Regular exercise and healthy eating gives us healthier and happy life. In today’s busy world - life style of an individual determines his future. Poor life style leads to diseases like type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Healthy life style gives us the mental and physical strength to withstand the stresses of modern life. Physical fitness gives us the ability to function effectively throughout your working day, perform your usual activities and still have enough energy left over to handle any extra stresses or emergencies, which may arise.

Three Components of physical fitness:

1. Cardio-respiratory fitness:

The efficiency with which the body delivers oxygen and nutrients needed for muscular activity and transports waste products from the cells. The kinds of exercise that are associated with cardiovascular Workouts are jogging, walking, swimming etc.
Benefits:

• It strengthens the heart
• It boosts the metabolism, burns calories and helps you to lose weight
• It helps reduce stress through the secretion of many happy hormones
• It also increases energy levels.

2. Resistance Training:

It is also referred to as weight lifting, weight training, body building and resistance training. Strength training exercises strengths the muscles of the body. It increases the muscle and bone strength. It is easier to do strength training exercises at home or you can choose a fitness center or in a class. But before starting with these exercises it is best to discuss with your physician and know what kind is good for you.
Benefits:

• It has a positive affect on insulin resistance and metabolism.
• It reduce bone strength deterioration, build bone mass and prevents osteoporosis
• Resistance training increases your basal metabolic rate

3. Flexibility:

The ability to move the joints or any group of joints through an entire, normal range of motion.
Benefits:

• Improved performance, decreased injury risk.
• Reduced muscle soreness
• Improved muscle coordination.

Precautions to be taken during exercise:

• Use proper footwear and check feet daily after exercise
• Avoid exercising in extreme heat or cold.
• Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise.
• Avoid exercise during periods of poor sugar control (blood sugar >300mg/dl).
• Stop exercising if you experience discomforts such as dizziness, chest pain, difficulty breathing, joint or muscle pain and discuss your symptoms with your doctor.
• Always carry a small carbohydrate snack or Glucose tablets as prescribed by your doctors as low blood sugar can occur at any time.
• Always warm up for at least five minutes before exercise and cool down for at least five minutes after exercise.
• Choose an activity that you like and enjoy to do, so that you will stick with your exercise plan regularly. Consistency is important as it helps to keep blood sugar more regular from day to day.
• Always carry a diabetes identification card with you.