If you have type 2 diabetes, regular exercise can help you manage your blood sugar levels and weight. It can also help you reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke, reduce cardiovascular risk factors, and promote overall health and well-being.

Exercise can also help prevent diabetes in people with prediabetes. The benefits of exercise don’t always have to do with weight loss. However, the exercise program must be followed consistently to see lasting results.

If you're sedentary and considering starting an exercise program, it's best to check with your doctor first to make sure there aren't any restrictions or special precautions.

It's always a good idea to start gradually and work your way toward your personal goals. Don't know where to start? Here are 5 exercises to help you reach your fitness goals.

1. Walking

You don't need a gym membership or expensive exercise equipment to start exercising. You can begin walking today if you have a supportive pair of shoes and a safe place to walk.

You can reach your recommended minimum goal of aerobic fitness by walking briskly for 30 minutes 5 days a week. Walking helps people with type 2 diabetes lower blood pressure, HbA1c levels, and body mass index.

2. Cycling

Nearly half of the people with type 2 diabetes have arthritis. The 2 conditions share several risk factors, including obesity. Diabetic neuropathy, which occurs when nerves are damaged, can cause joint pain in people with type 2 diabetes, too.

If you have low-level joint pain, consider opting for low-impact exercise. For example, cycling can help you achieve your fitness goals while minimizing common stress.

3. Swimming

Watersports offer another joint-friendly exercise option. For example, swimming, water aerobics, water jogging, and other water-based activities work your heart, lungs, and muscles while putting little stress on your joints. Water exercise can help lower blood sugar levels, just like land-based exercise.

4. Team sports

If you find it difficult to motivate yourself to exercise, joining a recreational sports team might be able to help. The chance to mingle with teammates and your commitment to them may help you find the motivation you need to show up each week.

Many recreational sports provide a good aerobic workout. You can consider trying basketball, soccer, softball, doubles tennis, or ultimate Frisbee.

5. Weightlifting

Lifting weights and other strengthening activities help build muscle mass, which increases the number of calories you burn each day. Strength training may also help improve your blood sugar control.

If you want to incorporate weightlifting into your weekly exercise plan, you can use free weights, free weights, or even heavy household items like canned food or water bottles.

In general, regular exercise can lower blood sugar over time. Activities, such as light walking, cycling, and other low-impact exercises, may help. A combination of diet and exercise can reverse diabetes in some people.

Individuals with early diabetes who had followed a highly regulated 1-year intensive lifestyle, including a low-calorie diet and regular exercise, no longer met the criteria for diabetes.