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torrancememorial.org PULSE | 13 H E A LT H L I N KS Remember the acronym SMART, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timeframe-based, as a way to set goals about eating and physical activity to reach your overall goals of weight loss and diabetes prevention. This will help you stay on track to make small lifestyle changes that are not overwhelming. e YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program has been successful in helping participants make the lifestyle changes needed to lose weight and keep it off. "e highest weight loss achieved by a participant was 58 pounds," says Costa. us far, 63 people have completed the 12-month program and 85 more are in the queue to finish. And as Ng reminds us, there are no quick fixes. "Participants are encouraged to remain diligent with self-monitoring and celebrate small victories as they seek to make lifestyle changes to prevent diabetes." is is wise advice for anyone who wants to lose weight and/or reduce their risk of developing T2D. TIPS FROM THE CDC AND YMCA COACHES: • Get moving. Engage in at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week. • Eat healthy snacks such as carrot sticks, celery sticks with peanut butter or a piece of fresh fruit if you're hungry between meals. This is a good way to keep your appetite in check so you're not overly hungry when mealtime comes. • Journal your food intake each day. Many people discover they're eating much more than they thought. This is a good way to prevent overeating. • Monitor your fat intake as fat has more calories than protein and carbohydrates. • For holidays or special events, have a healthy snack before you go so you aren't tempted to overeat at the party. • Cook your meals at home using fresh, natural foods as much as possible. • Eat balanced meals and monitor portion size.