Get fit at home
Working out at home is on the rise! A great first step to moving more, which will help you manage your diabetes. Find out how to get fit at home, for free.
Many people are turning to home workouts because you can fit in your exercise when it suits you, it’s mostly free and it’s so easy to find something you like online or via a fitness app.
Moving more brings many health benefits
Being more active at home can have a positive effect on your insulin sensitivity, which is great news for weight loss and improving your next HbA1c result (blood glucose reading).
It’s well reported that moving more gives us the feel-good factor and more energy as we become fitter.
The British Heart Foundation video below says you don't need fancy gym gear or a lot of space to get active– just a few minutes and a positive attitude. Read our safe not scared page for tips on how to stay safe when exercising.
Below you can click on some workouts you can try at home
Exercise actually makes your insulin more effective. That is, your insulin resistance goes down when you exercise and your cells use the glucose more effectively.
NHS offers gym-free workouts
If you're not as fit as you used to be looking to start off slow is a good idea, for less energetic workouts, try the NHS’s gentle sitting exercises.
There’s also the NHS’s guide to gentle strength exercises, for which you’ll only need a chair to get going, or go for the balance exercises, which combine standing and sitting options.
If you want to improve your general fitness, you could try the NHS’s 10-minute home workouts, which you can do over a week. No equipment is needed and the plan is short enough to fit in with your daily life.
Or take it up a notch with the NHS gym-free workouts that will improve cardio, strength and general fitness.
Exercise tips if you have diabetes
Warm up for 10 minutes and monitor your blood glucose and pressure before, and after exercise, especially if you’re on medicine for blood pressure or diabetes.
Read our safe not scared page for tips on safe exercising.
