Dino's story: I reversed my prediabetes on a type 2 prevention course

"I’m in my fifties. My cholesterol and blood pressure were going the wrong way. And my blood sugar levels had just gone into the prediabetes range, at 42mmol/mol. 

My GP, who understands the condition, said they needed to help me stop going further into the prediabetes stage or into the type 2 diabetes stage. He suggested I go on the Diabetes Prevention Programme run by my local health board in Northern Ireland.

Initially, you’re a bit dubious about the course. You think why am I doing this? And you think it’s just another health service tick box. But the person running it was very good, and the course was so valuable that I didn’t miss one session. Even when I was abroad, I’d dial in.

You have emotional ups and downs on the course. Some days you struggle, but I didn’t lose heart."

"I’ve seen first-hand the effects of diabetes. My grandfather and my father had type 2 diabetes. Both had significant issues (complications) because of it and died prematurely. I don’t want to end up like that. If my son has grandchildren, I want to be healthy enough to enjoy them.

It was a 26-week online programme. We started off with weekly sessions, then every two weeks, and finally once a month. It helped you shift your mindset around diet and exercise, and what causes the condition, so you understand. And we’d sometimes be put into breakout rooms, and you’d get a chance to chat with other people with similar stories.

Food and weight loss

Because I was doing this with other people on a regular call, and because you were regularly recording your numbers and having monthly blood checks, you felt a responsibility to make changes. And to do well.

I was able to lose 12% of my body weight, which was a target I was set. For me, that was a weight loss of 13kg (two stone). And I managed to get my blood sugar levels back to a normal level (HbA1c 39 mmol/mol) when it was 42 mmol/mol.

"Food is my life. I’m of Greek Cypriot origin, and it’s everything to me. I love eating out." 

Before I went on the course, I was eating a lot, and my diet wasn’t very balanced. To lose weight, I went on a Mediterranean diet, eating fewer cakes, chocolates and biscuits and more fruit and veg.

My wife supported me through the process. She was my backbone, particularly when it came to meals. At the weekend, my diet is more relaxed, and I’ve continued with that.

It hasn’t been an easy journey. 

"Sometimes there’s a voice in your ear that says, ‘eat a second or third doughnut’. But you need to have an image of what you want to be like or look like."

As well as permanent changes to what I eat, I’ve made changes in how much physical activity I do. I was already doing a fair amount of walking, but now I’ve started to increase my steps.

I don’t jog or run as I find it too sore on my joints. But I go to the gym once or twice a week, and I’m weightlifting, so my muscle mass doesn’t deteriorate.

Staying on track 

The only negative thing about the course is that there is no review period. So, although I’ve reversed my prediabetes, I know it’s easy to go back to old habits. 

So I have continued using the My Fitness Pal app on my iPhone, which helps me monitor my steps and my food intake and ensure I get a balanced diet. And I’m going back to my GP every three months for blood tests to check my levels are still normal.