This is the Activity Guide for type 1 diabetes
It teaches you how to use small, repeatable doses of movement to improve glucose control in type 1 diabetes — without needing “proper exercise”, perfect conditions, or heroic motivation.
Activity is the low-risk lever most people underuse. It is often more repeatable than exercise, and repeatability is where glucose management actually improves.
Overview
Activity is everyday movement: walking, light cycling, housework, gardening, commuting, playing with kids. It is not “training”. The point is not fitness. The point is glucose leverage.
Activity works best as an add-on to normal life. You do not need to “be an exercise person”. You need to be a person who can deploy 10–20 minutes of movement when glucose would otherwise be hardest.
The key idea is simple: small movement doses can reduce post-meal spikes, reduce the need for corrections, and improve insulin sensitivity over time. For most people, this is one of the safest ways to get better glucose without increasing risk.
The detail
Activity vs exercise: why this matters
Exercise often requires a full Before–During–After plan because it can destabilise glucose quickly, especially with insulin on board. Activity usually does not. That means it is easier to repeat — and repeatability is the entire game.
- Activity: lower hypoglycaemia risk, easier to repeat, good for glucose smoothing.
- Exercise: higher upside for fitness and performance, but usually higher glucose-management skill required.
If you want the full exercise system (aerobic, anaerobic, mixed, CGM, AID), go here: Exercise & Type 1 Diabetes — Practical Guide.
The core tool: 10 minutes after meals
A short walk after meals is one of the most underrated tools in type 1 diabetes because it can flatten the post-meal peak without adding complexity. It is not magic. It is just physiology — you are creating glucose uptake demand at the exact time glucose is rising.
- Start with 10 minutes after your biggest spike meal.
- Use a pace you can repeat daily (this is not a fitness test).
- Use CGM as feedback: you are looking for a lower peak and a gentler curve.
When glucose is high: “activity snacking”
If you have eaten in the last ~4 hours and have insulin on board, light activity can sometimes lower glucose without stacking insulin corrections. This is not a replacement for insulin when insulin is needed — it is a tool for the right situation.
- 20 minutes of light activity can lower glucose meaningfully for some people.
- Do not exercise if ketones are elevated — follow sick-day rules.
- Use CGM to observe your personal effect size and timing (this varies).
Article: Activity Snacking (20 by 2)
Downloads: 20 by 2 and 20 by 40
Or as Grace would say: “99 problems, but highs ain’t one.”
Using CGM for activity biofeedback
CGM makes activity work better because it turns vague advice (“be more active”) into feedback you can see. You are looking for:
- lower post-meal peaks
- less time spent high
- fewer correction cycles
CGM also helps families because children can see movement changing glucose in real time, which builds confidence and reduces fear.
See the CGM series here: CGM Series
Fast and slow movers
Fast and slow movers.: activity doesn’t just “burn glucose” — it amplifies insulin action. Some people experience a rapid glucose fall with even light movement because activity dramatically boosts the effect of insulin already on board (fast movers). Others see a slower or smaller response because there is less active insulin to amplify. Knowing the amount of insulin on board helps to dose movement and to optimise time-in-range.
Resources
Use these when you want the deeper playbook, common questions, or the next layer of system-building:
