Three Principles of Scientific Exercise for People with Diabetes

Principle 1: Prioritize aerobic exercise, combined with resistance training and flexibility exercises
Studies have shown that patients who perform combined exercise achieve greater blood glucose reduction than those who do only aerobic or resistance exercise alone. Therefore, exercise routines should not be too limited. Here are practical aerobic and resistance exercises for people with diabetes:
Aerobic exercise:Walking, jogging, cycling, stair climbing, mountain hiking, swimming, ball games, as well as traditional exercises such as Tai Chi, Wu Qin Xi (Five-Animal Exercises), Ba Duan Jin (Eight-Section Brocade), and Yangge dance are all good choices.
Resistance exercise:Bodyweight training, weight equipment training, resistance band exercises, etc.
In addition, although simple stretching exercises do not significantly affect blood glucose levels, they improve joint mobility, enhance flexibility, and prevent falls — so they should not be ignored.
Principle 2: Increase exercise intensity gradually, aiming for moderate to relatively high intensity
Health conditions of people with diabetes vary greatly depending on age, disease duration, complications, comorbidities, medications, and physical activity habits. Therefore, exercise must be done according to one’s ability.Those new to exercise can start with low intensity and gradually increase.
Three simple methods to judge exercise intensity:

Heart rate: Judge by reserve heart rate (reserve heart rate = maximum heart rate − resting heart rate).Maximum heart rate ≈ 220 − age (e.g., 220 − 60 = 160 for a 60-year-old).Resting heart rate is the heart rate when awake and inactive.
    Moderate intensity: heart rate reaches 40%–59% of reserve heart rate
    High intensity: heart rate reaches 60%–89% of reserve heart rate
Perceived exertion:Slightly strenuous but sustainable = moderate intensity;Strenuous but not out of breath = high intensity.
Talk test:Able to talk normally but not sing = moderate intensity;Breathless and unable to speak at a normal pace = high intensity.

Principle 3: Maintain a reasonable exercise frequency and choose appropriate timing
The World Health Organization recommends:

Aerobic exercise: at least 3 times per week
Resistance exercise: same muscle groups trained 2–3 times per week, with at least 1 day rest between sessions
Flexibility exercise: recommended daily

With the same total exercise volume, 1–2 sessions per week can still benefit health, but fewer weekly sessions and overly long single sessions increase injury risk, so regular exercise is preferred.
People with diabetes are advised to exercise about 1 hour after meals, when blood glucose peaks. Exercise at this time helps lower blood glucose and reduces the risk of hypoglycemia.