Obese diabetic patients have a more difficult time exercising.
According to a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a third of U.S. adults are obese. Exercise is a proven method for decreasing body fat; however, very large people have difficulty implementing many traditional methods of exercise. Add to this equation the health complications related to being diabetic and the ability to exercise regularly decreases further. However, there are some exercise plans that can be safely and routinely followed by obese diabetics.
Muscle Control Exercises
The relationship between obesity, diabetes and lack of exercise is a vicious cycle that feeds off of itself. Diabetics have a harder time quickly contracting muscles, and obese people have a more limited mobility because of their size. These two circumstances make it more difficult for obese diabetics to exercise regularly, and the lack of regular exercise causes an increase in weight, which leads to a worsening of the diabetic condition. To properly combat the situation, obese diabetics can benefit from training with programs that specifically target muscle control and strength. These programs include weight training, tai chi, pilates and physical therapy sessions.
Walking
Regardless of health issues, one of the best ways to maintain daily exercise is walking. Most people have the ability to walk, and walking increases the heart rate and burns calories. Even if you cannot walk very far, beginning a walking program by making it as far as you possibly can and then building on that initiative is a considerable step. Try walking to the end of the street for three days. For the next three days, walk around the block once. Move up to walking around the block twice. Keep building on your program until you can walk for 30 minutes every day. According to the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, this type of aerobic exercise can help type II diabetics by decreasing insulin sensitivity.
Bedridden Exercises
Unfortunately, some morbidly obese patients and some very ill type II diabetes patients have such a difficult time walking that they are bedridden. For these patients, the first step to implementing an exercise program is to consult a physician or specialized personal trainer who can direct you in more negotiable ways of exercising. For these people, getting started may be as simple as turning on some music and dancing in bed. Using hand weights to strengthen the arm muscles also aids heart health. Finally, any movement you can do repetitively like sitting up, leg lifts, waist bends or arm stretches can help build enough strength in these muscles to get you out of bed and walking.
