Exercising With Diabetes in Dubai: How a Personal Trainer Helps

Diabetes is common in the UAE: according to the IDF Diabetes Atlas, about one in five adults aged 20 to 79 in the country lived with diabetes in 2024. Regular exercise is one of the most effective tools to manage blood sugar, alongside the treatment your doctor prescribes. A personal trainer helps you exercise safely and, just as important, consistently.

What the guidelines recommend

For adults with type 2 diabetes, American Diabetes Association guidance (as summarised by the US Indian Health Service) recommends:

• at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a week, spread over at least three days;
• no more than two days in a row without activity;
• two to three resistance (strength) sessions a week, on non-consecutive days;
• flexibility and balance work two to three times a week for older adults;
• breaking up long periods of sitting about every 30 minutes.

Why strength training matters

Muscle is where much of your blood sugar goes after a meal. Building and keeping muscle helps your body use glucose better. That is why a good programme for diabetes combines strength training with walking or other aerobic activity, rather than cardio alone.

Safety: avoiding low blood sugar

If you take insulin or certain tablets (such as sulfonylureas), exercise can lower your blood sugar too far, during the session or for many hours afterwards. Talk to your doctor before you start, and follow these common precautions:

• check your blood sugar before and after exercise, as your doctor advises;
• keep a fast-acting carbohydrate (such as juice or glucose tablets) with you;
• tell your coach about your medication and any past low-sugar episodes;
• avoid hard exercise when your blood sugar is very high, and ask your doctor about your own limits.

Your coach will plan sessions around this, but your doctor’s advice always comes first. Personal training supports, and does not replace, medical care.

Training in the Dubai climate

Heat and dehydration can affect blood sugar. From June to September, train early in the morning, in the evening, or indoors at home or in your building gym, and drink regularly. See our hydration tips for summer workouts.

How a personal trainer helps

• A plan built from your FITIQ™ assessment: health history, fitness level, lifestyle and goals.
• Two to three coached sessions a week, which covers the strength part of the guidelines.
• Food that fits your training, with nutrition coaching if you want it, in line with your doctor’s or dietitian’s advice.
• Training at home, so there is no commute and no excuse.

Prices

FIT4IT sessions cost AED 400 (Fit Plus, 1 month), AED 350 (Fit Supreme, 2 months) or AED 300 (Fit Elite, 3 months) per 60-minute session for one person, before 5% VAT, with 8, 10, 12 or 14 sessions a month. Two people training together (Duo) pay AED 150 more per session, and a single starter session is AED 500. See packages.

Frequently asked questions

Is exercise safe with type 2 diabetes?

For most people, yes, and it is recommended. Speak to your doctor first, especially if you take insulin or tablets that can cause low blood sugar.

How much exercise do people with type 2 diabetes need?

Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes a week over at least three days, with no more than two days in a row without activity, plus two to three strength sessions.

Can a personal trainer help me lower my blood sugar?

A trainer helps you exercise regularly and safely, which supports blood sugar control. Your treatment and targets are set by your doctor.

Can the sessions be at home?

Yes. FIT4IT coaches train you at home, in your building gym or outdoors in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain.