Diabetic. On Metformin. Not Feeling Active. Starting Water Aerobics. Amount Of Time That Should Be Spent On Exercise?

Posted on Sat, 3 Aug 2013

Question: I am 70 years old, weigh 200 pounds and am 5 feet 1/2 inches tall, and just had my 3 month checkup. I am a diabetic on metformin two pills twice a day and my a1c is 6.4. Am going to start at the YMCA with a Silversneakers membership to do water arobics. I work in an office and a not really active. What would be the amount of time to exercise a week, is it three times a week with 45 minutes or what

Answered by Dr. Dr. Basheer Ahamed (2 hours later)

Hello,

Welcome to XXXXXXX thanks for your query.

Your Diabetic status is under good control.
HbA1c is under good control.

You need to have a cardiac evaluation before entering into this sort of fitness regimen.

If your cardiac status is fine then 45 minutes of brisk walk three times a week is just fine.

So medically tips to follow.

1. check your blood sugar before exercise and take medicines and food accordingly.

2. Warm up and loosen you joints before exercise.

3. Wear protective gears to avoid injuries.

4. Foot care is very important in diabetes. Examine you foot before and after exercise every single time.

5. In the process of exercise start with a milder form and progress as you tolerate.

6. Anytime during if you find difficulty in breathing, dizziness. Stop at the earliest point of experiencing the symptoms and check for any hypoglycemia.

7. carry carbohydrate food stuff, which you may need at times of hypoglycemia.

Hope the answer helps you.
Pleased to answer other queries.

Note: For further follow-up, discuss your blood glucose reports with our diabetologist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar