The following is a testimonial from a recent Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes participant, Patty. Patty just finished Phase I of the program and is about to move on to Phase II, way to go Patty!
“I received a diagnosis of pre-diabetes in August 2016. It was very frightening. My younger sister had a stroke in May. She has diabetes and high blood pressure and was diagnosed as being morbidly obese. She did nothing to safeguard her health. Now she is bedridden in a care center and may remain there for the rest of her life. (FYI: I turned 64 in September and I started Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes at 166.6 pounds)
When the doctor (not my regular doctor who was on vacation) gave me the news that I was pre-diabetic, she added, “And, I can give you a drug to help.” Fortunately, I replied, “I think I will do this on my own.” The previous year I had lost 20 pounds and gained back 10-15 pounds of it. When I saw my doctor in September for a regular checkup, she said that I needed to lose weight and I could do it on my own. The pre-diabetes diagnosis made realize that I needed to get serious about improving my health.
I immediately made a plan to DO EVERYTHING I could: diet, exercise, and research to learn more about pre-diabetes and diabetes. I searched online, found Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes….I signed up. It didn’t matter that it was in North Carolina and I was in Texas……thank you technology! My motivation was to be healthier and to keep pace with my husband on vacations.
I have been an on-off exerciser. For several years, I rode in the MS150-a 2 day bike ride, where you ride your bike 100 miles day 1 and 65 miles on day 2 to help fight MS. Being older and overweight, I always trained a lot-riding 150-200 miles a week plus. During training, I would never lose a pound but I would drop 2 sizes in clothing. I love to bike, so in September I went back to biking….indoors or outdoors on a “fun” bike not my road bike. I am used to exercising and this was easy for me to implement.
And then Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes started. Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes is the program where everything came together. I really like the class led by Heidi on Monday nights. I appreciate the important information that is shared and Heidi’s positive and supportive style. The comments of other group members are always helpful. I really listen and try new things that come up during class. The tracking is KEY for me! Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes encourages me to track my exercise (easily done thanks to my FitBit) and my weekly weight (another phone app). But the discussions during class about tracking your eating is what changed things for me. Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes emphasizes the importance of tracking but counting calories is not required. Sometimes I count the calories sometimes I don’t. The tracking is key. The calories are just a detail.
This journey has been relatively easy for me—it is work but I am willing to work hard for anything I want—especially health. I am living alone these days because my husband is working abroad for the past 18 months. He sometimes travels to the states but we meet in Europe or Asia 3-4 times a year. He is 10 years younger than me and very fit. He has never been overweight and is committed to exercise. Since I live alone, I can keep some temptations out of the house. My husband and I have always eaten most of our meals in restaurants—it has been very helpful to limit eating out after learning how to cook at home more through Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes. We were in Paris in July and I had a hard time keeping up with my husband. For the Winter Holidays, we were in Rome and Venice and I matched him step for step! What a great accomplishment for me!
The key to my successful weight loss (24.6 pounds down and 2 clothes sizes smaller) has been Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes. The program gives me information that might not be “new” to me but things I need to be reminded off. I like being a member of the group, a wonderfully supportive and well-informed group….I am surprised at how much interaction can go on during a well-run online class-Thank you! Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes helps me set Smart goals both short and long-term. AND the tracking is #1 for me (which is why I mention it again and again). I currently track my eating, my exercise, and my weight, plus as an added bonus, my sleep. I am slowing down my weight loss and now my main focus will be shifting to improving my nutrition. The information from Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes will help support this new focus.
Today, as compared to 9-12-16, I am much healthier, much more fit, and better informed about my diet. Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes has been the vehicle that puts exercise, eating, and nutrition into context. I highly recommend the program and I am looking forward to finishing Phase #1 and beginning Phase #2. I thank you with my whole heart!