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Regular exercise is important for your health, especially if you have diabetes mellitus. Exercise is not just about losing weight. It can also help you increase muscle strength and bone density and reduce body fat and stress. This can help your level of endurance and make you more fit and flexible.

Why should I exercise if I have diabetes?

Exercise has many benefits for people with diabetes. It can:

1. Help lower and control your blood sugar (glucose).
2. Help your body respond better and become more sensitive to the hormone insulin.
3. Reduce how much insulin your body needs.

Lower your risk for heart disease by:

1. Lowering how much "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides you have in your body.
2. Increasing how much "good" cholesterol you have in your body.
3. Lowering your blood pressure.
4. Lowering your blood glucose levels.

What is my activity plan?

Your health care provider or an expert trained in diabetes care (certified diabetes educator) can help you make an activity plan. This plan can help you find the type of exercise that works for you. It may also tell you how often to exercise and for how long. Be sure to:

1. Get at least 150 minutes of medium-intensity or high-intensity exercise each week. This may involve brisk walking, biking, or water aerobics.
2. Do stretching and strengthening exercises at least 2 times a week. This may involve yoga or weight lifting.
3. Spread out your activity over at least 3 days of the week.
4. Get some form of physical activity each day.
5. Do not go more than 2 days in a row without some kind of activity.
6. Avoid being inactive for more than 30 minutes at a time. Take frequent breaks to walk or stretch.
7. Choose activities that you enjoy. Set goals that you know you can accomplish.
8. Start slowly and increase the intensity of your exercise over time.

How do I manage my diabetes during exercise?

1. Monitor your blood glucose
2. Check your blood glucose before and after you exercise.
3. If your blood glucose is 240 mg/dL (13.3 mmol/L) or higher before you exercise, check your urine for ketones. These are chemicals created by the liver. If you have ketones in your urine, do not exercise until your blood glucose returns to normal.
4. If your blood glucose is 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) or lower, eat a snack that has 15–20 grams of carbohydrate in it. Check your blood glucose 15 minutes after the snack to make sure that your level is above 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) before you start to exercise.

Your risk for low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) goes up during and after exercise. Know the symptoms of this condition and how to treat it.

Follow these instructions at home:

1. Keep a carbohydrate snack on hand for use before, during, and after exercise. This can help prevent or treat hypoglycemia.
2. Avoid injecting insulin into parts of your body that are going to be used during exercise. This may include:
3. Your arms, when you are going to play tennis.
4. Your legs, when you are about to go jogging.
5. Keep track of your exercise habits. This can help you and your health care provider watch and adjust your activity plan. Write down:
6. What you eat before and after you exercise.
7. Blood glucose levels before and after you exercise.
8. The type and amount of exercise you do.
9. Talk to your health care provider before you start a new activity. They may need to:
10. Make sure that the activity is safe for you.
11. Adjust your insulin, other medicines, and food that you eat.

Drink water while you exercise. This can stop you from losing too much water (dehydration). It can also prevent problems caused by having a lot of heat in your body (heat stroke).