Did you know? 58% of new cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented through programs like the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program. If you’re at risk, you can make small, measurable changes that can reduce your risk and help you live a happier, healthier life. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program gives you the skills you need and the support you deserve to make lasting lifestyle changes.
Program Details and Goals:
In a classroom setting, a trained lifestyle coach will facilitate a small group of participants in learning about healthier eating, physical activity, and other behavior changes over 26 sessions. The year-long program consists of 16 weekly sessions and 4 sessions every other week during the first 6 months followed by 6 monthly sessions in the second 6 months. To help reduce your risk for diabetes, your goal during the first 6 months of the program is to:
- Reduce your body weight by 7% (example: if you weigh 200 lbs, your goal would be to lose 14 lbs)
- Increase physical activity by 150+ minutes per week (example: a 30-minute brisk walk 5 days per week)
The Granite YMCA’s Diabetes Self-Management Education & Support Program (DSMES) consists of ten one-hour weekly conversation map classes. This program is recommended for anyone with a new diagnosis of diabetes or for those who have not previously attended classes. The program covers detailed information on nutrition, exercise, monitoring, medications, community resources, and stress management.
Diabetes care and education specialists work with a person who has diabetes to create a plan of care that is personalized to an individual’s lifestyle, culture, beliefs, and environment. Together, they work to find solutions that address their most pressing challenges.
DSMES has been shown to:
- Lower A1C levels
- Prevent or reduce diabetes complications
- Improve quality of life
- Lower your medical expenses
To qualify, participants must be 18 years of age or older and diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. This program is accredited by the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES).
According to the American Heart Association, nearly 80 million adults have high blood pressure in the United States. The YMCA’s Blood Pressure Self-Monitoring Program is designed to help adults with hypertension lower and manage their blood pressure. The four-month-long program focuses on regular home self-monitoring of one’s blood pressure using proper measuring techniques, one-on-one or group-based consultations with a trained Healthy Heart Ambassador, support and nutrition education for better blood pressure management.
Program Details and Goals
During this program, our goal is to see a reduction in blood pressure, better blood pressure management, increased awareness of triggers that elevate blood pressure, and an enhanced knowledge to develop healthier eating habits. To sign up, participants must be:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be diagnosed with high blood pressure
- Not have experienced a recent cardiac event
- Not have atrial fibrillation or other arrhythmias
- Not be at risk for lymphedema
Falls are not a normal part of aging. You can help reduce your risk of a fall with Tai Ji Quan™. This program aims to improve balance, coordination, and stability using gentle, low-impact movements based on the forms of Tai Chi. This progressive, evidence-based, 12-week program has been shown to increase confidence, reduce the risk of falling, and enhance overall fitness for participants. All levels are welcome. This program can accommodate individuals who need some assistance with walking, such as use of a cane. Take steps now to reduce your risk of a fall and maintain an active and independent lifestyle!
The Arthritis Foundation’s program, Walk With Ease, is proven to reduce the pain of arthritis and improve overall health. No matter if you need relief from arthritis pain or just want to be active, this 6 week program can teach you how to safely make physical activity part of your everyday life.
Walking puts less stress on the body than most other forms of aerobic exercise – the kind that builds stamina and boosts cardiovascular fitness. Walking is an especially good exercise choice for people who are older or have been less active. The Walk With Ease program contents are based on the latest research in exercise science, plus lots of hands-on, helpful suggestions from thousands of people both with and without arthritis, who have shared their experiences to help make walking work for them.
Program Details and Goals:
Studies by the Thurston Arthritis Research Center and the Institute on Aging of the University of North Carolina show that Walk With Ease is proven to:
- Reduce the pain and discomfort of arthritis
- Increase balance, strength and walking pace
- Build confidence in your ability to be physically active
- Improve overall health
Enhance®Fitness is a proven community-based senior fitness and arthritis management program. It helps older adults become more active, energized, and empowered for independent living. Enhance®Fitness has been nationally recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, and the National Council on Aging.
Program Details and Goals:
- A certified instructor with special training
- Exercises focusing on cardiovascular endurance, strength, flexibility, and balance which can help reduce the severity of arthritis symptoms
- An atmosphere that encourages social interaction, which is a vital part of health and well-being for older adults
LIVESTRONG® at the YMCA has served more than 76,952 cancer survivors in more than 400 communities across the nation. This is a FREE 12-week, small group program for adult cancer survivors, family members, and caregivers. Through this program, we support cancer survivors in the transitional period between completing their cancer treatment and the time of feeling physically and emotionally strong enough to return to their normal life. Through this program, we create communities among cancer survivors and help guide them on their journey to reclaim health and wellness.
LIVESTRONG® meets twice a week for 75 minutes, using traditional exercise methods to ease participants back into fitness and help further their wellness journey. Program exercises help reduce the severity of therapy side effects, prevent unwanted weight changes, and improve energy levels and self-esteem.
Program Details and Goals:
- Build muscle mass and muscle strength
- Increase flexibility and endurance
- Improve functional ability
- Build companionship and share stories of inspiration
- Develop their own physical fitness program to continue practicing a healthy lifestyle
- Improve energy levels and self-esteem
Our staff are trained exercise specialists. They understand participant needs and help each individual address them safely while everyone works at their own pace. Instructors are trained in the elements of cancer, post-rehab exercise, and supportive cancer care. LIVESTRONG® at the YMCA instructors come from varied backgrounds and have particular expertise in group exercise and personal training. Staff work with each participant to fit the program to their individual needs so participants can practice a healthy lifestyle, not only as part of the recovery process, but as a way of life.
Mood Lifters is a revolutionary, evidence-based mental wellness program in which you will learn scientifically validated strategies in a supportive group setting. The program is currently designed for adults facing stress, difficult life situations, depression, or anxiety.
We know that mental wellness is more than a lack of disease. It takes time and effort to develop a positive, robust, and full life. In a group meeting, run by peer-leaders, you will learn how to use cutting edge, science-based tools and strategies to live the life you want.
Participants learn strategies to better cope with a wide range of common problems, including:
- Lack of joy or pleasure
- Stress from work or school
- Feeling blue, chronic sadness, depression
- Anxiety
- Relationship difficulties
- Difficult transitions
- Loneliness
- Boredom
- Feeling a lack of meaning in life
Living Well in the Community is a health and well-being workshop designed for people with disabilities. It supports them to make choices that can help them live the life they want. The 10-week program teaches participants how to choose and work on a personal goal, experience peer support, create more possibilities in their lives, and make improvements to their health and wellness.
What’s in the Workshop:
- Facilitated discussion
- Fun activities
- Informative videos
- Useful information
Session Topics Include:
- Goal setting
- Healthy reactions
- Eating well
- Advocacy
Healthy Weight and Your Child is an evidence-based lifestyle change program designed to address childhood obesity by empowering children and families through education, healthy eating, and physical activity. It is geared toward the whole family, engaging children and adults in nutrition education and physical activity to elicit positive change and to help families learn skills to live a healthier lifestyle long-term. The program kicks off with an information session for families and consists of 25 two-hour sessions delivered over the course of four months. Each session involves both child and adult in facilitated activities, group discussion, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
The Healthy Weight and Your Child curriculum is adapted from the most widely disseminated and extensively evaluated child weight management program in the world (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do-It—MEND). Studies show the program is effective in reducing a child’s body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, reducing sedentary behaviors, increasing physical activity, and improving self-esteem.
Program Details:
- For children ages 7 – 13 years old
- Participants must carry excess weight (BMI in the 95th percentile or higher)
- Participants must receive clearance to participate in physical activity from a healthcare provider
- Adult must be able to attend all sessions with participating child
The Weight Loss Program is designed to help people seeking a healthier weight achieve their goals by making small, modest changes to their daily behaviors, and forming sustainable healthy habits. Participants joining the program should be ready to commit to daily food and physical activity tracking as well as developing self-designed weekly action plans that incorporate what is learned during each session. This program helps participants build skills for successful lifestyle changes as opposed to advocating any specific or restrictive short-term solution.
Program Details:
- 12-week program that meets for one hour per week
- For adults 18 years and older who desire a healthier weight
- Each week participants are introduced to a new topic relevant to weight loss
- Topics covered include: balanced eating, physical activity, stress and sleep, positive psychology, goal setting, and sustainability
