Smart fitness tips to help manage diabetes
Stay motivated to control your diabetes with these exercise strategies.
Jan, 2026
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You probably know that getting regular exercise can go a long way toward helping control type 2 diabetes—or preventing it in the first place. The trick is finding an exercise plan you can maintain.
For starters, it helps to remember all the great benefits of getting regular exercise: Not only can it help prevent insulin resistance and reduce blood sugar levels, it can also improve your cholesterol levels, lower your blood pressure, and even reduce stress.
Ready to start? Check with your healthcare provider (HCP) to make sure you are clear to kick up your fitness, and then try these six strategies to get moving, stay motivated, and manage your diabetes better than ever.
Written byJameson Kowalczyk.
Medically reviewed byMegan Burke, MD.
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes. Get Active! Last Reviewed: November 3 + 4
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes. Get Active! Last Reviewed: November 3, 2022.
- Saint-Maurice PF, Troiano RP, Bassett DR Jr, et al. Association of Daily Step Count and Step Intensity With Mortality Among US Adults. JAMA. 2020;323(12):1151-1160.
- Kettunen E, Kari T, Frank L. Digital Coaching Motivating Young Elderly People towards Physical Activity. Sustainability. 2022; 14(13):7718.
- Ferguson T, Olds T, Curtis R, et al. Effectiveness of wearable activity trackers to increase physical activity and improve health: a systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Lancet Digit Health. 2022;4(8):e615-e626.
- American Diabetes Association. Stepping Up to Diabetes—The Power of Walking. Accessed April 11, 2023.
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