5 Ways to Stay Active to Manage Type 2 Diabetes — Without the Gym
Physical activity is key to helping manage blood sugar levels whilst living with diabetes. It also helps maintain or improve good sleep patterns and keep stress levels under control. But that doesn’t mean you have to make the effort to join a gym. Here are five ways to get exercise without a pricey gym membership.
1. Move during work breaks
If your job requires you to spend a lot of time in front of a computer, aka “sitting is the new smoking,” you can adopt a new way to make sure you move during the work day. Why not try the Pomodoro Technique: simply set a timer for 25 minutes, silence your phone, and totally focus on one thing that needs to get done. When the timer goes off, take a 5-minute break. This usually involves going downstairs and waiting for the kettle to boil so you can have another cup of tea. While you wait, either take a brisk walk around the garden (if you have one) or stretch your hamstrings, quads, and calves. If much of your day is spent on computer work, take breaks every half hour or so and move your body. You could do a few yoga poses or run up and down the stairs.
2. Take short walks after meals
You probably think that you simply don’t have time to exercise for 30 minutes every day, the way most doctors recommend. After all, you have a long commute, a demanding job, and so many family commitments. You don’t have a half hour chunk of free time on your calendar anywhere. But did you know that three 10-minute spurts of exercise have just as many health benefits as one 30-minute session? How hard would it be to take a brisk walk for 10 minutes after each meal? And, if you do it with a family member or co-worker, you’re sneaking in some social interaction too. It’s also recognised as a great simple hack for managing blood sugar spikes after a meal.
3. Get out in the garden
Gardening is a lot of physical activity, whether you’re digging, pulling weeds, turning the compost, lifting big bags of mulch, or pushing a lawn mower. Being outside in the sunshine also gives you a boost of vitamin D, which is important for healthy bones and teeth. Take the added step of growing your own vegetables and herbs in your garden — it’s fun, rewarding, and so beneficial for your diet. Consider compromising with some potted plants and herbs if you only have a window box or small patio or balcony. Why not try to getting yourself on a waiting list to obtain an allotment patch. You’d be surprised, you could get one quicker than you think.
4. Try exercise videos
Great sources can be found through YouTube channels, for instance, and a great alternative to the gym. You can start with low-impact aerobics, then move on to more strenuous cardio routines and resistance training. After a while, you could invest in a few (inexpensive) dumbbells. Now a days even the discount retailers like Aldi and Lidl specialise in basic exercise equipment, or 2nd hand through eBay or some of those 2nd hand Apps. Check out our simple “One minute Wonder” exercise videos, delivered by Jon Ship, on our Cuppa Squad website.
5. Go for a hike
If walking around your neighbourhood bores you, look for a local park. Many have walking trails where you can get in some exercise while traipsing through the woods observing wildlife and plants. There are also free walking groups which can be found through community noticeboards or voluntary organisations that signpost via social media or church groups, etc.
A final note
Staying active to help manage your diabetes doesn’t have to be drudgery. Use your imagination and find fun ways to keep moving. The best form of exercise is the exercise you love to do and will do consistently. No gym required.
Extracts taken from Shelby Kinnaird from www.healthline.com