How exercise helps prevent or manage type 2 diabetes

You might not think of a walk or strength training as a way to treat or prevent diabetes, but it is!

Exercise is key to preventing and managing type 2 diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), exercise is critical for controlling blood sugar and improving overall health, especially for those with diabetes or prediabetes.

How exercise improves insulin function

Exercise helps lower blood sugar because it improves how insulin works.

As the American Council on Exercise’s health and wellness coaching textbook explains, most insulin resistance happens in your muscles, making it harder for insulin to move sugar into your cells. This gets worse when too much fat builds up around your organs like the liver and pancreas.

Exercise helps lower blood sugar in the short term, but it also has long-term benefits. It makes insulin work better, helping to control blood sugar, manage diabetes, and prevent complications. By living a healthy lifestyle and exercising regularly, many health problems from diabetes can be avoided.

It's empowering to know something as simple as exercise can help prevent or manage type 2 diabetes – and it’s something you can do right now.

Exercise also provides other great benefits. It can:

• improve cholesterol levels
• lower blood pressure
• reduce the risk of heart disease
• help with weight loss
• strengthen muscles and bones
• boost energy
• improve sleep
• enhance mental health
• reduce stress

That’s amazing, isn't it? Seeing how exercise and nutrition changes people’s lives is what drives me to do what I do as a fitness professional and health coach.

Exercises for type 2 diabetes

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends these guidelines for exercise and type 2 diabetes:

• Break up sitting time with short activity sessions to help blood sugar
• Do regular aerobic exercise to manage blood sugar
• Focus on high-intensity resistance exercises for better results than moderate-intensity exercises
• Being active after meals can lower blood sugar

While any exercise may be beneficial, incorporating both aerobic and resistance training provides the best results. Aerobic exercise gets your heart rate up while resistance training builds muscle strength.

Aerobic exercise examples:

• dancing
• hiking
• running
• brisk walking
• bicycling
• aerobics class

Resistance training examples:

• weight lifting
• gym machines
• resistance bands
• bodyweight exercises, such as squats and push-ups

Learn more about effective exercises for fighting diabetes. Talk with your doctor about the best way to manage medication and food intake to maintain the blood sugar levels before, during, and after exercise.

How to fit exercise into your daily life

Consistency is key! Not every workout needs to be intense, but daily movement helps control blood sugar levels and burns calories.

I can tell you from experience that it’s not enough to just say you’re going to work out. Make time for exercise by scheduling it, just like an appointment. Otherwise, it’s unlikely to get done.

Create an exercise schedule that works for you and that you can stick with. Start small if you're new to exercise. The goal is to build a habit, then gradually increase your activity. Aim for the ADA’s recommended exercise guidelines of 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week, and strength training two to three times a week.

As the ADA puts it, “Some is better than none, more is better, and earliest is best” when it comes to exercise and diabetes prevention. Even if you've been inactive, it's never too late to start exercising to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Pick an activity you enjoy. You can even tie it to your daily routine, like walking your dog after breakfast or stopping by the gym on your way home from work.

Start moving, start feeling better

Here’s a convenient way to start exercising: Do it at home with an online exercise class. I’m leading two free online classes, Chair Fit and Wellness in Motion⁠. They're sponsored by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Raleigh location and open to all.

Exercise really does make a difference, and I hear wonderful reports from class members.

“Your class has helped me maintain a healthy weight to lower A1C,” said one of the participants. “As a retiree, the class has helped me mentally and physically.”

Whether it’s taking a class or walking after dinner, why not give exercise a chance and see how it works for you?

Talk to your health care provider about how exercise and diet can help you prevent or manage type 2 diabetes. And check out these diabetes resources to help you stay on top of your treatment.