Chair Exercises for Women With Diabetes - Strengthening Your Muscles While Sitting

The diagnosis of diabetes can be difficult to hear; however, receiving a diagnosis doesn't mean that you have to stop exercising. If you were active prior to a diagnosis, you can continue many of the same exercises. In fact, exercising can be beneficial in helping maintain blood sugar level and losing weight. Before working out, consult with your medical provider to ensure that exercises are safe for your condition. Older women can achieve a better lifestyle by monitoring blood sugar, taking prescribed medication, and exercising regularly for at least 30 minutes a day. Going to a gym isn't the only way to get exercise. 

There are various techniques that can be done in the comfort of your home. Most don't recognize, but many of the items in your home are acceptable items for working out. Also, exercises can be performed in the kitchen, bathroom, or living room area. "By regularly participating in strength-building exercise, however, muscle tissue and strength can be restored," according to "The BD Diabetes Learning Center: Exercise for Older Adults with Diabetes." 

Several exercises can be done while sitting down. The goal is to increase heart rate and lower blood pressure. Doing regular chair exercises can get the body use to working out and it helps to slowing integrate the techniques. The chair can be placed in the living room, bedroom, or kitchen to perform exercises. While doing exercises, women can use a weight or items around the house such as baskets, bottles, etc to integrate into workout. Also, it can be done individually or with the help of a workout partner. This step can be done 10 times or more if desired. The exercise is intended to strengthen the gluteal muscles. The easiest way to perform buttock strengthening is by maintaining good posture in the chair. 

Begin by squeezing the left and right buttock. While focusing on breathing, squeeze buttock muscles for five seconds and release. The strength of gluteal muscles decrease as women age and become less active. Having weakened buttock muscles can result in poor posture, lower back pain, and difficulty sitting for extended periods of time. The exercise is similar to kegel strengthening because you're tightening the lower muscles. The increased gluteal exercises will help build and increase muscle mass. Start by scheduling in a calendar the time and day you will exercise. The best time of day to exercise is when there is no disturbance. Consult with a medical provider prior exercising to determine that your workout plan is safe.