You might be wondering how members of TOPS have been meeting their goal of “taking off pounds sensibly” since March, 2020.
Like most of the world, our lives have changed. In our little group, most, not all, gained back some of the pounds we had lost. A few stayed the same or continued losing.
Throughout this time, the good habits we’d worked on were tested. No longer could we browse in the grocery store, to choose fresh fruit and vegetables for that day’s meals. Instead we had to plan a week or two in advance, and buy whatever would not deteriorate too much between shopping trips: apples instead of berries, cabbage instead of lettuce, carrots instead of asparagus. Or we bought our vegetables canned or frozen, and vegetable proteins like lentils and beans instead of meat, if we weren’t already vegetarians. Bulk foods filled our fridges, freezers and pantry shelves.
Everyone missed going out for meals with family and friends, where we could all order something special, catch up on news, joke and laugh, and be waited on. Instead, we planned, prepared and ate every meal at home, alone or with the same person or persons, day after day. We tried out new recipes, and sometimes made foods that we thought we’d never, ever eat again: buttery sauces, treats with lots of flour and sugar. We baked bread, with panic-bought flour. We baked cakes. And cookies, lots and lots of cookies.
Our social lives became curtailed. All our social groups shut down. Our volunteer work stopped. If we were fortunate enough to work, our jobs dried up. We could no longer see our loved ones and share the hugs we enjoyed. FaceTime and Zoom weren’t satisfying, but they were the best we had. Our emotions suffered and if we were Emotional Eaters, we ate.
But now the sun is shining and we can visit our friends or go for long walks with them, if we wash our hands, social distance, and wear masks. We can be grateful to our local front-line workers, and for BC’s measured approach, and rejoice that we can slowly and carefully meet our loved ones again. We aren’t suffering like the Floridian beach partiers and other groups to our south are, for their reckless behaviour.
As for TOPS, we met several weeks on Zoom, once in a member’s garden, and now back in the Community Centre. Thoughtful members of TOPS stay home when they’re sick. We all social distance and wear masks. Taking care of one another is what a Support Group is all about.
I’m writing this in July. Who knows what changes August will bring?
Our TOPS Chapter is a friendly, low-cost, non-judgmental support group that welcomes new members. You’re welcome to join TOPS every Wednesday morning at the Community Centre, from 9:00 to 10:00. (Your first visit is free.)