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Physical Activity and Diabetes
General tips about physical activity

 

Successful weight loss goes hand in hand with regular exercise, but being active doesn’t have to mean a daily trip to the gym or running a marathon. Everyday activities like gardening, walking to the shops and even having sex all count as a form of exercise.

What are the benefits of physical activity?

  • Helps to lower blood sugar and reduce cholesterol

  • Makes heart and lungs work harder

  • Strengthens muscle

  • Increases bone density

  • Increases metabolism

  • Helps to reduce stress

  • Enhances your mood and produces a sense of well-being
  • Gives you more energy
  • Makes you look good
  • Helps you sleep better
  • Tones your muscles
  • Burns up calories, therefore it will help you loose weight
  • Improves your mobility – at any age

 
 
How many minutes activity do I need to do each day?

 

  • Think back to what you did yesterday. It doesn't have to be sport. You can count a brisk walk to the shops, gardening, vigorous housework, dancing... anything that made you breathe more heavily than usual.

    Your aim is to build up to 30 minutes moderate activity a day.

    If you can't manage 30 minutes a day, anything more than what you're doing now is a step in the right direction.

    If you can't manage 30 minutes in one go, two 15-minute sessions are just as good.

    If you're doing 30 minutes a day already, keep it up - and do more if you want to.

    Remember - anything is better than nothing!

How could I start being more active?

  • If you've not been physically active for some time, it's important that you aim to make gentle, steady progress rather than going all out. The best way to start is to carry on with your normal everyday routine, but do things in a way that requires a bit more energy.

    Why not try one or more of the following:

    • Use the stairs instead of the lift or escalator
    • If you use the escalator, walk up instead of standing still
    • For short journeys, walk or cycle instead of going by bus or car
    • Get off the bus or train one stop early and walk the rest of the way
    • Take the dog for a walk or offer to take someone else's dog out!
    • If you're very inactive, start with a five-minute walk each day and increase it by five minutes each week
 
How do I choose the right activity me?

Unless you choose the right activity, chances are you won't keep it up for long. To help you make the right choice, ask yourself the following questions:

 

  • Which activities do you enjoy?
  • What has worked for you in the past?
  • Would it help if you did an activity with your partner/friend/children/grandchildren?
  • Could you develop any activities for the family at weekends or in the evenings?
  • Would it help if you could sign up for a class?
  • Do you prefer to do activities by yourself?

 

 Vary your activities

 

To prevent boredom, you might want to choose a variety of activities. Here are some ideas:

Everyday activities:

 

  • brisk walking (not strolling)
  • walking your children to school
  • cycling

Home activities:

 

  • exercise video or DVD
  • exercise bike
  • gardening – Did you know that 60 minutes of gardening burns more than 300 calories!
  • skipping
  • vigorous housework

 

Sports:

 

  • swimming
  • aerobics
  • dancing
  • jogging
  • gym workouts
  • badminton
  • five-a-side football
  • basketball
  • squash
  • golf

 

Remember, you don't have to be an athlete to take part in sports. Your local leisure centre will have details of how to book courts or fitness sessions.