Understanding His Weight Loss Journey
Joe Garcia gained insight and understanding from the MOVE! team at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center in Palo Alto, CA, and was able to create healthy living and weight loss goals to improve his health.
Setting His Goals
Joe became interested in the MOVE! Weight Management Program for Veterans as a resource to help him improve his health. "I want to reduce my blood pressure medication," he explains, "control my type 2 diabetes without using drugs, and have more stamina." Knowing that there was no shortcut to his goals, Joe started attending in-person group sessions and began learning strategies to adjust his lifestyle. He ultimately realized that making small, simple changes to his routine could help him carry out his plan.
At the age of 67, I must have a healthy plan and not a short-term attack.
Joe Garcia
Inspiration and Understanding
By attending group sessions, Joe found support and inspiration from other Veterans. Though each was on their own journey, they walked similar paths to improve their health. Joe describes his interactions with his group as essential, explaining that they helped him to "find what worked" for him. "Weekly meetings and insights from health psychologists and VA nutritionists taught me to stay motivated," he recalls. One of the most significant lessons for Joe was that in order to reach a healthy weight, he would need to balance regular physical activity with healthy food and beverage choices.
Honoring His Commitment
Joe remains committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle as he pursues his goals. In addition to a physical activity routine and making healthy food choices, he has begun to log his calorie intake. With the help of tools like the MOVE! Coach App and the MOVE! Food and Physical Activity Log, Joe plans to make these new, healthy habits an integral part of a lasting lifestyle.
