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Here are Amber's TOPS Articles as submitted to the MayneLiner.

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Last month I wrote about eating delicious, wholesome food for our health, and not relying on calories-in and calories-out as a weight loss method. This month we can take another look at motion and exercise, even the tiniest movements, and how important they can be. I’ve written about (NEAT) Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis before, but it’s kind of a fun topic so you might enjoy hearing about it again.

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Do you overeat when stressed or feeling sad, when not hungry, as a reward, or for comfort? Do you feel embarrassed about eating, hide empty food containers, or crave specific comfort foods? You might be an “emotional eater.”

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Those pictures of Mediterranean meals! Don’t they look fabulous? We can imagine a world of bright colours, variety, scrumptiousness, joyful gatherings of friends and family in lush settings, the blue and white of Mykonos homes, dancing like Zorba, and coffee get-togethers at a Santorini Café.

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We Support Each Other at TOPS

A community has many aims, and one of those is giving sincere support and care. That’s what makes Mayne Island such a wonderful, warm place to live. We support each other here. The MI Collective, MIALS, Lions, MILT, the church, fitness groups, yoga, the Library, the Conservancy, the Community Pantry, and many, many more organizations, clubs, and informal gathering places all support and help us all in so many ways. TOPS is a support group, too, for anyone who wants to improve their health by dealing with their weight.

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‘Tis the season to be Jolly, fa-la-la-la-la.

Santa brings joy and cheer to us from afar at this special time of year, with a merry twinkle, a deep laugh, and thoughtful gifts. He’s a saint in some traditions. Not to trivialize the darkness in the world, but jolliness, gladness, and good will do bring us light in times of darkness.

Can being jolly help us?

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“Everyone needs some sort of support system on which to rely.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich

Mayne Island is a great community that offers a lot of support and many social clubs to its residents. Just check the pages of the MayneLiner and see for yourself. There are groups that include: school and early childhood groups, the Food Bank and MIALS, the church community, and various others like the Lions, Boaters, Chamber of Commerce, Japanese Garden, sports clubs, regular coffee groups at the Bakery, and many more. Sorry if it sounds like I’m wandering off-topic or joking! But it's wonderful to have a network of friends and connections to rely on. They can truly make a difference in supporting us. TOPS is another one of these support groups. We’re here to deal with anyone who has weight-related issues.

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Every once in a while, a great big Monty Python foot comes down on your head and squashes your life. Well, at least it might feel that way. One terrible day, not long ago, just as a friend was worrying about paying a big dental bill, he discovered his fridge had stopped working. Then leaving for the ferry for a medical appointment in Victoria, his car wouldn’t start!

Why, you wonder, is this a subject for a TOPS article?

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Why Lose Weight According to Artificial Intelligence (AI)?This TOPS column has previously addressed the topic of why we might want to lose weight. Mobility, bone health, energy levels, social and emotional well-being, chronic disease management, longevity, cognitive health, quality of sleep, are all legitimate goals that might motivate us to join TOPS and lose pounds or just maintain a healthy weight.

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When August temperatures soar, we find ourselves reaching for a cold drink to quench our thirst and cool off. You've probably heard we should drink about 15.5 cups of fluids a day if you’re a man and about 11.5 cups of fluids a day if you’re a woman. But does that apply to everyone all the time?

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Sugar, Part Two: “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.”

Last month this article touched on the addictive quality of sugar. Enjoying sweets is normal, but the craving for more sugar can bring complications. Even if we don’t drink sugary soft drinks every day, we may reach for “healthy” cereals or juices, not realizing that they are loaded with sugar.

According to the American Heart Association, we don’t need added sugar to be healthy, but the naturally occurring sugars contain a variety of nutrients that we do need. For example, as well as fructose, fruit also contains fiber and various important vitamins and minerals.

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Sugar, Sugar: Part One

Sugar in the morning,

Sugar in the evening,

Sugar at suppertime.

Some of us are old enough to remember the McGuire Sisters’ song; though it may have several layers of meaning, the chemical aspect alone suggests real danger in our diets. Sugar, this mouth-watering, luscious, ambrosial substance comes in shades from deep brown to white and occurs in many different plants, mostly sugar cane and sugar beets, and can be fine or coarse. The average Canadian eats eighty-eight pounds of it each year.

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Don’t let a weight-loss plateau scare you. Sometimes we remain the same weight regardless of our best efforts. It’s a definite “thing;” check out the information in WebMd or Mayo Clinic websites. Before you become discouraged, know that it's normal for weight loss to slow down or stall.

Why does this happen? During the first few weeks of losing weight, there can be a rapid drop, partly because when we start cutting calories, our body gets protective and releases glycogen, a carbohydrate that’s found in our muscles and liver. Glycogen contains water, so when it’s burned, it releases that water. After that, our weight change slows down.

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September, like January, is a time for beginnings. Children are going back to school. Some are just starting out, and others will be entering a new grade. Perhaps you’re starting a new routine, too. At TOPS new members are always welcome. Why not join now? We will support you in building new health habits and persisting even when you aren’t progressing as fast as you would like. Many in our TOPS group have ‘tried everything’, yet welcome the support, reminders, and caring suggestions from companions on a journey still ongoing.

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Definitely! We know we enjoy it, and as nutritionist Karlene Karst writes, “…eating the right combination of snacks at the right time of day can be a Superpower to increase energy, reduce after-meal cravings, and stabilize blood sugar.”

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It’s an old saying but there’s truth in it.

Losing weight can be serious business, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a laugh while giving it our best shot. A few weeks ago, my granddaughter played a comical “Miss Marble,” an aged private detective with ATTITUDE, in a hilarious high school play. My face muscles actually ached from smiling and laughing so hard! Laughing gives our body a mini-aerobic workout.

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“Take a deep breath, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again.” Frank Sinatra

“Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet.” Anne Shirley

And of course, “After all…tomorrow is another day.” Scarlet O’Hara.

The New Year is often a time for helpful quotations and affirmations. We may have overindulged during the festivities of last year, maybe returned to old habits, but we can leave behind the things that don’t bring us happiness and good health, try something new, start over, do better.

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