An Easy Beginner's Workout

To Attain A Chance At
Better Diabetic Health

Even though an easy beginner's workout for the diabetic can be adjusted for whatever your current medical condition is, many people still need the incentive to start that exercise program. So begin by checking with your doctor because they can guide you into a program which is safe, will help you control your blood sugar levels and also help you to maintain a positive attitude.

You must realize any exercise is better than none and most people either lack the time or the motivation to start an easy beginner's workout program. Busy, hectic work schedules, kids in continuous motion, elderly parents which may need additional help, extended family or friend issues which all can cut a chunk out of your available time. All of this adds up to our days are becoming shorter and shorter.

Why Is Exercise So Important

• prevents weight gain and limits food cravings

• decreases your appetite so you end up eating less (thus losing even more weight)

• releases hormones beneficial to your brain which enables you to foresee a better present and future

• helps you to achieve and maintain better glucose control

• helps to reduce or even prevent many chronic disease conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and osteoporosis

• strengthening and toning your major muscle groups leads to a reduction of stiff joints and stiff muscles

Getting Started With Your Easy Beginner's Workout

• Walking done correctly, is one of the easiest. Bring your sneakers to work with you and either eat your brown-bagged lunch while you are walking through the park or walk to the deli itself to pick out something for lunch and enjoy it on the walk back to work in the fresh air and sunshine.

  You have just encouraged higher levels of Vitamin D from sunshine, used up fat and calories, lowered your risk of a heart attack, high blood pressure and diabetes. Plus you have lightened your stress levels by enjoying the sights and sounds of nature, all of this packaged in one day of your easy beginner's workout.

• Pick A Project, Around The House- Housework, gardening, raking leaves, wash and wax the car (with a bucket and by hand of course), clean the garage, build a deck. Whatever your expertise level is and whatever your ambition will allow. Exercise does not have to be jumping jacks or sit-ups. Just the act of moving your arms and legs equates to exercise for your body.

• Plan your vacation around activities for the whole family. Hiking, biking, swimming, beach volleyball, horseback riding, or a "round of golf". Any kind of activity that keeps the entire family, interested, having fun and moving. Your body will thank you for it more than a "dinner and a check" vacation.

OK, all of this sounds fantastic but you are still stuck at the office everyday. For those days, try this:

• Close your office door and get on the floor and do a round of push-ups. You say you have no door or no floor - that's easy. Use any bare wall. Stand 12" away from the wall and start your push-ups against the wall.

• While sitting at your desk, rotate all the major muscle groups (arms, legs, abdomen etc.) by tense the muscles-hold-breathe out. Repeat this 8-10 times
• Stand up and do a few rounds of shadow boxing and deep knee bends. You have just used every major muscle group in your arms and legs.

• Walk up and down the flight of stairs- forget the elevator

• Bring 2 - 1 lb. cans of fruit or veges to work and lift weights at your desk.
  1. First is do a set of rotating arm curls. Hold your two cans at your side, palms in, bend arm at the elbow and raise the cans towards your shoulders, slightly rotating your hands to tap your shoulder with can. Do both arms 10 times.

  2. The shoulder abduction starts by allow both hands with weights to hang at your side, raise your arms straight out,locked elbows until you form a "T" with your shoulders, breathing out on raising. Drop arms back to sides and breathe in. Repeat these 10 times

  3. Shoulder Press is started with your arms at your side, bend your elbows and bring the cans up to your shoulders. With the palms facing in, press the cans straight up into the air above your head and reach high. Hold. Lower the cans by dropping the arms to the two sides into a T-shape and returning the srms to your side. Repeat 10 times, breathe in at starting point, breathe out as arms are lowered to sides.

  4. The front raise starts by holding the tins in front of you touching the thighs, palms in. Raise the left arm, elbow locked, past the shoulder and head until at a 45 degree angle above your head. As the left arm lowers back to the starting position, the right arm goes up to the 45 degree angle above the head causing a scissor-like effect with the raising and lowering of arms. Breathe in as the left goes up, breathe out as the right goes up. Repeat for 10 times each side.

• Raise your leg (foot out in front of you) and lower your foot (back to the floor) while sitting at your desk in your chair

• If you stand at a counter or machine all day, take a walk- in place that is. You get all the benefits of walking without ever leaving your work station.

Remember, any easy beginner's workout does not have to include a difficult and time-consuming structured program. Many of these actions above can be used while watching TV, sitting at the desk or standing in a line. Rotate your selections to prevent boredom.

With time, as you start to see results, exercise may hopefully start becoming more important to you and you may wish to add more activities to your list of things to do. If you can get away from the mind-set that exercise is only for your health- not also for enjoyment- you may find it is common it will become a necessary and important part of your life.

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