Move to beat diabetes: More ways to add exercise to your routine

Most of us hate to kill time but we face countless opportunities during the day to do just that. Be alert for those small moments of down time because they're perfect chances to build some extra exercise into your day.

Exercise works so well at bringing down your blood sugar that you need to make sure it doesn't drop too low. If you're taking insulin you'll want to time your exercising to fit a schedule, but you should also be prepared to deal with hypoglycemia if it occurs.

1. Know the signs. Confusion, shaking, lightheadedness or difficulty speaking all indicate that you should quit exercising immediately.
2. Have a snack handy. When blood sugar is too low, you can quickly bring it back up with a low-fat, high-carb snack, such as 10 jelly beans or 125 mL (1/2 cup) of non-diet soft drink or juice.
3. Use the buddy system. Try to walk or work out with someone who could lend a hand in an emergency.
4. Carry identification. Even if you're just strolling through the neighbourhood, carry ID with your name, address and phone number, along with emergency information such the dosages of your medication or insulin and how to reach your doctor.

Walking belongs at the core of your activity plan. It's an ideal way to get your body moving. Studies find that walking lowers blood sugar even more effectively than other forms of exercise, partly because it engages your muscles for sustained periods of time, which keeps demand for blood glucose high.

Just as important, walking is an easy activity that requires no special skills or equipment. You can do it just about anytime, anywhere. It's true that dedicating yourself to regular walking means that you'll need to make an investment of time, but you'd be surprised how little time it requires.

• Walk five days a week. Your goal is to walk at least five days a week. Impossible? People in one study thought the same thing — until the weight started melting off and exercise became a priority.
• Add five minutes a week. You won't get to that point instantly; one great way is to build up walking time gradually, by adding just five minutes of walking time a week.

There are numerous ways you can add extra activity to your day. To give you an idea of how easy it is to burn calories, and blood sugar, here are some ideas to inspire you to keep moving:

1. 5 minutes of paddling a canoe
2. 9 minutes of brisk walking
3. 10 minutes of swimming the backstroke
4. 12 minutes of playing baseball
5. 13 minutes of washing floors
6. 14 minutes of playing golf
7. 15 minutes of dancing
8. 15 minutes of pushing a lawnmower
9. 16 minutes of table tennis
10. 17 minutes of planting in your garden