How much movement actually moves your sugar?

Exercise is the most under-prescribed medicine in diabetes care. Muscle is the largest consumer of glucose in the body, and every time you move, your muscles pull sugar out of the blood — often without needing insulin to do it.

The single highest-value habit is a 10–15 minute walk after your largest meal. Studies consistently show that post-meal walking flattens the glucose spike far better than the same walk at another time of day. If you do nothing else, do this.

Beyond walking, aim for about 150 minutes of moderate activity per week — brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or dancing all count. Spread it across the week rather than saving it all for Sunday.

Resistance training deserves special mention. Two or three sessions a week of simple strength work — even bodyweight squats, wall push-ups, or light dumbbells — builds muscle that improves insulin sensitivity for years. This matters especially after 40, when we naturally lose muscle.

A few safety notes: if you are on insulin or sulphonylureas, carry glucose or a snack in case of lows; check your feet regularly; and if you have eye, kidney, or heart complications, let us design the programme together.

The best exercise is the one you will actually do. Start small, anchor it to an existing habit, and build from there.