Exercise is one of the best things you can do for diabetes. The benefits are enormous. It can improve your mood and fight depression. It actually makes your body more sensitive to insulin and lowers blood glucose. It also improves cholesterol levels and blood pressure. And you might lose a few pounds to look and feel better, too.
Here’s how to take new steps to increase your physical activity — and how to inject some joy into those steps.
Get a friend
No matter what type of exercise you choose, doing it with someone else is usually the most fun. why? Well, humans are by nature social animals. We love to talk, communicate and share our experiences with others. It combats feelings of isolation – and encourages our engagement with our family, friends, neighbors, and the greater community.
You might choose a friend, co-worker, spouse, or son to be your workout buddy. It all depends on the type of physical activity you choose and whether this person is interested in joining you. Choose someone who is just as interested in exercise as you are – or even more interested in it. This way, when you feel unmotivated or tired, your friend can encourage you to move on. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to join you in a workout.
Schedule a workout with your friend ahead of time. This way, both of you will be on your calendar, and you won’t be likely to give up on your workout because other things come up. Having someone else stick to your exercise goals can be a powerful thing.
Talking to a friend while exercising, whether walking on the treadmill at the gym or taking a brisk walk during lunch breaks, can distract you from the difficulty of exercise. You may get distracted by talking or hearing about someone else’s day and forget that you didn’t feel like exercising in the first place. Hey, this is the time when gossiping is actually a good thing!
play like a kid
There’s a reason kids are the best exercisers: They don’t even think it’s exercise. For kids, playing soccer or climbing to the top of a gym in the woods isn’t a way to burn calories. It’s just fun!
We can all take a lesson from the kids by looking at the exercise through the same rose-colored glasses. Instead of stressing that you don’t have time to go to the gym this week, just ask your children or grandchildren to play. You might be surprised by what they found. You might find yourself on a bike trip – but you might also find yourself throwing a Frisbee, playing duck goose or hide-and-seek. Never underestimate the ability of a good pillow fight to bring infectious smiles to everyone’s faces.
If you don’t have any kids around to bring out your inner child, try to think of your favorite things that you did when you were a kid. Maybe you like swimming, hiking in the woods, or playing ping pong. Don’t look at your watch, just indulge yourself in these fun activities.
start walking
It may sound very simple, but walking is one of the best ways to exercise. why? Because it is very easy for everyone to do. You don’t need a fancy gym or fancy shoes — or even a lot of time. The freedom to walk can be fun because it is available to almost everyone.
Look at your day as a way to incorporate more steps. One way to make it fun (and challenging) is to wear a pedometer or fitness tracker to measure your steps. For example, you might enjoy using Fitbit, but there are also less expensive versions. You might start walking for only 10 minutes a day because you haven’t been doing any physical activity in a while. Or you may be ready to start walking for 30 minutes in the morning before work. The steps between exercises are just as important. You can start walking up the stairs in your apartment building or walking your dog for 5 minutes longer.
Walking for 10 minutes, specifically after eating dinner, can improve your blood sugar level, according to a small study of 41 people with type 2 diabetes published in 2016.
There is an app (or video) for that
Finding fun exercising has never been easier thanks to new mobile apps and online videos. You can stream videos of your exercise classes to your phone, iPad, or computer. For example, you can stream yoga videos, strength training, or even a video of hiking through the desert. But really, the fun of apps and online videos is that you can find any exercise you want.
One of the fun things about the apps and videos is that you don’t have to leave the house in total comfort (yes, leg raises can be done in pajamas). You shouldn’t be embarrassed about your appearance in your exercise equipment, or you don’t know the steps, or you sweat a lot. You may need to take long breaks. Not a problem. Just stop it.
The apps can also track your activity and help you set and reach goals. It can also be fun. You can do it yourself or share with a group of friends to receive alerts about each other’s progress and encourage each other to keep moving.
YouTube, iTunes, and Google Play are overflowing with great workout videos and apps. Find highly rated people who have a lot of views or subscribers. You will have to pay for some of them, but there are also excellent free apps and videos.
Turn up the volume
Whether you prefer Beyoncé’s dance track or Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, music can make your workout more enjoyable. why? Music makes us want to move, whether it’s the rhythm or the emotions it evokes. We can’t help her.
Music can also be a good distraction. Just when you’re tired and sweaty and don’t think you can take another step, your favorite song comes along and – voila! – You drifted too far into the rhythm. You don’t think about stopping anymore, you think about the way Taylor Swift tells you to “get rid of it.”
In a small study from 2017, researchers found that people who practiced music were more positive about interval training than people who exercised without music.
think positively
Have you heard about the power of positive thoughts? Well, it sure looks like a good thing. Research shows that positive thinking can have health benefits, too. For example, a 2013 study showed that people with a family history of heart disease who also had a positive outlook were one-third less likely to develop coronary artery disease than those with a negative outlook.
Next time you think exercise is definitely not fun, try changing your mindset. Instead, think of exercise as a great opportunity. Think how awesome it is that you can still exercise.
Some positive thoughts about your body won’t hurt either. The next time you hear yourself thinking you’re getting fit, overweight, or just can’t, turn the conversation around. Instead, tell yourself that you are doing good things to take care of your body. Tell yourself that your body is strong and capable. It’s much more fun to be good to yourself than to crush yourself.
Volunteer to help someone else
The next time you feel frustrated about a workout, consider volunteering. Helping others is beneficial, of course, but it also has health benefits. A 2013 review of studies in the journal BMC Public Health found that volunteering has positive mental health benefits such as satisfaction, well-being, and depression, although not specifically for physical health.
Volunteer at something that gets you moving, like delivering food to people through Meals on Wheels, working at a local soup kitchen, or maintaining hiking or biking trails in your community. If you really want to get moving, volunteer with Habitat for Humanity to build homes for underserved communities. Go to US Volunteers to find opportunities in your area.
Sign up for a fundraising picnic
Walking for a cause like raising money for diabetes, heart disease, or cancer research can be both fun and rewarding. For one thing, you will have an event that may motivate you to get back in shape or just start walking more regularly. This may be just the incentive you need to start walking at lunch or on the weekends.
You will also meet at the event with people who share your interests and motivations. For example, if you have type 2 diabetes, you will meet many people with the same problems as you at the American Diabetes Association. You can also break the feeling of isolation associated with a chronic condition or caring for someone with a chronic condition. It’s easy to feel lonely, so take the opportunity to meet other people, raise some money (or just get awareness), and get some exercise.
Set realistic and practical goals
Setting realistic and practical goals may not sound like fun. But there’s an upside to this approach: You’re more likely to exercise and lose weight if you set small goals that you can achieve. And nothing is more exciting than walking on that scale and seeing you lose 1 or 2 pounds!