by Caitlin H,
Nov 27, 2023
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Type 2 diabetes happens when too much sugar in the bloodstream disrupts the body’s ability to process it correctly, leading to immune, nervous, and circulatory conditions like heart disease, nerve damage, eye and hearing impairments, skin conditions, sleep apnea, and long healing times.
If you are living with Type 2 diabetes, there’s a good chance you know how critical a healthy lifestyle is to manage the condition.
A Nutritional, Healthy Diet
Eating a balanced, well-rounded diet is one of the most important ways to manage the condition. Several studies point to how a poor diet consisting of refined sugars and unhealthy fats is directly correlated with a significant rise in people with Type 2 diabetes.
Unfortunately, getting proper nutrition can be challenging, particularly since your diet is likely one of the factors that led to your Type 2 diagnosis. Thankfully, Diet-to-Go can help with the eating part! Our Balance-Diabetes menu aims to help you control blood sugar naturally with meals that are:
- Calorie-controlled and nutritionally balanced
- Heart-healthy — controlled for sodium, carbs, fat and cholesterol
In fact, U.S. News & World Report named us on its list of the Best Diabetic Meal Delivery Services for 2023, saying our “Balance-Diabetes plan…is designed for people who have diabetes or prediabetes and are using food to help control their condition. It suits most diabetics and follows the American Diabetes Association’s recommendations.”
If you know you want to eat better but aren’t sure where to begin, many of our customers have found success with losing weight* and managing their diabetes with our meal plans.
Regular Exercise (Particularly in the Afternoon)
Activity is helpful for everyone, but you really need to make it an essential part of your life if you want to manage your Type 2 diabetes better.
While getting 20-30 minutes (or more!) of fitness is a good idea any time of day, you may be among the many people who find it nearly impossible to fit a workout into your busy mornings.
That may be even less of a bad thing than you realize. In fact, a recent study published in Diabetes Care found that afternoon exercise elicits the most prominent results for controlling blood glucose levels. In addition, the researchers found that of the 2,400 study participants (people who were considered overweight or obese and had Type 2 diabetes), those who regularly exercised in the afternoon were also more likely to stop having to take their medications.
So, if waking up at the crack of dawn to work out isn’t your particular cup of tea, that’s more than okay. Here are some fun afternoon exercise ideas, the kinds of activities perfect for doing after work or early in the evening:
- Go for an hour-long walk: Choose a different path or park and prioritize going at least four days a week. Making it into a meditation walk has the added benefit of helping you manage stress, another essential lifestyle factor for people with Type 2 diabetes. If you go right after leaving work, you can use the time to miss rush hour!
- Sign up for an evening fitness class: You’ll likely be in good company at any number of evening fitness classes, whether it’s yoga, cycling, dancing, or kickboxing. Most fitness classes tend to be busier in the evenings, allowing you to make new friends and stay motivated!
- Do a water activity: If you live near a lake or reservoir and the weather is suitable for it, things like kayaking, paddle boarding, wake-boarding, canoeing or swimming are an exciting, fun way to get in a fitness session — often without even thinking about it!
- Turn on a YouTube video at home: Whether you just walked in the door after a day at the office or shut down your computer in your home office, a YouTube video workout is an excellent way to unwind and transition from work mode to relaxing mode.
Need more inspiration? You can find many other fitness ideas and insights in the Exercise Tips section of our blog.
When you take steps toward improving your eating and exercise habits, you’ll likely see the effects of your diabetes taper down, too. Be sure to schedule regular checkups with your doctor and learn how to track your A1c levels. You should also manage your stress levels, avoid nicotine products, and limit alcohol.
With a positive mindset and a sprinkle of determination, you can make these high-priority tasks a regular part of your life — and will likely see your health improve as a result!
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Author: Caitlin H
Diet-to-Go Community Manager
Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness.
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