Group support – John’s story
John was referred to the Healthier You: NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme by his GP, following a pre-diabetic diagnosis. Hear in his own words how he managed to make the necessary changes needed to reduce his risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
“After retiring three years ago, I realised that I was eating too much and not exercising enough, and although I was aware of this, I didn't do anything to change things. When I was referred to Healthier You, it was a welcomed turning point for me, as I was given the support I needed to get me exercising and eating a healthy balanced diet again.”
Participants can expect to learn about basic principles of healthy eating and the various lifestyle modifications that will be required to assist them in reducing their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
“Since joining, I have gradually returned to cycling and walking as this had been my preferred exercise prior to retirement. I now regularly walk 10,000 steps more than five days a week, and I try to ride 15/20k each time I take my bike out. I spend more time planning my meals, I only buy meals for a few days at a time, and have swapped some products which I used e.g. almond milk for breakfast instead of semi skimmed, low fat options on anything that I can. I don’t add sugar, I make my own wholemeal bread, and generally eat decent size portions of fruit and veg.”
Our sessions focus on the understanding of food contents, and the role that other nutrients play in a balanced diet. This helps participants to understand the influence of different types of sugars on health, weight control and diabetes prevention.
“Halfway through the programme I saw my GP for a blood test, to see if all the work that I was putting in was making any improvements to my health. To my surprise and relief, my HbA1C reading had dropped from 42 to 37, and I had lost 20lbs.
“The programme has completely turned around my views on healthy eating, I now deliberately plan what meals to have, and always have enough good balanced food in my larder/fridge, so that I rarely end up eating something bad. I won't lie, I still have the odd piece of cake or a beer with friends, but if I do it's always with the view that the day before and after meals will reflect any increase and be reduced accordingly.
“The sessions are well-designed, and the programme lasts long enough to make a difference. I must thank Anna, who led us through the sessions, with her knowledge, commitment and ability to explain the science and sense behind the programme. Whilst supporting us as a group, Anna was great at understanding that candidates with different circumstances would show different results at different stages of the process too.
“As a group we formed a good relationship and were able to pass on the things we had tried including recipes and exercise tips, which benefited us all. The overall experience has been one of learning and joint endeavour, which I personally have enjoyed and would recommend that anyone given the opportunity should grab with both hands.”