For people with type 2 diabetes, exercise and weight management generally help to improve blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood lipids, but it's important to address this early in your diabetic treatment. As type 2 diabetes progresses, there is also a progression from insulin resistance to partial or complete insulin deficiency...and weight loss is less likely to have positive effects on blood sugar, pressure and lipids when there is insulin deficiency.
Glycemic control is always the primary concern for diabetes. Studies that have combined dietary, exercise and lifestyle interventions seem to have the best results. Specifically for diet, reduced energy, fat, and sodium intake with an increase in dietary fiber have the most consistent results improving Hgb A1C. Exercise is especially helpful for maintaining weight after weight loss.
So what's a realistic goal for exercise and weight management? Experts seem to agree that a 5-10% loss of body weight through a combination of dietary, exercise, and lifestyle interventions is best. For people with diabetes, 90-150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week plus resistance or strength training 3 times a week is recommended. Both aerobic and resistance training have been shown to help improve glycemic control. For diabetics who already exercise, slowly increasing the intensity of the exercise may be beneficial. For diabetics who don't currently exercise, it's best to consult a physician prior to starting.
Sources:
Franz MJ, Powers MA, Leontos C, Holzmeister LA, Kulkarni K, Monk A, Wedel N, Gradwell E. The Evidence for Medical Nutrition Therapy for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in Adults. Journal of the American Dietetic Assocation. 2010;110(12):1852-1889.
