Starting an Exercise Routine with a Chronic Disease: A Beginner’s Guide
Starting an exercise routine can feel overwhelming—especially if you’re living with a chronic disease or haven’t been active for a while. But the good news is that physical activity can be one of the most powerful tools to help you feel better, manage symptoms, and improve your overall health.
Why Exercise Matters
Exercise isn’t just for athletes or people who want to lose weight. It’s for everyone—including those with chronic conditions like diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, asthma, or depression. Regular movement can:
Improve your mood and energy
Help control blood sugar and blood pressure
Strengthen muscles and bones
Reduce pain and stiffness
Improve sleep and brain function
Even small amounts of movement can make a big difference. The key is to start slowly and build up over time.
Step 1: Speak to your Healthcare Provider
Before you begin any exercise program, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider. They can help you:
Understand what types of exercise are safe for your condition
Set realistic goals
Avoid activities that might cause harm or flare-ups
For example, if you have diabetes, your healthcare provider might recommend checking your blood sugar before and after exercise. If you have arthritis, they may suggest low-impact activities like swimming or tai chi.
Step 2: Start Small
You don’t need to run a marathon or lift heavy weights to get benefits from exercise. In fact, starting small is the best way to avoid injury and burnout. Here are some beginner-friendly ideas:
Walking: A brisk walk for 10–15 minutes a day is a great start.
Stretching:Gentle stretches help improve flexibility and reduce stiffness.
Chair exercises:If standing is hard, try seated workouts using light weights or resistance bands.
Water aerobics: Great for people with joint pain, as water supports your body and reduces impact
Aim for just a few minutes a day at first. As your body gets stronger, you can slowly increase the time and intensity.
Step 3: Listen to Your Body
Some people with chronic illnesses experience symptoms like fatigue, pain, or dizziness. It’s important to pay attention to how your body feels during and after exercise. If you feel worse after exercise, that’s a sign to slow down or try a different activity.
For example, people with chronic fatigue syndrome or long COVID may experience “post-exertional malaise,” which means they feel much worse after even light activity. In these cases, rest and very gentle movement like breathwork or stretching may be better than traditional workouts.
Step 4: Make It Fun and Social
Exercise doesn’t have to be boring. Choose activities you enjoy, like dancing, gardening, or walking with a friend. You’re more likely to stick with it if it feels fun and rewarding.
Joining a class or group can also help. Many communities offer programs for people with chronic conditions, led by trained instructors who understand how to adapt exercises safely.
Step 5: Use the Right Equipment
Depending on your condition, you might benefit from special equipment:
Easy-grip weights for people with arthritis
Walking poles for balance support
Resistance bands for gentle strength training
Stationary bikes or hand cycles for low-impact cardio
A physical therapist may have advice on what tools might help you exercise more comfortably.
Step 7: Understanding your Exercise Intensity
Now let’s talk about how hard you’re working. There’s a simple way to measure this called the Sweat Scale or the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE).
|Rate of Perceived Exertion (1 to 10):
1 = Reading a book on your couch
5 = Moderate Intensity
10 = Feeling like you’re about to collapse
Ideally you want your workouts to be around a 7 or 8. At this level, you can talk in short sentences, but you can’t sing or recite a poem.
1. Think back to your last exercise. How did your breathing feel? How long could you keep going? Could you speak? Sing?
2. Choose a number from the scale that matches how you felt.
3. Try moving at different speeds, varying your weights, or trying different activities to experience the difference between levels 2, 4, 6, and 8.
4. If you want to try level 9, jog or run for 15–30 seconds. Don’t plan to stay at this level too long. Additional information on rate of perceived exertion can be found here.
Step 6: Build a Routine
Consistency is key. Try to make exercise a regular part of your day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Aim for:
150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week (like walking or swimming)
2 days of muscle-strengthening activities (like lifting light weights or doing yoga)
You can break this into short sessions—like 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening. Every bit counts! And don’t be frustrated if you can’t get there right away.
As you get stronger, consider increasing the intensity or duration.
Walking is a great way to start to get moving, but you can also try online fitness videos or other activities like swimming, biking, or dancing.The most important thing is to choose something you enjoy.
Step 7: Celebrate Progress
Starting an exercise routine is a big achievement, especially when you’re dealing with a chronic illness. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small. Maybe you walked a little farther today than yesterday, or you felt less pain after stretching. These are wins!
Keep a journal to track your activity and how you feel. This can help you notice patterns, stay motivated and increase intensity.
Final Thoughts
Living with a chronic disease doesn’t mean you have to give up on being active. With the right support, a gentle start, and a focus on what feels good for your body, you can build a routine that helps you feel stronger, healthier, and more in control.
Remember: some movement is better than none. Start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can. You’ve got this.
