Most kinds of physical activity can help you take care of your diabetes. Certain activities may be unsafe for some people, such as those with low vision or nerve damage to their feet. Ask your health care team what physical activities are safe for you. Many people choose walking with friends or family members for their activity.
Doing different types of physical activity each week will give you the most health benefits. Mixing it up also helps reduce boredom and lower your chance of getting hurt. Try these options for physical activity.
Add extra activity to your daily routine
If you have been inactive or you are trying a new activity, start slowly, with 5 to 10 minutes a day. Then add a little more time each week. Increase daily activity by spending less time in front of a TV or other screen. Try these simple ways to add physical activities in your life each day:
· Walk around while you talk on the phone or during TV commercials.
· Do chores, such as work in the garden, rake leaves, clean the house, or wash the car.
· Park at the far end of the shopping center parking lot and walk to the store.
· Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
· Make your family outings active, such as a family bike ride or a walk in a park.
Aerobic exercise is activity that makes your heart beat faster and makes you breathe harder. You should aim for doing aerobic exercise for 30 minutes a day most days of the week. You do not have to do all the activity at one time. You can split up these minutes into a few times throughout the day.
To get the most out of your activity, exercise at a moderate to vigorous level.
Try walking briskly or hiking,·climbing stairs, swimming or a water-aerobics class dancing, riding a bicycle or a stationary bicycle, taking an exercise class,playing basketball, tennis, or other sports
Talk with your health care team about how to warm up and cool down before and after you exercise.
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