Staying Active

Why should I exercise?

To lower blood sugar levels
To help your body use insulin better
To help to lose weight and keep it off
To lower blood pressure
To make the heart and lungs work better
To lower blood fats
To lower stress levels

The American Diabetes Association recommends exercising for at least 150 minutes every week. Doing some exercise every day is ideal. Before and after exercising, it is important to remember to check your blood sugar and to stretch.

Nutrition

Everyone with diabetes should have a meal plan. Your doctor, dietician or diabetes educator can help
you develop a meal plan that works for you. Another aspect of a healthy diet is to use the correct portion sizes. In the U.S., we are constantly eating portions that are extremely larger than recommended. Below are some recommended portion sizes that should be followed to maintain a healthy diet.


Try great diabetic recipes from Diabetic Living

Making Sense of Food Portions

Baseball - a serving (1 cup) of vegetables or fruit Deck of Cards - a serving of meat, fish or poultry Computer mouse - about the size of a medium baked potato Compact Disc - about the size of one pancake serving Cassette Tape - one slice of bread	Golf Ball - a serving (1/4 cup) of dried fruits or nuts. Tennis Ball - a serving (1/2) cup of ice cream. Six Dice - a serving of cheese. Thumb Tip - a serving (one teaspoon) of peanut butter
Sources American Diabetes Association. “Portion Sizes: A Key to Weight Loss.” February 2006. PDF brochure downloaded from www.diabetes.org, accessed 8/7/07. dLife." Weight Management- When Size Matters." September 2008. www.dlife.com.

Staying Active

Why should I exercise?

Nutrition

Making Sense of Food Portions