Motivation and Support for a Better and Longer Life
Steve Banos made the choice to learn new habits and build a healthier lifestyle while also managing his weight.
Working with the materials and the MOVE! team at the Lubbock, TX Community Based Outpatient Clinic, Steve learned how to keep himself on track to make positive health behavior changes.
Inspiration to Get Started
After trying different programs and getting what he called "little results" for twenty years, Steve Banos noticed some of his friends and family starting to have health issues that were related to poor food and activity choices. He also recognized that he had begun to stop doing some of the things he previously enjoyed due to a lack of energy and mobility. This inspired him to ask his provider at the Lubbock, TX, CBOC how he could find support in his efforts to lose weight. Steve’s provider told him about the MOVE! Weight Management Program for Veterans, and he soon discovered that "the MOVE! program does work if you follow it completely."
Fun for me is when I can ride my bicycle now and go for longer walks!
Steve Banos
Interactive Classes and Helpful Materials
When asked what was most helpful about his MOVE! experience, Steve identified the interactive group meetings as a significant contributor to his motivation and support. He explains that his facilitator’s recommendations were tailored to each Veteran’s needs in their respective efforts. He also acknowledged how helpful the MOVE! materials were with their continued reinforcement of the content shared in the groups. Steve describes how his life is different now, saying, "my daily activities are a lot easier to do, I feel healthier, I have avoided becoming diabetic, [and] I will be able to stop taking cholesterol medicine after dropping 25 more pounds."
A New Way of Thinking
Reflecting on his journey with MOVE!, Steve shares that "Before starting the MOVE! program I knew I had to set my mind and way of thinking to maintain better health." This new way of thinking has led to a new daily exercise routine, including a 1 ½ mile walk every other day. Steve has also changed his eating habits, as he now enjoys meals with smaller portions and consumes fewer calories per day. Thanks to these changes, he has achieved a 35-pound weight loss and is four notches tighter on his belt. For Steve, these changes and improvements in his health have translated into what he describes as "a better life and a longer life with mobility to do the things I want to do when I am older."
