I know! Most of us hate the word exercise, let alone the
actual activity involved. Well, get over it! Once we've
allowed ourselves to become diabetic, we no longer have a
choice. We must exercise!
Yes, you read that right. I really did say, "Once we've
allowed ourselves to become diabetic." I'm talking to us
Type 2 diabetics on that one, you Type 1s don't have to
accept that remark. Now before you get all mad, have steam
coming out your ears and start sputtering, "Who does she
think she is, telling me I'm responsible for the fact I
became diabetic," hear me out. Did you know you had
diabetes in your family history? Did a doctor ever tell
you to lose weight? Did a doctor ever tell you to change
your diet or lifestyle? Did a doctor ever tell you to get
more exercise (there's that dirty word again)? Did you
gorge on sweets and/or carbs? You get the point. But
there is a diabetic prescription: EXERCISE!
We helped to create this problem in our bodies, now we have
to take our medicines. And that doesn't stop with pills
and shots. Just consider exercise another of the medicines
we have to take. I read somewhere that exercise is the
diabetes treatment almost everyone can benefit from. I
backed up, read that again and the light bulb came on. I
got it! Exercise is another of our treatments and we need
to think of it as such. It's not something we know we
should do, something we might get around to someday, but
something we have to do just as we have to take our other
prescriptions the doctor gives us.
We don't, however, have to go out and join a gym or buy
expensive equipment. Of course you can if you want to and
it is a good thing to do, but it isn't necessary. We can
work exercise into our everyday lives! We Americans have
become very lazy as a whole. This is often caused by some
terrific technological advances and inventions. But we
can't use that as an excuse. Following are some easy ways
to get started adding more exercise into your everyday
routine. Give them a try. After all it is YOUR life that
matters.
1. Hide the remote controls; they make it too easy to be
lazy. This includes the garage door remote. Getting in
and out of the car to open the garage door is good exercise.
2. Carry your groceries from the car to the kitchen one bag
at a time. More steps and lifting; more exercise.
3. Instead of stacking things by the stairs to avoid extra
trips up and down, make the trips. Stairs are a great way
to get exercise.
4. Push the kids or grandkids on the swings. Play frisbee
with them, etc. Quality time with the children is an added
benefit.
5. Go for a walk. Start with a short walk and work your
way up to several blocks or 30-40 minutes. If the weather
is bad, go to the local mall and walk.
6. Walk around while talking on the phone instead of
plopping down in a comfy chair.
7. Stop driving around the parking lot for ten minutes
trying to get a parking spot next to the entrance. Park
farther away and enjoy the walk.
8. Put items you use often on higher shelves so you do more
stretching and reaching to get them.
9. Housework is an excellent exercise. Vacuum an extra
time per week, etc.
10. Gardening is another wonderful exercise.
I'm sure you can think of other ways to add exercise to
your daily routine. Take that prescription seriously. Do
whatever works for you but do something! Take that
most-hated prescription: EXERCISE!
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For more diabetic information and recipes visit Linda's
website at http://www.diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com
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