Since type two diabetes mostly affects older, overweight people, it is especially important to incorporate an active fitness routine into your lifestyle if you are at risk for developing the disease. Both aerobic exercise and resistance are helpful on their own, but a combination of the two is better for patients with diabetes or who are at risk for the disease.

The Importance of Fitness

A regular fitness routine can actually be a life-saver to people with the disease. The combination of resistance and aerobic exercise is extremely helpful in keep a person fit and controlling the level of glucose in the blood. Exercise also helps to greatly reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke. The resistance part of an exercise routine helps to build muscle, which is vitally important in burning fat and excess glucose. People over 70 years old are recommended to add slightly more resistance to their routines. Resistance certainly helps in posture, balance, and blood sugar control for everyone.

Aerobic exercise is also important in raising the body’s activity level and helping to get the blood flowing. People with diabetes have a number of options when it comes to aerobic exercise, but if the disease has caused problems such as neuropathy in the feet, it is wise to seek your doctor’s advice before beginning a routine. People with bad backs for example, can choose to use a stationary bike. Swimming is one of the best and gentlest ways to get in shape. The water helps to soften the impact of the routine and enables patients with poor circulation or pain to get moving.

Even though a regular routine can help to reduce stress and blood sugar, patients may still need to take insulin either daily or on occasion. Sometimes, blood sugar can go up after exercise as the liver may produce more glucose to compensate for the blood sugar lost in exercise, so you may still need to take medication. However, a regular fitness routine with aerobic exercise and resistance can certainly enable patients to lead longer, healthier lives and to possibly take less medication than before. People who have not yet developed the disease but who are at risk may find their chances significantly decrease after beginning a regular routine.

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