As the years crept up, Y member, Marty, noticed that her weight was also creeping up. She noticed muscle and joint aches increasing as well. Both Marty and her husband, Robert, have a family history of type 2 diabetes. So Mary decided to do something about it.
"My husband, Robert, and I joined the YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program in March of 2021," says Marty. "Robert is already diabetic, but is supporting me in this class. It is like a weekly 'date' for us and gives us, as a couple, a topic to discuss and support each other daily."
The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program helps those at high risk adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles and reduce their chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
"We have a friend who took this class a couple of years ago, who lost 40 pounds and was able to get a doctor’s approval to reduce or go off some prescription medicines," says Marty. "This role model was an incentive for us to join this class."
In a classroom setting, a trained lifestyle coach works with participants to change their lifestyle by learning about healthy eating, physical activity and other behavior changes over the course of 16 one-hour sessions. Topics covered include nutrition, getting started with physical activity, overcoming stress, staying motivated and more. After the initial 16 core sessions, participants meet monthly for up to a year for added support to help maintain their progress.
"The class provides accountability and community," says Marty. "We have started regular hiking as a couple to increase our physical activity in addition to near daily walks or trips to the Y. We are challenged to record daily food intake and activity minutes. With our love for food, self-control is the goal! We are hoping the Diabetes Prevention Program will result in a successful lifestyle change that will stay with us from now through the remainder of our lives."
The program emphasizes two primary goals: reduce body weight by 7% and increase physical activity by 150 minutes per week.
"The YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program is a positive answer to the realities of aging," says Marty.
To sign up, participants must be:
- At least 18 years old.
- Overweight (BMI ≥25) and diagnosed with prediabetes via a blood test of gestational diabetes.
- If a blood test is not available, participants can qualify based on risk factors.
For more information on pricing and how to register, contact changemylife@indymca.org or call 317.269 6004.
Marty is also a proud alumnus of the LiveSTRONG at the YMCA program that supports cancer survivors on their journey to recovery.
“I highly recommend the LiveSTRONG at the YMCA program for cancer survivors," says Marty. "While the other class members were in post-treatment of their cancers, I was amid physical therapy, radiation and chemo during the class. The Livestrong class encouraged me to stay active and helped me with keeping a good mental health attitude during and after the treatments. The emotional support was also a great encouragement as my classmates all had gone down similar cancer treatment journeys and served as great cheerleaders during that season of my life.”'
To learn more about how you can make lifestyle changes to take control of your health, contact changemylife@indymca.org or call 317.269 6004.
