Great Exercises for People with Diabetes

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Finding out that you’ve got diabetes as an adult can come as a massive shock. It means making some significant lifestyle changes, monitoring your health and blood sugar levels, taking greater control over your diet, and generally being more aware of your body and what it needs. It can feel as though everything is changing, and many people upon learning of their diagnosis become upset.

This is completely normal, and it’s essential that you take the time to learn more about your condition and what to expect before doing anything drastic. The good news is that with careful eating and strict control over your lifestyle, you can drastically reduce the need for insulin, and live a completely normal life. Some people even manage to control their condition without treatment.

However, to reduce your need for insulin, you need to exercise. Exercise helps you to fight fat, build muscle and boost your metabolism. It helps your body to process foods, and get rid of anything that it doesn’t need. Unfortunately, however, studies show that while 58% of Americans get regular exercise, only 39% of people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

If you’ve got the right diabetic medical supplies, and take good care of yourself, there is absolutely no reason why you can’t exercise regularly. Here are some of the things that you could try.


Walking is probably the most underrated exercise there is. It burns calories, it improves your mood and builds muscle, and it’s easy on your joints and your cardiovascular system. If you haven’t exercised for a long time, regular walks, gradually increasing speed and distance, is an excellent way to start.


Yoga isn’t all about gentle stretches and deep breathing. Practiced correctly, yoga can tone and tighten muscles, boost your circulation, strengthen your core and increase your circulation. It’ll also helps you to relax and get a great night's sleep. One of the fantastic benefits of both yoga and walking is that you can do them as often as you like. You could practice yoga first thing in the morning, and late at night, with a walk during the day and your body would love it.


Swimming is another great exercise for people that are out of practice or worried about their fitness levels. It’s also great if you suffer from injuries, poor circulation, achy joints or a stiff back. While swimming you are getting a great all over workout, but the water is supporting your body and easing your movements.

People with diabetes often have issues with their feet, as a result of reduced blood pressure to their small blood vessels, this can mean that blisters are common, and foot injuries take a long time to heel. Swimming is much better than running or walking in these instances.

Weight Training

People that have a reduced muscle mass have great difficulties controlling their blood sugar. The very best way to boost muscle mass is with weight training. Weight training can also help your cardio performance and strengthen your bones. Start gently, and slowly increase the weight that you lift, making sure you have at least a day off to recover between sessions.


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