Getting physically active is an important part of managing your diabetes. Exercise can help you to balance your blood sugar, manage your weight, reduce stress, and improve your overall health. It is important to remember that diabetes can cause challenges and complications when it comes to exercise, so you should always consult with your healthcare provider beforehand.
The American Diabetes Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise, spread over at least 3 days each week. That could be 25 minutes 6 days a week, or 50 minutes 3 days a week. Additionally, resistance training 2-3 times per week to build and maintain muscle is recommended. Start small – any activity is better than none, even if you are not able to meet recommendations right off the bat. Let’s look at some examples of both aerobic and resistance exercises you can do to help you meet your physical activity goals.
Movement Ideas
- Brisk Walk (Aerobic Exercise)
Walking with friends or in a scenic park is a great way to make this exercise more interesting and fun!
Benefits:
- An easy way to reach your physical activity goals
- A great way to relieve stress
- Help improve cardiovascular health, manage weight, and lower blood pressure
2. Wall Push-Ups (Resistance Exercise)
To perform this exercise…
- Stand facing the wall with your feet about 2 feet away from the wall.
- Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the wall in front of you.
- Keep your body straight while you bend your elbows, moving your upper body closer to the wall. Then, straighten your elbows, pushing away from the wall.
Benefits:
- Wall push-ups are an easy resistance exercise to do anywhere and are gentle on your joints.
- No equipment, weight, or resistance bands are required…just a wall!
- Resistance exercises can help you build and maintain muscle. This exercise focuses on the muscles in your arms, shoulders, and upper body.
- Having more muscle makes your body more sensitive to insulin, helping you manage your blood glucose levels.
- In addition, resistance exercises help improve balance and strength that can help prevent injuries or falls.