The FITT principle for people with diabetes
Exercise is great for anyone. For people with diabetes, it is even more important. Activity can help manage blood sugar and prevent diabetes-related health problems.
Exercise can also help you by:
- Reducing your risk for other conditions
- Helping to manage your weight
- Improving your mood
- Helping you get better sleep
- Improving joint pain and stiffness
We can measure our exercise using the FITT principle. FITT stands for:
- Frequency: How often we exercise in a week
- Intensity: How hard we exercise
- Time: How long we exercise for
- Type: The activity we choose for exercise
All exercise is good for you. But it’s even better when you mix it up. You’ll get the most benefit when you include these three types of exercise:
- Aerobic exercise is activity that raises your heart rate for 10 minutes or longer. This type of exercise requires more oxygen. That’s why it makes you breathe heavier.
- Resistance exercise means moving your body against some weight or force. This type of activity boosts muscle strength.
- Flexibility exercise is also called “stretching.” These movements help keep you limber.
You can use FITT for Aerobic, Resistance, and Flexibility exercises. Here’s what you need to know for each type of activity:
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This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.