Finding time in your daily schedule to get your body moving is very important for everyone. For individuals living with type 2 diabetes, exercise and remaining active is particularly important. Along with consuming a nutritious diet, exercise is one of the best ways to sustain a healthy lifestyle with type 2 diabetes. Getting enough exercise could lessen your risk of cardiovascular disease, assist you to manage your weight as well as your blood sugar levels, and reduce high cholesterol.
Beginning a new exercise routine can feel intimidating. It’s important to keep in mind that a little movement can go a long way. Finding out ways to include movement into your day that aren’t overpowering or stressful will make it much easier for you to be consistent with your exercise routine. Rather than deciding to dive into hour-long power walks every single day, try to set a far more manageable goal.
If you begin with an activity and exercise plan which you can stick to, you’ll have the ability to build up from there. This could mean:
- Choosing to take the stairs rather than the lift when you get to work,
- Parking your car farther away from the entrance when you go to the shops,
- Setting a timer on your cell phone in order to remind you to stand up and stretch every 30 minutes, and
- Taking a five-minute walk after each meal.
How Can Type 2 Diabetes Sufferers Benefit From Physical Activity?
The aim should be to get at least 150 minutes every week of moderate-intensity physical activity. One way to do this is to attempt to fit in at least between 20 and 25 minutes of activity every day. In addition, on two or more days a week, include activities which work all of your major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders as well as arms).
Examples of moderate-intensity physical activities include the following:
- Walking briskly,
- Doing housework,
- Mowing the lawn,
- Dancing,
- Swimming,
- Bicycling, and
- Playing Sports.
These activities work your large muscles, boost your heart rate, and make you breathe more intensely, which are essential goals for fitness. Stretching helps to make you flexible and prevent soreness after being physically active.
How Does Exercise Affect Blood Sugar?
When you exercise, your body requires extra energy from blood sugar, which is also called glucose. When you do something quickly, such as a sprint to catch the bus, your muscles and liver release glucose that your body uses for fuel.
Exercise generally lowers your levels. If you take insulin or diabetes medication, a boost in workout intensity or length could mean that you’ll have to adjust your snacks, medication, or both of these. Talk to your doctor about what’s correct for you.
The massive payoff comes when you do moderate exercise for a longer time, such as a hike. Your muscles use much more glucose when you do that. This helps with lowering your blood sugar levels. If you’re doing far more intense exercise, your blood sugar levels could rise, momentarily, after you stop.
Exercising Too Hard Is A Bad Thing
Exercise which is too hard can raise your blood sugar by making it much more difficult for your muscle cells to utilise insulin. A workout assists to pump you up by causing tiny tears in muscle fibres. When these heal, your muscles are stronger.
However if you aren’t used to super-tough workouts such as HIIT (high-intensity interval training), they can do so much damage that days go by before you feel like moving again. During that time, your muscle cells can’t utilise insulin well, and that will increase your blood sugar.
In addition, it may rise if you skip workouts. If you’re so sore that you can’t make your next gym session, you probably need to dial it down. There’s no rush: It’s better to build intensity slowly as you get used to a new routine. You’re more probable to stick with it if you don’t feel like you’ve been through the wringer.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
If you would like to learn more about the health benefits of exercise then you need to do our Personal Training Diploma. Follow this link for more information.