LIFESTYLE BALANCE: UNIQUE, JUST LIKE YOU!

Lifestyle health diet and sports gym background front view stock photo

Each person’s lifestyle balance should definitely look different, even though the basic facts don’t change on what our bodies need to function and be healthy. Let’s think back to when we were much younger. We didn’t all want to be prima ballerinas, soccer players or rock stars when we grew up. We didn’t all play the same sport, have the same talent for drawing or easily master an A+ in all classes. We were unique in our interests, talents, upbringing, faith and experiences. Our next steps will be equally unique on the journey of lifestyle balance. We should adopt what will work for us individually.

 

WHAT WE MAY HAVE IN COMMON

  1. We may be at risk for diabetes, or even have been diagnosed with prediabetes.
  2. It is NOT too late for us to turn it all around if we begin to take small steps today.

 

EVIDENCE THAT HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BALANCE IS KEY

The YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program is based on the landmark Diabetes Prevention study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which showed that by eating healthier, engaging in moderate physical activity and losing just 7% of your body weight, a person with pre-diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes by up to 71%.  That's only 14 pounds for a 200-pound adult.

 

LET’S GET STARTED

We are all unique and our healthy lifestyle balance should reflect that. Let’s begin with a couple of questions:

  1. What motivated you to want to be healthier?_________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

  1. What is your greatest obstacle when adopting a healthier lifestyle?___________________________________________________________________________________________

 

  1. How will eating healthier and being more active help you?________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Katrina Beavers-Gutierrez

Director of Chronic Disease Prevention

YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program Certified Instructor