The Greg Parsons Project

People are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at an alarming rate.  And with the rising obesity levels among children, type 2 diabetes is being diagnosed more often in this age group as well.  The main contributing factor to the increase of the disease is obesity caused by terrible eating habits and lack of exercise.  Type 2 diabetes can be largely eliminated just by changing these two things.

When you are overweight, your body experiences more stress as it goes about is daily tasks.  Your pancreas, which produces insulin to regulate your blood sugar levels, is also stressed, resulting in decreased levels of insulin.  When your body does not produce enough insulin, your blood sugar levels can become difficult to regulate.  Uncontrolled blood sugar levels also place stress on the heart, causing a danger of heart disease.

Since type 2 diabetes is largely due to being overweight, sufferers can greatly benefit from increased exercise, since exercise leads to weight loss in many cases.  Getting just thirty minutes of exercise daily can decrease your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

If you already have type 2 diabetes, exercise is beneficial in helping to increase your insulin sensitivity and lowering your risk for developing heart disease.  It does not matter how long you have had type 2 diabetes, you will be happy to know that it is never to late to add exercise to your lifestyle.

The good news is that it is never too late to get moving, and exercise is one of the easiest ways to start controlling your type 2 diabetes. For people with type 2 diabetes in particular, exercise improves insulin sensitivity, lowers the risk of heart disease, and promotes weight loss.

In order to get started with an exercise plan, type 2 diabetes sufferers should first consult with their doctor.  This is to assess your physical fitness and to prescribe a level of exercise that is safe for you.  If you have certain diabetic complications, this will also have an impact on the type of exercise programs that are safest for you.  And if you are taking insulin, it is really important to discuss the prevention of low blood sugar during your workout.

Getting started with an exercise program does not have to be a grand affair.  You can begin with something as simple as adding a daily walk.  Since every little bit helps, you can implement other changes in your lifestyle as well, such as taking the stairs, working in your yard, and parking further away from your destination.

A simple 15 to 30 minutes of daily exercise can make a huge difference in controlling your blood sugar levels and also prevent complications from your diabetes.  You need not waste your money on health club memberships, either, just grab a pair of decent walking shoes and get started.  The main requirement to getting started with exercise is your willingness to lead a life free from type 2 diabetes.

It may seem a bit strange that exercise can help you if you suffer from arthritis.  After all, it hurts you to move those aching and stiff joints.  But just like an old car that runs more smoothly the longer it runs, your body works in the same manner.

Arthritis occurs in the joints of the body.  In the joint areas of your body (where your bones meet), there is layer of cartilage between the bones that enables your joints to function smoothly and without pain.  There is also a lubricating fluid that works in conjunction with the cartilage to help perform this function.  However, when your cartilage wears thin, it causes an inflammation of this fluid, resulting in what we know as the most common form of arthritis – osteoarthritis.

Arthritis is not something that develops overnight.  It develops over the span of your life and is a result of the wear and tear placed on the joints.  Most people will develop some form of arthritis in their lifetime, but you can help prevent the most severe forms with a moderate exercise program.

If you implement a good weight bearing, low impact exercise program to your lifestyle, it can work wonders in helping to prevent the pain of arthritis.  Exercise helps to increase the strength of your muscles, which help to support your joints.  When your muscles are strong and healthy, this decreases the normal wear and tear that you experience in your joints and also helps to maintain flexibility.

Even if you are past the age of 50 and are beginning to suffer the effects of arthritis, you can still benefit from a solid, low impact exercise program.  You just have to move past the notion that you are too old to exercise or that exercise can be harmful at your age.  Nothing is further from the truth.

You can avoid the most debilitating effects of arthritis by losing weight if you are overweight.  All that extra weight that you are carrying around increases the stress on your joints.  Consider this – being just 10 pounds overweight puts an extra 60 pounds of pressure per square inch on your knees when you move.  Now, how do you think that affects the cartilage in your joints?

It is also a good idea to add stretching to your exercise routine, which helps to increase your flexibility while still challenging your muscles.  If you are unsure of how to begin, consult your doctor for the stretching exercises that are the most beneficial for arthritis sufferers.

The most important thing to remember is that exercise is the most important thing that you can implement in your lifestyle to decrease the painful effects of arthritis.  And since walking is considered exercise, there is not an excuse to skip exercise.  If you are suffering from lots of joint pain, you may want to consider an exercise like water aerobics.  But, remember, you cannot experience the positive benefits of exercise if you do not take the first step and get moving.

Once you have gotten used to a schedule, it is hard to charge, even if it means changing for the better.  You become comfortable and content, which is why it may be hard to add exercise to an already busy schedule.  Even if your schedule is not quite so demanding and you have ample time, the next problem is actually finding the motivation to get up and get moving.  But you will be happy to know that you can take baby steps in building your motivation to exercise.

Exercise is definitely not something that someone else can do for you – if it was, most of us would gladly hand off the task to someone else.  For this reason, it is essential that you find the motivation to exercise, but taking those first few steps can be somewhat difficult.

However, since so many people are overweight these days, it is imperative that this trend towards obesity is headed off – exercise can contribute to the cause.  And even if you are not overweight, it does not mean that you are as physically fit as you can possibly be, and you could probably benefit from a little exercise if you are not as active as you should be.

Exercise is good for the mind, body, and soul - so finding the motivation to exercise should be at the top of your priority list.  Did you ever notice how if you are angry, upset, or nervous that a walk helps to calm you?  That is exercise soothing your mind.  Do you not love the way you look and how your clothes seem to fit better when you exercise?  That is exercise reshaping your body, while giving your mood a boost at the same time.  Thinking about the end benefits of exercise is one small step to finding the motivation to exercise on a consistent basis.

It is so easy not to exercise in this age that it makes finding your motivation so much more difficult.  Whereas people tended to walk wherever they wanted to go in the past, automobiles have changed that.  You may even remember the days when you had to leave the couch to change the channel on the television – now you just aim your remote.  The combination of technology and fast food has turned many of us into lazy, overweight, unfit couch potatoes.

However, you should not let this deter you from finding the motivation to exercise.  If you really want the added benefits of exercise, there are steps that you can take.

One key step you can take in finding your motivation to exercise is to develop a goal.  Your goal should be as explicit as possible.  So do not just tell yourself that you want to lose weight.  Make it even more detailed than that.  Set a goal for your weight loss in pounds, and mentally visualize yourself achieving that goal.

Another step to finding the motivation to exercise is finding a partner who can exercise with you.  It has been proven that people who have exercise partners tend to stick with it longer than those who do not.  So find yourself an exercise buddy.

Another thing that can help you stay motivated to exercising is measuring the small gains and benefits of your exercise.  So as long as you are moving towards your goal, remember that you are making progress, though it may not be as quickly as you would like.

Remember, though getting motivated to exercise requires some work on your part, it is not impossible.  Just keep in mind that the end result of your motivation is a much happier and healthy person, which will positively affect your entire life.