DPP Testimonials

Jan Pangrazzi was overweight and, like many, struggled with it for several years. She tried working out, going occasionally to the senior center near her home, but she said she never felt truly committed and that her workouts would be inconsistent. Finally feeling fed up, Jan decided to attend a DPP information session at her church to learn more, and she ultimately enrolled in classes.

She credits DPP with helping her become more consistent in her workouts, learning about what exercises to do and how to safely increase the intensity and pace of her physical activity. Jan says that not only did DPP aide in making her more consistent but that it also made her trips to the gym more frequent - almost doubling the amount of time she spent exercising.

But, DPP was not a walk in the park for Jan. She believes that one’s readiness to change is the biggest obstacle to people’s success, and this was something she had fought against for a long time before joining a class. She says that it is the willingness and readiness to do things differently that allowed her to make the critical adjustments in how she eats and exercises - truly making a lifestyle change and enhancing her good habits. Jan recognizes that DPP can be difficult for people and encourages those who have dropped out of the classes to “get back in the saddle,” stressing that the long-term benefits outweigh the challenges.

DPP gave Jan a greater awareness of her eating habits and how to make better choices, focusing on portion sizes and eating in moderation. She learned about foods fat content and about strategies she can deploy when eating out or at a party. A key item that has helped Jan is her food tracker, which helped her focus on her the new eating habits she learned in DPP. Many friends and family asked her about what diet she was on and Jan explained, that it’s “not about going on a diet,” but that DPP is a lifestyle change.

In the course of her class, Jan lost 50 pounds and went from a size 16 to a size 10 - a size she hasn’t been since she was in her 20s (and she’s in her 60s)! Additionally, Jan lowered her A1C from 5.7 to 5.4 and her cholesterol from 217 to 156. She believes so strongly in DPP that she offered to drive her friend 45-minutes to class when they told her that it was too far away. Inspired by Jan’s changes, her sister decided to enroll and as of September 2018 was down 13 pounds. She also shared information about DPP with her doctor, who now makes referrals to DPP from two offices.

Jan is a shining example and proof that DPP really works. To learn more about DPP and current classes offered throughout Southeast Michigan, please view the SEMI DPP Map and Fact Sheet.