Out of deference to her, the rest of her family stayed behind too. In Prague, she was too out of shape to climb a set of stairs of a tower that would have afforded her an incredible view. Sharon says she, her husband of 56 years and her daughters “have been blessed to travel around the world,” but Sharon’s weight literally slowed them down during each trip. If Sharon has a single regret about the program it’s that it didn’t exist 40 years ago. And monthly group meetings create a supportive “team” feeling among the participants. Education sessions focus on maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle, nutrition and fitness recommendations. “They cared for me and made me care for me.”Ī team-based program, Hoag’s program offers ongoing support from a health coach, registered dietitian, and clinical social worker. “I’m glad that I cared enough to make a choice, and that the people in this program cared for me back,” Sharon says. Through a combination of education, accountability, technology and support, the Healthy Lifestyles Program has helped Sharon to lose weight, avoid diabetes and enjoy life more. Instead of putting all the emphasis on what the scale says, the Health Lifestyle Program helps pre-diabetic patients take control of their overall health, addressing the issues that have led to poor habits and risky health choices. I decided that guilt was not going to be there. “I would feel guilty about breaking a diet, so I’d just keep eating. “My first choice was to lose the word ‘guilt’ out of my vocabulary,” says Sharon, who credits the Healthy Lifestyles Program with her new outlook. There, she didn’t so much learn something new as unlearn something that had been with her for her whole life. And healthier too.Īfter a lifetime of yo-yoing on the scale and fluctuating immobility, Sharon joined the Hoag Mary & Dick Allen Diabetes Center’s Health Lifestyle Program. She’s happier today than she was 40 years ago. She altered her entire lifestyle, including not just her diet and exercise habits, but also her state of mind. If you don’t believe those words, if you think they’re hyperbole or overly optimistic, then you’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Sharon Mason.Īt 75, Sharon walked herself back from the brink of diabetes.
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