Mind and Body Connect for Better Health
Kristal Jordan increased her awareness of how to make lifestyle changes to manage her weight and improve her health with the support and guidance of the MOVE! team at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center in Palo Alto, CA.
A Fresh Start
Kristal reports that she has always been aware of her weight. "I had tried programs like Weight Watchers, and tried diets like intermittent fasting and others," she recalls. For Kristal, any progress she made was followed by weight regain. "When I have weight regain," Kristal explains, "my energy decreases, I feel sluggish and bloated, just more uncomfortable overall." Looking for a way to break this cycle, Kristal shared her concerns with her provider. He recommended the MOVE! Weight Management Program for Veterans, including the option to attend group sessions. This option appealed to Kristal for the interaction she would have with other Veterans who were on journeys like hers.
The MOVE! program is not like other weight management programs. It's a team conversation, there is no judgment and it’s a different way of looking at things!
Kristal Jordan
A Team Effort
For Kristal, the MOVE! group setting provided motivation and support for her action plan, and she emphasized the value of weekly goal setting with her team and the group. "It felt like a team effort," she recalls. "Being in the military taught me to be part of a team and being in the MOVE! group was a nice reminder that we are not alone." She discovered that MOVE! emphasizes a holistic approach to losing weight through a lifestyle built with small, healthy choices rather than what she previously experienced as dieting. Among the strategies that Kristal adopted was tracking her food and beverage intake, sharing that "it made me more aware and conscious of what I was eating. When putting food eaten in a tracker, it allows for you to pause and think about your choices and what you are doing [and] I ended up making better dietary choices." What’s more, she felt valued by her MOVE! team. "The staff really took the time to learn more about you," she explains. "I felt seen."
A New Attitude
Since starting MOVE!, Kristal shares, "I learned to be kinder to myself." That positive approach has led to positive results, as Kristal has become more mindful of her eating and physical activity choices. "I am more aware of the mind-body connection in my day-to-day," she reports. "My mood and mindset have improved. I feel more energy to keep going and more motivation. I have also gained muscle." With her new energy and confidence, Kristal plans to continue making healthy choices and ensuring her best health with the support of her daughter who has taken on helping to create and participate in Kristal’s physical activity routine.
