canada). For most men over 40 that means walking most days, lifting twice a week, and fixing a few specific food habits.
Why a prediabetes result matters at 40-plus
Being over 40 is itself one of the risk factors Diabetes Canada lists for type 2 diabetes, along with a parent or sibling with diabetes, extra weight carried around the stomach, and African, Arab, Asian, Hispanic, Indigenous or South Asian heritage (Diabetes Canada). In a city as diverse as Toronto, many men tick more than one box.
Diabetes Canada also notes that some long-term complications linked to diabetes, such as heart disease, can begin during prediabetes. That’s the reason to act now rather than waiting to see whether the next test tips over.
Your doctor makes the diagnosis using blood tests such as fasting glucose or A1C, and decides how often to recheck. This page is about what you can do between those tests.
What the best trial showed about lifestyle change
The Diabetes Prevention Program is still the clearest evidence. It randomly assigned 3,234 adults with elevated blood sugar, average age 51, to a placebo, the drug metformin, or a lifestyle program with two goals: lose at least 7% of body weight and do at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week (Knowler et al., 2002).
| Group (average 2.8 years of follow-up) | New diabetes cases per 100 person-years | Risk compared with placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Placebo | 11.0 | — |
| Metformin | 7.8 | 31% lower |
| Lifestyle program | 4.8 | 58% lower |
Two points matter for you. First, the targets were modest: 7% is about 7 kg for a 100 kg (220 lb) man, and 150 minutes is about 20 minutes a day. Second, these were group averages over a few years; they lowered risk, they didn’t guarantee anyone a result. Any decision about medication is your doctor’s.
Exercise for prediabetes: what to do each week
Aim for the two kinds of activity Canada’s movement guidelines recommend: at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening work at least twice a week (CSEP).
Strength training earns its place here. Muscle is one of the main places your body stores sugar from a meal, and a meta-analysis of cohort studies found muscle-strengthening activity was associated with lower diabetes risk, with the biggest drop at up to about 60 minutes a week (Momma et al., 2022). That’s two 30-minute sessions.
A starting plan for a man who hasn’t trained in a while:
- Weeks 1–2: Diabetes Canada’s own starting suggestion is a 10-minute walk three times a week if you’ve been inactive. Do that, plus one short full-body strength session.
- Weeks 3–6: Build to 20–30 minutes of brisk walking most days. Two strength sessions a week covering legs, push, pull and core. The 2-day-a-week workout fits this stage.
- Weeks 7 onward: Reach 150 minutes a week of brisk walking, cycling or swimming, and keep the two strength sessions. Add load or reps steadily.
A walk after your largest meal is an easy slot to fill, because the habit attaches to something you already do every day.
Prediabetes diet: the changes that matter most
You don’t need a special diabetic menu. Diabetes Canada points to Canada’s Food Guide as the pattern to follow and lists simple first steps: more vegetables on your plate, more meals cooked at home, whole-grain foods, and water instead of pop or juice (Diabetes Canada; Canada’s Food Guide).
What that looks like in a working man’s week:
| Common habit | Swap | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Pop, juice or sweetened coffee at work | Water, black coffee, unsweetened tea | Removes fast sugar you don’t feel full from |
| White bread, white rice, crackers | Whole-grain bread, brown rice, barley, oats | More fibre, slower to digest |
| Takeout lunch most days | Leftovers from a home-cooked dinner | You control portions, sugar and sauces |
| Beige plate: meat and starch | Half the plate vegetables, a palm or two of protein | Fewer calories, more fibre, more fullness |
| Evening snacking in front of the TV | Planned snack with protein, or kitchen closed after dinner | Cuts the calories most likely to go untracked |
Fibre is the nutrient most men are short on, and it’s covered in detail in how much fibre a man should eat. If weight loss is part of your plan, a moderate calorie deficit you can hold for months beats a crash diet you abandon in three weeks.
Where your doctor and a coach fit
Your doctor diagnoses prediabetes, orders the follow-up tests and decides on any medication. Diabetes Canada also suggests asking your healthcare team about prediabetes education or diabetes prevention programs in your community; a registered dietitian is the right professional for detailed medical nutrition advice.
A coach’s job is narrower: build the training plan, help you turn the eating guidance into meals you’ll keep making, and check in so the habits survive a busy month. If you take medication that lowers blood sugar, tell your doctor before changing your diet or training a lot, because both can change how much you need.
What to do this week
Book your follow-up, ask about local prevention programs, and start the week-one plan above: three short walks, one strength session, and one drink swap. Track your weight weekly and your waist monthly. If you’d like that built into a longer plan with training, nutrition and accountability adjusted over several months, look at the 6-Month Full Reset. Because fat in the liver often travels with high blood sugar, the fatty liver guide is a useful next read.
Questions people also ask
Can prediabetes go away with diet and exercise?
Many people lower their risk substantially. Diabetes Canada says more than half of people with prediabetes can delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle changes. Whether your own blood sugar has returned to a normal range is something only your follow-up tests and your doctor can tell you.
How much weight do I need to lose with prediabetes?
In the Diabetes Prevention Program, the lifestyle group aimed for at least 7% of body weight, which is about 7 kg for a 100 kg man. Diabetes Canada advises discussing weight management with your healthcare provider rather than picking a number on your own.
Is walking enough exercise for prediabetes?
Walking is a good start and counts toward the 150 minutes a week Diabetes Canada recommends. Adding strength training at least twice a week, as Canada's movement guidelines advise, uses more muscle and is associated with lower diabetes risk in cohort studies.
Do I have to cut out all carbs with prediabetes?
No. Diabetes Canada points people to a health-promoting pattern like Canada's Food Guide: more vegetables, whole grains, water instead of sweet drinks, and more home cooking. The focus is on refined carbs and sugary drinks, not removing carbohydrate entirely.
Sources
- Diabetes Canada — Prediabetes treatment
- Diabetes Canada — Assess your risk of developing diabetes
- Knowler et al. (2002), Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin, N Engl J Med
- Momma et al. (2022), Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases, Br J Sports Med
- Health Canada — Canada's Food Guide
- CSEP — Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults 18–64