A marker for pre-diabetes or borderline diabetes is being overweight and belonging to certain ethnic groups — African American being one of them.
With the proliferation of processed foods, and in particular the abundance of sugars hidden in everyday food products, it is no wonder we are witnessing an out of control growth of this disease. Couple a bad diet with inactivity and the odds are surely stacked against us.
I have a close relative who had ballooned up to three hundred and five pounds and was subsequently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Although he lost the excess weight he unfortunately is currently suffering from many c0mplications due to poor blood sugar management.
If you are overweight and have a family history of diabetes and are also African American, Asian Pacific, Latin or Native Americans, please have yourself checked since the chances are that you might have developed pre-diabetes.
Read Delores’ story and hopefully you can avoid the problems she experienced. Fortunately, she was able to turn her life around.
After Barely Recognizing Herself In A Family Photo, Delores Curtis Lost 181 Pounds 
Name:
Name: Delores Curtis
Age: 59
Height: 5’5″
Before Weight: 350 pounds
How I Gained It: Eating what I wanted and as much as I wanted and having no desire to exercise. I was missing out on family vacations and life’s precious events. My overall health wasn’t good either: I was diagnosed with acid reflux, diabetes and high blood pressure. I knew I needed to make a change but did I? No.
I experimented with programs such as Weight Watchers and Medifast, the cabbage soup diet and Atkins. Within six months to a year of starting my diet, my weight would creep back up to my heaviest.
Shopping for clothes was pure hell for me. I ate myself up to a size 5XL and 30-32 blouses, 28-32 pants and 50 bra. I didn’t have a lap; I couldn’t hold my beautiful grandkids.
Breaking Point: Three things: In July 2013, my husband took me with him on a business trip to Dallas and the seat belt barely fit around me. I was so embarrassed and wanted to cry. We decided to stay an extra day to tour the new Dallas stadium, and I couldn’t walk the tour with my husband.
I was so sick and tired of all the blood pressure, diabetes and acid reflux medicine. I had had enough.
I went to dinner to celebrate July birthdays in my family. We all gathered to take pictures. Later that evening as I sat on the couch looking at the picture, I noticed that my husband could barely put his arm around me. I looked at that woman in the picture and asked, “Who are you?” I didn’t know the woman looking back at me.
How I Lost It: The initial start was to remove sugar from my diet, stop late-night eating and start using the gym membership that I had been paying for for two years. I knew I had to do something different this time. I had to find a way to make it work longterm. I knew giving up too much and feeling deprived wasn’t going to work this time.
I looked at every diet plan I’d ever been on and came up with a lifestyle plan that would that fit my daily routine and give me long-term results. Because at the end of every diet, you’ve got to get back to real life.
For the first 30 days, I didn’t eat any potatoes, pasta, white rice, flour, soda or sugar, and I drank no less than a gallon of water a day. I’ve learned to read labels. My meals consisted of baked chicken, fish and vegetables. As much as I try to stay away from processed foods, in some cases, it’s hard to avoid, so moderation is the key.
I make my own snacks, like roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds, almonds, pistachios, cashews and roasted chickpeas. I lost 20 pounds in 30 days and started going to the gym. I was sore for three months straight, but I kept going every day. Even after losing 20 pounds, I could only walk on the treadmill at the lowest speed, but I kept going. I would be on it for an hour, take a break and get right back on. I stuck with the treadmill for the first nine months.
I would be on it for an hour, take a break and get right back on. I stuck with the treadmill for the first nine months. Now, I love going to the gym, and my energy level is off the charts. Everybody who knows me is cheering me on. I
Now, I love going to the gym, and my energy level is off the charts. Everybody who knows me is cheering me on. I want to do everything: Spinning, dancing, running, horseback riding, traveling the world. Now, I can walk on the treadmill on its highest level for 45 to 50 minutes. For someone who could barely walk up a flight of stairs without being winded, I feel like I got my life back!
I’m no longer on any of the medications. One year later, my husband said, “I bet you can run that Dallas stadium now!”
After Weight: 169 pounds
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P.S. What will it take to lose the excess weight. Will power, a support system, and most important a strong desire to want to live a healthful life.
P.P.S. You will need to incorporate a consistent exercise program that targets all your major muscle groups. I urge you to visit How to Prevent Pre-diabetes where you will find information on preset exercises for shedding excess weight.