Get Active to Prevent T2

Session Focus

Getting active can help you prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

This session we will talk about:

• Some benefits of getting active
• Some ways to get active

You will also make a new action plan!

Tips:

• Try to be a little more active this week.
• Try lots of different activities. You're sure to find at least one that you enjoy.

Teo's Story

Teo is at risk for type 2 diabetes. His doctor urges him to lose 20 pounds and work up to at least 150 minutes of activity each week.

Teo and his wife have five children. The kids all play sports, and he spends a lot of time driving them to events.

Teo also works full-time. On weekends, he works a second, part-time job. When he has some free time, he likes to watch basketball on TV, but he rarely plays it. He spends a lot of time sitting.

Teo finds some ways to get active:

• He walks on the sidelines during his children's sports events.
• He also walks with a friend during his lunch break each day.
• He plays basketball with his kids instead of watching it on TV.
• He takes the stairs instead of the elevator.

Teo gets more active over time. These days, he's active for at least 150 minutes a week. His weight is going down. And his blood sugar is lower. He sleeps better than ever. Plus, he has more energy than he did before he got active.

Ways to Get Active

There are so many great ways to get active. You're sure to find at least one that you enjoy. Here are just a few ideas.

1. After you read six pages of a book, get up and move a little.
2. Dance to your favorite music.
3. Pace the sidelines at your children's or grandchildren's sports
   events.
4. Play actively with your children or pets for 15 to 30 minutes
   a day.
5. Replace Sunday drives with Sunday walks.
6. Run or walk fast when you do errands.
7. Start a new active hobby, such as biking or hiking.
8. Take a walk after dinner with your family or by yourself.
9. Track your steps with a pedometer. Work up to 10,000
   steps or more a day.
10. Walk around whenever you talk on the phone.
11. Walk briskly when you shop.
12. Walk up and down escalators instead of just riding them.
13. Walk your dog each day.
14. When you watch TV, stand up and move during the ads, or
    do chores.

How do you plan to get active?

Are You Ready to Get Active?

Check off any statement that is true for you. If you check off one or more items, make sure to see your healthcare provider BEFORE you get active.

• I am over 50, and I haven't been active in a long time. I am planning to be very active.
• I am pregnant. My healthcare provider hasn't given me the OK to get active.
• I get very out of breath when I am even slightly active.
• I have a health problem or other issue not listed here that might need attention if I get active.
• I have a heart problem. My healthcare provider wants to keep an eye on my activity.
• I have bone or joint problems that make it hard for me to do things like fast walking.
• I have chest pain that started within the last month.
• I tend to pass out or fall down when I get dizzy.
• During or right after a workout, I often have pain or pressure in my neck, left shoulder, or arm.
• My healthcare provider wants me to take medicine for high
• blood pressure or a heart problem.

Be Active, Be Safe

If you get hurt, you may need to take a break from being active. So follow
these tips to work out safely.

1. Ask your healthcare provider if you are ready to be active. (See "Are You Ready to Get Active?")
2. Dress for the activity. Wear the right shoes and clothes. Use safety gear as needed.
3. Drink water before, during, and after your workout, even if you don't feel thirsty.
4. Listen to your body. Slow down or stop if you feel very tired, sick, or faint, or your joints hurt.
5. Mix it up. Do a variety of activities. That way you won't strain any one part of your body.
6. Start small. If you train too hard or too often, you may get hurt. Try to make slow, steady progress over time.
7. Warm up before you work out. Cool down after you work out. Take 5 to 10 minutes for each.
8. Watch out. Take care not to trip or bump into anything.
9. Work with the weather. Work out indoors if it's too hot or too cold. If you get too hot, you may get a headache or a fast heartbeat. You may feel dizzy, sick to your stomach, or faint.
10. Use good form when strength training.

How to Cope With Challenges

It can be challenging to get active. Here are some common challenges and ways to cope with them. Write your own ideas in the column that says "Other Ways to Cope." Check off each idea you try.