Two Playlists That Made Managing Gestational Diabetes Feel Less Like Work

Introduction

When you're diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you get handed a lot of shoulds. You should eat this. You should avoid that. You should check your blood sugar. You should exercise.

That last one—exercise—can feel particularly heavy when you're already navigating morning sickness that doesn't quit, a body that's doing unprecedented things, and the mental load of managing blood sugar levels.

Here's what I learned during my own GD pregnancy: movement doesn't have to feel like punishment.

Why Exercise Matters (But Not in the Way You Think)

Yes, staying active helps with blood sugar control. That's the clinical answer. But what I really needed to hear was that moving my body could be something other than another item on my already-too-long to-do list.

Dancing around my kitchen while making dinner wasn't "exercise." Singing in the shower at the top of my lungs wasn't "cardio." But both of these things kept me moving, lifted my mood, and honestly? Made dealing with gestational diabetes feel a little less isolating.

The science backs this up, too. Physical activity during pregnancy can help manage GD by improving how your body uses insulin. But beyond the blood sugar benefits, movement—especially joyful movement—is a stress reliever. And stress management matters when you're dealing with a diagnosis that can feel overwhelming.

Two Playlists That Kept Me Sane

I'm not going to pretend I was doing structured workout routines every day. Some days, making gestational diabetes-friendly breakfast felt like enough of an accomplishment.

But I did have two playlists that made it genuinely hard not to move.

CRISTINA'S SINGING-IN-THE-SHOWER PLAYLIST

This one is exactly what it sounds like. Big, belting songs that make you want to perform for an imaginary audience. The kind where you're doing vocal runs while shampooing your hair. Is singing exercise? Not technically. But standing for 15 minutes while you belt out power ballads? Your legs are working. Your core is engaged. And you're definitely not thinking about your fasting glucose number.

CRISTINA'S DANCE-IN-THE-KITCHEN-PLAYLIST 

This playlist got me through dinner prep on days when my energy was low but my blood sugar needed attention. Upbeat, impossible not to bop along to, and perfect for those little hip swivels while you're chopping vegetables for the hundredth time this week.

Dancing while cooking became my favorite form of "exercise"—it didn't feel forced, and it made the repetitive work of meal planning for gestational diabetes feel less tedious.

Movement as Joy, Not Punishment

Here's the thing about exercise during pregnancy, especially with GD: it shouldn't feel like penance for having this diagnosis. You didn't do anything wrong. Your body is doing something completely normal (if annoying)—creating hormones that mess with your insulin sensitivity.

Moving your body can help manage your blood sugar, yes. But it can also be:

• A break from the mental load
• A way to reconnect with yourself
• A stress reliever that doesn't require logging anything or tracking anything
• Something you actually look forward to

I'm not saying dance parties cure gestational diabetes. I'm saying that on the days when I felt overwhelmed by reading food labels, checking my glucose meter, and trying to figure out why my body tolerated oatmeal on Tuesday but not Thursday—putting on music and just moving helped.

A Few Practical Notes

If you're going to try this approach:

• Clear some space in your kitchen or living room so you're not bumping into furniture
• Keep one foot on the ground if you're feeling unsteady (your center of gravity is shifting as you grow)
• Stop if something doesn't feel right—you know your body
• Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about activity level

This isn't medical advice. It's just one person's experience of finding small pockets of joy in an otherwise challenging time.

The Bottom Line

Gestational diabetes requires so much from you—dietary changes, blood sugar monitoring, mental energy, planning. Finding ways to move that don't feel like another obligation can make a real difference.

So put on some music. Dance while you cook. Sing in the shower. Call it exercise if that makes you feel productive, or just call it Wednesday. Either way, you're taking care of yourself.

Where Can I Get More Support?

GD Kitchen! I created this resource to solve a problem I wish someone had already solved before my first GD pregnancy. I teamed up with OB Rachael Sullivan, DO and nutritionist Jamie Askey, RN, so that you'll have all the resources, and all the confidence, I didn't have myself.  

Looking for more? Check out the Blog, or try six free recipes here.

What else do we offer? The GD Starter Pack and The Recipe Membership.