Exercise helps lower blood glucose levels and is an essential aspect of managing Type 2 diabetes. Physical activity reduces insulin resistance, the key metabolic defect in Type 2 diabetes. Many people with diabetes find it difficult to exercise due to a number of reasons: lack of time, mobility issues, habits and sometimes, let’s face it, simple laziness. However, it’s very difficult to maintain good control without physical activity. In fact, if you feel you are not making enough progress in managing diabetes, it might be because you are not exercising correctly. Don’t worry, with a little bit of effort, you can get on the right track to better diabetes control.
The best exercise for diabetes is ……
So what is the best exercise for Type 2 diabetes? That’s simple: the one that you will do every day! Find a physical activity you like doing. You have a very wide range of options and you can click here to learn about some of them. If you don’t like any, start small and simple. Try 50 jumping jacks every day. You can do this in less than 80 seconds. Or, if you have bad knees or mobility issues go for upper body exercises like resistance bands or weights. Choose a time of day when you will do this physical activity and then do it regularly every day.
Making exercise a habit
How can you make exercise a habit? You can do this by choosing a daily activity and linking the start of your exercise to that. For example, “after I brush my teeth I will do 50 jumping jacks”. By linking exercise to a daily activity, you are creating automaticity which is the first step in making a habit. After all, to manage diabetes effectively physical activity will have to be a habit rather than something you consciously do every day.
Keep going!
Starting an exercise routine is often the most difficult step. It’s easier to maintain one, once you have created a habit. It will take you a few months to make physical activity a habit, but after this you will notice it to be something you do automatically. Congratulations! You’re now on the road that leads to better health!