By Chelsey Bowermaster, Two Rivers YMCA

168 hours are in a week. I’m asking for 150 minutes per week to make a life-changing difference.

How?!

Increasing physical activity to 150 minutes at the pace of a brisk walk per week can reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association states, “Think of each small step as one piece of your effort to change your habits. Making changes one step at a time gives you the best chance to reach and stay at a healthy weight and prevent type 2 diabetes.”

Are you at risk?

Check out the Two Rivers YMCA health risk assessment. In the Quad Cities, 1 in 4 people are at risk or prediabetic and may not even be aware of their condition.

Your local Quad Cities YMCAs offer the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program to help you with accountability on your journey to wellness.

Be sure to talk with your physician about possible risk factors or helpful tips to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes.

Here are some helpful tips to make small steps towards preventable change. Together, let’s reach that goal of 150 minutes per week:

1. Rake leaves instead of using a leaf blower
2. Walk 15 minutes before or after your lunch break
3. Get off the bus stop early and walk to your final destination
4. Stand and walk during sporting events instead of sitting
5. Get up during commercial breaks and stretch or do some abdominal exercises
6. Schedule time in your day specifically for exercise—your health deserves a time slot as much as your staff meetings!

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. Let’s get moving and together we can take steps to help make the Quad Cities a healthier place to live.

For more information about the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program or increasing physical activity, contact your local YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Coordinator: Chelsey Bowermaster, Two Rivers YMCA 309-797-3945 ex 229 or Aryn Lloyd, Scott County Family YMCA 563-345-4252 ex 283.

Meet Chelsey Bowermaster, Let’s Move Quad Cities Fitness Blogger. She has more than 7 years’ personal training experience and is the Healthy Lifestyles Director at the Two Rivers YMCA in Moline. You can read Chelsey’s bio and other blog posts by clicking here.