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Diabetes & Exercise
Diabetes Support Site
Website
http://diabetessupportsite.com/
Diabetes & ExerciseMost people find physical activity
improves their feelings of wellness
and vitality. It also helps in
managing stress.
Physical activity makes your
body’s cells more sensitive to the
action of insulin.
Your body remains more sensitive
to insulin for up to 24 hours after
physical activity. You may need to
reduce your post physical activity
insulin and / or eat more
carbohydrates following physical
activity.
The key to managing physical
activity safely with diabetes, is to
monitor your blood glucose
frequently and use this information
to adjust your food and physical
activity accordingly.
Avoid injecting prephysical activity
insulin into any area of working
muscle (it may get absorbed much
more quickly than usual if you do).
There are risks to physical activity.
You should have a thorough
medical check and consult with
your diabetes specialist team
before starting a physical activity
routine.
How can physical activity help me take care of my diabetes?
Physical activity and keeping
a healthy weight can help you
take care of your diabetes
and prevent diabetes
problems. Physical activity
helps your blood glucose,also
called blood sugar, stay in
your target range.
Physical activity also helps
the hormone insulin absorb
glucose into all your body’s
cells, including your muscles,
for energy. Muscles use
glucose better than fat does.
Building and using muscle
through physical activity can
help prevent high blood
glucose. If your body doesn’t
make enough insulin, or if the
insulin doesn’t work the way it
should, the body’s cells don’t
use glucose. Your blood
glucose levels then get too
high, causing diabetes.
What should I do before I start a physical activity program?Before you start a physical
activity program, you should
talk with your health care
team
plan ahead
find an exercise buddy
decide how you’ll track your
physical activity
decide how you’ll reward
yourself
Your health care team may
include a doctor, nurse,
dietitian, diabetes educator,
and others. Always talk with
your health care team before
you start a new physical
activity program. Your health
care team will tell you a target
range for your blood glucose
levels.
What kinds of physical activity can help me?Many kinds of physical
activity can help you take
care of your diabetes. Even
small amounts of physical
activity can help. You can
measure your physical activity
level by how much effort you
use.
Doctors suggest that you aim
for 30 to 60 minutes of
moderate to vigorous physical
activity most days of the
week. Children and
adolescents with type 2
diabetes who are 10 to 17
years old should aim for 60
minutes of moderate to
vigorous activity every day.
Your health care team can tell
you more about what kind of
physical activity is best for
you. They can also tell you
when and how much you can
increase your physical activity
level.
Light physical activity.
Light activity is easy. Your physical
activity level is light if you:
are breathing normally
are not sweating
can talk normally or even sing
Moderate physical activity.
Moderate activityfeels somewhat hard.
Your physicalactivity level ismoderate if you:
are breathingquickly, yet you’renot out of breath
are lightly sweatingafter about 10
minutes of activity
can talk normally,yet you can’t sing
Vigorous physical activity.Vigorous, or intense,
activity feels hard. Yourphysical activity level is
vigorous if you:
are breathing deeply andquickly
are sweating after a fewminutes of activity
can’t talk normally withoutstopping for a breath
Not all physical activityhas to take place at thesame time. You mighttake a walk for 20
minutes, lift hand weightsfor 10 minutes, and walkup and down the stairs for
5 minutes.
Aerobic Exercises
How much exercise is right for
you? For people with diabetes
150 minutes of aerobic
exercise each week is
recommended.
Exercise is so important for
people with diabetes that it is
recommended that diabetics
miss no more than two days
of aerobic exercise in a row.
Walking — Because anyone
can do it almost anywhere,
walking is the most popular
exercise and one we highly
recommend for people with
diabetes. Thirty minutes to
one hour of brisk walking,
three times each week is a
great, easy way to increase
your physical activity.
Exercises that will benefit people with DiabetesTai Chi —This Chinese form of
exercise uses slow, smooth body
movements to relax the mind and
body. In 2009, researchers at the
University of Florida studied 62
Korean women assigned to one of
two groups—a control group and
an exercise group that began a
regular practice of Tai Chi. Those
who completed the tai chi sessions
showed significant improvement in
blood sugar control. They also
reported increased vitality, energy
and mental health.
Yoga — A traditional form of
exercise, yoga incorporates fluid
movements that build flexibility,
strength and balance. It is helpful
for people with a variety of chronic
conditions, including diabetes. It
lowers stress and improves nerve
function, which leads to an
increased state of mental health
and wellness. According to the
ADA, yoga may improve blood
glucose levels due to improved
muscle mass.
Dancing —Dancing is not only
great for your body. The mental
work to remember dance steps
and sequences actually boosts
brain power and improves
memory. For those with diabetes,
it is a fun and exciting way to
increase physical activity, promote
weight loss, improve flexibility,
lower blood sugar and reduce
stress. Chair dancing, which
incorporates the use of a chair to
support people with limited
physical abilities, makes dancing
an option for many people. In just
30 minutes, a 150pound adult can
burn up to 150 calories.
Swimming — Swimming stretches
and relaxes your muscles and
doesn’t put pressure on your joints,
which is great for people with
diabetes. For those with diabetes
or at risk for developing diabetes,
studies show it improves
cholesterol levels, burns calories
and lowers stress levels.
Strength TrainingStrength training is one ofthe best things you can dofor your body. It’s a keypart of any fitness plan.
Don’t belong to a gymwith weight machines? Noproblem! You can usehandheld weights,
resistance bands, or evenyour own body weight to
build muscle.
It’s never too late to start.As you age, strengthtraining (also called
resistance training), canhelp you keep doing
everyday activities suchas walking, lifting things,and climbing stairs. Plus,it’s good for your bones.
BenefitsFor people with diabetes, strength training helps the body :
Respond better to insulin
Improve the way it uses blood sugar
Lose weight
Lower your risk for heart disease
Strength training exercises at Home
Chair Dips Stand with your back to asturdy chair or low table.Sit on the edge of thechair, with your armsbehind you. Place your
palms on the edge, fingerspointed toward you. Liftyour buttocks off the chairand walk your feet forward,making sure your kneesdon’t bend past your toes.Slowly bend your elbows,lowering your body down,and then straighten. Thisworks several upperbodymuscles, including thetriceps (rear upper arm),deltoids (part of the
shoulder), and pectoral(chest) muscles.
Wall Squats Stand with your back
against a wall, feet abouta foot in front of you.
Bend your knees as youlower your back along thewall until you are in aposition similar to oneyou’d be in if sitting in a
chair.
Hold for several seconds,then return to standing.
This works the quadricepsand hamstrings (front and
back of the thighs).
CurlsHold a lightweight
dumbbell in each hand,arms at your sides with
palms facing up.
Holding elbows steady,curl up your forearms tobring the weights almostto your shoulders, thenreturn to starting position.
If you don’t havedumbbells, try this withtwo soup cans or waterbottles. Curls work thebiceps (muscles on thefront of upper arms).
Managing Blood Sugar While Strength TrainingCheck with your doctor before
starting a strength training
program. As with any
exercise, strength training can
lower your blood sugar level,
so you should check your
blood sugar before and after
exercising to see what kind of
effect the activity has on your
body. If your blood sugar dips
too low, you may want to
have a snack before or during
your routine. It may also be a
good idea to talk to your
doctor about changing your
medications to allow for your
increased physical activity.
Above all, be smart about
your new exercise routine to
keep it safe and enjoyable.
The best thing to do is start
slow.You can gradually
increase the intensity and
reach your goals.
Stretching ExercisesStretch early,
stretch often.
Stretching, in
addition to
regular physical
activity, may help
the body control
blood glucose
and respond to
insulin by
improving
circulation. Feel
better throughout
your day by
starting off with
simple stretches.
Wake Up YourBody with
These EasyStretches
BridgeLie on your back; bendknees with feet hipwidthapart and palms flat onthe bed. Using your
gluteal (buttock) muscles,slowly lift hips toward the
ceiling.
Curl your spine onevertebra at a time until
your shoulders are slightlyoff the bed. Then slowlylower your hips to thestarting position. Exhaleas you raise your body;inhale as you lower it.
Perform 5 to 8 times at acomfortable pace.
The benefit: This exercisestretches your back andstrengthens your glutes
Hamstring StretchLie on your back with oneknee bent and foot on thebed. Extend the other legtoward the ceiling. Hold
the extended leg with bothhands behind the thigh,gently pulling it towardyour torso and keepingthe knee straight. Restyour head on the pillow;do not strain your neck.
Point and flex your anklejoint as you hold the
stretch for 10 seconds.Switch legs and repeat.
The benefit: This stretchincreases the flexibility ofyour hamstrings and
lower back.
Stretching andBalance
Exercises
It is important to makesure you are doing basicstretching exercisescorrectly. Stretchingshould feel mild and
relaxing. It should neverfeel uncomfortable or
painful.
Follow the pointers belowwhen stretching or doingany flexibility exercises.
DoRelax as you stretch
Stretch only to the pointthat you feel mild tension
Hold a steady stretch for515 seconds
For dynamic stretches,keep your movements
fluid
Don’t
Bounce or bob as you stretch
Focus on tensioncreating thoughts
Hold your breath
Strain or push to the point of pain
Balance ExercisesBuilding balance helps you
stay steady on your feet and
can reduce your risk for falling
and injuring yourself. Balance
exercises are especially
important for older adults to
incorporate into their exercise
routine. Examples of balance
exercises include:
Walking backwards or
sideways
Walking heel to toe in a
straight line
Standing on one leg at a time
Standing from a sitting
position
Both lower body and core
muscle strength training also
help improve balance.
Fitness
Exercise, or physicalactivity, includes anythingthat gets you moving,
such as walking, dancing,or working in the yard.Regular physical activityis important for everyone,
but it is especiallyimportant for people withdiabetes and those at riskfor diabetes.That doesn’tmean you need to run amarathon or benchpress300 pounds. The goal isto get active and stay
active by doing things youenjoy, from gardening toplaying tennis to walking
with friends.
Be More Active Throughout the Day
In addition to formal aerobic
exercise and strength
training, there are many
chances to be active
throughout the day.
Remember – the more you
move, the more calories you
burn and the easier it is to
keep your blood glucose
levels in on target!
More and more research is
finding that sitting too much
for long periods of time is
harmful to our health.
Just getting up once an hour
to stretch or walk around the
office is better than sitting for
hours on end in a chair. Take
every opportunity you can to
get up and move.
At Work
Take the stairs instead of the elevator at the office and in the parking garage
Get up once an hour while you are at work and take a quick walk around your office
Stand up and stretch at your desk
If you go out for lunch, walk to the restaurant
If you take public transportation to work, get off a stop earlier and walk the rest of the way to your office
Use a speaker or mobile phone so you can pace around your office during conference calls
Try some chair exercises during the day while at your desk
Fidget (when appropriate) – tap or wiggle your foot while working at your desk
At Home
Take the dog for a walk around the block
Do your own yard work such as mowing the lawn or raking leaves
Do your own housework such as vacuuming, dusting, or washing dishes
Play with the kids – play catch or throw the Frisbee around
Walk in place during the commercials of your favorite television show
Carry things upstairs or from the car in two trips instead of one
WhileYou’re Outand About
Park at the far end of the shopping center lot and walk to
the store
Walk down every aisle of the grocery store
If you are at the airport and waiting for a flight, walk up
and down through the terminal
When on a road trip, stop every few hours to stretch and
walk around
Everything You Need To Know About Diabetes
Diabetes Support Site
Website
http://diabetessupportsite.com/
