May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Being more physically active can provide many benefits including: lower blood pressure, decrease heart disease risks, improve energy and mood, help with digestion, improve blood sugar control, control weight, strengthen muscles and bones, lower stress, and help you sleep better. Physical activity can include walking, stretching, yoga, housework, gardening, dancing, swimming, biking, chair exercise, and so much more.
Doing a physical activity once is not too hard. The hard part is making changes in your daily life so that you start moving more and keep moving as part of a daily routine. Try different exercises to find something that you enjoy. You can also obtain a pedometer to determine the number of steps that you are taking each day. The goal is 10,000 steps a day. Start out with your current steps and add to it.
Remember to check with your doctor before starting an exercise program. Then chart your progress by keeping a workout log. Record the activity that you completed each day. You can also record your weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. In a few months go back and determine how much progress you made with your activity and health indicators.
You can try scheduling your workouts in a planner. Schedule which days you will exercise each week. You may decide to walk on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday this week. If you miss a day, reschedule exercise as you would any other appointment.
Exercise can be very social, so having a commitment to meet a friend or family member at a certain place and time will make us more committed to exercise. Ask a friend or family member to help you exercise or have someone exercise with you. Having someone to provide support and encouragement will help you to stay motivated and on track with your exercise.
As a diabetic, exercise can help to improve your blood sugar. If you are interested in learning more about diabetes care, consider the educational opportunities offered by Wayne HealthCare in May. A Free Diabetes Wellness Program “Stress Management” will be discussed on May 12, 2015 at 2pm. Learn how stress can impact blood sugar, and techniques to help with stress management.
Comprehensive Diabetes Classes will be offered on May 4, 11, 18 and 26, 2015 from 1pm to 3pm. The classes will cover a wide range of topics to help you manage your diabetes. The cost to attend is $10 per class or $40 per monthly series. A Prediabetes Class will be offered on March 20, 2015 from 10am to 12am for a cost of $10. Pre-registration is required for these programs.
You can also meet individually with the Certified Diabetes Educator if you prefer. To register for or learn more about a program please call 937-547-5750.
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