If you have diabetes, exercise is an essential part of managing your condition. Regular physical activity helps keep your blood sugar levels in check, improves your overall health, and can even help you lose weight. Even if you’re a beginner, it’s never too late to start exercising. Here’s what you need to know about getting started on an exercise routine.
The Benefits of Exercise for People with Diabetes
Exercising regularly can be life-changing for those with diabetes. Studies show that just 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise five times a week can reduce HbA1c (a measure of long-term blood glucose control) by 0.4-0.7%.
This can significantly reduce the risk for complications like heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, and eye problems that are associated with diabetes. Exercise also boosts energy levels and helps you maintain a healthy weight—two things that are especially important when managing diabetes.
Getting Started on Your Exercise Routine
Before starting any exercise program, talk with your doctor about what might be best for you given your medical history and current health status. It’s also a good idea to get advice from a certified fitness instructor or physical therapist on how to perform each exercise correctly before beginning any routine. Once you’ve got the green light from your doctor and know how to do the exercises correctly, here are some tips to help get started:
- Choose activities that are enjoyable and make it easy to stay motivated. Remember that any kind of movement counts—even if it’s just going for a walk after dinner or taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work!
- Start slowly and increase intensity gradually as your body gets used to exercising again (or perhaps even for the first time!).
- Incorporate different kinds of exercises into your routine so that it doesn’t become monotonous or boring—that way it will be easier to stick with it in the long run!
- Make sure you get plenty of rest between workouts in order to give your body enough time to recover from strenuous physical activity.
- Keep track of how often you exercise as well as how long each session lasts so that you can measure progress over time.
- Don’t forget about proper nutrition! Eating healthy is just as important (if not more!) than exercising when it comes to managing diabetes—so make sure those two factors go hand-in-hand together!
- Always measure your blood sugar before and after exercising to keep a track of your levels. This can help you in creating a balanced diet and exercise plan over a period that works best for you!
Exercise is an essential part of managing diabetes effectively and reducing its related risks over time. The benefits are clear—improved blood sugar control, better overall health, and increased energy levels are all within reach once you incorporate regular physical activity into your lifestyle!
So don’t wait any longer—start today by talking with your doctor about what kind of routine might be best suited for you and take small steps towards making healthier choices on a daily basis! With patience and dedication, soon enough those small steps will add up into big strides towards better health!