If you have diabetes or are at risk for diabetes, it’s crucial to stay physically active. While you may not be able to do a strenuous aerobic exercise, you can start with milder movements. Try starting with chair-based exercises. You can also use cycling or rowing to improve your cardiovascular fitness. In addition to these exercises, you can engage in sports that don’t strain your joints or lower back. Getting coaching from a trained professional can help you build a personalized exercise regimen that you can stick to.
As with all physical activities, it’s important to check your blood sugar levels before, during, and after exercise. Increased activity may result in a lower insulin dose, and some sports may cause rapid blood sugar drops. To prevent this from happening, you should have a pre-exercise snack and carry carbohydrates with you. If you can’t take extra food before exercise, you can always take along extra snacks and carbohydrate foods.
If you can’t find an activity that allows you to dance, try chair dancing. Not only is it good for the body, but the mental work of memorizing dance steps and dance sequences is great for the brain. Dancing also reduces blood sugar levels, increases flexibility, and reduces stress. In addition to dancing, chair dancing incorporates chair support, making it accessible for a wide variety of people. A 150-pound adult can burn about 150 calories within 30 minutes of chair dancing.
