Has your doctor told you that you have Type 2 Diabetes? Then you probably already know how important exercise is to your life. But when you say 'I need to exercise', you probably think 'Oh, I don't have the time or energy for that'. Don't worry. That's what we're talking about today. Exercising is not as difficult or serious as you think.
Exercise isn't just about running marathons!
Many people think that exercising means going to the gym and lifting weights or running until you drop. But that's not the truth. Especially if you have diabetes, your main goal should be to control your blood sugar levels. You don't have to do a lot of exercise to do that.
Simply put, even if you move your body a little, that is, even if you make a small movement, it will start to lower your blood sugar levels.
Imagine, instead of sitting in one place all day, you get up and walk around a bit. Even that little thing signals your body's muscles to use sugar. That means exercise isn't something complicated, it's a simple movement .
150 minutes per week: How can we make this easier?
Doctors recommend that adults with diabetes get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. Now you might be thinking, "Wow, 150 minutes!"
But don't worry. This isn't something you have to do all at once, in one day. You have to spread this time out throughout the week.
- Out of 7 days a week, that's a little over 22 minutes a day.
- If you have trouble doing it all at once, you can break it into smaller pieces.
Even if you exercise for just 10 minutes, your body will start to benefit from it. We call these "exercise snacks." Just like we eat a snack when we're hungry, this is about adding up small pieces of exercise throughout the day.
"Workout Snacks" You Can Add to Your Everyday Life
Here are some easy things you can do. You can do one or two of these three times a day.
| "Exercise Snack Idea" | How to do it |
|---|---|
| 10-minute walk | After lunch, take a short walk around the garden or on the road during afternoon tea. |
| Climbing stairs | Use the stairs instead of the elevator when going upstairs at the office, shopping mall, or at home. |
| Not being in one place | If you work in an office, get up every hour to fill your water bottle. Go to the nearest washroom. Walk around instead of sitting while talking on the phone. |
| Doing small chores | When you go to the nearest store to get bread, walk instead of riding a bike or driving. When getting off the bus, get off one stop earlier and walk. |
Let's start small and gradually improve.
Of course, exercise like running and lifting weights is great. But if you've never exercised before, it's not a good idea to start doing things like that all of a sudden. Plus, it's hard, and you might get bored quickly.
The best thing to do is to start with "exercise snacks" like the one above. Walk for 10 minutes three times a day. When that becomes easy for you, gradually increase the time. Do it for 10 minutes, 15 minutes. Increase the speed of your walk a little. As you get used to it, as your strength increases, you will find that you can do a little more.
Most importantly: Before you start any exercise program, talk to your doctor . He or she will explain to you what exercises are safe for your body, your diabetes, and your medications. He or she may also advise you on when to check your blood sugar levels.
So don't be afraid, start small. Add at least one "exercise snack" to your day today. A little movement is a thousand times better for your health than no movement at all.
Take-Home Message
- If you have Type 2 Diabetes, it is essential to exercise for at least 150 minutes per week.
- These 150 minutes don't have to be done all at once. They can be broken down into small 'exercise snacks' of 10-15 minutes each day.
- Start with simple, everyday movements like walking and climbing stairs. There's no need to start with difficult, big exercises.
- Most importantly: Always consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program.
- Start slowly and gradually increase the duration and intensity of your exercise once your body gets used to it.
💬 අදහස් (0)
තවමත් කිසිදු අදහසක් පළ කර නොමැත. ඔබේ අදහස පළමු වරට මෙහි එක් කරන්න.
ඔබේ අදහස එක් කරන්න