Putting Her Health First With MOVE!
Mary Luft combined several realistic, healthy changes to manage her weight and improve her health for good.
Working with her MOVE! team at the Lexington VA Healthcare System in Lexington, KY, Mary discovered new strategies to achieve her health and weight management goals.
Taking Care of Her Body
For Mary, challenges with health behaviors related to food began early in life. "I was eighteen, fresh out of high school, and in Air Force basic training when I started handling my stress with food," she explains. Her struggle to maintain a healthy weight has continued ever since. Mary tried to manage her weight using a variety of popular diets but was unable to maintain lasting results. Over the past year, Mary experienced significant loss and stress in her personal life and was inspired to make a change, sharing, "It’s time to take care of my body." She was very clear about the plan she wanted to follow and says, "I didn’t want shots or pills, I wanted a good diet and exercise for good health."
Use [MOVE!] to your advantage because it is a very valuable life-enhancing opportunity.
Mary Luft
How MOVE! is Different
Mary shares that unlike the other weight loss programs she tried in the past, MOVE! works for her because "MOVE! is different… because of the ongoing support, discussion, and education provided from the Veterans and facilitators." This group dynamic helped keep Mary on track throughout her weight management journey as she took advantage of every resource VA has to offer. In addition to the MOVE! group sessions, she also attended cooking classes for those with diabetes through Whole Health. Within her community she was able to combine social activities with physical activity at a local senior center, YMCA, and a 24-hour health club.
The Benefits of Putting Her Health First
In addition to the support and accountability she received from her MOVE! team and other Veterans, Mary is encouraged by her daughter. She helps Mary stay motivated and keep up with her new healthy habits, such as tracking food and beverage intake and using a pedometer. Thanks to Mary’s healthy lifestyle changes, she has lost weight, improved her blood sugar and cholesterol levels, has more energy, and sleeps better! She remains committed to maintaining these improvements through a lifelong commitment to better health.
