Traveling the Path to Better Health
Brian Stinchfield devoted himself to managing his weight through small changes to his routine and ended up improving his health too.
Brian worked with the MOVE! team at the Manchester VA Medical Center in Manchester, NH to build a healthy lifestyle and later enjoyed the benefits of his new choices.
A Lasting Solution
Brian shares that while he had tried to manage his weight in the past through a different system, he was never able to achieve lasting results. "I found it to be confusing and boring," he recalls, and further shared that he was not motivated by the structure of counting "points." When he joined the MOVE! Weight Management Program for Veterans, however, he discovered that MOVE! had a different focus. Unlike in his past experience, MOVE! emphasized the importance of making small, simple changes to his lifestyle that led to positive health outcomes.
I feel I can do this program for life without feeling burdened.
Brian Stinchfield
Making the Changes
After starting MOVE!, Brian began adding new, healthy habits to his routine. "This is the first time in my life that I have counted calories," he explains. "I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed tracking my food intake." Brian also shared that, "one thing that motivated me was the thought of not having to say ‘no’ to something I really liked, but rather cut it in half and count it…have less but don’t give it up totally." While being mindful about his portion sizes, Brian also began making healthier meal choices. To supplement these behavior changes, he added steady increases to his physical activity, which ultimately resulted in him enjoying hobbies like kayaking and pickleball.
Still Pushing Forward
Brian’s new healthier lifestyle is a permanent commitment. In addition to having more energy and better general health, he has also lost nearly 20 pounds since starting MOVE! He credits his wife for her support in cooking healthy meals and his MOVE! Coordinator, Kathleen Martin, for her encouragement throughout his weight management journey.
