Physical activity It’s recommended that everyone should exercise moderately for at least 30 minutes per day, five times a week – not only to manage weight and blood sugar, but also to reduce cardiovascular risk. For some people, this could be high-intensity training, for others, it might be light yoga.
Everybody is different, and the level of physical activity you take on needs to be achievable for your existing level of fitness. Taking on too much too soon can lead to injury or exhaustion. Motivation also tends to be more sustainable with incremental progress.
If you haven’t engaged in physical activity in a long time, start with something light, like a daily walk at a nearby park. Increase distance and pace from week to week so that you keep your pulse up and gradually increase your aerobic fitness. The important thing is to maintain progress. As your fitness improves, so too will your metabolism. To keep improving your health, you should gradually increase the intensity of your physical activity.
Regular physical activity supports a wide range of health benefits in adults across all BMI categories, even without weight loss. Aerobic and resistance exercise can favour the maintenance or improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, mobility, strength, and muscle mass during weight management.
Read more on managing diabetes and obesity:
How to manage diabetes through exercise