For all adults, the National Institutes of Health recommends 150 minutes of exercise per week. This may seem like a lot, but it can be split into smaller amounts of time over the week. For example, you could exercise for 30 minutes per day for 5 days or 25 minutes per day for 6 days. Engaging in exercise, especially aerobic exercise, provides many health benefits. Aerobic exercise is a type of physical activity that uses large muscle groups, increases your heart rate, and requires your body to use oxygen as its energy source. Anaerobic exercise, meaning without oxygen, is another form of exercise that doesn’t require your body to use oxygen. Anaerobic exercises are fast, high-intensity exercises like lifting weights, high-intensity interval training, and calisthenics. Both forms of exercise have health benefits, but aerobic exercise is particularly important for people with diabetes because it can help with managing blood sugar, lower blood pressure, and improving cholesterol levels. The American Diabetes Association recommends not missing more than 2 days of aerobic exercise in a row. Great examples of aerobic exercise include walking, yoga, dancing, and swimming. Aim for around 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every day.
Considerations when exercising:
- Be sure to warm up and cool down properly.
- Check your blood pressure before and after.
- Bring your cell phone with you.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Bring a snack or food to help with low blood sugar.
- Avoid extreme temperatures.
- Wear a medical ID bracelet.
- Wear proper socks and shoes.
Cleveland Clinic. (2021, January 14). 5 Best Exercises for People with Diabetes.https://health.clevelandclinic.org/5-best-exercises-for-people-with-diabetes/
Cleveland Clinic. (2023, August 15). Aerobic Exercise: What It Is, Benefits & Examples. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/7050-aerobic-exercise