Overcoming a New Challenge
Mike Lukenbill had the drive to manage his weight and change his health for the better, so he worked with the MOVE! team at the VA Amarillo Healthcare System in Amarillo, TX, to find the right path forward.
Choosing a New Direction
"I have fought my weight all my life [and] done all the diets," Mike explains. While Mike’s determination to improve his health was never in question, he was unable to achieve lasting change and accomplish his goals for good. In search of guidance and support to help him along his journey, Mike turned to the MOVE! Weight Management Program for Veterans. He began attending group sessions and quickly saw the benefits of MOVE!’s approach managing weight.
Losing 30+ pounds was great and helps me have a better outlook on life.
Mike Lukenbill
Learning as a Group
Along with the other Veterans in his MOVE! group sessions, Mike learned how building a healthy lifestyle could set him on a path to losing weight and better health for the long term. Unlike restrictive diets or aggressive exercise programs, MOVE! stresses the importance of small, simple changes. Mike started developing new habits, like tracking his steps with a pedometer and tracking what he ate on a daily basis.
Living a Healthy Life
Since starting MOVE!, Mike has lost over 30 pounds and strives for even greater progress with his new, healthy lifestyle. "Keeping positive" makes a great difference for Mike, and he is especially grateful for the extensive support he received from his MOVE! team and his peers. He shares that he has been a competitor his entire life, and now that he has the upper hand in his efforts to manage his weight, Mike is sure to keep pushing to achieve new goals and maintain his progress for the long term.
