I want to help you manage your type 2 diabetes naturally. Controls For Diabetes may collect a share of sales or compensation from the links on this page.
Exercise For Diabetes
No need to worry, you do not have to run a marathon or exercise strenuously to lose weight. It is for your well-being. In fact, you don’t have to exercise at all, but why wouldn’t you? There are no studies that show exercise causes weight loss, but weight stability, and muscle gain you may actually gain weight. If you are an insulin user, consult your doctor before you exercise.
There are type 1 diabetics that play professional sports. They monitor their blood sugar, before, during, and after a game or practice. These people are my heroes. Kudos to them. Type 1 diabetics need insulin to live.
If you do not have an exercise regime then do my plan, it is very simple. I make this recommendation because it works for me. I do this in conjunction with the LCHF diet and Intermittent fasting. All natural and no drugs. If you are working at your computer for the day, work for 1 hour, then take a break. During the break walk around for 5 or 10 minutes, and repeat. Do this as long as you are working at your computer or sitting watching TV.
Start Slow
Start out slow and walk for 5 minutes, that is all you need to do. Slowly build up, add a minute on to it each day. This is not hard. You can slowly build to a point where you can walk for 30 minutes. Then go for an hour a day, this keeps the blood circulating and is perfect, as an exercise. You do not have to sweat.
You want to keep your mind and body functioning, working throughout the day. This activity keeps you sharp, and it keeps you aware of the time.
Continue to do this and you will want to walk for longer periods of time. Depending on the weather, even if it rains bring an umbrella. There are so many ways that you can schedule a walk. Start in the in the morning, take a 10-minute walk.
Then at noon take a 10-minute walk after lunch, and then after dinner take another 10-minute walk. There you have it, your 30 minutes of walking per day. On other days, add a few minutes. 15-minute walks are easily achievable, times 3. You have to get the blood circulating and when you think about it, it really is not that much.
Small Bit of difference
A small bit of difference helps a great amount. If you can not do the above come up with your own plan to walk for 30 minutes a day. I do not want to hear any excuses why this cannot be done. When you reach this point of 30 minutes of walking and it will not take long. Step it up.
Now, you are at 45 minutes to an hour. Is this easy or what? This is not that much. Really. The point that I am trying to make here is that you have to have a routine. Walk for an hour a day, and or do some push-up, do something. Get active, if you have diabetes you have to change your lifestyle to keep the diabetes in check.
Benefits of Exercising
Physical activity has the same affect as using glucose lowering medication without using medication, and increased insulin sensitivity. You will want to get off of medication as soon as you can. The sooner the better. Do you want to know the side effects of exercise? Possibly a little bit of muscle pain. Get into a routine where you exercise and you do not have to think. It should come natural, make time and just do it.
Regular exercise will also help you achieve a lower blood pressure. So, as you walk and exercise, it actually takes less effort. You will be burning fat and calories as your metabolism increases. As a diabetic you can now achieve and maintain a healthy weight. As you exercise you will feel like you have accomplished something.
If you put 30 minutes to 1 hour of walking per day, this is 3.5 to 7 hours per week. Your cardiovascular will increase and you will feel better. As you exercise you will feel like you have accomplished something. This is an emotional feeling of wellbeing. Along with a healthy diet and regular exercise routine your weight will go down. A diabetic can now achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
So don’t think about doing exercises. Make time no matter what. Do it. No excuses.
Complications of Diabetes
Even though what I suggest for most people is OK. Walking for up to an hour a day. If you feel that you are at risk or cannot do this, then do not.
Get this cleared with your doctor, so that you can have an exercise program set up for you.
Do not exercise if you:
- have coronary heart disease (CAD) or risk factors related to diabetes
such as:
- hypertension high blood pressure
- have had a stroke or at risk
- have peripheral vascular disease (poor circulation in your feet or legs)
- family history of premature heart disease
- have retinopathy (diabetic eye disease)
- have nephropathy (diabetic kidney disease)[1]
Make a Plan
Sit down and think about what I have said and start as soon as possible. The short term plan is to start. Plan on walking a block even if it takes 5 minutes. Then the next day walk it 2 times for 10 minutes. The next day 3 times and so on. This is a slow and very easily attainable start. Not strenuous and you should not be tired or sweating.
Set a Goal
You need to set a realistic short term goal. After 1 week 15 minutes of walking per day should not be a problem. Then after 2 weeks shoot for 30 minutes a day. These short term goals are easily attainable. Once you are comfortable, it is time for the long term.
Now you can shoot for a 1 hour a day walk. Three 20 minutes of walking sessions per day should easily be in your grasp. You can take it to the next level by adding to this routine. Go to the gym, stretch, get on the bike, lift weights and so on. Finally, the point is to exercise no matter what you do.
Diet
Now that you have an exercise routine you need to have a healthy lifestyle. I recommend a Low Car High Fat diet and Intermittent Fasting to burn calories and stay fit.
I congratulate you on reading this far.
Hygene
One last thing that I would like to mention is personal hygiene and this should obviously go without saying. Brush and floss your teeth at least once a day. Take a bath or shower at least once a day also. Check your body for any abnormalities and if there is something wrong, go see your doctor right away.
References
1. The I Hate to Exercise Book for People with Diabetes, Charlotte Hayes, American Diabetes Association, 2013.
Recommended Reading (See also Recommended Books To Read)
The I Hate to Exercise Book for People with Diabetes, Charlotte Hayes, American Diabetes Association, 2013.
I welcome and appreciate any comments, questions and or concerns. Good, bad or indifferent please let me know.
Many thanks for dropping by and viewing.
Hello Jimmy! What do you mean by a food addiction? I am severely addicted to sugar. I am always hungry, too! I do keep my sugar intake on the low side, never eating, like a whole cake or all of the cookies. I limit myself to one or two, cookies, but if I get too hungry, I get a little out of control.
Lynne
Hello Lynne, unfortunately, another type of addiction is sugar. Sugar is considered a carbohydrate, and one teaspoon is 4 grams. One cookie potentially could have a lot of sugar in it. Have a look at the Low Carb High Fat diet on my Website and read through that, and I know this is going to be tough but if you can cut down on the sugar that is a start. Next, you will want to eliminate sugar from your diet. Before you change anything, go to your doctor and get your Hemoglobin A1c blood test. Then we can discuss how you can lower your sugar intake. I hope this helps. Jimmy.