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2009 State King
Norman Baker
TOP® #OK
403, Pryor
30.75 pounds loss to goal
My thoughts and experience on losing weight. This is only my
opinion, but anyone can lose weight fairly simple, unless they
have a medical problem, then they should seek help from a
doctor. I believe you should eat to live, not live to eat. I
am just like most people, if I don’t keep on top of it, I will
put on weight. I am 72 years old and have set my goal about
five times and reached it every time in a few short months, or
even weeks. The most I ever had to lose was 54 pounds at one
time. That took me five months to lose. I try to average two
and a half pounds a week. Any more than that is unhealthy.
Once I set my goal, I don’t believe I ever had a gain until I
reached it.
About 30 years ago my wife joined TOPS. After a few weeks I
asked her how she was doing. She said not too well, but no one
else was either. She said “Why don’t you join and show us how
to do it.” I went to a meeting to visit but there were no men
and about 30 women. I asked if I could just weigh in each week
without joining, they said yes but it wouldn’t be official. I
couldn’t sit in on the meetings. We looked at the weight chart
and determined I should lose 54 pounds. I did it in 21 weeks to
prove to myself and the chapter that it could be done. About 15
years ago I joined TOPS in Missouri. I don’t remember how much
I had to lose but I lost it in a short time and took 1st
place in my weight division for the state of Missouri.
I recently rejoined in Oklahoma. On my first visit they told me
of a 16 pound contest they had just started. I asked what I
would get when I won it. They asked if I was sure I would win
and I said I needed to lose about 32 pounds so I would win the
next two contests. I did and became a KOPS in 13 short weeks.
My wife says I am arrogant and even cocky when I do this but it
makes me feel good about myself. I am back to what I weighed
when I was 17. It is just proportioned a little different but
now I will work on that.
Each time I lost my weight it was only by counting calories.
Everyone is a little different on the amount of calories needed
to lose the weight and maintain the loss. Some people say it’s
not good to weigh every day but I found it necessary to keep on
track for my two and a half pound loss and now that I am KOPS,
to make sure I stay in my leeway. I give myself two free days
(Thursday and Friday) to eat anything I want, within reason.
Then back to being serious again. I found that this keeps me
from getting burned out and giving into temptations the rest of
the week.
Always before I had 3 sets of clothes in the closet, medium,
large and extra large, so I never worried about putting on a
pound or two. I’d just gradually change to the next bigger
size. This time all of my big clothes are gone, donated to
charity and I can’t afford a new wardrobe if I gain. Besides I
am getting too old to be doing the yo-yo thing. With the help
of my wife and our chapter, TOPS #OK694, Pryor, I will be a
member and maintain my KOPS status for life. |
2009 State Queen
Wanda Earlene Elzey
TOPS®#OK
263, Shawnee
81.25 pounds loss to goal
Hi,
I’m Earlene, my husband LeeRoy is a minister.
We
were in Altus, AR, our daughter was in the hospital a lot. I
stayed up am night and drank coke and ate cheese sandwiches.
I went from 180 to 250 in two years. It wasn’t even candy or
cake. I was an at home mom.
I
went to the doctor, he said I had diabetes and my legs were so
bad I’d be in a wheelchair when I was older. He put me on a
wheelchair exercise and to walk 5 minutes in the house. I took
the children outside to play and walk. I lost almost 20 pounds
while there.
We
went to Guthrie from there. Here I learned what TOPS was all
about, not just dieting. The doctor put me in TOPS. I lost 40
pounds. Then stayed at that weight for the next 10 years. Then
we went to Boswell. The girls at Boswell were special, Mary
became my exercise partner. I told the girls I didn’t want to
take a lot of stuff home from our dinners. They helped me so
much during the last days of my daughter’s life. Karen and I
still write each other.
Mary and I joined Hugo TOPS. Then a Boswell chapter started.
Then when Boswell disbanded I joined the Antlers chapter. While
in Boswell I walked 1 miles exercise tapes and did wheelchair
exercises. I lost 30 pounds in the next 15 years. Had more
fun and made more friends in Antlers. Shirley from Antler’s
chapter and I still write.
LeeRoy retired, so we moved to Shawnee. There I joined TOPS
#OK263, Shawnee. Nancy presents great programs on healthy
subjects. Patty and Nancy encourage us in the weight room.
Ruth and I are exercise buddies. I’m keeping a food chart and I
joined a gym. I’m riding a bike and do weight lifting as well
as my exercise tapes. We are not just a TOPS group but a
family. I went down a dress size to a 12 and lost another 10
pounds.
I
love wearing my KOPS pin. People will ask and I’ll tell them
we’re a family. God helped my loss about 100 pounds by eating
one spoon less and exercising. I’m not in a wheelchair or
a diabetic now. |
