How much exercise you really need to manage diabetes

This Week's Tip How much exercise you really need to manage diabetes 150. That's how many minutes of exercise people with type 2 diabetes should accumulate each week, according to a report published in the December 2010 journals Diabetes Care and Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise. That's about 20 minutes per day, and according to the experts who published the paper, moderate—not vigorous—activity still counts, and it can even be broken up into smaller 10-minute bursts that fit more easily into your day. Regular exercise is important for people with diabetes for three key reasons: 1) It helps keep blood glucose levels under control, 2) exercise burns calories and fat, helping you manage your weight—another key factor in diabetes management, and 3) working out regularly protects your heart, lowers your blood pressure and cholesterol, and therefore helps decrease your risk of heart disease and other conditions that are commonly linked to diabetes. You don't have to become a runner or a gym rat to reap these benefits either. One of the easiest ways to start is just to get outside and walk, or simply limit the amount of time you spend sitting each day. Other activities like yard work and gardening count, too. Get Moving: Small Bits of Fitness Add Up More Tips for People with Diabetes   Diabetes Friendly Recipe Healthy Chicken Vegetable Casserole Try this inexpensive and fresh version of a chicken casserole--no need for processed soups or sauces! Get the Recipe See More Lower-Carb Recipes Nutritional Info Servings Per Recipe: 6  Amount Per Serving  Calories: 320.6 Total Fat: 8.9 g Cholesterol: 51.8 mg Sodium: 175.3 mg Total Carbs: 36.1 g   Dietary Fiber: 8.8 g Protein: 27.9 g View full nutritional breakdown of Healthy Chicken Vegetable Casserole by ingredient     From Our Diabetes Community Wash Your Hands Before You Check Your Blood Sugar! (Secrets of Success) points from the wheel (Team Forum) More Secrets of Success... More Forum Posts...       Was this e-mail forwarded to you by a friend? Join the mailing list. Change your e-mail address   You get 1 SparkPoint for reading today's email.   You received this email because you signed up for one of SparkPeople's email newsletters. To unsubscribe please do not reply to this message. Instead, you can use this link to unsubscribe from this newsletter. To remove yourself by postal mail, send a letter or postcard with your email address to: SparkPeople.com, 310 Culvert Street Suite 301, Cincinnati, OH 45202 SparkPeople.com offers general information and is for educational purposes only. sparkpeople.com is not a prescription system and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should consult your health-care provider before starting any nutrition or fitness program, and should consult with your provider about any concerns or questions. © 1999-2014 SparkPeople, All Rights Reserved | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy