Making a Change for the Better
Determination to improve her life led Veteran Carolyn Polk to strive for a healthy weight.
With the help of the MOVE! team at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center in Jackson, MS, Carolyn created a new, healthier lifestyle to help her reach her goals.
Getting Serious
"I have struggled with my weight for many years," Carolyn explains, but with the MOVE! Weight Management Program for Veterans, she seized her opportunity to "get serious" about her health. She shares that she found her motivation in "just looking at myself, and desperately wanting to make a change in my appearance." Carolyn's VA provider encouraged her to give MOVE! a try, and in September 2020, Carolyn began her journey to better health.
I love the way I look and feel!
Carolyn Polk
Building Good Habits
After starting MOVE!, Carolyn soon learned that building a healthier lifestyle required her to be more mindful about the food and drink that she consumed. "I spoke regularly with the VA dietitians about good food choices, she recalls, and "if I got off-track with my eating, I would ensure that I got back on track with my next meal." In addition to making healthy food choices, Carolyn also began to increase her physical activity. She started walking daily for exercise, a habit which she has kept up to this day!
Continuing to Work
Carolyn shares that since participating in MOVE!, she has lost 100 pounds and met her weight loss goal. The benefits of her new lifestyle have been many. Carolyn has not only lost weight, but also improved her overall health, and her medications have been reduced too. In order to maintain her healthy habits, Carolyn continues to make healthy food choices and stay active every day.
A Team Effort
Carolyn thanks her MOVE! team for their help as she pursued her health goals. "The staff support and daily messages really helped me stay the course," she explains.
