We’ve all heard about the benefits of regular exercise as part of overall weight management and good health. When you have diabetes, there’s an additional benefit to all that physical activity: exercise can help you better control your blood sugar levels. Even short periods of physical activity can be beneficial, so you don’t need to start with long workouts to improve your blood sugar control. Here’s a look at the best exercises and how to incorporate more of them into your lifestyle.
Article Highlights
- Exercise helps improve insulin sensitivity and control blood sugar.
- Combine aerobic exercise and strength training for the greatest benefit.
- Aim for at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity each week.
- Short walks after meals can help manage blood sugar levels.
- Learn how to exercise safely and prevent low blood sugar.
First off, how does exercise affect my blood sugar?
Exercise helps control blood sugar levels in two key ways:
- Exercise increases insulin sensitivity so your muscles can better use the insulin that’s available. The effect varies with the type and intensity of activity and can persist for many hours.
- Exercise causes your muscles to contract, which allows your cells to take up glucose for energy, regardless if insulin is available. Aerobic exercise generally lowers blood glucose, while intense exercise or strength training may sometimes cause a temporary rise.
Not only is exercise good for controlling your blood sugar, moderate to high levels of physical activity have been linked to substantially lower rates of mortality in people with diabetes. All the more reason to get moving!
What are the best exercises for blood sugar control?
There are a number of exercises that can help you improve your blood sugar control. Ideally doing a combination of exercises will give you the most benefit. Some of the exercises with the most health benefits include:
- Aerobic exercise: continuous bouts of exercise (e.g., brisk walking, jogging, cycling, hiking, dancing) that elevate your breathing and heart rate. Walking after meals can be a practical way to incorporate activity into the day.
- Resistance (anaerobic) training: brief, repetitive exercises using weights, resistance bands or your own body weight to build muscle strength. Routines should target the major muscle groups in the body.
- Interval training: short bursts of vigorous exercise (e.g., running, cycling) combined with short rest periods of rest up to three minutes in length. Intervals can be adapted to your fitness level; vigorous intervals are not necessary for everyone.
- Aquatic exercise: water activities can have similar health benefits to other exercise—and have the benefit of being easy on the joints for people with conditions such as osteoarthritis. Try brisk water walking or swimming laps.
You don’t need to choose just one type of exercise. Combining aerobic activity with strength training offers complementary benefits for blood sugar management, cardiovascular health and maintaining muscle. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider before starting any exercise regimen to determine what is safe for you. Also, consult a qualified exercise specialist when beginning resistance training to check for proper technique/posture.
What blood glucose range should you target when you exercise?
People with type 1 diabetes, or those with type 2 diabetes using insulin or other medications that cause hypoglycemia, should be aware of their starting blood glucose concentrations, and should also have blood glucose monitoring equipment and snacks if needed to treat hypoglycemia. It is also a good idea to wear or carry some form of diabetes identification.
Blood glucose monitoring needs depend on diabetes type, medications, exercise and individual circumstances. People using continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) can use glucose trends and alerts to help guide decisions, while recognizing that readings may lag behind blood glucose during rapid changes.
Aerobic exercise (e.g. jogging, biking, swimming)
A reasonable starting range for most people doing aerobic exercise lasting up to an hour is 7-10 mmol/L*. People’s response to exercise is variable and depends on the duration and intensity of exercise, the starting blood glucose level, the person’s aerobic fitness level, and the amount of insulin in circulation.
Anaerobic exercise (e.g.lifting weights, yoga, pilates) or high intensity interval training
Anaerobic exercise and a high intensity interval training session can be initiated with a lower starting blood glucose (5–7 mmol/L*) because glucose concentrations tend to remain relatively stable and fall to a lesser extent than with continuous aerobic exercise, or they may rise slightly.
- These are general guidance rather than recommended targets for everyone. Blood glucose targets should always be individualized for your own needs. Check with your diabetes healthcare team before you start a new exercise program to determine your appropriate blood glucose targets.
How do I get the most benefit from the exercise I do?
The FITT Principle (Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type) is a good framework to follow in developing an effective exercise regimen.
Frequency: Set up a regular workout plan so that it can become part of your everyday lifestyle. If you can’t be active every day, exercise at least every other day for optimal blood sugar control. Avoid more than two consecutive days without aerobic exercise where possible. Find more tips on how to make an exercise plan.
Intensity: How hard you work out will determine the benefits. Ideally, you should be exercising at a moderate to high level. Begin slowly and work your way up to a higher intensity level over time. To gauge if you are at moderate intensity, you should be breathing faster than usual while still being able to talk, but not be able to sing comfortably.
Time: How long you work out will depend on the type of workout and your fitness level, which should improve over time. Diabetes Canada recommends doing at least 150 minutes per week of aerobic exercise (over at least three days) and two to three sessions per week of resistance training.
Type: Doing aerobic or resistance exercises will improve blood sugar control. But doing a combination of both will have the most impact. Flexibility and balance activities are useful complements, particularly for older adults. Determine what activities you enjoy best so you’re more apt to incorporate them into your regular workout routine.
Don’t forget, safety first
Always remember to:
- warm up gradually, and cool down and stretch as appropriate. You can find some good warm up and cool down exercises here.
- check your levels before, during and after exercising to see how your body reacts to different activities. Be sure to carry some form of fast-acting carbohydrate with you in case you have to treat low blood sugar quickly. Remember that physical activity can cause delayed hypoglycemia for some people, including hours after a workout.
- wear supportive footwear.
- stop exercising if chest pain, unusual shortness of breath or significant dizziness occurs.
If you do the same exercises regularly, you’ll eventually become in tune with your own blood sugar patterns and can plan accordingly. Find more tips for safely exercising with diabetes.
3-Step Action Plan to Improve Blood Sugar with Exercise
1. Start Moving Today
Take a 5–10-minute walk, ideally after a meal.
2. Build a Weekly Routine
Work toward 150 minutes of aerobic activity and two to three strength-training sessions each week.
3. Make It a Habit
Track your activity and learn how your blood sugar responds so you can exercise safely and consistently.
Making exercise a regular part of your life will have a positive impact on your health—and your blood sugar levels. It’s one of the best things you can do to manage and live well with diabetes.
