Not only can regular workouts improve blood sugar control (active muscles are better able to use insulin and can even take up glucose when no insulin is present, according to the American Diabetes Association), but they can also help you manage your weight, keep your muscles and bones strong, reduce your risk of heart disease, and improve your overall health. Staying active certainly helps Brian Cohen, 41, manage his type 1 diabetes. The New York City-based talent producer for FOX Sports regularly works out five to six times a week. The key to his consistency: He often changes up his routine with activities like traditional strength training and TRX work. That’s important, because doing the same workout every day can become boring and make you less likely to stick to your exercise plan. If you’re looking to challenge yourself — or just want to shake up your normal routine a bit — you may be tempted to try one of the latest fitness trends. But how do you know which are safe for people with type 1 diabetes? Here’s what you need to know about some of the most popular fitness trends.

The American College of Sports Medicine surveyed over 4,000 fitness professionals to identify the top fitness trends for 2018 — many of which are good options for people with type 1 diabetes. Here’s a look at some of those trends. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) HIIT — alternating between high bursts of energy with short rest periods — has been surging in popularity for years. Even now, it’s one of the biggest trends in the fitness industry — and for good reason. Research has shown that not only do you burn more calories during and after a HIIT workout versus continuous aerobic training (e.g., walking, jogging), a study published in January 2015 in the journal Diabetes Spectrum found that HIIT workouts are actually more effective at regulating blood sugar and keeping your heart healthy than moderate- to low-intensity exercise. Another bonus for people with type 1 diabetes: A study published in 2013 in Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity found that brief HIIT work continues to improve blood glucose levels during the one to three days following a workout. (The bout of exercise is also unlikely to cause hypoglycemia, according to the study.) Group training Group fitness — in which an instructor leads a group of people through various, often choreographed exercises — is the hallmark of many gyms and exercise studios, so it makes sense that it remains a top fitness trend. And for people with type 1 diabetes, the benefits aren’t just physical: Socializing in positive environments such as group fitness can have a profound and positive effect on one’s mood, according to a study published in February-March 2016 in the journal Psychomatic Medicine; and that could be especially helpful for people with diabetes, who are more likely to develop depression and anxiety than those without the condition. What’s more, a small study published in November 2017 in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association found that people who worked out in a group said they felt less stressed and had significantly improved their quality of life compared with those who worked out alone or did not work out at all. Bonus: Group classes offer you the chance to try a variety of workouts — and the support you receive from your peers and instructors can give you the motivation and encouragement you need to push yourself and to keep coming back to class. Wearable technology These days, we can track just about anything, including how many steps we take each day, how many hours we slept the night before, and how hard we pushed ourselves during a workout. But it turns out, wearable technology may be able to do much more than log statistics — it may be able to motivate us to work even harder. According to a review published in November 2016 in the Journal of Environmental Health Sciences, participants who wore wearable technology increased their physical activity. And increased physical activity, says certified diabetes educator Nicole Bereolos, PhD, MPH, is great for everyone — including those with type 1 diabetes. Yoga While not a new trend, yoga is certainly one that can help people with type 1 diabetes manage their stress levels, improve their mood, strengthen their muscles, and improve their flexibility and balance. According to a study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Science, yoga has a greater positive effect on one’s mood and anxiety levels than other exercise such as walking. And for those people with type 1 diabetes who also struggle with tackling a new diagnosis or handling social settings in which food plays a role, something as simple as yoga could help ease their minds. At-home workouts Online fitness subscriptions have become one of the top fitness trends in the last few years, thanks, in part, to their variety and convenience (you have access to workouts anytime, anywhere in the world). And for someone with type 1 diabetes, they may be especially helpful. For example, if you’re concerned about having low blood sugar while at the gym, out running, or in a group fitness class, moving your workout to, say, your living room, where you have access to all of your medications and food — and often a loved one who knows your symptoms and condition — can alleviate a lot of the anxiety that comes from working out at a gym.

What to Do Before Trying a Fitness Trend

Before changing up your workout routine, talk to your doctor to be sure it’s safe — particularly if you’re trying something that’s more demanding than you’re used to. It’s especially important to talk to your doctor before trying any of these trends if you’re new to exercise. If you have heart disease or other diabetes-related complications like neuropathy or retinopathy, you may have some limitations when it comes to the activities you can do. Your doctor can help you determine which exercises are best for you. You’ll likely need to test your blood sugar before, during, and after exercise to see how the new activity affects you. Your doctor may also review your current diet and insulin routine, and make adjustments based on your new workout plan to help you avoid low blood sugar during exercise. Cohen, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 13, says he’s had the condition for so long that he knows how to approach exercise in a safe way. “I’ve been working out for decades now,” he says, “so I know that I always have to check my blood sugar before I head to the gym. If I am going low, I will make sure to eat something that will not only raise my sugar quickly, but also keep my sugar consistent while I’m working out.” Regardless of which activity you decide to try, make sure that you enjoy it: “One benefit of exercise is stress management,” says Bereolos. “Stress management is the foundation for so many things, especially for people with type 1 diabetes, who often have anxiety about keeping their blood sugar in check.”