How to Exercise at Work With Type 2 Diabetes

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1. Walk a Few Laps Around Your Office

To start, take a walk around your office space. If possible, go outside and stroll around your building.

Your walks don’t have to last too long. In one small study, participants who took 3-minute walks every 30 minutes throughout the day lowered their blood sugar by 17.5 percent.

“[Another] study showed that if people went for a short walk after eating, their blood sugar levels rose and fell more gradually, and their insulin levels were more stable,” says Ashley Katzenback, DPT, a physical therapist in private practice in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

2. Take a 10-Minute Walk After Lunch

Walk for 10 minutes right after any meal or snack, says Katzenback. Blood sugar spikes after eating can boost your HbA1C levels, but getting active can lessen those effects.

“If you are unable to walk immediately after, another equally effective option is to walk for 30 minutes, 30 minutes after your meal,” says Katzenback.

3. Take the Scenic Route

As you walk to work from your car, or make a cup of coffee in the break room or visit the toilet, you can add length to each journey. “Park farther away from your building entrance or get off public transportation one stop early if feasible,” says Marko.

Marko also suggests getting off the elevator one floor early and taking the stairs the rest of the way.

If you need to make copies or go to the bathroom, take an extra lap around the office before going back to your desk, says Marko.

4. March in Place at Your Desk

Marching in place or stepping up on a step are great exercise options for small spaces.

If you don’t want to attract attention by doing these at your desk, you can sneak away to a stairwell or even do them in a bathroom stall. On the other hand, you can lead the charge and invite your coworkers to join you in movement breaks.

5. Try Seated Soleus Push-Ups

Seated soleus push-ups (SPUs) sound complicated, but you can do them while you sit at your desk or in a meeting.

Here’s how to do one:

  1. Sit in a chair and place both feet flat on the floor.
  2. Raise your heel, keeping the ball of your foot down.
  3. Relax and lower your heel.
  4. Repeat.
One study review found that doing SPUs after a meal can lower your blood sugar by up to 52 percent.

“The results of the study are really quite remarkable because previously we suspected you needed to walk to stabilize post-meal blood sugar,” says Katzenback. “But this study concluded that simple interventions that can be performed while seated are more than enough to do the trick.”

Katzenback recommends doing three minutes of SPUs every 30 minutes throughout the day.

6. Do Push-Ups Against a Break Room Wall

Standing wall push-ups can be another good way to move at work, says Bogowith.

Here’s how to do these exercises.

  1. Stand facing a wall (a few feet away).
  2. Place your hands against the wall at about chest level.
  3. Lean forward, bending your elbows.
  4. Pause and hold when your head gets close to the wall, keeping your body straight.
  5. Push away from the wall until your arms are straight again.
  6. Repeat as many times as you can.
You can make this exercise easier, if needed, by moving your feet closer to the wall.

Or make it more challenging by leaning against a countertop instead of the wall.

7. Use Mini-Squats in Tight Spaces

Mini-squats work well to strengthen your legs in a small office space, says Bogowith. These modified squats strengthen your core and support the sugar-managing benefits of movement.

To do a mini-squat, follow these steps:

  1. Stand up straight with your feet apart (about shoulder-width).
  2. Bend your knees and move your hips back slightly as if you are about to sit. A mini-squat doesn’t lower your body as far as a traditional squat.
  3. Hold this almost-sitting position while keeping your back straight and tightening your core and thigh muscles.
  4. Rise back up into a standing position.
  5. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
Make sure to keep your knees from pushing out over your toes to avoid injury.

8. Stand Up, Sit Down, Repeat

The simple act of sitting and standing uses muscles.

“Stand up and sit down 5 to 10 times every time you go to use the restroom,” says Marko.

For best results, get in and out of your chair without using your arms.

9. Do Leg Kicks While You Wait

While waiting for coffee to brew, water to boil, or food to cook in the break room, do 20 standing side leg kicks or back leg kicks, says Marko.

Here’s how to do a standing side leg kick.

  1. Stand straight, starting with your feet together.
  2. Place your hands on your hips or use one hand to hold onto a counter or chair.
  3. Lift one leg out to the side as far as you can and hold it there for a few seconds. Your hips should stay in place during this movement.
  4. Lower your leg slowly.
  5. Repeat 8 to 12 times
  6. Switch to the other leg and repeat steps 1 to 5.
Standing back leg kicks follow the same steps, except you lift each leg behind you, instead of to the side.

If you want more ideas for simple exercises to do at the office, ask your healthcare provider for suggestions or a referral to a physical therapist.