5 Easy to Do Exercise for Diabetes at Home

Exercising is known to be essential when it comes to managing your diabetes. Physical activity or atleast moving your body at short intervals is a mandatory requisite when we talk about diabetes management. One of the most glaring contributing factors towards India’s super-rapid rise as a diabetic nation is the sedentary lifestyle of its young and urban population.

Exercising is not about expensive gymming

It goes without saying that keeping your physical body fit is a good step towards fighting complications of diabetes mellitus. Exercising need not be a tedious, boring or mentally exhausting chore that makes you run away in the opposite direction. Physical fitness can be made into fun workouts without shelling a lot of money for gym memberships. 

Feel good while sweating

Not only do exercises or physical workouts keep your muscles and bones healthy but also release neurotransmitters called endorphins that make you feel good. And once you feel happy in your mind and body, life fills with hope and spirit. So isn’t that a win-win situation for your body-mind-spirit?

5 simple at-home exercises to manage your high blood sugar levels:

1. Body movement workouts like Aerobics and Zumba – Having fun while sweating never looked so tempting than matching beats in a vigorous body movement class. Make the most of online aerobics or Zumba classes from the comfort of your home.                                                                                                                                                 
2. Treadmill walk – One hour of brisk walking on the treadmill (no running) burns almost 150-200 Kcal. A one-time investment in a good treadmill can be a good alternative to paying dynamic gym membership fees. To avoid exhaustion, you can break the one-hour session into three 20-minute sessions and reward yourself with some delicious sips of coconut water after every session. Mission health, accomplished!                                            
3. Stationary Cycling – Similar to treadmill, a stationary cycle gives you the independence of working out from home in a much more fun way. Put in some good music and pedal away your health issues.                                     
4. Yoga – Native to the land, Yoga Asanas and breathing techniques like Pranayama and Bandhas are a wholesome and holistic way to manage your diabetes. Not only are these activities known to reduce blood glucose levels and cholesterol levels, they also prove to improve one’s mindfulness, thus positively impacting one’s emotional and mental wellbeing as well.                                                                                                                       
5. Total Body workout – If the above mentioned exercises are not your cup of tea, then you can go for a more inclusive workout option and dedicate your time to full body fitness with an exercise set of stretching and muscle strengthening. However, maintain cautiousness and be absolutely aware of your limitations.

You can include the following exercises in your daily workout routine to keep your musculoskeletal system healthy and strengthened. 

• Two sets of 20 Jumping Jacks
• Two sets of 15 crunches for abdomen strengthening
• Two sets of 15 forward flexes for lower back muscle strengthening
• Two sets of 8 push-ups for pectoral muscle strengthening
• Two sets of 8 sitting/standing hand-weight lifts using dumbbells for shoulder muscle strengthening
• Five minutes of treadmill training or stationary/reclined bicycle
• Three sets of 15 squats for lower limb strengthening

Practice caution

If you have a case of aggravated complications due to diabetes, it is always a good practice to consult your doctor before attempting a new fitness routine. Pay heed to any discomfort that you might feel during physical movement. Always warm up yourself with stretching before going full gusto with vigorous workouts. Keep yourself well ventilated and well hydrated when working out. Practice caution!