How should I increase my exercise if I have diabetes?

Increasing physical activity may seem difficult at first, but it's going to get easier, and you'll feel the rewards right away. You'll sleep better, feel better, and eventually even have more energy -- and you might see a drop in your blood sugar readings as well. You may feel more tired than usual at first, but once the training effect kicks in and your body adapts, you'll definitely feel more lively. Choose one or more types of aerobic exercise that you like; it could be walking, jogging, aerobic dance, spinning, salsa dancing, swimming, cycling, or kickboxing. Working out on machines such as treadmills, stationary bikes, rowing machines, and elliptical trainers is a great way to go, too.

Start by putting in as much time as you can comfortably handle -- 15 minutes a session, three sessions a week if you can do it, less if you can't. Each week, add 2 minutes to your workouts until you reach 30 minutes per session; you'll then be meeting the 90-minutes-a-week minimum requirement. Consider getting a workout partner, too; having someone to whom you're accountable can really help keep you on track. If you prefer to count steps to satisfy the aerobic requirement, increase your steps per day, working up to over 6,000 daily.