Has your doctor asked you to avoid sugar because you are a pre-diabetic? No one wants to be totally restricted from eating fast food and sugar. Have no fear! You can help prevent diabetes by exercising. You must make a schedule of your exercise as you schedule any other must-do activity. Let me share the recent research that I conducted on “The 5 Best Exercises to Help Prevent Diabetes.” So, here we go!
1. Walking
Though people are always busy thinking that they need a gym membership or expensive exercise equipment to get started on the exercise. But I think it’s not quite necessary. You can start without any plan too. So, let’s move ahead from today as I believe that it’s never too late.
If you don’t have a plan of exercise yet, then just start walking. You must know that walking can help you to lower your blood sugar levels and lose weight. Just wear your supportive shoes and start walking. Call your loved one, enjoy the movement of air, the scent of the flowers (if available), and the sweet voice of your loved one. You can listen to your favorite music too.
Furthermore, don’t drive if you are going to a store to buy something for yourself. Just move ahead and start walking. Once you’ve made it a habit, it will be quite easiest, and motivating too. So what are you waiting for? Track your steps and your progress and start from today.
Set a target
Set a target to walk for at least 30 minutes each day. Research says, walking up and downstairs for just three minutes can improve blood glucose. I assure you that walking might be one of the easiest exercises you can do.
Walk at a quicker clip 30 minutes per day and five days per week as it will help you to reach the recommended goal. I assure you it’s a simple way to get exercise and the fresh air will make you relax too.
Brisk walking is considered to be a moderate-intensity exercise as it raises the heart rate, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. I suggest you set a goal of at least 150 minutes in a week of moderate-intensity exercise.
2. Cycling
When I was a child, I was obsessed with cycling. Cycling might help to prevent diabetes. I believe that it can help you meet your fitness goals while minimizing strain on your joints. it causes less strain and injuries than other exercises. When you pedal, all major groups of muscles are used.
Furthermore, set a target of cycling 30 minutes a day and 3 to 5 times a week to achieve a general improvement to your health. It’s an amazing exercise as It can get your heart rate up, burn blood sugar, and help you lose weight without hurting your knees or other joints.
I researched for you and came to know that cycling not only helps prevent diabetes but stroke, heart attack, depression, obesity, some cancers, and arthritis too. Cycling is mainly an aerobic activity.
You can be cycling into your daily routine by riding to the shops, park, school, or work. You are going to love cycling after knowing that it increases stamina, strength, and aerobic fitness. On the other hand, it can be done at very low intensity, to begin with, and can be built up to a demanding physical workout.
Benefits of cycling;
Let me tell you some benefits of cycling;
- Low impact
- A good muscle workout
- Easy exercise
- As intense as you want
- A fun way to get fit
- Time-efficient
Health benefits of regular cycling
Here, I have gathered some benefits of regular cycling by doing thorough research;
- Your heart, blood vessels, all get a workout
- You breathe deeper and perspire
- You experience an increased body temperature
- It improves your overall fitness level
3. Swimming
I researched a lot to provide you with joint-friendly exercise options. Swimming, water aerobics, aqua jogging, and other aquatic (Water related) activities can give your heart, lungs, and muscles a workout while putting little stress on your joints. It also helps prevent diabetes as it burns calories too.
According to the National Library of Medicine, aquatic exercise can help lower blood sugar levels as land-based exercise does. Similarly, hitting the water is also good for your heart. It might help you lower your cholesterol and burn serious calories.
Similarly, when you exercise regularly, your sugar levels and your weight remain managed. It reduces the risk of heart attack, and cardiovascular. You will love to exercise as it promotes overall health and fitness.
According to the Obesity Action Coalition, people who are obese are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. So I highly suggest you lose weight and manage balance with the help of exercise.
A study published in March 2017 in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health says that exercise helps reduce depressive symptoms in adults.
When a lifeguard is on duty, let him know you have diabetes and start swimming. it doesn’t put pressure on your joints. “Being buoyed by the water is less stressful on your body compared to walking or jogging” Colberg says.
4. Weightlifting
When you work out regularly and perform physical activities, I am pretty sure that it helps prevent diabetes. You must know that when you exercise, the insulin sensitivity of your cells increases. As a result, less insulin is required to keep your blood sugar levels under control.
One thing that must be clear to you is that weightlifting and other strengthening activities are going to help you to build your muscle mass. It will also lead to an increase in the number of calories you burn each day.
If you want to incorporate weightlifting into your weekly exercise routine, you can use;
- Weight machines
- Free weights
- Heavy household objects (canned goods)
You can also do;
- Push-ups
- Sit-ups
- Squats
- Lunges
According to The American Diabetes Association (ADA), you should get at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week. It will help you to burn calories fast and lower your blood sugar.
There is no need to think that weights are the only tool that you can use to strengthen your muscles. You can also use resistance bands for strengthening activities.
To learn the use of resistance bands in your workouts, speak with a professional trainer, take a resistance band class, or watch a resistance band workout video.
According to a study published in the Canadian Journal of Diabetes, To increase your strength, exercising with resistance bands may provide modest benefits to control your blood sugar.
Strength training
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), it’s also important to do at least two sessions of strength training each week. It may also help to improve your blood sugar control. Strength training can lower your blood sugar and help to make your muscles and bones stronger.
Furthermore, if you lose muscle mass, you have a lot harder time maintaining your blood sugar. “I can’t say enough about the benefits of weight training, not just for people with diabetes but for everyone,” Colberg says.
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5. Yoga
You would love to know that Yoga will not only help you to prevent diabetes and manage your blood sugar but also manage your cholesterol levels, and weight too. It might also help lower your blood pressure, improve the quality of your sleep, boost your mood, and charge you up.
Don’t get late and sign up for a class at a local studio or gym right now. A trained professional can help you learn yoga. He will also teach you how to move from one pose to another, using the proper posture and breathing technique.
Truly, people are getting benefits from yoga for more than 5,000 years as low-impact exercise. It will surely make you stronger and more flexible. Yoga can also help with maintaining balance.
The motions pose, and focus on breathing performed in yoga, may also ease stress and help build muscle. Yoga keeps your blood sugar levels more stable.
“When stress levels go higher, so do your blood sugar levels,” says Colberg. One of the advantages of yoga as an exercise is that you can do it as often as you like. “The more the better”.
Here is an amazing video reinforcing the benefits of exercising to address diabetes:
Importance of Exercise
In a study published in June 2016 in the World Journal of Diabetes, it was noted that only about 40% of people with type 2 diabetes participate in regular physical activity.
A Ph.D. founder of the Diabetes Motion Academy in Santa Barbara, California says that physical activities help in increasing insulin action and keeping.
According to the National Library of Medicine, exercise may help your body fend off illnesses by ramping up immune system activity. So what now? Let’s boost your immune system and manage your blood sugar with exercise to stay healthy.
Final Words
You might not do exercise because of the heavy workload but you should know that exercise is as necessary as food. You might forget to eat sometimes but make sure not to forget to do these The 5 Best Exercises to Help Prevent Diabetes.
If you are a person who has pre-diabetes then don’t worry! Exercise can also help prevent the development of diabetes. So if you follow these exercises, you might help prevent diabetes.
I love to hear back from you. Let me know if you found this article helpful and want me to write on a topic of your choice. Comment below and cheers!
