How to Get More Exercise If You're Diabetic - Method2 Diabetes-Safe Exercises

1 Start slowly. Many people with Type II diabetes have not exercised for a number of years, and others suffer from obesity. The first goal is to exercise for a total of 30 minutes per day, but for the first few weeks to a month, you should break up your exercise into 10 to 15 minute intervals.

2 Try classes at a local gym or recreational center. After you are able to complete 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise at 1 time, you can try to join a dance, water aerobics, kickboxing, yoga, spinning, pilates or other class. You may find that you have more fun when you mix up your exercise routine with classes and at-home or gym workouts.

3 Start with a water exercise program. Go to a local pool and consider taking a class in swimming, aqua aerobics, stretching or water walking. Water supports your body weight, making it easier on your joints and giving you resistance.

4 Create a mix of cardiovascular exercise and strength training. Studies have shown that those diabetics who followed a mixed exercise regime, rather than simply weight training or doing aerobic exercise, had the largest improvement in their condition. Doctors suggest trading days you walk, bike or do other cardio exercises with days you use small weights or resistance bands so that you don't overload yourself, but you do both each week.

5 Choose exercises you enjoy. The best chance you have at starting a good habit of exercise are when you look at them as fun activities. Working out with a friend and mixing up your routine may be ways to have more fun when you exercise.

6 Journal about your exercise. Keeping track of your daily diabetic workouts and improvements will spur you on to exercise more. It is the same behavioral reasoning that works with keeping a "contract" to exercise. You feel obligated to work out and then write down something positive in your journal.

·         If your doctor gave you an "ideal weight" to reach through diet and exercise, track your progress in your journal. Limit yourself to using the scale only once per week, so that you can see your changes on a reasonable step by step basis, rather than based on daily ups and downs. Exercise should be more than about losing weight, and you should develop a program that you will continue long into the future.

7 Test yourself frequently. As part of a healthy lifestyle, you should already be testing yourself at regular, often daily times. If you find that your tests improve with exercise, then you will be encouraged to keep doing it.

Tips

·         Always wear proper supportive athletic footwear and flexible clothing when you work out. Keep your workout gear ready, or in plain sight, so you are reminded to work out.

·         Drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout. Try to consume at least 16 oz. (0.5 l) of water for every 1/2 hour of exercise.

Warnings

·         Be wary of exercising when your medicine is at peak effect. As exercise can affect your body's ability to use insulin, it can change the levels at a bad time. It can also make you at risk for spikes in blood sugar.

·         Do not exercise if your blood sugar is greater than 250 mg/dl with ketones positive, or if it is more than 300 mg/dl with negative ketones. In these cases, you are at risk for a blood pressure spike, and exercise is dangerous.