Why Mary Younger Now Feels Younger — and Healthier

MaryYounger (69) knows the temptations that contributed to her weight gain over the years — snacks, desserts, and alcoholic drinks. More specifically: “Potato chips, ice cream, and a drink before dinner.”

But thanks to the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) through the YMCA — referred to Younger by her Mercy Health Physician Partners doctor — she is no longer prediabetic and has lost an amazing amount of weight.

At 5 foot, 10 inches tall and weighing 226 pounds, Younger began the DDP this year in mid-April. She now weighs 195 pounds. The goal for participants is to lose 7 percent of their body weight during the yearlong program. Just five months in, Younger has already lost 13 percent of her weight.

Her Success Began with a “Yes.”

Younger explained, “Dr. J. Polizzi is great. He’s been talking to me about this for a couple of years. He told me, ‘Your numbers aren’t heading in the right direction.’”

Polizzi was referring to his patient’s body mass index (BMI) and A1c (average blood sugar levels during period of three months). She was prediabetic.

“There’s a Diabetes Prevention Program you might enjoy,” he continued. “Losing weight will help you in so many other areas of your life, not just prediabetes.”

Finally, Younger agreed to sign up. “I suppose the worst thing is that I could learn some things,” she recalled saying.

Patients who meet the criteria* and are referred by their Mercy Health primary care physician may attend the program for free, thanks to a grant from the Centers for Disease Control.

What She Has Learned…So Far

Both Mary and her husband enjoy cooking and eating. Having his buy-in has made her journey easier. It all started with nutritional education by a lifestyle coach.

“Holy cow! I was living my life with no knowledge about what I was eating. My husband and I have changed the way we eat; we have changed the way we shop; we have changed our portion control,” she said.

Accountability is another important aspect of the program’s success. Participants are placed in groups and meet regularly through Zoom with their lifestyle coach. Younger’s group consists of a wide age range of patients from Muskegon, Forest Hills, Spring Lake, Jenison, Grandville, and Kentwood. A key component of the DPP is the reporting of each patient’s weekly log that lists their weight, minutes of exercise, and grams of fat consumed.

“Being accountable to others and writing it down is a lot different than trying to make changes on your own,” Younger admitted.

“I’m in the best shape I’ve been in years. I feel good. I don’t have acid reflux anymore, and I have dropped a clothing size. Plus, I’m no longer prediabetic.”

Eating the Correct Amount of the Right Foods and Keeping Fit

These days, Younger looks at the ingredients in the foods she buys and consumes.

“I have switched things that I buy and eat to be more fat-gram conscious,” she said. “The program focuses on fat grams but makes you aware of other things like calories, carbs, salt, and additives, depending on individual health risks,” she added.

Eating out is allowed, so when Younger eats out, she eats less at other meals of the day, checks the menu in advance, and eats only a portion of the meal and takes the rest home.

When cooking, she has become an expert at preparing healthy cuisine.

“I don’t have to measure anymore because I now know the basics. I can eyeball portions and amounts when cooking. I now know how many carbs, fats, and calories are in foods. This program has helped me do what I needed to learn about food and to eat the correct quantity and type of food.”

Keeping active is another crucial piece of the program. “We were offered a free membership to attend a variety of online classes through the YMCA for a year, but I prefer to exercise privately using equipment we have at home: an elliptical machine and an exercise bike.”

Maintaining Her Success

Younger has lost a remarkable 31 pounds. She plans to continue the program with new weight goals in mind, eventually settling into a healthy weight maintenance lifestyle.

Since she began the program, Younger has noticed that the people who are the most successful are those who really want to lose weight or really don’t want diabetes.

How does she plan to maintain her success when the yearlong program ends?

“I don’t ever feel hungry and I don’t ever feel deprived, so it’s hard not to do this. I will weigh myself, because the scale will tell me if I’m doing a good job or not.”

And what about snacks, desserts, and alcoholic drinks?

“It’s easy,” she said. “My temptations are now ’sometimes things, not all-the-time things.’”

To find a Mercy Health Physician Partners primary care physician near you, click here.

*Criteria for DPP: not pregnant, no diagnosis of diabetes, A1c of 5.7–6.4 percent, and a BMI over 25.