Lifestyle intervention is basic and background treatment for people with type 2 diabetes. Effective lifestyle intervention contributes to better glucose control and delay of diabetic complications. Dietary and exercise interventions as well as lifestyle advice are major components of lifestyle intervention. Dietary intervention focuses on restriction of total caloric intake and balanced nutritional composition, while exercise intervention focuses on exercise mode, frequency, intensity, timing, and duration. This review  introduced several lifestyle intervention measures including exercise and dietary interventions as well as lifestyle advice, and discussed their effects on glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes.