Skip to main content

Gestational Diabetes Exercise: How Movement Helps Blood Sugar

by Samaira Farid,
Dr Rebeccah Tomlinson
Medically reviewed by Dr Rebeccah Tomlinson
Pregnant woman in a blue sports bra exercising on an exercise ball.
The information in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical or dietary advice, particularly during pregnancy. If you are outside the UK, please consult your local doctor, midwife, or healthcare provider for guidance that reflects your country's recommendations.

Gestational diabetes exercise is one of the key ways to manage blood sugar, alongside changes to what you eat. Understanding how activity affects your levels, what to aim for in terms of intensity, and how to monitor your blood sugar around exercise can help you get the most from staying active during your pregnancy.

Why does physical activity matter for gestational diabetes?

Moving your body is one of the main ways to manage gestational diabetes, alongside changes to what you eat. It is often one of the first things suggested after a diagnosis. For you, these changes may be enough to keep blood sugar steady without medication, though this is not the case for every pregnancy.6

Keeping your blood sugar steady matters because a gestational diabetes diagnosis brings closer monitoring, and sometimes extra support during pregnancy and birth. When blood sugar runs high over time, the chance of complications goes up, including your baby growing larger than expected.1

How gestational diabetes exercise supports blood sugar control

The way this works is simple. When your muscles are working, they need energy, and they pull glucose straight from your bloodstream to get it. That brings your blood sugar down both while you move and for a while afterwards.2

Once you have finished, your muscles also respond more readily to insulin, the hormone that helps keep blood sugar in balance. So your body keeps handling glucose more easily for a stretch of time after you stop, not only while you are moving.7

What moderate intensity looks like in pregnancy

The general guidance in pregnancy is to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week. You can split that into smaller chunks, like around 30 minutes on five days. Before you start or change anything, check with your midwife or diabetes care team about what suits your stage of pregnancy and how you are feeling.8

A simple way to judge moderate intensity is the talk test. You should be able to hold a conversation while you move. If you are too breathless to speak comfortably, you are probably working harder than you need to. Your heart rate will be up and you may notice light sweating, though you should not feel worn out.9

Suitable activities during pregnancy

Good options at this level include brisk walking, swimming, stationary cycling, and pregnancy yoga or Pilates. A walk after a meal can be especially useful for keeping blood sugar steady, and it takes no equipment or planning beyond stepping outside.3

Pregnant woman sitting cross-legged on the floor in a room with a laptop.

Activities to avoid during pregnancy

Some activities carry risks that are specific to pregnancy and are best avoided. These include contact sports, skiing, and off-road cycling, where there is a chance of falling or a knock to your bump. After 16 weeks, exercises that have you lying flat on your back are also advised against. If you are not sure whether something is safe, check with your midwife or GP.10

Monitoring your blood sugar around activity

Your care team will tell you how often to test your blood sugar. If you are managing gestational diabetes through diet and exercise, daily testing is standard, with a fasting reading before breakfast and a reading an hour after each main meal. They will also talk you through the target ranges to aim for.4

If you are managing with diet and exercise alone, or with Metformin, the chance of a hypo (low blood sugar) during exercise is low. If you are on insulin, exercise can raise that chance, so your care team should be part of planning your routine. They may ask you to test before and after exercise so you can see how different activities and lengths of time affect your own levels.5

Managing blood sugar before and after exercise

A small snack like fruit, yogurt (dairy or plant-based), or oatcakes before or after a planned session can help keep your blood sugar steady. It is also worth carrying a sugary snack while you move, in case your blood sugar drops, especially if you are on insulin. Your diabetes care team can suggest snack choices and hypo guidance that fit your treatment.11

If anything feels off during or after exercise, like dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, or your baby moving less than usual, stop and call your midwife or GP promptly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

  • [1] Treatment — Gestational diabetes (NHS)

    A gestational diabetes diagnosis brings closer monitoring and, in some cases, additional interventions during pregnancy and birth. When blood sugar is not well controlled, there is an increased risk of complications, including the baby growing larger than expected.

  • [2] Information for patients: Diabetes and Pregnancy

    When your muscles are active, they need energy. To get that energy, they draw glucose directly from your bloodstream. This process lowers your blood sugar levels during and after activity.

  • [3] Staying active with gestational diabetes

    Good options at this intensity include brisk walking, swimming, stationary cycling, and pregnancy-specific yoga or Pilates. A walk after a meal may be a particularly useful way to help manage blood glucose.

  • [4] Gestational diabetes Risk assessment, testing and diagnosis

    For those managing gestational diabetes through diet and exercise, daily testing is standard, including a fasting reading before breakfast and a reading one hour after each main meal.

  • [5] Gestational diabetes Risk assessment, testing and diagnosis

    Your healthcare team may ask you to test your blood sugar before and after exercise to help you understand how different activities and durations affect your levels personally.

  • [6] Treatment — Gestational diabetes (NHS)

    Physical activity is a key part of managing gestational diabetes, alongside changes to what you eat. It is often among the first approaches recommended after diagnosis. For many people, these lifestyle adjustments are enough to manage blood sugar levels without medication.

  • [7] Information for patients: Diabetes and Pregnancy

    After exercise, your muscles also become more sensitive to insulin, the hormone that helps regulate blood sugar. This means your body can manage glucose more effectively for a period after you have finished moving.

  • [8] Treatment — Gestational diabetes (NHS)

    The general guidance for pregnancy is to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week. That can be spread across the week in smaller sessions, such as around 30 minutes on five days.

  • [9] Staying active with gestational diabetes

    A practical way to gauge moderate intensity is the talk test: you should be able to hold a conversation while you move. If you find yourself too breathless to speak comfortably, you are likely working harder than necessary. Your heart rate will be raised and you may notice light sweating.

  • [10] Information for patients: Diabetes and Pregnancy

    Activities to avoid include contact sports, skiing, and off-road cycling, all of which carry a risk of falling or impact to the abdomen. After 16 weeks of pregnancy, exercises that involve lying flat on your back are also advised against.

  • [11] Staying active with gestational diabetes

    Having a small snack such as fruit, yogurt, or oatcakes before or after a planned exercise session can help keep blood sugar stable. It is also sensible to carry a sugary snack with you during activity in case your blood sugar drops, particularly if you are on insulin.