If you live with diabetes, exercising regularly can help you manage your blood sugar levels and weight. It may also help you reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke, reduce cardiovascular risk factors, and promote overall health and well-being.
Exercise can also help prevent the development of diabetes in people who have prediabetes. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) encourages people to get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity per week.
The benefits of exercising are independent of weight loss. However, compliance with an exercise program has to be consistent in order to see lasting results.
If you’re sedentary and considering starting an exercise program, it’s a good idea to consult a doctor first to make sure there are no restrictions or special precautions. It’s always a good idea to start gradually and build up to your personal goal.
A combination of diet and exercise can reverse diabetes in some people. A 2020 study found that 61 percent of participants with early diabetes who underwent a highly regimented 1-year intensive lifestyle that included a low calorie diet and regular exercise no longer met the criteria for diabetes.
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