If you’re struggling to manage your blood sugar levels despite taking antidiabetic medications, it may be time to evaluate your lifestyle. Are you eating the right kind of food? Are you exercising enough? Lifestyle habits, such as stress management, physical activity, and a balanced diet, are all instrumental in managing Type 2 diabetes. Among these lifestyle factors, some people find regular exercise the most challenging. Not only does regular exercise require discipline, but many people also lack knowledge about which activities are most effective. If you share the same concern, discover 12 practical exercises for Type 2 diabetes to lead a more active lifestyle.
Does Exercise Help Type 2 Diabetes?
Yes, physical activity is a crucial and non-negotiable part of any diabetes treatment plan. According to Harvard Medical School, exercise helps lower HbA1c, or average blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce the risk of developing heart disease, a common comorbidity in patients living with diabetes. It’s important to note that remission and reversal have different medical definitions.
Regular exercise is equally important as a healthy diet in managing chronic disorders. Doctors often advise pairing antidiabetic drugs with moderate-intensity workouts for optimal results.
Can Exercise Reverse Diabetes?
Once you’re diagnosed, no combined medications or lifestyle changes can reverse diabetes, but exercise can help you achieve remission, which, for other people, is similar to reversing the disease. Remission and reversal mean slightly different things.
According to the American Diabetes Association, you can achieve remission if your blood sugar levels stay at a healthy range of 6.5% or below for three months or more without needing medications. Lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and a balanced diet, can help put Type 2 diabetes into a dormant state where symptoms are easily manageable.
Reversal can be a misleading term, especially when used casually in conversations. Its medical meaning is closely associated with curing or eliminating diabetes, which isn’t possible. Even if diabetes can be put into remission, the underlying risk factors, such as insulin resistance or genetic predisposition, may still be present. Because the disease can relapse, it’s not considered fully reversible.
Although exercise can’t realistically reverse diabetes, it can put it into remission, where it doesn’t impact the person’s quality of life. The duration of this remission period depends on your lifestyle strategies, such as the frequency and duration of your workouts.
12 Best Exercises for Type 2 Diabetes
Physical activities are mainly categorized into aerobic, strength, and flexibility and balance exercises. Aerobic or cardio exercises strengthen your heart muscles and lungs. Excellent examples are walking, dancing, swimming, cycling, and sports.
Strength training is a type of exercise that improves your endurance and muscular strength. These include weightlifting, calisthenics, and routines that use resistance bands.
Flexibility and balance exercises help improve your range of motion and develop stability and control while moving. Some great examples include yoga, tai chi, and Pilates.
Below are the 12 best exercises for Type 2 diabetes that you can do to manage your blood sugar levels.
1. Walking
People’s general idea of physical fitness is an hour or more of sweaty workout sessions. This is why walking is often considered the most underrated exercise for Type 2 diabetes, as it doesn’t induce the same level of sweating as running.
A review of randomized controlled trials published in PubMed found that regular walking training can improve glucose control in individuals with Type 2 diabetes. Moreover, it’s beneficial for the heart, lowers blood pressure, and helps regulate body weight. Try this gentle movement activity to strengthen your hamstrings, calves, and glutes and improve your overall well-being.
2. Dancing
Managing diabetes through exercise doesn’t have to be dull. Dancing is one of the most creative workouts for individuals with Type 2 diabetes because it doesn’t feel like a chore. It’s fun, naturally engaging, and expressive, unlike classic workouts that are task-focused and repetitive, often leaving others feeling like it’s torture.
Dancing is also usually set to music, which encourages creative movements. It boosts mood and relieves stress. Whether it’s salsa, ballroom, or Zumba, swaying your hips to an upbeat tune significantly boosts your physical health. When done frequently, dancing can help you lose weight and build muscles. It’s a sustainable exercise for people with diabetes.
3. Swimming
One of the best types of exercise for older adults with Type 2 diabetes is swimming. Working out in the water is not only easy on the joints — which is beneficial for those with arthritis or mobility concerns — but it also combines resistance and cardio training into one physical activity.
A study published in PubMed found that regular swimming sessions, lasting 2 hours three times a week, in individuals over 50 years old with diabetes and hypertension, reduced their pre- and post-test blood glucose levels, body mass index, body fat percentage, lipid profiles, and blood pressure.
Aside from swimming, you can also try water aerobics or water yoga classes for a more enjoyable experience.
4. Cycling
Among the exercise recommendations for Type 2 diabetes, cycling stands out as an excellent choice for those seeking a low-impact activity. With minimal effort, it gets your heart pumping and helps your lungs function more efficiently.
Like swimming, it’s easy on the joints — many older adults do it. The pedaling movements engage the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, making it a good exercise for developing lower-body strength. You can do it in the gym or on a stationary bike at home. For added benefits, consider doing it outdoors, where you can breathe in fresh air, get some sunlight, and enjoy the natural scenery.
5. Sports
While most people pursue them purely for recreation, sports also serve as effective full-body workouts for individuals with Type 2 diabetes. Pickleball, in particular, has become a well-loved sport among older people. A scoping review published in the Human Kinetics Journal revealed that pickleball enhances overall health by improving mental, physical, and social well-being.
In a separate study, researchers examined the health benefits of pickleball in older adults who played the sport three times a week, with each session lasting approximately one hour. After six weeks, they found that the players’ health markers, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and fitness level, had improved.
Besides pickleball, you can try tennis, badminton, or golf. Consult your doctor if you need confirmation that your chosen sport is safe for you. Sports aren’t just fun — they’re a workout you can do to improve your health.
6. Weightlifting
Weightlifting is an excellent exercise for individuals with Type 2 diabetes who want more defined muscles. Lifting kettlebells or barbells helps build muscle, which in turn supports the cells in absorbing more sugar from the bloodstream for storage or energy. The more muscles you have, the better your blood sugar control.
If you decide to integrate this type of exercise, practice safety by consulting your doctor first, especially if you have any pre-existing heart or neuropathic conditions. Follow the general diabetes exercise guidelines, which recommend starting slowly and listening to your body. Lift weights you can comfortably carry and don’t overexert yourself to avoid injuries.
If the gym is your preferred place to work out, try those weights for a few sets or reps to build your muscles.
7. Resistance Bands
Resistance bands come in different types, strengths, and shapes. The most common type is a loop band, which looks like a flat, giant rubber band. Some bands have handles and resemble jump ropes, which are perfect for doing bicep curls. Others are shaped like the number “8” with soft grips.
Resistance bands add an extra challenge to classic diabetes exercises, such as squats, lunges, and chest presses. They come in various colors, each indicating a different resistance level. Yellow bands offer extra light resistance and are the perfect tool for improving your flexibility. Green bands have medium resistance and are ideal for building strength and endurance. Silver or gold bands have the highest resistance and are often used by athletes.
A study published in PubMed found that free weight and resistance band training can improve blood sugar control and lipid profiles in individuals at risk for Type 2 diabetes. Incorporating resistance bands into your daily diabetic workout is an excellent way to build strength.
9. Calisthenics
If you prefer to work out with minimal or no equipment, calisthenics may be the perfect fit for you. Calisthenics is a form of exercise that uses your body weight as resistance to execute various movements and build strength. Some examples include push-ups, jumping jacks, sit-ups, burpees, and planks — routines you’re already familiar with.
Calisthenics gained popularity during the pandemic as an at-home workout option. Since then, people have been practicing it at home or in the gym. It’s considered the best workout for people with diabetes since it’s adaptable. It can be tailored to a person’s current level of strength or mobility. If you decide to do calisthenics at home, make sure to do a few minutes of warm-up exercises, such as knee lifts or half squats, before starting the main routines.
If you’re trapped in a sedentary lifestyle, doing a 60-second calisthenics routine at home can promote an active lifestyle.
10. Yoga
Yoga is a well-loved form of movement by many Americans for good reasons. It’s often one of the exercises recommended for diabetes because it combines movement with meditation, promoting mindfulness and overall well-being.
In a meta-analysis of 13 studies involving 1440 patients with Type 2 diabetes, researchers found that practicing yoga significantly reduced participants’ fasting and postprandial plasma glucose levels. Yoga also lowered total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Yoga is an excellent form of movement therapy to enhance the body-mind connection. It’s also a fantastic form of physical exercise to manage Type 2 diabetes. If you prefer a gentle form of physical activity, consider trying yoga.
11. Tai Chi
Tai chi is a traditional Chinese martial art. Like yoga, it combines meditation, breathing exercises, and physical activity. Tai Chi involves slow, gentle movements that flow together in a sequence. One example is a flowing, stepping forward move with coordinated arm movements. When you look at people who practice Tai Chi, they look like they’re dancing to the slow rhythm of their breath, transitioning to a different pose at every inhalation or exhalation.
Due to its numerous health benefits, many people consider Tai Chi to be the best exercise for managing Type 2 diabetes. The gentle movements and slow shift of weight between the left and right legs help older people improve their balance, reducing their risk of falls.
Aside from that, it has direct effects on glycemic control. In a PubMed study, a researcher found that Tai Chi enhances blood sugar control, lowers blood pressure, and improves lipid profiles. Regular practice also reduces insulin resistance and improves obesity and overall quality of life in people with Type 2 diabetes.
While Tai Chi is one of the best types of exercise for older adults, it’s also adaptable for people of any age.
12. Pilates
Pilates originated as an exercise regimen for dancers to help them recover from injuries. Nowadays, it has become a popular form of exercise, especially among women seeking to increase flexibility by using a reformer.
Joseph Pilates, a German physical education advocate, developed the method while imprisoned. He originally called it “Contrology.” Together with other physical culturists, they taught inmates daily exercise routines focused on the body-mind connection. He refined this exercise system until it became known as the Pilates that people know now.
Pilates shares many similarities with yoga. Its benefits for the body and mind are reasons why it’s one of the exercises recommended for diabetes. The difference is that Pilates emphasizes core strength and flexibility at every controlled pose. Meanwhile, yoga focuses more on balance and flexibility.
While Pilates can be done on a mat, most people prefer to attend classes at a studio where they can use a reformer. This special equipment looks like a sliding bed, pulled by springs and ropes. The springs provide resistance when performing exercises, such as leg circles or lifts.
Like yoga, Pilates offers mental and physical health benefits that can help you manage diabetes.
When Is the Best Time to Exercise for Blood Sugar Control?
Based on a recent study published in Diabetologia, moderate to vigorous exercise in the afternoon or evening can reduce insulin resistance by up to 25% compared to morning activities.
In this study, researchers examined 775 adults to understand how the timing of exercise, sitting time, and physical activity impacts insulin resistance and liver fat. Participants were categorized into three groups based on their preferred exercise timing: those who were most active in the morning (6 a.m. to 12 p.m.), afternoon (12 p.m. to 6 p.m.), and evening (6 p.m. to 12 a.m.). Participants wore sensors to track their physical activity throughout the day.
Researchers discovered that those who mainly exercised in the morning reduced their insulin resistance by 3%, which wasn’t a significant change. Those who were active in the afternoon had 18% lower insulin resistance, while those who exercised in the evening reduced their insulin resistance by 25%.
Timing your exercise may make a difference when managing diabetes, but it’s also essential to consider where it fits into your overall lifestyle. Some people exercise in the morning because it’s the most convenient time for them. With that considered, the effects of exercise can still vary depending on an individual’s health status and daily habits. You can ask your doctor for advice if you want to know when’s the best time for you to exercise.
What Are the Best Types of Exercise for Older Adults With Diabetes?
Older adults generally benefit from gentle, low-impact movement activities, such as yoga, Tai Chi, walking, and water aerobics. They’re mild on the joints and don’t put too much stress on the body, especially for those with mobility concerns.
If you or a loved one is having difficulty deciding which exercise is safe, consult your doctor for advice. You can also work with a physical therapist or a fitness coach to learn routines tailored to your age and overall physical ability.
What Not to Do: Unsuitable Exercises for Type 2 Diabetes
If you have diabetes, you should avoid exercises that are risky and can lead to complications, like joint pain, nerve damage, or heart issues. Some of these include:
A safer approach to fitness is to start with low-impact workouts. If you want to try a new workout, consult your doctor first to ensure it’s safe and to sidestep potential complications.
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How Much Exercise Should You Do if You Have Type 2 Diabetes?
The American Diabetes Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. If you exercise five times a week, this translates to at least 30 minutes per day.
Aiming for at least 150 minutes of physical activity can help manage your weight, strengthen your bones, and increase insulin sensitivity.
Tips to Meet the Exercise Requirement for Type 2 Diabetes
Thirty minutes of daily physical activity may seem like a lot, but there are different strategies to help you meet this exercise threshold. Here are some tips:
The effects of exercise may be slow, but you’ll see some health progress if you stay consistent with them.
Try These Exercises for Type 2 Diabetes
Incorporating one of these 12 exercises for Type 2 diabetes will help keep your blood sugar levels in check. Health experts recommend doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, or 30 minutes for five consecutive days. Switch between aerobics, strength, flexibility, and balance routines to make your fitness training more enjoyable.
People with diabetes should avoid activities that increase their risk of injury, such as high-impact training and heavy weightlifting. Furthermore, they should consult their doctor first before starting any exercise regimen to ensure it’s safe. Learning safety precautions is necessary to prevent potential diabetes complications.
