Natasha White lost 100 pounds with the MOVE! program.
Over years, White watched her mother’s health deteriorate due to uncontrolled type 2 diabetes and poor lifestyle habits.
A hard look in the mirror made White, a North Texas VA licensed vocational nurse, realize her fate would be the same if she didn’t make life saving changes. Weighing 350 pounds with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and anemia, White’s poor dietary habits were leading her down a destructive path.
“I knew what I was facing if I didn’t change, so I decided that I would not allow the same things that impacted my mother happen to me,” she shared.
Found lifeline through MOVE! program
The MOVE! program offers personalized support, education and resources to help Veterans and staff achieve their health goals. It emphasizes the importance of healthy eating, regular physical activity and weight management. By joining MOVE!, Veterans and staff can take proactive steps to improve their health and quality of life.
According to VA Health Research, statistics on Veterans and weight-related health issues are alarming. Approximately 78% of Veterans receiving care from VA are either overweight or obese and nearly 40% of Veterans have high blood pressure, a condition closely linked to being overweight.
“Being overweight and unhealthy is a significant issue affecting many of our Veterans and our staff,” said North Texas VA clinical dietitian Brenda Greer.
Research shows that Veterans are also 10% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to the general population, with obesity being a significant contributing factor. Additionally, heart disease is the leading cause of death among Veterans with obesity and related conditions being major risk factors.
Through MOVE!, White found a group of Veterans and VA staff who provided support and education by offering personalized support and resources. “I learned the importance of portion sizes, calorie counting, reading ingredient labels and how to prepare healthy foods,” said White.
Since joining MOVE! and beginning her journey to better health, White has shed over 100 pounds and is no longer taking medications for high blood pressure and diabetes.
Her journey wasn’t easy, but her tremendous progress is an inspiration to her coworkers and patients. Visitors to her office do not recognize displayed pictures of the old White, which often leads to conversations on how they can also begin a journey to better health.
“I was determined to make a change and live my best life. Thanks to the program, I feel healthy and vibrant,” she said.
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Keep on Moving. Don’t Stop, no!
I am proud with you, Miss White. You look wonderful. Don’t go back (smile)!
Is there a MOVE Program near me, in the Washington DC area?
I think (I hope) that the “Before” and “After” pictures are switched/mislabeled…
Keep Moving.
I’m happy for her but to me MOVE offered nothing but nutritional information via zoom. There were no group facilitators, no physical therapy program in conjunction. I was very disappointed in the program. We need a program like the Navy had for overeaters. In addition, weight loss drugs are now available & PCP is reluctant to prescribe. I’d like to see a fully integrated weight loss program & less emphasis on “it’s just a matter of willpower”.
Congratulations! Can veterans access MOVE on line? I am overseas trying to lose about 50lb. I am considered obese at 5’2″ weighing almost 200 lb. I eat very little, but somehow I can’t seem to shake weight. Because of my injury, I am limited in movement, but I enjoy swimming. Can someone prescribe me a pool? Smiles!! No, seriously, can we access MOVE online overseas?
Hi Tanya, if you have access to a pool it would change your life. I typed up a sheet & a half w/ exercises, how to do them & printed out the 2 sheets. I made the typeface large enough to see w/o my glasses. I then took over to a mail store, put the sheets back to back and had it laminated for a couple of dollars. I have knee problems & would not even think of doing this outside of the pool. I also have water weights so I get a full body workout. I wish I had a way to contact you personally by email to share the exercise sheet with you. My A1C is finally 5.6 which is normal . I am still healing from knee replacement surgery.
this is awesome! way to go!
Congratulations on you major achievement in your life. Great job!
Good job! You look awesome!
She looks great. Good job!
Love this story. Congratulations. I am part of the MOVE program and it has been great. The support and encouragement from VA staff as I go through this journey to better health is wonderful.
What a good change you have made! I am very happy for you! Congratulations! You look GREAT!
That’s awesome but when will they get the program for female vets at all VAs. I asked for the program over a year ago and my provider in the women’s clinic just said “ok”. Never got anything and it was because there is no move program for us.
Congratulations! It’s a big accomplishment.
OZAMPIC, I lost 140+ lbs. thank you V.A. It may have saved my life in one year. I found I had a lump on my breast that turned out to be a full-on level 3 cancer. This makes my sixth cancer & one of the worst.