Regular physical activity and exercise use blood glucose as fuel, which in turn allows for the reduction of blood glucose and resistance of the body to insulin. It likewise reduces blood pressure, boosts heart and emotional health, improves balance, and regulates cholesterol levels.
But when you’re a diabetic, it’s imperative that you observe these safety guidelines whether you’re exercising on your own or following specially designed weight loss systems for women and men.
- Get the go signal from your doctor first. Consult your doctor before starting an exercise regimen. Be as specific as possible when telling your doctor about what you plan to do. Expect to undergo a physical examination or other more specialized tests, such as a heart workup.
- Choose exercises that you enjoy to increase the chances that you’ll stick to your program. In addition, consider working out with a friend or a group to help you stay motivated and committed to working out regularly.
- Modify your exercise moves as needed. While it’s vital that you stick to your exercise routine, you need to know when to modify your activities to avoid overdoing it and injuring yourself. If you’re feeling significant pain or any unusual symptom, stop moving immediately and visit your doctor.
- Consistency is key. Aim to perform similar exercises and be consistent about it. This would help your body better regulate blood glucose levels.
- Set realistic fitness goals. Having personal goals could help you follow your exercise regimen better and hold you accountable for your actions. It’s important to keep your goals in writing and post it somewhere you could see every day to improve your chances of success. This will serve as a reminder that you have a target to hit every day.
Keep track of your blood sugar levels. Ask your doctor when you should check your blood glucose level because recommendations differ depending on what medicines you’re taking and how well-regulated your blood glucose level is.- Don’t forget to hydrate and eat as needed. This applies even if you’re exercising in cold weather. You need to stay sufficiently hydrated while working out and even after working out. It’s likewise crucial to note that you should have a sugary food source handy when exercising, especially if you are at risk for hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Try fruits, juice, honey, table sugar, or sugar tablets.
- Be on the lookout for low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. You need to know how to recognize symptoms of low blood sugar, as these could vary from one individual to another. Common symptoms include sweats, dizziness, confusion, shakiness, and having difficulty talking.
Before you start with your exercise program, you should be familiar with your blood sugar readings so that you know what’s normal and what’s not. If you take oral diabetes medicines or insulin, it’s important that you check your readings before and after working out to determine how exercising impacts you specifically. Otherwise, considering that you do the exercise program prepared by your doctor and you follow these safety precautions, you’re good to go.
