There are so many physical and mental health benefits to regular physical activity. When it comes to diabetes, regular exercise can delay, and even prevent the disease. Sunnybrook Diabetes Nurse Educator Leigh Caplan offers some advice to get moving.
How much do I need? The Canadian Diabetes Association recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic exercise each week, plus resistance training 3 times per week.
How are exercise and diabetes linked? When our muscles are active, they use glucose better and are more sensitive to insulin. Regular exercise helps prevent glucose from building up in your blood. And the benefits of regular exercise can be felt for days.
How do I get started? No exercise routine will stick unless you want to do it, so examine your motivations. Do you want to be more active to lose weight, to have more energy or just to feel better? Knowing what drives you will keep you going!
Break down the barriers. Caplan debunks some common excuses. No time? Schedule it into your day. No motivation? Get an exercise buddy to stay accountable. Too expensive? You don’t need a gym membership to be active. Scared of injury? Talk to your diabetes care team before starting to plan out the best approach for you.
Make it real. Write down an action plan which is both achievable and action specific. Include what kind of physical activity you’re going to do, how much you’re going to do every day and what time of the day it will happen. This will be a living document that you can revise over time.
Other tips. Start slowly and with activities you enjoy. Don’t be afraid to change it up, and make sure to reward yourself regularly. You’ll find success isn’t out of reach: just do a bit more today than you did yesterday.
