Diabetes Exercise

If you are ready to get better from your Type 2 diabetes, and you can walk, then a diabetes exercise program will give you a pleasant surprise. If you are motivated you can get better. It is surprising what you can accomplish if you start taking action.

If you are lucky enough to live in the Portland, Oregon area, you will want to look at the exercise class program at SickToFit.com. The class meets from time to time, and is free. There is a big advantage to a class, because it is easier to stay motivated if you are in a group.

You have to be motivated or exercise will not work. You will be walking, then jogging as you get more in shape, every single day. The good news is that you will enjoy it because every day you will feel better. So, let’s GO.

Diabetes and Exercise – Get Started with Daily Exercise

You can prevent diabetes by losing weight through small changes in eating and physical activity. To help lose weight, start with a fun exercise, walking briskly for 30 minutes, 7 days a week.

You don’t have to play a sport or go to a gym to be more active, unless that’s what you like to do. Just start by walking a specific amount of time, and do it daily.

You must actually exercise every single day. You will start slow, but it has to be every day. You will work up to doing 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every single day. This means seven days a week. Do not believe any 3-days-a-week slacker propaganda. For daily exercise to actually happen, start walking is the answer. If you can walk, you can in fact take a 5-minute walk today, and tomorrow, and the day after that. You do not have to go to a gym, or to the pool, just start walking.

Before you start a physical activity program, be sure to talk with your health care provider. Your Doctor may have already told you to get more exercise. Use these tips to get started, keep you moving, and make your physical activity time more fun.

IMPORTANT: Start off slowly. Starting too fast and too long causes soreness, injury, and failure. Start off by taking a 5-minute walk every day. Slowly, add more time until you reach at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every day.

You can get your walk done at work. Take a walk during or after lunch. Once you get more in shape, take the stairs instead of the elevator to your office. But keep track of the number of minutes you are walking, and write down in your exercise notes.

Dress to move and have fun during your walk or run. Wear supportive shoes with thick, flexible soles that will cushion your feet and absorb shock. Running shoes work best. Your clothes should allow you to move, and keep you dry and comfortable. Look for synthetic fabrics that absorb sweat and remove it from your skin.

Pay attention to your small successes. Every day you walk, you are getting better. The longer you keep at it, the better you’ll feel. Making changes is never easy, but getting more physical activity is one small step that actually gets you on the journey towards a healthier life.

To help a friend, encourage him or her to go with you in the program. When you involve others in your activities, you are more likely to stick to your program.

To get some encouragement, for help tracking your progress, to ask questions and to tell others about your steps toward health, visit the diabetes exercise and diet Forum.

We are working on the exercise program book, and soon we will have up a survey page. In the meantime, you can help yourself and others with diabetes, by sending us your most important question by email, using the contact page.
Best wishes on your journey.