four teal icons for lifestyle coach, group support, weekly meetings, and a healthier you
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Change Your Lifestyle.
Change Your Life.

Reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes with our Change Your Lifestyle. Change Your Life. (CYL2) program. You’ll get your very own coach to teach you how to eat healthy foods and increase your physical activity. And when you’re having a rough day and feel like slipping back into your old habits, your classmates will be there to keep you on track. The American Diabetes Association identifies this program as meeting the Diabetes Support Initiative criteria for support programming.

What is prediabetes?

Prediabetes means your blood glucose (sugar) level is higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. 1 in 3 adults in America has prediabetes and most don’t know it. Take the Risk Test on the right side of this page now to see if you are at risk.

How can prediabetes affect me?

Without losing weight or increasing physical activity, people with prediabetes may develop type 2 diabetes within 3 years. If you have prediabetes or other risk factors for type 2 diabetes, you can make changes now to improve your health.

What changes can I make to help avoid developing type 2 diabetes?

Just because you have a family history of diabetes, or have been diagnosed with prediabetes, doesn’t mean you are destined to develop it. Making small lifestyle changes now — like eating healthier, being more physically active, and managing stress — may help you avoid having to manage type 2 diabetes for the rest of your life.

How can CYL2 help me make these changes?

The CYL2 program can help you take charge of your health to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Research found that the program helps people make small lifestyle changes and cut their risk of type 2 diabetes by more than half.

CYL2 reduces the risk for type 2 diabetes and many other chronic conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure. The goal of the program is to help you lose 5 to 7 percent of your weight — that’s only 10 to 14 pounds for a person weighing 200 pounds — by eating healthier and being more physically active. This will improve your health and cut your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

How much does CYL2 cost?

There is no cost to you. CYL2 is conducted in partnership with the Black Women’s Health Imperative through a cooperative agreement with The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

When does CYL2 meet?

CYL2 meets for 1 year with weekly meetings for the first 4 months, and meetings twice a month for the following 8 months, to help maintain your healthy lifestyle changes. Call (334) 293-6502 to find out when classes are available and how you can join!

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I’ve learned that decreasing portion sizes, counting calories, and daily exercise are essential to losing weight. The weekly coaching has guided me to accomplish my goal. I plan to continue using strategies to stay fit and be healthy.

They teach how to eat healthy and stay active to prevent type 2 diabetes. Since enrolling, I eat more vegetables and fruit, I’m more active, I read food labels, and I keep a food journal. I have lost weight and dropped a dress size.

I saw an advertisement on WSFA 12 News about the wellness class. Judy Washington, our lifestyle coach, and the others in class, we encourage each other. I am looking forward to the new me and meeting my weight loss goal.

We grow up cooking and eating like our elders so we become them. I have a great teacher to teach me better. I am grateful, thank you. I’m living a better, healthier lifestyle and can help my family do the same. Thank you.

I’ve succeeded in lowering my resting heart rate, cholesterol, and triglycerides. My blood pressure is  so much better that I might be able to get off my blood pressure pill in a year or so, maybe less. I still have work to do but I’m on the right track.

I feel really awesome when someone says, “Girl, I see you’re losing weight!” I am ever so thankful and glad that I decided to come to this class. I am losing weight, feeling great, and working hard towards my goal weight for our 6 month mark.

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See how Debbie changed her lifestyle:
Join a free online community devoted to health and wellness! Search “BWHI” in the App Store or Google Play Store!

You don’t have to do this alone. Simply:

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Take the quiz on this page to determine if you are at risk of prediabetes.

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Call The Wellness Coalition at (334) 293-6502 to enroll in CYL2 at no cost to you.

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Visit our Wellness Resources page for tips and tricks on living a healthy life.

  1. Take the quiz on this page to determine if you are at risk of prediabetes.
  2. Call The Wellness Coalition at (334) 293-6502 to enroll in CYL2 at no cost to you.
  3. Start your new wellness journey with support on your side!
Isha Nigam sitting at a table with a plate of food
This project is conducted in partnership with the Black Women’s Health Imperative through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.