Home Exercises For The Diabetic

One of the generally accepted ways to manage Type 2 diabetes is through exercise. If you are shy about exercising in public or have money issues in getting a gym membership, then there are other ways that the diabetic can exercise right in their own home to properly manage diabetes.

The following are some of the most effective diabetic exercise tips:

1. Running outside and play. This is not technically being inside your home but what is needed is to burn calories. You can do this with a friend or with the family making them part of your diabetes management regimen and keeping them healthy in a fun way;

2. Taking up an activity. This can be a hobby or some other activity that piques your interest as well as makes your body active. Simple things such as gardening, walking the dog or some other activity. What is essential is bodily activity, thus making stamp collecting, knitting or macrame out of the question;

3. Getting a trampoline. Remember the movie "Big"? That would be a fun way to exercise with a friend and bring out the child in you. This relieves stress after a long day's work to burn excess calories and keep everything light and fun;

4. Getting an Exercise DVD. One of the biggest industries in the 1980's was the home video exercise program and with the improvement of the technology, there are now DVD exercise programs. The exercises have also changed, with many movements in tune with the latest music craze. Try out a few and see what is best to your liking;

5. Doing Household Chores. This would be hitting two birds with one stone. In doing this, you burn calories for your own good. You help manage your diabetes as well as keep your surroundings clean and hygienic for you and your family;

These simple activities can help burn a few calories for you. Another major way that you can exercise at home is through the use of your body or some simple equipment put together to become a workout regimen for you right at your own home.

1. Pushups. This simple exercise is often overlooked. It is both a strength exercise as well as an aerobic exercise. The strength part is the push using the body weight. The aerobic exercise is the repetitive movement and the breathing in each release and push;

2. Jumping Jacks. This is another childhood activity that provides great effect for an aerobic exercise. Not only do they loosen up muscles but elevates the heart rate to burn calories for the individual;

3. Getting a Stationary Bike. This can help relieve the stress on the feet and knees because of the weight while breaking a sweat. While on the bike, the individual can watch TV or even do what is called spinning to mimic the tension of differing terrains;

4. Doing the treadmill. A treadmill is a piece of machinery that simulates walking on the street indoors. Here, the individual is forced to walk a pace and walking can be a good form of exercise for the diabetic;

5. Walking outdoors. Walking around the neighborhood helps in burning calories and managing diabetes. Breathing in the fresh air and breaking a sweat would help in keeping the individual healthy;

There are many exercises that can be done right at home for the diabetic. These simple safe and cheap exercises would help burn calories, increase heart rate and lead the way to proper management of diabetes.

Bobby Castro is the online editor at the Diabetes Forum, where he has published a number of articles about diabetes treatment and many other topics.