Improving your health can feel overwhelming, especially when you're trying to change long-standing habits or manage your risk for a chronic condition. At the YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties, participants don't have to take those steps alone.
Through the YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program and YMCA Weight Loss Program, adults can receive practical education, personal encouragement, and small-group support as they worked toward healthier routines that fit their lives.
For YMCA team member and program participant Annee Applegate, that support helped make changes they once thought were out of reach.
Finding a Starting Point
Before joining the YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program, also known as DPP, Annee relied on a wheelchair and scooter and couldn't walk more than half block. Everyday activities were difficult, and their health often limited what they felt able to do.
DPP gave Annee a structured place to begin.
"There are no quick fixes to health," Annee said. "What has worked for me is small groups, physical activity, and nutrition information. It's been proven over time to be effective."
DPP is a year-long, evidence-based program for adults who have been diagnosed with prediabetes or are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Participants meet in a small group with a trained lifestyle coach and learn how healthier eating, regular physical activity, and gradual weight loss can lower their risk.
“I was already in a calorie deficit, but I wasn’t doing it the right way,” shared Sarah, another YMCA DPP participant. "Learning how to eat more protein and more fiber and making small changes consistently really made the difference.”
The program's goals include gradually losing at least 7% of body weight and building up to 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. Sessions are held more frequently at the beginning of the program and gradually become less frequent as participants practice maintaining their new habits.
For Annee, the combination of education, accountability, and encouragement led to significant progress. They lost more than 11% of their body weight and began walking again.
"Before I joined the Y, I was scooter and wheelchair dependent," Annee said. "Now, I'm walking again. And I'm not done yet."
Building Healthy Habits That Work in Real Life
While DPP is specifically designed for people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the YMCA Weight Loss Program offers another option for adults who want support building sustainable habits and managing their weight.
The 12-week program helps participants make small, realistic adjustments to their daily behaviors rather than relying on restrictive plans of quick results.
Each weekly session introduces a topic related to long-term wellness, including nutrition, physical activity, stress management, sleep, positive psychology, goal setting, and maintaining progress. Participants can also discuss challenges, celebrate successes, and set goals for the coming week.
Because each person's circumstances are different, the program helps participants create a nutrition and physical activity plan that works with their individual needs, preferences, and routines.
That personalized approach is part of what helped Annee make lasting changes. Through Prevent T2, they learned how to read nutrition labels, make informed food choices, and prepare more meals at home.
"I've learned how to read labels and make good choices that have improved my health," Annee said. "I even started fixing meals because I can get up and move around the house."
Progress Is Stronger With Support
Both programs are built around the idea that lasting change happens over time. Participants receive reliable information, but they also gain a group of people who understand the challenges of forming new habits.
“I had every excuse not to do something,” Sarah shared. "But I decided I didn’t want one more illness controlling my life.”
"One of the best parts is how warmly you're welcomed," Annee said. "It doesn't matter how old you are. You can be a part of the group."
Annee also credits the Y's financial assistance program with helping make their participation possible. Financial options are available for qualifying individuals and families so cost doesn't have to stand in the way of pursuing better health.
Whether your goal is to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, lose weight, become more active or feel more confident making healthy choices, the first step doesn't have to be dramatic. It can be one meeting, one new habit, or one small goal supported by people who want to see you succeed.
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