3 Guidelines for Diabetes and Exercise

Living with diabetes requires a holistic approach to health, including regular exercise to manage blood sugar levels.  Staying active can also help boost metabolism, energy, and improve your overall sense of wellbeing. 

Here at Limber Arts Pilates and Personal Training, I firmly believe in empowering individuals with diabetes to take charge of their health journey through targeted exercises and mindful practices. In this blog post, I'll explore three essential guidelines for incorporating exercise into your diabetes management plan, without making it feel like a chore or a burden! 

Stress Relief, Mindfulness, and Breathing

Drawing from my multiple decades of experience in yoga, meditation, and breathing practices, I bring a wealth of knowledge to each session and class that I offer specifically in terms of stress relief.  Managing stress is crucial for diabetes management because stress can affect blood sugar levels. Incorporating mindfulness techniques and deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress and improve overall mental well-being. I offer guided sessions at Limber Arts that focus on stress relief, mindfulness, and breathing techniques to help flush out stress hormones from your system.

Aerobic Exercise & Low-Impact Cardio

Aerobic exercise plays a vital role in improving cardiovascular health and increasing insulin sensitivity.  However it’s common for individuals struggling with diabetes to also suffer from joint pain, mobility limitations, and/or a general resistance to exercise, (I call that one being gym-phobic- lol) 

I personally tend to think of diabetes as an imbalance with the metabolic and hormone pathways, both of which can change dramatically with changes in physical activity.  You can think of aerobic exercise as something that will get your heart rate up, will probably have you breaking a sweat, but where you would also be able to carry on a conversation without breathing too heavily or needing to stop talking altogether. 

At Limber Arts I offer small group classes with a maximum of 4 people per group, which is an ideal setting for individuals looking for a safe space to work out while simultaneously building supportive community and connections with like minded people.  Exercise programming is focused on a well balanced program that incorporates elements of mindfulness, aerobic activity, and low impact strength training into every class. 

Strength Training & Muscle Building

Strength training is beneficial for individuals with diabetes because it helps build muscle mass, and your muscles use glucose for energy. This is why strength training has been shown to help improve metabolism, and enhance insulin sensitivity. Studies show that people with type 2 diabetes lose muscle mass and strength quicker than people with normal blood sugar levels.  Loss of strength and muscle mass can lead to mobility issues and functional limitations, such as struggling to go grocery shopping, walk for moderate distances, or perform other daily living tasks. So, while strength training can help increase insulin sensitivity it can also help maintain essential aspects of functional fitness which have a huge impact on quality of life. If that’s not inspiring enough, you’ll also be glad to hear that strength training can help prevent diabetes from developing in the first place! 

Pilates is an excellent form of low impact weight training, and at Limber Arts I incorporate elements of classic weight training to assist with building muscle mass and strength while focusing on

low-impact pactlow-impact impact and functional fitness. I like to say that working out with me feels like a stepping stone between physical therapy and classic strength training! 

Conclusion:

Incorporating exercise into your diabetes management plan is key to maintaining optimal health and well-being. By incorporating stress relief, aerobic exercise, and low-impact strength training into your lifestyle you can empower yourself to live a vibrant and active life without diabetes holding you back. At Limber Arts Pilates and Personal Training, I'm here to support you every step of the way on your health journey.  I offer free consultations which is a great way to ask questions, and see if my services are a good fit for you.  

Schedule your free consultation here

Thursday Small Group Class 12:00-1:00 

(specifically designed for individuals with diabetes, chronic conditions, or high stress/fatigue)

Start your journey today!