People who suffer from diabetes are advised to follow strict diet routine. Along with the diet restriction, it is important for diabetics to do exercise on regular basis. This surely helps in keeping blood sugar levels under control. Moreover, people with diabetes tend to be slightly overweight. These exercises also help in reducing weight effectively. Mentioned below is a 7-minute work out session, which is not only useful for diabetic patients, but also for anyone who wants keep themselves fit. The exercises are short and rapid, but extremely effective:

 

1. Jumping jacks

This is something that we loved doing in elementary school. Stand in a manner that your legs are apart and the hands touch overhead. Now jump. The legs will come back together and the arms will come back to the sides. Adjust the speed of the exercise as per your fitness level. This exercise should be done for minimum 30 seconds. Before starting the next exercise, it is recommended to take 10-second break.

 

 

 

2. Wall sits

For this exercise, you will need to stand with the back to the wall. The feet should be placed hip-width apart from each other and slightly in front. Now lean back to the wall. Start sliding down as if you are sitting on a chair. The knees should finish right above the ankles, bent perfectly at 90 degrees. Try holding this position for minimum 30 seconds.

 

 

 

3. Push-ups

Push-ups are great exercises and have many benefits for overall health. To start the exercise, lie on the floor in a ‘plank’ position. You should face the ground and the feet should be together with the toes tucked inside. The hands should be placed firmly right below the shoulders. Very slowly bend the elbows while lowering the body towards the floor as much as possible. Then, press the back up and move away from the ground. Do this for 30 seconds. If you want to make the pushups easy, try shifting the weight to the knees instead of doing it on the feet.

 

 

 

4. Ab-crunch

Ab-crunches are just excellent for diabetic patients. It is recommended to start from basic crunch exercises. Lie flat on the back on the floor or a mat. The feet should be on the floor and the knees should be bent. Try and tighten the core as much as possible. Press the lower back, into the mat. Try and reach towards the top of the knees. Return to the beginning position by keeping the core tight. Repeat it for 30 seconds.

 

 

5. Step-up

For this exercise, you will need a bench or a sturdy chair. Stand facing to this piece of furniture. Step up on the bench or chair with one leg and get up on it with both legs. Step back down by bringing one leg down at a time. Repeat the exercise with the other leg. Try doing this fast within 30 seconds. You will feel the heart pumping fast with the rapid movements.

 

6. Squats

Squats are excellent exercises. Stand in a manner so that the feet are shoulder width apart. The toes should be in the forward direction. Bend the knees as you start hinging at the hips. The hips should be pushed in backward direction like one does while sitting on a chair. Lower the body as much as you feel comfortable in. The full body weight should be on the heels. Stand back upright and come to beginning position.

 

 

 

7. High knees

For about 30 seconds, run by standing in one place. The knees should be brought as high as possible with each single step. The knees should be lifted up and down rapidly. It is best if you can hold your palms out in the front just at waist height. This exercise has shown to have great weight loss and fat loss capabilities – even more than strength training or classic aerobic exercises.

 

All the above mentioned exercises can be done easily at home and no special equipment or training is needed. However, if you are not very confident, you can seek assistance of a professional trainer, who can show you the right ways of doing the exercises.

This 7-minute rigorous work out will give you plenty of cardiovascular work out and weight loss especially fat loss while building good core strength.  This work out program will also help in preventing heart problems and other complications due to diabetes in the future. Make sure that you talk to your doctor to see if you are fit enough to do these exercises before you start. All the best!