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Diabetes Fitness ProgramA safe, fun fitness program for people with diabetes that eases the exercise-related uncertainties and concerns associated with their disease.Incorporating exercise into one’s lifestyle is among the first steps people newly diagnosed with diabetes should consider to help control their condition. But for those who previously led sedentary lives, the prospects of initiating an exercise program can often be intimidating, filled with uncertainties and unfounded fears. To help people with diabetes work through issues associated with starting an exercise regimen, the Wellness Center at Glens Falls Hospital, in conjunction with the Regional Diabetes Center, introduces a new Diabetes Fitness Program that makes exercise safe and fun. Held on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, the Diabetes Fitness Program is a monitored class staffed by Wellness
Center exercise physiologists who can address concerns regarding how much and what types of exercise are appropriate based on a patient’s limitations, avoiding hypoglycemic reactions and preventing sore and tired muscles. After taking a detailed medical history and providing a comprehensive exercise assessment, including a lipid screen, exercise physiologists tailor an ‘exercise prescription’ to fit the person’s goals and safety concerns. Staff monitors blood pressure, heart rate and blood glucose as participants engage in aerobic and resistance training exercises. The Wellness Center also has adaptable exercise equipment to aid participants with certain physical limitations. As Wellness Center coordinator Jodi Brynes discovered in working with the Regional Diabetes Center’s Self-Management Program patients, the biggest hurdle for individuals interested in improving their overall fitness is not having the right equipment at home or the fear to start an exercise program on their own. The Wellness Center program affords these individuals a "safety net until they feel comfortable exercising on their own." In addition, the facility’s friendly, supportive atmosphere helps put people more at ease. The Wellness Center’s aim, added Brynes, is to "provide better control for people with diabetes, and exercise is one way to accomplish this. People with diabetes are at risk for a whole host of other complications, particularly heart disease and stroke. We’d like to help them reduce these risks." The Diabetes Fitness Program meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1 p.m. and costs $6 per session. Program participants must have a physician referral and are eligible for a 10 percent discount should they seek to enroll as a Wellness Center member after completing the program. For more information on the Diabetes Fitness Program, contact Jodi Brynes at 518-926-5939. |
