TOPS is not about dieting.
If you’ve tried dieting and found out it didn’t work for you, don’t worry. TOPS is not about dieting. TOPS is about becoming a healthier, happier person by being sensible about what you eat and how you live. Instead of depriving yourself of the foods you enjoy, we support you to adjust your portion sizes. If you resist exercising we encourage you to start getting more fit with the kind of exercise you enjoy.
There are many opportunities to get a little more exercise in your day if you think about it. We discuss the kinds of food that are healthier and share recipes we’ve tried. We celebrate one another’s successes and encourage each another when we struggle.
From my own experience, losing weight in a sensible way is not starting a “crash diet” but rather a slow but sensible change in eating habits and lifestyle that gradually improves general health while shedding pounds. I know others in TOPS share this opinion based on their own experience.
At TOPS we remind one another about important matters like drinking enough water, eating the healthy fats, eating nutritious meals, walking more, eating more fruits and vegetables, and other healthy habits, by adapting games like bowling or bingo and devising amusing contests to keep up good habits. We have fun.
We also volunteer to present a short program on any health-supporting subject that interests us such as how to eat consciously, how to decipher labels on food packaging, how to substitute a healthy ingredient for one that isn’t healthful, how to get a better sleep, or how to cook food in ways that don’t remove the vitamins we need to nourish our bodies.
Remember, you aren’t in this alone. We all know how hard it is to do this on your own because we’ve been there. We’re a very supportive group and we’re here for you.
When you join TOPS you will make an appointment to see your doctor and together you will set a sensible weight goal for yourself. Your improved or maintained good health is always central to what you do at TOPS.
Please join us. We meet every Wednesday morning at the Community Centre, from 9:00 to 10:00. We’re a low-cost self-help program that welcomes everyone. If you want to Take Off Pounds Sensibly with the rest of us, please call ...
Submitted by Amber Harvey