Being Active with Diabetes

As you may already know, being active offers a variety of health benefits. Physical activity can help:

control your blood sugar
lower your blood pressure
help you feel better and reduce stress
lower your risk of heart disease

It helps to start with an activity that you find to be:

simple
something you want to do
easy to start slowly—and easy to increase a little each week

For example, you may want to try taking stairs instead of an elevator as part of your daily routine—or try parking a little further away from where you usually park. For most people with diabetes, walking is an ideal activity. Using a pedometer can help you keep track of your progress over time. Some people living with diabetes need to be more cautious before starting a new physical activity program. Be sure to check with your doctor or diabetes care team to see if the activity you choose is right for you. When you begin any new physical activity program, try to check your blood sugars more often so that you know your body's response to the new activity.

Depending upon your health and fitness level, other aerobic options include jogging, biking, swimming, low-impact or chair aerobics, or dancing. Whatever activity you choose, the principles of frequency, intensity, type, and time (FITT) can help you succeed:

Frequency–Be active most days of the week.

It is best to do some exercise every day, but if you are just starting a new activity program, you may want to set a goal to be active at least every other day.

Intensity–Keep the intensity moderate.

You should be able to talk while being active. If you are planning to do a new activity, start slowly with five minutes at a time. Add two to five minutes each week. Slowly increase the time until you are exercising for 30 or more minutes every day.

Type–Whether your activity is aerobic or strength training, have three parts to your activity.

Warm-up: Gently stretch or walk for five minutes to gradually increase your heart rate.
Exercise: For example, walking, jogging, swimming, or bike riding for 10–12 minutes.
Cool-down: Walk slowly to let your heart rate drop. This is a good time to gently stretch your muscles. Gentle stretching helps to prevent injury and increases your flexibility.

Time–The amount of your daily physical activity depends upon your personal goals.

In general, try 30 minutes each day to reduce the risk of chronic disease, 60 minutes to keep from gaining weight, and up to 90 minutes to lose weight and keep it off.

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