Alex's Journey with the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program

Initial Diagnosis and Struggles

Previously, I was diagnosed as prediabetic and struggled with weight loss while trying to do so on my own. I lost weight and was declared no longer prediabetic, but I gained it back a year later and became prediabetic again. After my doctor explained the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program to me and how to join, I decided to take a different approach and join the program.

Commitment to the Program

After attending my first meeting and learning more about the program, I found the setup appealing and decided to fully commit to the journey. When I first joined, I broke the setup into four phases and set goals for each. As I went through the program, I reviewed the previous phases to determine how I wanted to complete the next. During the first two phases, I lost up to 11 pounds by creating an eating schedule, water schedule, and specific exercise nights. Then, in the third phase, I began to meal plan and meal prep, increased my exercise timing and days, and focused on exercising a minimum of three days or more.

Learning and Understanding My Body

As I continued in the program, I began to learn and understand my body more. I saw how my body changed on days I didn't exercise or if I ate certain foods I hadn't had in a while. They would taste sweeter or saltier, and when I didn't drink enough water, I noticed changes in my body that I hadn't taken the time to notice before. Tracking was my biggest help. By keeping track of my food intake, water intake, and exercise times, I could detect how my moods affected my eating patterns as well as stress levels based on my eating patterns.

Maintaining Weight and Gaining Insights

Throughout the program, I've managed to lose weight and maintain my weight for over a year. Even with gaining a few pounds back, I still manage to lose those gained pounds through exercise and trial and error eating plans. Going through this experience gave me a different outlook on weight loss as I learned the importance of portion control, measuring, label reading, and how much of a difference just a daily 15-minute walk can make. It also allowed me to listen to my body more and manage how I deal with and handle stress.

Looking Forward

After completing this program, I feel more confident and knowledgeable about continuing my journey to fully transform into a healthier lifestyle. I am finding new activities to participate in that will keep me active and continuing with a solid schedule and routine to implement into my life.