Walking: The Best Exercise for Diabetics

Here at The Diabetic Food Addict we know that walking has been described as the best exercise for those just entering the world of physical activity. It is a low impact way to increase your heart rate. This is the key to burning calories and increasing your metabolism.

Stepping up your metabolism is what's needed when your leading a sedentary lifestyle. Laying around surfing the sofa and watching TV means your not burning those extra calories that you're shoving in your face during the Sunday football games.

Walking for beginners will start you out slowly. After all you didn't get in this shape overnight, allow yourself the time for your body to adjust to this new way of life.

One of the best places to start a walking program is your local mall. There are many advantages to walking for exercise at the mall. Some people really get into it, this video shows some seriously devoted mall walkers:

Another choice is walking a set pattern within your community. I live in a gated community with a grid of streets large enough to easily set up a 1 mile course to follow. I drove the course with my car, using the odometer to measure distance and established a 1/2 mile course that has me within a few minutes of home no matter where I am in my walk.

This allows me to make use of short periods of time that come available to walk, and also allows me to return home quickly if something comes up to change my plans.

The whole point is to establish a routine that can be done at a specific time every day. Continuity is the key to making an exercise program work. You can't expect results if you don't put in the time.