2004 TEXAS STATE

QUEEN

Vickie Burnett
Loss of 134 Pounds

Growing up as a child, I never had a weight problem. It wasn't until after the birth of my 2nd child I began experiencing the weight issue. I became the queen of Yo-Yo dieting. I tried every fad diet under the sun and joined many weight loss clinic. I would lose the weight only to gain it all back plus lots more. My eating habits were poor.  I would skip meals and then succumb to high calorie foods and soda pop. I would drink a case of Diet Dr Pepper a day! My poor dietary habits finally caught up with me 18 years later.

In 1998, I was hospitalized with pneumonia. As a result of my hospitalization I also found out I had COPD, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, obstructive sleep apnea and osteoporosis. I was confined to a wheelchair on a breathing machine and sleeping in a recliner. I couldn't sleep in my bed. I became a prisoner in  my home, not wanting to socialize with anyone. I sat in my chair, put puzzles together drink Dr Peppers, and smoke cigarettes one right after another all day and night gaining more and more weight. My doctor told me I was slowly dying. My weight had ballooned way over 300 lbs.

In November 2002, I went to Hawaii on a family vacation. I was so embarrassed when I had to ask for an extension to fasten my seat belt. It wasn't until January 2003, that I decided I didn't want to live like this anymore. I started praying to God for his help. I prayed to God to heal me or let me go. I was tired and knew this wasn't a life for anyone to live. Then one day my daughter, who did my shopping for me brought me home this magazine to read. There was an article on successful weigh loss stories. There was a story about a woman who lost a tremendous amount of weight going to TOPS®. I'd never heard of TOPS®before so I started doing research on the internet to find a chapter close to my home. What was so strange, I received a complimentary copy of the local paper in the mail that same day and there was an article on TOPS®. God works in mysterious ways. I knew it was time that I had to do something.

June 5, 2003 I decided to join TOPS®. I remember the day like it was yesterday. It was the day that would change my life. This is where God intended for my healing to begin. I was welcomed with such warmth that my fears and nervousness began to fade. With all the prayers, support and encouragement of my TOPS®chapter, I am off most of my medication, walking 5 miles a day, joined the local YMCA going 3 days a week doing water aerobics and working out in the weight room.  I'm eating sensible, drinking water and journaling everything it takes to stay healthy. Not only have I been successful at losing my weight and wining many awards, including club Angel. I have gained self-esteem, confidence and a circle of loving, caring friends. I thank God every day for giving me determination, willpower, the strength to go on, and helping me find my way to TOPS®Chapter 1278.

"Guys I couldn't have done it without you." Thank you so much for being part of my life. My advice to others is stay focused on you. You are special, and deserve to have happiness yourself and be kind and generous o yourself as you would anyone else. The rewards are great! As I make my way down the aisle as your State Queen, I will be wearing white: a color I've avoided all my life. I was always afraid of getting it dirty. For the first time in my life I will be holding my head high, full of confidence, joy, happiness, high self-esteem, and with me in control.

2004 TEXAS STATE

KING

Larry Sewell
Loss of 79.5 Pounds

At our chapter's recent awards banquet I spoke about Achieving Your Dream. Tonight one of my dreams has come true by becoming State King for 2004. I joined TOPS®in 1999 and had a dream of being a thinner, healthier, and better looking person. I had some success in the beginning, but I wasn't really committed to my weight loss efforts. I still enjoyed Mexican Inn and various "all you can eat" buffets too much. I can't believe now how much I could eat back then!

   I had my ups and downs, but in 2001 I had a tractor accident that severely injured my right knee. . This greatly reduced my mobility and I had to wear knee braces and use crutches to walk around. Some of you here tonight remember the struggle and the pain that I had to endure with that. Little by little my weight crept back up to where it was back in 1999.

   By June 2003 my doctor decided it was time for knee replacement surgery. I was unable to, however, because of a finding in my pre-op procedure. I became desperate to get the weight off. Since I couldn't have the surgery to regain my mobility I knew that I had to lose the weight.

   My family and I began to follow a popular low-carb food plan. Almost immediately we all felt so much better because we leveled out the variances of our blood sugar levels. My weight began to go down and I found the food plan was easy to stick to. As the weight came off I was able to begin walking short distances without crutches and gradually increased my distance. By the summer of 2004 I had lost over 50 pounds and was only 25 away from my goal. I made up my mind to get to goal by the end of the year by exercising more and sticking to my food plan more closely. In October 2004 I reached my goal and became a KOPS®. I have lost 79 1/2 pounds to goal and have been below goal since then

   It is amazing the changes that have happened in my life since I've lost the weight. I'm able to walk, work, and stand with not nearly as much pain as before. I feel so much better and my energy level has really shot up since I'm carrying more than 80 pounds less. It's fun to go shopping for clothes now! There is so much more to choose from, and it's neat not to have to pay the extra two dollars for the "extended size". The BEST thing that has happened is the boost in my self-esteem and self-confidence that has come from my weight loss. I feel good about myself now and know that I can accomplish anything that I put my mind to.

   I want to thank my wife Teresa for encouraging me and my family to go on the low-carb food plan. I also want to thank my chapter TOPS®#TX 1692 Forth Worth, for all the encouragement and support that they have given me over the years. They are really great! I'll leave you with this one thought "Wish It, Dream It, and then Do It!"

Thank you!

Ron Tate

2005 State King

Runner-Up

67 pounds to goal

Our son, Roger was excited and wanted to show me something. He led me into the master bath and proudly showed off a brand-new balance beam clinical scale. The scale did not exactly enhance the decor. Our daughter-in-law, Terresa, was not excited at all.

   Roger wanted to lose weight and get back to the size he was when he left home to go to college in 1981. I doubted that he would lose weight, but he did. In about 6 months he lost about 80 pounds. I admit that I envied the way he looked.  I remembered when I looked like that. The son was leading the father.

   In December of 2003 I was telling stories at a local library. My wife Deanna took my picture. When I saw the picture I was embarrassed. Pictures are absolutely merciless. I want the listeners to hear the stories and not be distracted by my appearance.

   I was tired of wearing "stretch" clothes and tired of wearing suspenders most of the time. Playing with the grandchildren was not fun. Getting up and down off the floor required great effort.

   More than anything I wanted to be like I was when I was younger. I grew up a skinny kid with big ears. I wanted the "skinny" but not the big ears. I did not put on weight until I was 25.

   I had lost weight twice before. As most people do, I put it all back plus some. This was the greatest discouragement to losing.

   My wife, Deanna, had been a member of TOPS®for several years. I hesitated to join because it was, in my view, a "women's club". She told me that Chapter #1152 had one male member, Don Teague. I decided to take the plunge. I joined in January 2004.

   I am not much of a "joiner" and admit that I felt out of place for about 2 minutes.  The common purpose and encouragement from TOPS®members make I work.  Yvonne, Bonnie, Arlene, Diana, Vickie, Peggy, Naomi, Chris, Deanna and don are my buddies.

   This story is still being written. Everyday I am grateful for the change in my life and the love and support I know I have for the future.

Billie Sawyer

2005 State Queen

Runner-Up

114.50 pounds to goal

I grew up in the time of Betty Grable, Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe.  Round, full, voluptuous figures were just not the norm. They were desired. I had one, but unfortunately, I loved to eat. When I married, my husband also loved to eat and I was a very good cook, a dangerous combination.  With my daughter's birth, I added more pounds. Then began the gain/lose see-saw that became my life.

Fast forward to February 1987 and my daughter Diane, our Chapter Leader, and I joined another weight loss group.  I weighed 301 pounds. Working hard, by June I had lost 44 pounds when my husband and I went on vacation with my daughter's family of seven. Shortly after return ing home, Diane and her youngest son were in a serious car wreck. My life changed and dieting was the last thing on my mind. I became nurse, nanny, chauffer, cook and house-keeper. Five months later, my husband had his first heart attack after two previous strokes.

Fast food was comfort and because I didn't have time to cook, I existed in this fast food limbo for another 18 months before my husband passed away. By that time I had added on more weight. My neighbor was a TOPS®member and kept asking me to visit her Chapter. I kept saying "No" and continued my unhealthy eating habits. In November of 1989, with her persistence, I said "Yes" and joined that night.

I did really well, but life threw me another challenge when two months later, my daughter's marriage ended and she and her two teenage sons moved in with me. The good news was that she joined TOPS®also. We both did well and I actually reached "halfway to goal". I guess that was about the time I got hungry again. There was really no excuse, but it was back to yo-yo.

In 2000, I started to have severe hip pain that continually got worse. I digressed from cane to walker. My doctor said that I needed a hip replacement, but he would NOT consider it until I lost 100 pounds.  Pain is a great motivator. Shortly after that, my daughter was diagnosed with MS and I was in a wheel chair.  Unsure how our health would progress, we took a leap of faith, flew to Alaska and toured the state.

By March 2003, I had lost 70 pounds, but because my hip had disintegrated, they had to go ahead with my hip surgery. This relieved my hip pain, but damaged a nerve in my leg causing me to have drop foot. I was in a wheel chair for another year, but still continued losing. On October 21, 2003 I achieved my 100-pound loss and on October 21, 2004, I met my one-year maintenance. But, more important, on September 9, 2004, I met my goal and became a KOPS®with a total loss of 114 1/2 pounds!  It was a long, hard struggle.  My wish for all my TOPS®friends; Overcome your challenges and don't give up.