Back on track – Helen’s story

Helen joined Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme to act on reducing her body weight and to become fitter and healthier. Hear how she changed her lifestyle and achieved this with the support of her Health Coach:

“Prior to joining the programme, I had gained five stone in the space of two years due to medication for my mental health two years ago. Recently I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in August and then pre-diabetes in October.

“Given the weight gain, I was not at all surprised, and I took the decision to stop taking the medication and started to lose weight.

“Since joining, I now exercise a lot more and aim for over 8,000 steps a day. I eat more regularly and snack less and have reduced my alcohol intake, which has resulted in an 8% loss in body weight.

“The Healthier You programme has taught me many useful things to include in my lifestyle, to exercise after eating, rather than sitting still, and to declare myself a ‘non-crisp eater’ in the way that other people declare themselves ‘non-smokers’.

“Most importantly, I’ve learned to distinguish between a craving for food and actual hunger, and to deal with any craving by doing something other than eating.”