About Diabetes : Exercise

Becoming more active can be a key strategy in preventing or managing diabetes. Exercise includes any activity that gets your body moving and increases your heart rate. It can be organized activities like softball, tennis, or aerobics classes. It also includes individual activities like swimming, walking, biking, weight lifting and even gardening.

Whether you're active now, or you haven't been active for years, including more exercise in your daily routine can improve your overall health, reduce your risk for developing diabetes and help you manage your diabetes if you've already been diagnosed. In fact, exercise has a lot of benefits.

Along with a healthy diet, exercise can help you lose weight. Regular exercise can improve your body's ability to use insulin and can lower your blood sugar. It can also improve your circulation, decrease your blood pressure and lower your cholesterol levels. Exercise can strengthen your heart, muscles, and bones and increase your flexibility. It decreases your risk for diseases like heart disease and stroke. And if that's not enough to get you moving, participating in moderate physical activities can decrease stress.

Tips for Getting Active

Talk to your doctor. Before starting any exercise program or physical activity plan, make sure you consult your doctor. She may want you to have a physical first. She might also have recommendations for activities that are appropriate for your current physical condition and can suggest ways to add them to your daily routine.

Check your blood glucose levels. Knowing your blood glucose levels before and after exercise can help you see improvements over time. It can also help you avoid low and high blood sugar in the future.

Be prepared. Take water with you and be sure to drink plenty while you're exercising. Always have a carbohydrate snack with you to deal with low blood glucose if you need to.

Activity is everywhere. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park further away from the store. Do yard work. Deliver office memos in person rather than by email. There are plenty of opportunities throughout your day to increase your activity. Look for them and take advantage of them.

Every little bit helps. If you can't get the recommended 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day, do what you can. Start with just 10 minutes a day, or fit in two or three 10-minute "sessions". Gradually build up to 30 minutes each day.

Take it slowly. Pushing yourself too hard can lead to injuries which will just discourage you from exercising in the future. While you should challenge yourself, you shouldn't over exert yourself. Take breaks if you need to. Do what you can and gradually increase your time, distance and intensity.

Prioritize. Make exercise a priority. Schedule it into your day just like you would a meeting or appointment. If you plan a walk every morning before work, you'll be more likely to do it.

Get a partner. Whether it's your dog or your neighbor, having someone committed to exercising with you will give you the support you need to keep moving and stick to an exercise routine. You're less likely to skip a walk if you know your friend will be waiting for you at the corner.

Do what you enjoy. If the thought of walking triggers yawns of boredom, try swimming or riding a bike. What you do to reach your daily activity goals is less important than whether or not you do it. So whether it's jogging or a low-impact aerobics class, do what you enjoy and just get moving.

Include variety. Your daily activity doesn't always have to be the same. In fact, it shouldn't be. To make sure you're getting the most of exercise, you should include a combination of aerobic activities like biking, walking and dancing; strength training activities like weight lifting; and flexibility activities like yoga and stretching.

Reward yourself. Make small goals for yourself each week or month and keep track of how you do. Decide how you'll reward yourself when you set your goals. Every time you reach a short-term goal, be sure to give yourself a treat. Setting goals and rewarding yourself will keep you motivated to fit in that daily activity.