How to Get Moving With (or Without) Diabetes

From health.usnews.com

Physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for everyone. However, for people living with or at risk of diabetes, regular physical activity is an essential tool for managing blood glucose (also known as blood sugar) and preventing and/or delaying diabetes-related complications and their progression. For many people who have an already busy schedule filled with many responsibilities, it may seem impossible to fit in regular physical activity. And, to add more stress, there are always new trends and fads making it difficult to figure out what you should be doing to be active. However, did you know that health risks decrease with even modest amounts of physical activity?

Since I'm often asked for guidance on how to include physical activity in a daily routine, here are a few tips on how to get started and keep active:

Get started with something that fits into your existing lifestyle.

Just as diabetes management is unique to each person, your physical activity routine should be customized to you. Not all activities are right for everyone, including people with diabetes, so be careful when starting new activities, and check with your doctor if you have questions.

A good way to start planning for more activity is to track your activity habits for a few days. You might be surprised by how much time you spend sitting. Once you have an idea of your habits, start with small changes in your activity. Take one step at a time, and it might not feel so overwhelming.

First, find time to do short 3-minute movement breaks every 30 minutes. These breaks will help you move your muscles and improve blood flow in your body, and can help with managing blood sugars. Activities can include taking the stairs, walking while on the phone or marching feet on floor while seated. Once you're able to add in activity during your daily life, you might be ready to plan in more structured exercise time. Whether your goal is to lose weight or to better manage your blood sugar, it's recommended that you gradually work up to getting at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise at least five days a week.

Make sure to incorporate strength training your muscles into your week.

Strength training is movement using a resistance, such as a hand weight or your own body weight, to work your muscles. Strength training exercises can help increase insulin sensitivity, which helps to decrease blood glucose. Because strength training contributes to maintaining and building strong muscles, it is also key to preventing muscle loss as you age. Another added benefit to strength training is that the more muscle you have, the more calories from food your body uses – even when you're not moving.

Strength training exercises range from using resistance bands and free weights to activities that use your own body's weight such as wall push-ups, leg raises and wall sits. Try to include strength training of all your large muscle groups (like your legs, back, shoulders and arms) at least two days each week. Make sure they aren't two days in a row though, since your muscles need time to repair after the training. People that have certain diabetes complications, like diabetic eye disease, may have certain restrictions when doing resistance exercises. Check with your doctor before beginning strength training or if you have any concerns or questions.

A comprehensive physical fitness plan also includes flexibility and balance training.

In order to safely be active and prevent injury, it's important to stretch your muscles at least two to three times each week. Try to hold each stretch for at least 10 to 15 seconds without holding your breath. Older adults, and especially those with Type 2 diabetes, can benefit from balance training activities two to three days each week to stay steady on their feet and prevent risk of falls. Simple stretching and balance activities, such as standing on one foot at a time for 10 seconds, can be included into your day and are easy to fit into your busy schedule. If yoga or tai chi are interesting to you, they can help improve strength, flexibility and balance in one activity.

Trying the latest exercise trends can be fun, but find activities that work with your current level of physical fitness.

It seems like there's a new physical fitness fad every season – from trampolining to spinning to high intensity interval training boot camps. While it's definitely tempting to sign up for a workout that is equivalent to a dance party on a bike or reminds you of your carefree childhood days on a trampoline, remember to include new activities with caution to prevent injury. That might mean talking to the instructor before a class to help adapt the activity to your current fitness ability, or discussing it with your doctor or health care team before starting a new and intense exercise routine. These fitness trends can be fun ways to spice up your activity plan and get moving, as long as they are safe for you to do.

If you're at risk for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), make sure to check your blood sugar before, during and after exercise, and have glucose tabs or another snack ready in case your blood sugars get low while you exercise. Most importantly, listen to your body in order to protect yourself from potential injury. Exercise can be challenging, but if one activity feels too difficult to do or causes pain, it might not be an activity you should continue.

Just try to get moving.

It can be overwhelming to add yet another activity to your calendar, so try to just get moving as often as possible throughout the day. An inactive lifestyle is unhealthy for anyone, and breaking up sitting habits is one of the most effective ways to improve your overall health. This is why the American Diabetes Association recently issued new recommendations on physical activity and exercise for people with diabetes, encouraging them to move around at least once every 30 minutes. If you work in an office, you can even do activities right at your desk to increase your activity. If time is of the essence, you can also break your 30 minutes a day into three 10-minute activity sessions.

Make a commitment to yourself to be more active each day, and make physical fitness a core part of your healthy lifestyle. For people living with or at risk for diabetes, taking small steps to incorporate daily physical activity into your schedule can make a big difference.

http://health.usnews.com/health-care/for-better/articles/2017-04-28/how-to-get-moving-with-or-without-diabetes