Diabetes is a disease which causes huge distress to those who suffer from it. Diabetes at its most basic level results in an overproduction of insulin and the body begins to not recognize and utilize that insulin as it should, causing diabetes symptoms. If you have this disease, and you still want to stay fit, here are some tips.
1. Counting carbohydrates
To keep fit while suffering from diabetes, carb counting is very important. Carbohydrates are found in lots of healthy foods like fruits and veggies, but they’re also found in not-so-healthy foods too. Keeping track of the carbs you eat every day is crucial to keeping your blood sugar levels on an even keel. Once you become familiar with how many carbs you should be eating per serving size of each food on your menu, it becomes easy to plan out your daily diet so that it fits within the recommended limits for carbohydrate intake. Before you do this, you should take a hba1c blood test for Diabetes and talk to your doctor about allowing you to go on a diet. This is because some people with type 2 diabetes should not go on a diet. It is important to take care of your body and keep it healthy, but also to remember that you have a life outside of diabetes, and you don’t have to hurry to stay fit or thin.2. Abstaining from caffeine
2. Abstaining from caffeine
If you have type 1 diabetes, then abstaining from caffeinated beverages, including coffee, is important. You should talk to your doctor about whether you can drink caffeine beverages and what the best approach might be for you to stay fit while suffering from diabetes. There are many artificial sweeteners that don’t affect blood sugar levels like regular sugar does, so it may be possible to manage your condition by drinking coffee made with one of these sugars instead of natural cane sugar. Instead, you should drink water or sweetened beverages that do not contain caffeine. You might not think that staying hydrated makes much difference in terms of how well your body functions, but it actually plays a huge role in helping cells function properly all over your body, which the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas included.
3. Getting exercise regularly
In order for your body to function properly, you need to move it around a bit. This doesn’t have to mean going out and running five miles or bench pressing 400 pounds at the gym, though that works too if that’s what gets you going. There are lots of ways to get exercise, so take up swimming or yoga or jogging if those activities sound fun to you. You should even consider taking up strength training too because it doesn’t strain the heart as hard as cardio workouts do, which is great for people with type 1 diabetes who are already at risk for cardiovascular issues. If you have type 2 diabetes, then your doctor might recommend that you start exercising regularly because it can help reduce insulin resistance and actually allow your body’s cells to recognize insulin better instead of treating the symptom only.
4. Maintaining a healthy weight
Staying fit while suffering from diabetes isn’t just about exercising, though that is a big part of it. Maintaining a healthy weight also means making sure that you’re eating foods that help your body function as well as it can so that you feel good and look good too. If you don’t do this, then the added strain of exercise on top of unhealthy food will surely make your diabetes worse than ever before. Exercise does not cure diabetes, but it makes staying fit while suffering from diabetes easier by shifting things in your favor for once. It is important to keep blood sugar levels under control and, if possible, below 7%. If you find yourself at 9% or above, then it’s time to go back to counting carbs and planning our meals with healthier whole grain options and less fat and dairy–and more fruits and vegetables, lean meats and beans.
5. Staying well-rested
When you’re tired, it can be harder to manage your condition. If you don’t get enough sleep at night, then you’re probably going to feel sluggish and fatigued the next day that will lead into a downward spiral of bad days as your condition continues to decline. You should try to aim for 7-8 hours of sound sleep per night so that when you wake up in the morning, you can function properly. For some people with type 1 diabetes, this might be difficult because their blood sugar levels go higher when they are sleeping than they do while awake. It is worth it though! With all the added energy that comes from proper rest over an extended amount of time, good things will happen in your life-and your body-that allows you to fit even if suffering from diabetes.
6. Choosing your foods carefully
When you have diabetes, it is important to be very careful about what you eat. Unfortunately, people who are not diabetic-even doctors-don’t always realize that even the smallest amount of sugar can be detrimental for someone with diabetes. The truth is that there is no need to cut out sugars completely. Instead, you should just try to watch the types of sugar that you’re eating and how much of it at once. It’s also important to keep track of your daily carbohydrate intake so that you don’t go over 30g or 50g if you have type 1 diabetes, depending on your weight and activity level. You might think it takes a lot of time to count up all the carbs in some foods, but it really isn’t too hard once you get used to doing it. Keep your doctor informed about your daily activities and what you’re eating so that they can help you make adjustments as necessary to help you become a healthier person overall.
There are a few things that you should keep in mind if you want to stay fit while suffering from diabetes. These include exercising regularly, keeping track of your daily carbohydrate intake, maintaining a healthy weight through proper exercise and good diet, getting enough sleep every night, and making smart choices about what foods you eat. So, if this sounds good to you, then follow the steps above, and you should be well on your way to becoming a healthier person altogether.
