To the Editors,
It’s that time of year when we are thinking about what we have achieved in the past year and what we want to accomplish in the new year. Yes, I am talking about the dreaded New Year’s resolutions.
I remember that the one resolution that I always made was to lose weight, and not just the weight I put on during the holidays. This task of losing weight is a daunting task and is mostly not too exciting.
So let me tell you how this can be achieved without so much stress.
I joined TOPS 15 years ago and it was to lose weight. But instead, I not only lost weight but I learned many ways to achieve a healthy lifestyle. It was not an easy road but one that I was supported in by other members. You are not judged but applauded for making healthy choices that work for you.
We all know how to lose weight, we have all done it, eat less food is usually the answer. But there is a lot more to this healthy journey which when shared with others can be so enlightening.
Dieting is considered a non-word at TOPS and a healthy lifestyle takes precedence. We are all different, so a set regiment does not apply. A healthy lifestyle includes harmony between our physical health as well as mental health.
Valuable information is shared among the members to better make healthy choices and ones that are easily done. Who would have thought!
Being able to manoeuvre around various lifestyles that sometimes play havoc with healthy choices can be done. You learn to enjoy food in a social setting and not feel guilty. TOPS can help with your approach to social functions that allow for a healthy self enjoyment.
We learn about portion control and putting variety into food choices. Food is to be enjoyed and savoured, it is not a taboo. I think back of all the tips, tricks, and hacks that I learned about healthy food choices. We think we know all about healthy food choices and then you learn something new.
So TOPS is about learning how to navigate a healthy lifestyle. But also, a place and time to learn that during your healthy journey you are valued and respected and supported by others. You become more confident about what you yourself know and can share and learn about to improve and succeed in a healthy way.
So if you are interested in trying something new and improving your lifestyle to boot, then TOPS is a place to start. Call Susan Swayze at 905-517-5142.
They meet every Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m. at the Hagersville Catholic Church.
Roz Walsh,
Jarvis
TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) is a non-profit charitable corporation. Its twofold objective is to sponsor research and foster support groups in human body weight control.
