It’s a new year — a time to start fresh and to set new goals. Determined to drink more water? Itching to be more active? If you’re like many people, your goals might include a renewed focus on maintaining a healthy weight or losing weight. As little as a 5% weight loss can help you better control blood sugar, reduce the risk of heart disease, and boost energy levels and self-esteem.

Setting Your Health Goals

First, it’s important to set healthy and obtainable goals. Your health care provider or a dietitian can help you set these goals. For example, a healthy weight loss is 1 to 2 pounds per week. To achieve these goals, you’ll want to establish your own action plan, including the types of foods to eat, the number of meals each day, and appropriate calorie and carbohydrate levels...

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When chilly winter weather keeps you inside, you still have plenty of options for exercise. Take advantage of the season to strengthen your core muscles. You won't need a lot of fancy (or expensive) gear or equipment.

There are many types of exercises you can do that strengthen your muscles by pitting you against gravity. For instance, Pilates-based exercises require you to use your own weight for resistance and can easily be done at home or wherever you travel. Plus, working out your core throughout the winter will help you maintain your strength and flexibility, so when you return to outdoor activities in the spring, you'll avoid injury...

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Warming up prepares your body for your workout and delivers nutrient-rich blood to the areas about to be exercised. It also warms the muscles and lubricates the joints. By warming up, you not only improve your performance, but you also reduce your risk of injury.

Follow these simple warm-up steps:

1. Start your workout session by doing a light form of exercise, such as walking, for about five to 10 minutes.
2. Then stretch the major muscle groups, including your thighs, buttocks, back, chest, and shoulders.

Cool Down

After your workout spend another five to 10 minutes cooling down to lower your heart rate...

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It always seems easier to set goals than to stick with them. Everyone slips up now and then, but don't let short-term setbacks distract you from long-term success. You can put a few simple strategies in place to make sure little lapses don't keep you from achieving your goals.

Step 1: Identify Your High-Risk Situations

The first step to staying on track is to be proactive and prepared. Make a list of the situations in which you find it hard to keep from sliding back into your old habits. Under what circumstances do you tend to make less healthy food choices, skip meals, or avoid exercise? Being aware of these triggers is the key to managing them successfully...

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For people with type 2 diabetes, exercise is an essential part of their treatment plan. Exercise helps make the body more sensitive to the action of insulin. Additionally, for people who do not have diabetes, regular exercise is thought to help reduce the risk of its occurrence.

Let's take a look at some of the things that happen after exercise that improve the body's ability to use insulin (medically known as improving insulin sensitivity).

• Exercise increases blood flow to the muscles, and increases the blood's ability to transport certain substances.
• The increased blood flow that occurs with exercise increases the ability of muscle tissue to metabolize substances...
  
  

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Getting in shape can be as easy as focusing on one body part at a time. To tone and shape your body, try breaking your workout into these targeted exercises from SparkPeople^®.
Remember to consult with your health care provider before starting or making significant changes to an exercise program.

• The 13 Best Ab Exercises
• Back Extension Exercise
• Bicep Curls
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If you're like most people, you're probably aware that exercise is important for good health, particularly if you have diabetes. Being active each day can help control your weight and manage your blood sugar levels, but it's often difficult to find an exercise routine you can stick with.

Maintaining regular activity is hard when you're just starting out, and it can take about six weeks to truly adopt a new habit. If you've fallen out of practice, take this chance to jump-start your exercise routine. Keep in mind these simple pointers and you'll be on your way to getting your exercise plan up and running for the long term.

Top 10 Ways to Start a Personal Exercise Program

• Start slowly and build up gradually — 15 minutes a day is enough to start with, and it'll get your heart going.
• Wear shoes that fit well, have plenty of room, and are appropriate for the activity.
• Find an exercise partner — you'll be more likely to stick with the routine...
  
  

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For people with diabetes, checking blood sugar levels before exercise is the most essential step in an exercise routine. Lower blood sugar can occur as quickly as two days after beginning a new exercise plan, especially if you exercise vigorously. This is one of the benefits of exercise.

During the first three weeks of a new exercise routine, it’s recommended that you monitor blood sugar more frequently than normal. Keep a log of glucose levels and share the changes with your health care team. Changes to a diabetes care plan might be needed to accommodate the exercise, such as taking fewer pills or adjusting insulin dosage...

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