Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

DOWNERS GROVE - The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes visits from family and friends and, typically, a lot of eating. A local weight loss group that has survived 50 years of holiday eating may be just the ticket for more mindful munching this season.

The Taking Off Pounds Sensibly Chapter 395 has just celebrated five decades, and has done so with minimal cost and plenty of friendship, according to Downers Grove resident Helen Duncan.

Duncan, 92, has been a member for 48 years. The program meets weekly at First United Methodist Church at a cost of $28 annually and $3 a month in dues.

Tired of being overweight and motivated by a cruel comment about her being fat from her son's friend, Duncan found TOPS through a neighbor and joined in 1966.

While she has achieved a 40-pound weight loss and kept it off, the nonprofit support group has seen Helen through the death of her husband 13 years ago and a diabetes diagnosis about three years ago.

"After my husband died my life changed," Duncan said. "And then I found out I had diabetes."

Duncan said that learning to cook for one was difficult, but the TOPS group and the weekly program presentations helped her manage her weight as she learned to scale down the amount of food she cooked at home, and then learned new methods to manage her diabetes.

Unlike commercial weight loss programs that have their own food that can be purchased, TOPS provides education that empowers members in their weight loss goals. Topics are presented by different members and include healthy food portions, counting calories, and physical activity.

"It teaches a person to go to a grocery store," said Paul Butler, Downers Grove TOPS area captain. "Everyone has to shop." The program offers education in how to read labels to pay attention to the listed serving size to help with portion control, he added.

Butler, 72, said that he lost 130 pounds prior to joining TOPS a year ago, but the weekly meetings are vital in helping maintain his weight loss.

"In order to maintain you need to do three things," Butler said. "You need to be careful of what you put into your mouth and keep track of it, focus on physical activity; and the third thing is you need to belong to a support group."

Butler said that TOPS provides the support people need to talk with people who share the same eating difficulties.

"The meetings bring people together and gives them a path," he said. "People can lose weight for their lifetime, but they have to want to do it."

Butler said longtime member Helen Duncan was a great example to other members.

"Think of the strength that she gives to other members," Butler said. "She has done it and I guess when people who have done it talk to you, you are more likely to listen than someone who has lost weight and gained it back. You need people you can look to and she is one of our heroes."

For Duncan, while she no longer needs to lose weight, she continues to attend the meetings because of the people.

"I keep coming because of the friendships," Duncan said.

----

If you go

What: TOPS meeting

When: 7 p.m. every Monday at First United Methodist Church, 1032 Maple Ave.

Info: Visitors are welcome to attend their first meeting for free. No registration is necessary. For more information, visit www.tops.org.