My parents have passed on many things to me --
a strong commitment to family and friends, chocolate brown eyes, a love of cha cha. One family legacy I could do without though is diabetes. My grandfather died from it, and both my mom and dad have this debilitating disease. Like most people with diabetes, they have health problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and an increased risk for heart disease and stroke. It makes me sad to see my parents spend much of their retirement going to doctor appointments and managing their many medications. What's especially tragic is that type 2 diabetes is preventable.
Taking Control
With my family history, I feared that I was destined for diabetes. Even worse, being overweight greatly increased my risk for developing the disease. I tipped the scales at 156 pounds, way too much for my petite 5-foot-3 frame.
One day I read a newspaper article that said people at high risk for diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of the disease by losing five to seven percent of their body weight. I was determined to do this. But where to start? A friend told me about ZÜM's Get Lean weight management program. Its focus on nutrition, fitness and developing a healthy lifestyle appealed to me and made it stand out from all the other weight loss programs out there.
The Power of Eating Right
Get Lean's weekly nutrition lectures with ZÜM naturopath Dr. Clara Barnett were a revelation. I learned that what I thought was a healthy diet would in fact sabotage all my efforts to lose weight. I also discovered the power of protein and fiber. Get Lean included one-on-one consultations with Dr. Barnett, and with her help, I was able to create a nutrition plan specially designed to help me meet my weight loss goals and improve my overall health.
Adjusting my diet worked wonders. I easily had twice as much energy, and I wasn't hungry all the time so I didn't overeat.
Personalized Attention
Get Lean also included weekly workouts with ZÜM expert trainer Angel. She personally met with each
person in the program to determine our current fitness levels and to discuss our goals. Angel's workouts were different from anything I had ever done before, but with her patient instruction and encouragement, I was able to meet the challenge. She also gave me the knowledge I needed to effectively work out on my own.
Get Lean helped me lose nearly 20 pounds. I went from a size 12 pants to a size 6! More importantly, the program showed me that I control the quality of my life and that small steps lead to big rewards. I no longer live in fear of diabetes. Instead I look forward to a long, healthy life.
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