By Karen Kistler

karen.kistler@salisburypost.com

“We’re like family,” said both Ellen Thomas and Jane Cooper, as they were speaking of the local TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) group that meets weekly at the Rufty Holmes Senior Center.

Thomas, who currently serves as president of the group, has been in this role going on three years, she noted, telling that they are a “close-knit support group” helping and supporting one another through their weight loss journey.

Cooper, who started when she was 38, shared that she likewise served as president of the group at one time, when they were meeting at the city park. They moved from there to the YMCA and then to the senior center, where they currently meet on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, although, she noted they have had to move to a larger room.

“We have really grown,” she noted.

Thomas said that they have 40 active members; however, because of some sickness, they average 37 or 38 members that attend.

These members usually come to the meetings because of word of mouth, Thomas shared, being invited by a friend or “sometimes people walk by (the room at the center) and say what are you guys doing, and I’ll say we’re having a TOPS group. Come on in, sit through a meeting and see what it’s all about.”

According to a release from the group’s headquarters, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, TOPS Club Inc. is a weight-loss support and wellness education organization. Founded in 1948, TOPS has “about 65,000 members, including men, women and international members who join chapter meetings in-person or online, with thousands of chapters in all 50 states and across Canada.”

The local group meets each Monday, unless the center is closed, beginning at 9 a.m. for weigh-in time followed by announcements and a program provided by either members or others who are invited in to do a program.

There is a lot of encouragement taking place both during the meetings and after they walk out the doors of the center.

At one point in the gathering, they went around the tables and shared if they had had a loss or a gain that week, which was met with support either with cheers and clapping or the encouraging words of “we’re glad you’re here.”

Support continues as Cooper shared they talk about calling one another when that extra bit of support is needed to “not go to that refrigerator after 7 at night. This is such a wonderful support group. We care about each other.”

After each person has weighed in, the biggest loser for the week and the runner up are announced and receive a reward. Healthy snacks are brought in or a quarter is donated and placed in a basket, Thomas shared, and they can win this too, acting as an incentive and providing another source of encouragement.

And this support, accountability and camaraderie of a family is what keeps members coming back each week.

Both Myra Hunter, one of the newer members, who is starting her second year with the program, and Katie Coffield, who serves as treasurer and has been coming since 2009, said it is that accountability that has been the most helpful to them since they have been coming.

Hunter, who is from Arizona and came to the area to care for her mom who is ill, was told when they took her mom to a center, “we need to take care of ourselves in order to be able to take care of others. So I said OK. I joined this group for some accountability to have to take care of myself and start my weight loss program.”

Hunter was excited as she told about the charms that are presented after six weeks of loss as she showed the three that she has earned thus far.

Coffield said that she can lose weight, but admitted that “it keeps crawling back, over and over again.” She noted that she needs the support of the group as she recalled when they couldn’t meet during COVID that she gained back pounds she had previously lost. She likewise shared that “it’s the coming in here, week after week, for accountability, standing on the scale once a week, and the camaraderie of being here” that has been the most helpful.

A retired high school food/nutrition teacher, Cooper said that eating the right foods, something she learned both in school and in the meetings, has been helpful for her through the years, along with advice from her mom, who, she said, lived until she was almost 95. She said, “Jane, stay vertical and keep dancing,” which she does as a member of the Dancing Queens Salisbury dance group.

Healthy recipes are shared among the members, and they have a cookbook of their recipes as well, which are for sale.

Various stories have come out of this local group as they shared about weight loss and support.

Two of the members came expecting to lose and both gained during their time, not weight, but a love as they met at TOPS and married.

Nancy and Bud Hall married on May 21, 2020, after meeting at the club. Bud had been attending for a while, she said, and after she joined and they had known each other for a while, he asked if he could call her, “which he did and we started hanging out and got married,” Nancy shared.

She, along with several others in the group, are now members of KOPS, “which is when you get to your goal, and that means Keeping Off Pounds Sensibly,” she explained.

“It’s a great support system and great motivation,” she said. There’s no set diet program. It’s what works best for the individual.”

Coffield added, “We’re so nonjudgmental. We understand each other completely.”

The group not only helps each other, but they also offer support to the community, Thomas mentioned.

They have an auction every second Monday of the month, she said, and the money raised goes to various funds, with $25 going into their bereavement fund and to several contests they have within the group. The rest goes into the treasury, and at the end of the year they support Toys for Tots, Meals on Wheels, the Salvation Army and the Rufty Holmes Senior Center.

The TOPS release noted that Jan. 21-27 is National Healthy Weight Week and shared some tips to commit to a healthier lifestyle.

Enjoy exercise

The CDC recommends 150 minutes of exercise a week—you might as well spend that time doing something you like. Give dancing, swimming, lifting weights, walking, playing sports or joining a fitness class a chance.

You don’t have to go out and run a marathon or spend 150 minutes on a treadmill each week. Start small by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking/biking short distances instead of driving them. Make it a habit to incorporate movement into your day.

Eat your fruits
and veggies

Eating 2.5 cups of fruits and vegetables each day gives your body the nutrients and the vitamins it needs. Keep a bowl of fruit on the counter that you can grab when you get hungry. Roast vegetables to bring out their flavor and include them in soups, stews, salads, and pasta.

Catch some Zs

Sleeping well has several health benefits. Those who sleep for 6-8 hours at night have lower blood pressure, less stress and a reduced risk of disease. Get the most out of your time in bed by going to bed and waking up around the same time each morning.

Hydrate

When you’re thirsty, your body can mistake it as hunger, which can lead to overeating. Ensuring you’re drinking enough water or low-calorie juice — and cutting back on your alcohol intake — will help you maintain a healthy body weight.

Take a beat

Constant stress makes it impossible for you to maintain your healthy figure. Exercising, eating well and sleeping will help lower your stress level. When you find yourself frustrated, pause, and take a deep breath. You could even try yoga or meditation to establish a sense of calm.

Find your support system

Life is better with friends. Grab some pals and establish a healthy routine together. Tell each other your goals, hold one another accountable, exercise together, share healthy recipes and encourage each other along the way. Better yet, find a TOPS chapter in your area and attend a meeting together — you’ll meet others who are supporting their neighbors in living their healthiest lives now and into the future.