Our bodies were made to MOVE! Unfortunately, in our society today, our way of living is just not conducive to a whole heck of a lot of movement! But there are reasons why we should change this, especially if you are trying to reduce your blood sugar and a1c.
I like to relax just as much as anyone else.. but I also understand the importance of movement and why we function so much better and more efficiently when we are consistent and intentional with moving. You know the saying - “move it or lose it”. It’s for real!
Aside from ALL the major health benefits for diabetics, Here are 5 simple reasons why we should CHANGE this and start exercising, and more specifically, start WALKING NOW!
Sleep! Yup, that’s right, you will sleep better! Have you ever wondered why you struggle falling asleep or staying asleep, or feel you never get the amount of sleep you need? Well many times, we have just not exerted the amount of energy our body needs to exert in order to get into that rest mode our body and mind so desperately need at the end of the day. If you increase your steps, and especially if you make the steps happen outdoors where you can get clean, fresh air, I guarantee this will contribute to a better night's sleep.
It’s EASY! It sure is.. You can walk anywhere and anytime! As I said before, outdoors is definitely preferential, but if you can not get outdoors, walk inside! When my little ones were really little and I lived in the heart of COLD during the winters in MA, I would pack my stroller in the back of my SUV and get my kids to the mall! It is not just for the early morning religious amazing mall walkers, it is for you too! Or maybe you can become one of them! They are so happy and would smile, wave, and engage my kids, playing peekaboo as they walked! They are happy!! And this is a perfect segway for my #3!
It will make you HAPPY! Here’s why… walking increases your blood flow and oxygen to the brain and triggers the release of serotonin and endorphins, which we lovingly refer to as the “feel good hormones”. This is especially true if your walk is not just a Sunday stroll, but an actual brisk, get your heart pumping, kind of walk.. Like pushing a baby and a toddler in a double stroller!
It is effective at bringing your glucose levels down. Here's how that works. When you exercise, your muscles contract, and they use glucose as a source of energy. The glucose that would normally remain in the blood gets absorbed by the muscles, which helps to lower blood sugar.
With the understanding of how exercise impacts glucose, as discussed above, we know that if you are walking consistently for your exercise, then the answer to "Does exercise lower your a1c" is YES!
Start NOW?! Yes! Because we know the answer to "Does exercise lower your a1c" is "yes"...
So…. if walking, being as easy as it is, is going to help with increased sleep, will make you HAPPIER, AND lower your a1c and glucose, why not get started now!? You will not regret it. Trust me! A slogan I live by when it comes to exercise is,, “you will never regret doing it, but you will always regret not doing it”.
And like I said, that is not even listing the multitude of reasons walking is beneficial for your overall health! So let's do this! The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends those living with diabetes to engage in moderate intensity exercise 30 minutes 5 days/wk, such as walking at a brisk pace. Think we can do this?! I do!
Motivated to lower your a1c? But not sure how to make this happen?
If getting outside or driving to a mall is not feasible, let’s face it a lot of us work desk jobs for several hours/week… Well, I recommend you try the Deer Run walking pad. I purchased this a while back and use it on an almost daily basis!
Increasing my daily steps has been a game changer for all the above listed reasons and I can not recommend it enough for those who struggle with finding the time to do a daily walk outside, getting to the gym, or anywhere else. You can literally put it under your desk and get walking!
I purchased it in combination with my very easy to use pop up/standing desk, so that I would have the ability to type and work, all while getting (on average) an additional 3 miles (or approximately 6 thousand steps) in each day.
It feels great and it is the perfect motivation to go that “extra mile” (haha) to get the recommended 10k steps/day as well as eat well and continue the feeling of overall health in making these simple changes.
Knowing it's a "yes" to - does exercise lower your glucose and A1C AND all the other benefits; there’s No Better Time Than The Present to START..
My hope is you will jump on this bandwagon and start to feel the amazing benefits of consistent walking and movement and as a HUGE benefit, watch the positive impact it has on your glucose levels. Hint…. Especially if you make this walk following your largest meal of the day!
Good luck and I can’t wait to hear about your success and increased HAPPINESS!
For more tips on managing your diabetes, BOOK YOUR FREE CALL and talk directly with me.
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About the Author
Hi! I’m Beth, a Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator. I provide diabetes coaching for newly diagnosed people with diabetes and also work with people who have been living with diabetes for some time.
With 1:1 coaching, you will feel Empowered and supported to confidently manage your diabetes effectively - without it contrtoling your life! I can help you make sure that you feel good, stay in optimal health and take care of your well-being at all times.
First call is on me! Let’s talk.
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