Diabetic Workout Plan: The Easy Way ⋆

Diabetic Workout Plan

Would you like a low-impact way to ease into exercise? Can you spare a half hour? Of course you can. Well, then we can help you rejuvenate your health, spark your energy, and improve your mood. These are just some of the benefits of this 30-minute home-workout routine. No trips to the gym necessary, and the only fitness trainer you need is you. If you haven’t exercised in a while, our stretching and strengthening plan is the perfect place to start.

And then there’s the diabetes connection. By strengthening and stretching your body, you are training your cells to be more receptive to insulin. Along with a healthy diet, there’s nothing better you can do for your diabetes than to get fit.

You’ve probably read about the benefits of exercise dozens of times. But this time why not really put that knowledge into action? This Take It Easy home routine is simple, fun, habit-forming, and made precisely for people who aren’t currently following a fitness program.

We promise: Pair up this routine with a more active daily lifestyle and you will make a huge contribution toward lowering your blood sugar, losing weight, and possibly getting off your medications. You’ll love how you look and feel. Let’s get started!

PERFECT FOR PEOPLE WHO…

Have not exercised for two years or more
Are overweight or have limited movement
Are recovering from prolonged injury or exercise
Are new to formal fitness plans

THE PLAN

We provide three 30-minute stretch-and-strengthen routines, each focused on a different part of your body. Do the three routines on consecutive days, then take the fourth day off. That means in a week you will do:

Day 1: Upper-body routine
Day 2: Lower-body routine
Day 3: Core-body routine
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Upper-body routine
Day 6: Lower-body routine
Day 7: Core-body routine

THE GUIDELINES

Do strength exercises first, then stretches.
Do the indicated number of sets and reps.
Take no more than 2 minutes of rest between sets.
To improve endurance, shorten rests to less than 30 seconds.
Hold stretches for the times noted—never more than 30 seconds.
Focus on deep, long breathing throughout the routine.
No TV, no eating, and no phone calls during the workout.

DAY 1 & DAY 5 Upper-Body Strength Exercises

Shrug

TONES UPPER BACK, MID BACK, SHOULDERS

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, Hold a dumbbell in each hand and let your arms hang straight down so your hands rest by the side of your thighs, palms facing in.
Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise your shoulders toward your ears as if you were shrugging. Roll your shoulders back as far as comfortably possible. Then return to start.

DO 2 SETS OF 10 Reps.

Water Pitcher Raise

TONES SHOULDERS

Stand with your feet hip-to shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. With your elbows close to your body, bend your arms straight out in front of you 90 degrees, keep your palms facing in. It should look as though you’re holding two water pitchers.
Keeping your hands out in front of you, raise your upper i arms and elbows out to the side. The weights should rotate toward each other as though you were pouring water down in front of you. Pause, and then return to start.

DO 2 SETS OF 10 Reps.

Reverse Raise

TONES TRICEPS

Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, allowing your arms to hang naturally by your sides, palms facing in.
Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise your arms behind you as high as comfortably possible, rotating your palms so they face the ceiling. Pause. Then slowly lower back to start.

DO 2 SETS OF 10 Reps.

Pullover

TONES CHEST, BACK

Lie back on a supportive bed with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Grasp a dumbbell by the ends with both hands. Hold it above your chest, so the weight is above your chest.
Keeping your elbows straight, lower your arms down ward and back over your head as far as comfortably possible. (Don’t arch your back) Pause. Then return to start.

DO 2 SETS OF 10 Reps.

DAY 1 & DAY 5 Upper-Body Stretches

Wall Twist

STRETCHES CHEST SHOULDERS

Stand to the right of a wall. Reach out with your right arm and place your right hand against the wall. Gently turn your torso toward the right, away from your arm, as far as comfort ably possible.

HOLD 15-20 SECONDS, THEN SWITCH SIDES.

Neck Stretch

STRETCHES NECK, UPPER BACK

Sit up straight in a supportive chair. Drop your chin toward your chest. Slowly drop your head toward your right shoulder, trying to touch your ear to your right shoulder as you let your shoulders drop.

HOLD 15-20 SECONDS, RETURN TO CENTER, THEN SWITCH SIDES.

Hand Pull

STRETCHES HAND, WRIST, FOREARMS

Sit straight up in a chair. Extend your right arm, wrist flexed, fingers pointed toward the ceiling. Using your left hand, pull the fingertips on your right hand back toward your body as far as comfortably possible.

HOLD 15-20 SECONDS, THEN SWITCH SIDES.

Back Stretch

STRETCHES UPPER BACK

Stand with your feet hip- to shoulder-width apart. Extend both arms straight in front of you and lace your fingertips together, turning your hands so your palms face away from you. Press your palms away from you, straightening your arms and rounding your back as far as comfortably possible.

HOLD 20-30 SECONDS.

DAY 2 & DAY 6 Lower-Body Strength Exercises

Seated Leg Extension

STRENGTHENS QUADRICEPS

Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Hold on to either side of the chair seat for support. Slowly lift your left leg so it’s straight out in front of you. Pause for 1 to 2 seconds. Then slowly lower your leg. Repeat with the opposite leg. Alternate for a full set to each side.

DO 2 SETS OF 10 REPS WITH EACH LEG.

Standing Leg Curl

STRENGTHENS HAMSTRINGS

Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, facing a wall. Place your hands against the wall for support. Keep your back straight. Slowly bend your right leg at the knee, raising your heel toward your rear until your shin is parallel to the floor. Pause two seconds. Then lower back to the starting position. Complete a full set with one leg before switching to your other leg.

DO 2 SETS OF 10 REPS WITH EACH LEG.

March and Swing

STRENGTHENS LEG, REAR, BACK

Stand with your left hand on your hip, and the other on a tabletop or chair back for support. Lift your left knee until the thigh is parallel to the floor with the foot flexed.
Straighten your left leg, pressing the heel forward and toward the floor as you lean your torso slightly backward.
Return to the knee-lifted position, and then straighten the left leg behind you, leaning your torso forward. That’s one rep.

DO 2 SETS OF 10 REPS WITH EACH LEG.

Tiptoes

STRENGTHENS CALVES

Stand behind a chair with your feet hip-width apart, with one hand planted on the chair for support.
Using your calf muscles, slowly rise up onto your toes as high as comfortably possible. Pause, and then slowly lower your heels back to the floor.

DO 2 SETS OF 10 Reps.

DAY 2 & DAY 6 Lower-Body Stretches

Hamstring Stretch

STRENGTHENS HAMSTRINGS

Lie on your back with your legs bent and both feet flat on the floor. Lift your right leg and raise it toward the ceiling. Clasp your hands around the back of your right thigh and gently pull it toward your chest (use a towel if you can’t reach).

HOLD 20 SECONDS, THEN SWITCH LEGS.

Seated Figure 4

STRETCHES GLUTES, LOWER BACK, HIPS

Sit in a chair with your legs bent, feet flat on the floor. Cross your right ankle over your left knee, so your calf is parallel to the floor, and your right knee is pointing to the right. Keeping your back straight, lean forward from the hips until you feel a stretch deep in your right glut muscle.

HOLD 15-20 SECONDS, THEN SWITCH LEGS.

Seated Calf Stretch

STRETCHES CALVES

Sit on the edge of a chair with your left foot flat on the floor and your right leg extended, foot flexed. Loop a towel around the ball of your right foot, and keeping your back straight gently pull your foot toward you as far as comfortably possible.

HOLD 15-20 SECONDS, THEN SWITCH LEGS.

Knee Drop

STRETCHES GROIN, INNER THIGHS

Lie back on your bed with knees bent and feet flat. Place your hands on the inside of your knees, and gently let your knees fall out and down toward the bed. Then gently press down to deepen the stretch as far as comfortably possible.

HOLD 15 SECONDS, RELAX, THEN REPEAT.

DAY 3 & DAY 7 Core Strength Exercises

Pelvic Tilt

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and hands behind your head, elbows extended out to the sides.
Lift your pelvis up and toward your rib cage, tightening your lower abdominal muscles and gently “pushing” back into the floor. Hold for 2 seconds. Relax and let your pelvis rotate back to its normal position. Repeat the exercise in a slow, controlled manner.

DO 2 SETS OF 10 Reps.

Standing Twist

Stand straight up with your legs hip- to shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell with two hands and extend your arms straight out in front of you, keeping your elbows soft.
Keeping your arms extended, contract your abdominal muscles, and turn your torso to the right as far as comfort ably possible. Pause. Return to start. Repeat to the opposite side. Continue alternating for a full set of reps to each side.

DO 2 SETS OF 10 Reps.

Seated Toe Lift

Sit straight up all the way back in a chair. Place your hands on the sides of the chair seat in front of your hips, or on the arms of the chair. Contract your abdominal muscles, and slowly lift your feet off the floor as far as comfortably possible. Pause. Then lower your feet back to the floor

DO 2 SETS OF 10 Reps.

Navel Pull Sit

Sit in a chair with your hands on your stomach, Contract your abdominal muscles, and pull your navel in toward your spine. Keeping your abs tight, slowly inhale for 4 to 5 seconds, and exhale for 8 to 10 seconds. Relax and repeat.

DO 2 SETS OF 6 Reps.

DAY 3 & DAY 7 Core Stretches

Morning Stretch

Lying on a bed, reach your arms overhead and extend your legs so your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head. Imagine strings are pulling your arms and feet in opposite directions, and try to reach your limbs out as far as you can. Keep your feet flexed.

HOLD FOR 10 SECONDS, RELAX, THEN REPEAT 3 TIMES.

Lying Rotation

Lie on the bed on your right side with your right arm bent and right hand under your head. Bend both legs (you can put a pillow between your knees for added comfort. Extend your I left arm straight in front of you. Then slowly rotate it up I toward your head and all the way around (your torso will naturally roll back, and your palm will flip so it’s facing up, but keep your lower body stable) past your head, behind your back, and & over your hips until its back to the starting position.

SWITCH SIDES AND REPEAT. DO THE SEQUENCE 5 TIMES.

Side Stretch

Sit in a chair (preferably one with no arms), and grasp the back of the seat by your left buttock with your left hand, palm facing your body. Hold on as you gently lean forward and drop your right ear toward your right shoulder.

HOLD 15 SECONDS, THEN REPEAT ON THE OTHER SIDE.

Reach and Bend

Stand up straight with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Gently lean to the left as you reach your right arm up toward the ceiling, curving it slightly overhead, and palm facing down.

HOLD 15 SECONDS, THEN REPEAT TO THE OTHER SIDE.

Diabetic Workout Plan: The Easy Way