“Maryland & District of Columbia SRD 2012”

was held April 13th-14th, 2011

at the Princess Royale in Ocean City, MD

Meet our Winners!

QUEEN

Billie York

TOPS MD0239, Cockeysville

169 pounds

I have been in TOPS for more than a quarter of a century and a member in 3 states. Last March I finally reached my goal. 

I have had a weight issue since starting public school.  The pictures tell the story when you see a skinny blonde at five and then a chubby first grader.  I have been at war with the extra pounds much of my life. My first diet was recommended by a family doctor when I was eight years old. This would be the start of my many attempts to lose weight un-sensibly as he put me on protein shakes. 

At 28, I found TOPS.  My aunt Elizabeth Utley was in my TOPS group, NC 0119 Durham.  She inspired me with her dedication and support. She has now been in TOPS for 41 years and a KOPS for 20 years.  I loved the meetings, challenges, songs, and fellowship.  I lost weight but life took over my time and I gave up TOPS.

I paid for an expensive program and lost weight.  In fact, I reached my goal in two years after shedding 120 lbs on a low carbohydrate diet program with daily monitoring. I stayed in my size 12 for only two months. Major life events happened as my father passed and my 17 yr marriage ended around the same time. Later I married again and moved to Virginia within six years. I have learned that I do not fear change but the change creates enormous internal stress which I want to soothe with food, especially flour and sugar in large quantities. 

I was struggling to adjust to a new job and home after living in the same proximity in North Carolina for 40 yrs. The 120 lbs of weight seemed to jump back on my body and the scales were moving consistently in the wrong direction every week. I was not taking care of myself, as I struggled to make Virginia my home. I had topped the scale at 375 lbs. My doctor strongly encouraged me to have gastric bypass surgery. I threatened myself with the possibility of surgery by repeating this mantra, “Lose weight or surgery.” I was psychologically tormenting myself about my weight failures and frantically jumping from one weight-loss quick-fix to another to try to force the scales to move and avoid the looming surgery.  I continued to struggle emotionally, suffer from depression, experience frequent heart arrhythmias, high blood pressure, extreme swelling, and debilitating joint pain. 

Disgusted and ashamed, I returned to TOPS by joining the VA 0364 Herndon Chapter. I weighed in at 349 lbs in 1999. Every week the weight recorder added extra weight to the scales in order for the scales to measure my morbidly obese body. I knew what a commitment loosing the 120 lbs had been and I felt that losing a whopping 169 lbs was an impossible feat. Although, I felt the situation was hopeless, I continued to attend my TOPS meetings. I was welcomed and became connected with the group. New friendships formed and my new Virginia life became easier. The group continued to encourage me, even when I gained. My dear friend Velvie joined me at TOPS. TOPS was the catalysis she needed to start successfully and sensibly losing weight. She gently and logically encouraged me to see that all was not hopeless, that it was time to forgive myself and join her in the path to health. 

TOPS was the encouragement that helped me heal, start losing more consistently, and be sensible about healthy eating. I was very happy once the additional scale weight was no longer needed! I stopped the pity parties, started journaling and asked for help. My new TOPS friends cheered and celebrated as the lbs shed. The chapter awards and charms were accumulating! I lost 100 lbs. I received my Century Medallion in 2007 at the Virginia SRD. It was a very proud accomplishment for the chapter and myself. 

I hovered around the 249 mark for several years. The scales were showing me that I could maintain my weight and finally forgive myself for the past. I took a serious look at myself in the mirror and told myself that I was not at an acceptable weight and admitted that I had farther to go in my weight loss journey. Around this time, I accepted a new job in Maryland. I sold my home and moved again. It took me a few months to find a new TOPS chapter and my weight was increasing. I entered the MD 0239 Cockeysville and immediately felt the group’s love, caring, and support. I continued to work on forgiving myself for my past weight gains and imperfections.  

I started to sensibly march to my goal. I now had three TOPS chapters encouraging me, as I have lifelong friends in TOPS. I consulted with an addiction counsellor and joined a 12 step program to help me understand and cope with the root of my food addiction. Today I weigh and measure my three meals and have nothing in between. I do not eat flour and sugar because in my body, they start uncontrollable cravings that lead to food binges. I help others in order to pay forward all the love and service that has been so generously given to me. I also weigh regularly to stay on track. 

TOPS has been there for me throughout the loss of every ounce, as I made sensible choices with my food and life. I have learned to be more loving and forgiving to others and especially myself. I truly love and care for myself without guilt and ask for help when I need it. I am learning to accept that I am not perfect.

I have a powerful support network. God walks with me and provides the strength and wisdom for good life choices. My family, friends, and TOPS family help me through life’s challenges as I reach out for their hands instead of going it alone with food as a comforter and temporary crutch. Thanks to TOPS being in my life, I now have a sensible life in a healthy body. I no longer need blood pressure medicine and am able to put on my sneakers and take long walks without being short winded or exhausted. The arthritis in my knees reduced as each pound lost lightened the load on my joints. At 54, I am in better health than I was twenty years ago. I no longer have to consider my size when choosing activities or hide from the world under baggy, dark clothes. 

TOPS has helped me unveil the real Billie that was smothering and slowly dying underneath ten dress sizes. I am grateful that I found the TOPS organization so many years ago. This acknowledgement is greatly appreciated. However, I did not and could not have made this journey alone.  I tried to battle food alone and it simply did not work. I stand here in honour of God, TOPS, family and friends for their strength, love, hope and support as I took off and kept off pounds sensibly.

QUEEN RUNNER-UP

Marie House

TOPS MD0446, Hagerstown

67.50 pounds

All of us has a different weight loss journey; maybe by sharing my story, I can help someone else in their struggle. 

Thankfully, I finally found TOPS--well, actually, my mother found it for me.  I have been a member of TOPS for 10 years, but that is not to say that I have only been struggling with my weight for the past 10 years.

I was a normal kid; I was active and regular sized.  In 9th grade, for some reason, all students had to be weighed; I do remember that I was 136 pounds, and most of my classmates were in the 100-110 range.  I remember it, but it didn't have a huge impact on my self-esteem, because I had lots of friends and lots of fun.  I knew I was a little bigger, but I didn't consider myself fat, because I was active and very muscular. 

I babysat the summer following 9th grade; the family provided richer foods, plus I was very inactive in that role.  I probably gained about 20 pounds.  I remember exactly how I found out that I was FAT; the defining moment was when my younger sister informed me that my parents were concerned that I was getting FAT---WHAT!?  I had never considered there was a problem.  I had just turned 15, and I was about to enter high school--a horrible time to be FAT!  Thankfully, I had two close friends by then, so I was able to still like myself,  but I began high school with much lower self-confidence to be "ME".   

I grew up in a large family--6 boys and 5 girls.  2 of my brothers were considered husky, but that was probably just because my other 4 brothers were slim.  My 4 sisters and I were labeled fat and teased incessantly by those same brothers.  The saddest thing about my family was that the girls were supposed to be fully supportive of the boys--we couldn't criticize them, but they sure could hurt us!  These were supposed to be the people who loved us most?  Not much of a support system.  We were all fat, and so we kept dieting to lose weight.  Many times we did lose, only to gain it back plus more.  But, really, once you are fat, does it matter HOW fat?   

I remember joining Weight Watchers as a teen; I was told my Goal Weight was in the range of 98-103 pounds, which meant that I was supposed to lose around 50 pounds!  Now, if THAT doesn't make a young woman feel huge, what does!?  I did well, but I always hit a plateau in the 130 pound area.  I would have been fine there, and I should have stayed there, but Weight Watchers did not allow that to be my goal weight.  I quit, only to return repeatedly, to try, try again.   

When I got up to 200 pounds at age 23, I decided that now was the time for action.  I then joined Weight Loss Clinic.  It provided me with 500 or less calories a day, plus I had to weigh in EVERY day!  If I had a gain, I had to explain why.  Again, it was a very narrow way to focus on health--it was all about the number, but I did get to that 132 pounds again.  The problem was that I never learned how to eat normally, so, of course, the weight returned. 

In my late 20's, I was finally successful!  I got down to 132, and stayed down there rather easily for a few years.  I was active, and I didn't have to dwell too much on what I was eating to maintain that weight; I was there both physically and mentally! 

After I married, life became hectic in a good way--Eustress.  As many of you can attest to, working and having small children takes a considerable amount of time and energy.  I didn't take the time to take care of me first, and I ended up going past my previous high of 200 pounds.   

My mother had talked with me about her TOPS group for a few years, before I decided to join.  I went in January, 2002, and found TOPS to be the support system I truly needed.  I was successful with this new focus; I believe I was down to 170 from 212 by the time we moved from Minneapolis, MN, to Frederick, MD, in July of 2003.  But once again, I let life get in my way, so I bounced up and down a few more times in these past 10 years. 

The summer of 2009, I was ready to again take action, but I was really tired of the Dieting thing.  It must be ingrained somehow that if I CAN'T have something, it is just what I want to have--there's a rebel in this body!  Working as a library shelver, I saw a new book on the shelf, called, "Naturally Thin", by Bethany Frankel.  I laughed to myself and said, "RIGHT"--like those 2 words can even go together!  I passed it by.......over and over....... I passed it by........  

But God intended for me to become Naturally Thin, so I finally stopped ignoring His quiet nudge and checked out the book.  It has been life changing.  I no longer diet; there are no foods I cannot enjoy, and activity has become an integral part of my life.  Food is no longer an obsession.  I had to relearn how to listen to my body to know when it is hungry and when it is satiated.  My doctor and I determined a goal weight that I can maintain rather easily.  Am I skinny?  NO...  I may not even be thin by someone else's standards.  However, I am healthy, and I enjoy my life, especially with my great husband and kids.   

There are two tools I still use even with my KOPS status.  The first is the food/exercise chart--I don't weigh and measure, but it helps me to stay remember what I ate and to stay accountable.  The second is a visual of my weight in chart form, that is actually taped on my bedroom wall.  I see that my journey has been all over the place, but it does goes DOWN in the long run.  It's truly a long-term investment--you HAVE to look long term, just like with the stock market! 

I want to thank many people for my success.  My absolutely wonderful husband, Joel, was, and is, the biggest supporter of all--he has truly loved me through THICK AND THIN!  The many folks I have met through the different TOPS chapters of which I have been a member, of course, have been instrumental in my success as well.  TOPS 446, of Hagerstown, MD, is just the right fit for this stubborn, "I want to enjoy both food and life" person!!!!  We all have our different ideas of what losing sensibly is, and we are there to help each other learn what it is that will make us successful.  

I was on stage at SRD two years ago; I was given the yellow rose from fellow member, JoAnn Picket, to help continue my motivation to KOPS status.  I knew I would make it to KOPS, but, as I told her, I was taking it slow, so I may not make it within the year.  Still, I went home and bought fake yellow roses; I STILL have yellow roses that I placed all around the house and in my car after that SRD.  Her belief in me supported my belief in myself!  That's the kind of members we have. 

Another special member in our group is Judy Harshman.  She passes around little words of encouragement at each meeting.  Some are so appropriate, that I take them home and post them right on the bathroom mirror.  There are two I can think of right offhand.  The first is "It's not the Speed; it's the direction--FORWARD!!  The other is similar, "The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running!!" 

And that is the key--learn what works for YOU--your journey may not be as quick as you wish it to be.  I have come to the conclusion that it is through our mistakes that we truly learn!!!  I still wrestle with staying in leeway, but I have been able to keep the KOPS status.  By learning along the way, we really learn HOW to eat to stay in leeway.  By continuing to fight the battle, we are all healthier--celebrate those successes along the journey!!!  Remember, you only fail if you give up!   

I'll end with my favorite quote from the tale of the Tortoise and the Hare, "Slow, but sure, wins the race".  

Thank you, TOPS!.

Searching for many answers, down various roads to getting healthy, I found TOPS. 

TOPS gave me the positive outlook I needed about healthy eating.

I have learned that in order to lose weight, it is not all about just what we eat, but how we choose to live and make healthier choices. 

TOPS gives me the tools of support, accountability to group members, focus on long and short term goals, and encouragement to help lead others to improved health.

TOPS has helped me lose over 100 lbs and I’m still going!

I love this road to success!!

When I first received my letter stating that I was a division winner, my first thought was that of embarrassment and that I did not deserve to receive the award.

My reason for this reaction is that in 2007 I had received 1^st place winner in men’s division 1 with a loss of 72 lbs. 

In May of the following year I actually reached my goal weight, but was only able to hold it for a month or so. Over the next couple of years, my weight continued to fluctuate and I didn’t really get back on track until last year.

I know that weight control is always a constant struggle, but I thought that maybe by receiving this award today, sticking to the tools that helped me reach my goal in the past, which were:

1.  Drinking plenty of water

2.  Walking daily

3.  No fast food

Along with the encouragement of my fellow TOPS members, it would help to push me to my goal again.

I will keep moving forward. 

Thank you very much MD 0412 Bel Air.

I have never had a struggle with my weight until I retired.

I am not on a diet, as of one year ago, it is a lifestyle change.

No more refined sugar, no more bleached flour, just a lot of salads and green tea.

I have learned to like a lot of different foods such as granola, eggplant, turkey burgers and turkey meatloaf. 

I now feel a lot better and have stopped sleeping with my CPAP machine and my blood pressure has come down too.

I feel so much better.

This last year has been very hard for me, I am blessed to be here after so many trials and tribulations.

I never imagined that I would be in and out of the hospital so many times.

The hardest part has been from December until now since my otherwise healthy husband had triple bypass heart surgery.

This has been very scary for me, but with the Grace of God and my TOPS family MD 0364 Oxon Hill, I am getting through it.

I have never felt as if I was alone. I love my whole extended TOPS family.  Thank you for all your support!

My life’s journey

Many things have happen in my life that I have overcome. 

I left home when I was sixteen because of a bad home life.  I put myself threw high school and graduated with honors.     

My first husband was killed in the service when I was 28 years old. I had three small boys and pregnant with my daughter at the time.   

The one thing I had not overcome was my weight.  Before I knew it, I weighed over 350 pounds.  This was after having my children and life’s many bumps.   

When I joined TOPS it was the best day of my life.  TOPS has taken me on a journey that I so desperately needed.  I have become a stronger person and have made so many life time friends in TOPS. I even went back to college and have graduated.  I received the Robert Schuler Scholar award two years in a row.  

I have had many ups and downs with my weight loss journey.  I have lost and gained many times in my life even in TOPS. 

When I went to Cynthia Mack’s retreat in Virginia in 2008, I learned I needed to get to the bottom of what was causing me to over eat.   To move forward, I had to reach deep inside myself and I figured out what was causing all this pain.  I had the pleasure of going to another retreat with Cynthia in September of 2011.   Cynthia Mack’s Retreats have helped me dig deep within myself to work on my issues of weight struggles. I am still working on those issues. It is a slow process, but soon they will be issues of the past.   

I still have a ways to go to reach my goal but I know I will get there. Thanks to all my TOPS friends and Maryland Field Staff.  I could not have done this without your love and support.  It’s a great feeling to know so many people believe in me….

With the knowledge I have received through TOPS; I am on my way to the Road to Success.

I have had a weight problem all my life.  I have probably been on every diet out there, struggling for most of my life. When you are younger it is all about your appearance.

As I got older I knew if I didn’t do something very soon I wasn’t going to be able to get around, or worse, not be around very much longer.

I realized I needed to make a change. That change was a life style change.

I am now no longer taking diabetic medicine and only half the dose of cholesterol medicine now. 

It can only get better from here.

I Feel Great!

Back in 1998 I lost 44 pounds with a great TOPS group, TOPS VA 0427 Winchester.

I became a KOPS.  I was part of the circle of light at SRD.

I felt so special even though there were hundreds of others there with me.

I kept my KOPS for over a year. Then I stopped attending the meetings. Soon I stopped going altogether. I just thought I could do it on my own.

WRONG!!

The weight just kept creeping back.

I COULDN’T KEEP BLAMING IT ON FLUID RETENTION.

Some of you know what I’m talking about.

I had to face the facts.

My husband and I moved back to Maryland to be close to our daughter and her family. My knees started bothering me from carrying around my big self.

So I finally said to myself, “Self, you know what you have to do”.

I found this great TOPS group and they’re just plain stuck with me. I will never stop attending again!

 Just to stand with the KOPS in my own group and say I AM AN INTELLIGENT PERSON. I HAVE CONTROLLED MY EMOTIONS AND NOT LET MY EMOTIONS CONTROL ME. 

And thanks to my wonderful TOPS pals, I’m well on my way.

I started TOPS after my life had changed forcing me to live a more sedentary life style. I started to gain
weight.           I needed to get help.

So I took a bus to the TOPS meeting on Monday mornings.     I got there late and I took the only bus I could. So the first question the leader asked was if anyone could pick me up as I could no longer drive.      That started my coming to TOPS MD 0077 Hagerstown.

I was losing weight but then I got sick and went in and out of the hospital. I started gaining weight a lot more than I lost.

It seemed harder to lose. I got frustrated and stubborn, thinking I used to eat like this all the time and I shouldn't be having this problem. I didn't take into consideration that when I was driving I used to go dancing two to three nights a week.

I finally directed what anger I felt at the right target
and kicked myself.

I started taking all the information I learned at TOPS about healthy food choices, portion control and exercise. I put that knowledge into practice.

I started tearing apart the excuses I called reasons. I became a KOPS and now I have a personal goal of five pounds under my TOPS goal.

TOPS MD 0128 Clinton

I have been over weight my entire life.

Throughout the years, I visited countless dieticians and tried all types of diets, shakes, pills, and shots.

This was all while checking in weekly with TOPS.

I eventually started skipping routine doctor’s visits. There was no need in someone telling me what I already knew, I needed to lose weight.

Eventually I decided surgery was the best option for me. I had surgery in December 2010.

While it was not an easy choice, it was the best gift I could give myself.

The road is still not easy but I thank my TOPS chapter, MD 0215 District Heights, for supporting me every step of the way.

I have been a part of TOPS since 2005 and have seen plenty of ceremonies. I would look from the audience and say to myself next year I want that to be me.  

Today is that day!!!!!

Best Average Loss per Member Chapter

TOPS MD 0423 Westminster           20.89

NO GAIN CHAPTERS

TOPS MD 0423 Westminster

Norma Jones ~ 19.50 pounds lost

TOPS DC0003, Washington

Again I am grateful to receive this honor. This year has been full of obstacles and personal challenges.

These challenges did not allow full focus to take care of myself.

But I have a wonderful chapter, TOPS DC0003 Washington. They have encouraged me with calls, ensuring that I eat sensibly, and continue to exercise - even if it is just a simple walk around the block which lately I haven't done. They also sent cards full of encouraging words.

Celestine Birch makes sure I get to our meetings every Monday with a call or ride.

I have had laser surgery on my right eye and bone spur surgery on

my right foot making me feel down emotionally and physically.

I was so drained, but my family and TOPS DC0003 Washington, put up

with me anyway.

I had given up on any weight loss this year but with their encouragement and their strength I can credit my TOPS DC0003 Washington pals for me standing here today.

I give special thanks to my husband Joe, each of my chapter pals, especially my mentor Helen Glenn and leader Neil Ferguson for believing in me and helping me to continue to TAKE OFF POUNDS SENSIBLY.
Thanks to TOPS and God Bless you all.

TOPS DC0003, Washington

Best Average Loss Per Member

0.97 pounds