MOVE! Weight Management program

If you are interested in weight management and healthy living, contact your VA health care team or local VA health facility. Ask for the MOVE! Program. If you're not enrolled in VA health care, you can apply now. Learn how to apply for VA health care.

MOVE! Coordinator: 224-610-7137

We work to provide you with the right care at the right time and location for you. We provide your care at the VA facility closest to your home that has the expertise to manage all of your needs. Virtual care may is also an option.

All MOVE! participation options use the MOVE! Veteran workbook and companion materials. The workbook was designed to empower and equip Veterans to manage their health. The materials are interactive with goal-setting tools, reflection questions, and activities.

• MOVE! orientation is a one-time individual or group session that allows Veterans to reflect on their current and desired future state, identify what matters to them, and hear about key strategies for weight management, the MOVE! program and its benefits.
• MOVE! group sessions are the most common way Veterans participate. Veterans find it helps to hear from each other about what works. Clinician-led groups meet regularly and follow a structured discussion format. 
• MOVE! individual sessions may be available to receive more customized recommendations.
• TeleMOVE! home telehealth is a 90-session in-home messaging and monitoring option for those who prefer to review materials independently with periodic phone calls to evaluate goals. Each day Veterans spend about 10 minutes reading health-related information, completing an activity, and answering questions on the phone or computer along with regular weight monitoring.

Additional Options:

• MOVE! maintenance/support sessions provide longer-term support at less frequent intervals to help Veterans sustain healthy behaviors. This is available to Veterans after completion of 12-16 sessions in MOVE!.
• Be Active and MOVE! (BAM) is a structured physical activity group available using video visits at Kenosha, Evanston, and McHenry VA Clinics and in Building 132 at our North Chicago location that may complement MOVE! participation options.
• MOVE! Coach is a mobile app for Veterans who want to set their own pace. 
• Annie text messaging is a self-care tool that can be added to a MOVE! participation option to enhance the experience or be used independently. Daily texts provide motivation and prompts for tracking goals, weight, food, and/or activity.
• Weight management medications and metabolic bariatric surgery are treatment options that may be helpful for some Veterans. To learn more about these options, please contact your healthcare provider or VA medical facility MOVE! Coordinator 224-610-7137.

Overweight or obesity are described as weight that is greater than what is considered healthy for a person’s height. This definition can vary from person to person. Body mass index (BMI), which is calculated using a weight to height ratio, is a screening tool for adult overweight and obesity. However, BMI does not diagnose health or how much fat you may have. It can be a useful starting point for learning about your current health status. Talk with your health care provider to learn more.

What factors contribute to overweight and obesity?

A person’s body weight is affected by many factors. These include:

• Eating patterns: what, how much, and how often you eat and drink
• Physical activity: how much you move your body
• Sleep: the quality of your sleep and how long you sleep can affect your food, beverage, and activity choices
• Genetics: certain genes can alter how hungry you feel
• Medicines: some medicines can cause weight changes
• Environment: where you live, learn, work, and play can affect what and how much you eat and drink
• Society: your culture, education, and the pressure that you experience from peers and the media can affect what and how much you eat and drink

How can having a higher body weight affect your health?

Overweight and obesity are linked with low energy, pain, poor sleep, and greater risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. If you have a higher body weight, losing 5%-10% of your current weight can help lower your risks for these and other conditions. Keeping a weight that is healthy for you can help you feel good and have energy to do the things you want to do.

Can I get screened for overweight and obesity in VA?

VA recommends that you get screened every year for overweight and obesity. To get screened, talk with your VA health care provider.

What are some health problems that are related to overweight and obesity?

People who have higher body weight are at increased risk for many diseases and health conditions, including high blood pressure, high total cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Overweight and obesity are also linked with a higher overall chance of death.

Working towards a weight that is healthy for you can help you feel good and have energy to do the things you want to do. It can also help you prevent and manage many chronic health conditions. To aim for a healthy body weight:

• Talk with your health care team about your goals and to identify what is healthy for you.
• Move more during your day. Try to include at least 2½ hours each week of moderate activity that makes you breathe a little harder and sweat a little, such as walking, gardening, slow biking, or hand cycling.
• Eat when you are hungry, pay attention to when you are full, and look for foods that you enjoy, such as vegetables and fruit for fiber and lean protein options.
• To track your progress, weigh yourself at least weekly and keep a log of your food and activity.

MOVE! 16-week program

• Wednesdays 11 - noon
• Bldg. 133EF, Room BF-204

Be Active and MOVE! (BAM!) exercise class

• Mondays and Wednesdays 10-11 a.m. 
• Bldg. 132
• You must have a referral from Kinesiotherapy to participate in BAM!, you can request a referral from your primary care provider.

MOVE! maintenance/support

• 3rd Wednesday of each month from 9 - 10 a.m.
• This is available to Veterans after completing 12-16 sessions in MOVE!

Contact Lynnsey Bogash at 224-610-7137 for more information.

MOVE! 16-week program

• Wednesdays 11 a.m. - noon
• Telehealth Conference room (telehealth class)

Be Active and MOVE! (BAM!) exercise class

• Fridays 11 a.m. - noon
• Telehealth Conference room (telehealth class)

MOVE! maintenance/support

• 3rd Tuesday of each month from 9 - 10 a.m.
• This is available to Veterans after completing 12-16 sessions in MOVE!

Contact Brandi Summers at 847-688-1900 ext. 66316 or Lynnsey Bogash at 224-610-7137 for more information.

MOVE! 16-week program

• Wednesdays 11 a.m. - noon
• Telehealth Conference room (telehealth class)

Be Active and MOVE! (BAM!) exercise class

• Fridays 11 a.m. - noon
• Telehealth Conference room (telehealth class)

MOVE! maintenance/support

• 3rd Tuesday of each month from 9 - 10 a.m.
• This is available to Veterans after completing 12-16 sessions in MOVE!

Contact Carla Mahmud at 262-653-9286 ext. 68900 or 68895 or Lynnsey Bogash at 224-610-7137 for more information.

MOVE! 16-week program

• Thursdays 1 -2 p.m.
• Telehealth Conference room (telehealth class)

Be Active and MOVE! (BAM!)  exercise class

• Fridays 11 a.m. - noon
• Telehealth Conference room (telehealth class)

MOVE! maintenance/support

• 3rd Tuesday of each month from 9 - 10 a.m.

Contact Paula Mantas at 815-759-2306 ext. 66119 or Lynnsey Bogash at 224-610-7137 for more information.

MOVE! 16-week program

• Tuesdays 1 -2 p.m.
• Thursdays 11 a.m. - noon
• Fridays 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

MOVE! maintenance/support

• 2nd Monday of each month from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.
• 2nd Monday of each month from 11 a.m. - noon

Make an appointment to visit with a dietitian to come up with a meal plan that works for you!

• Nutrition Clinic: Primary Care Dietitian/Building 133
  • 224-610-4861 or toll free 1-800-393-0865 ext. 64861 
• Nutrition Clinic: Mental Health Dietitian/Building 131
  • 224-610-8571 or toll free 1-800-393-0865 ext. 68571

The goal of the TeleMOVE! program is to assist with weight management in the comfort and convenience of your home. Receive a scale and a home messaging device for up to six months of daily education reminders to help you stay on track with your weight loss plan.

Frequent contact by the TeleMOVE! care coordinator who will review your responses each day to identify the need for additional guidance and contact.

Contact the TeleMOVE! Remote Patient Monitoring-Home Telehealth care coordinators at 224-610-5126 or 224-610-5086 for more information.