I started the program because my father had, and both of my brothers have diabetes. Over the past several years, I’ve seen the issues related to diabetes the three of them have experienced and I don’t want to go through all of that. I’ve been prediabetic for a few years now, so I decided it was time for help.
Starting my journey off was a call from my daughter telling me she had signed up for the class; she wondered if I’d be interested. It’s probable that she did this to “get me going” but told me that because we have diabetes in the family, we need to take some action to stop it.
From the first night of classes, it has been easy. The help from Katelyn (my program facilitator), my daughter, my husband, and from the other class participants has been priceless. With this support, I have been motivated to continue a walking program, keep in touch with partners, and to faithfully utilize the “My Fitness Pal” smartphone app.
I’ve 
learned a great deal about my eating habits and how they must change. I also look forward to the accountability of the weekly meetings, the lessons, and the information from Katelyn about recipes, product ideas, and more healthy restaurant choices.
I’ve been faithful in tracking my exercise and food intake. I’ve been walking every day and have lost pounds each week since beginning the program. As a result of this increased exercise and smarter eating (because of this class), my A1C results have gone down from 6.0 to 5.3 which takes me out of the pre-diabetic category. This will remain to be my main motivation to continue being smart about my eating.
I have now retired and feel this definitely is a new chapter in my life. I feel better, can move more easily, play with grandchildren, and I’m not pre-diabetic anymore!
Encouraging Words:
The horrible consequences of diabetes and being overweight are well documented, so you need to get going! Help is here! Make that phone call to your local program today to get yourself started on the path to better health and well-being. The pre-diabetic class was and continues to be a life-changer for me. My dietician, Katelyn, has worked with me from the very beginning to help me with education about better food choices. Her help is continuing now as I enter a maintenance period after losing the weight and lowering my A1C results. I never imagined that I would be so successful; the seriousness of diabetes has helped to motivate me. I’ve learned that this must be a lifelong lifestyle change to take care of myself and my family. You also will learn this!
I started the Diabetes Prevention Class in January 2016. I have struggled with weight most of my life and also have hypothyroid for 9 years. I also have a grandpa and two uncles with diabetes and my mom has shown signs of being prediabetic. I saw the ad on the news for this class and thought the education and accountability would be great.
I have started to eat a diet that consists of a lot more protein and good fats, while eliminating as much sugar as possible. Some of the biggest changes was the mindset that low fat foods like skim milk and low calorie dressings actually have more sugar and 2% milk and yogurt based dressings are better for me. I have switched from cereal and juice at breakfast to eggs (with butter in the pan) and chicken sausage. I actually feel full faster and stay full longer than I did before. I also started to be much more diligent about walking everyday. The logging of food eaten through My Fitness Pal and the minutes exercised made me much more aware of how much I was actually eating and how little I was moving. My Fitness Pal has been a great tool!
I have lost 50 pounds since starting the program. It was not all fast and I have had plateaus, but the fact that I continued to feel better, kept me making the healthier eating choices even during the period of not losing each week. I also had a lot of inflammation in my knees and struggled with plantar fascistic that has improved greatly since starting the program in January. I have noticed an increase in energy. I used to be ready for bed right after my kids would go to bed and dread getting up in the morning, but now am able to stay up much later and get up the first time the alarm goes off :)
What is the Diabetes Prevention Program?
Who is eligible?
Must be 18 years of age or older and not already diagnosed with diabetes to participate.
When and where are classes held?
POST-Core Diabetes Prevention Sessions (Monthly Maintenance Sessions):
The program is partially funded by Mercy Medical Center North Iowa.
