Three Southeast residents honoured at TOPS event

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This article was published 10/05/2024 (410 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) divisional winners in Manitoba come from the Southeast. The non-profit weight loss organization held its conference on May 3 and 4 at the Mennonite Heritage Village where it crowned its provincial queen and gave ribbons to its divisional winners.

“My weight journey has been a lifelong struggle,” said Ste Anne division winner Emily Friesen. “I’ve always had a weight problem as far back as I can remember. As an adult I tried all the weight loss clubs that it gave. I often did quite well and managed to keep off at least 50 pounds. But in the end, I struggled with my last 25-30 pounds. I was like a yoyo.”

Freisen lost a total of 28.6 pounds since last January, when she joined TOPS. She said she came from a family history of poor circulation and diabetes.

“My mom and two siblings have lost limbs, and so I became very intentional. I also wanted to do outdoor projects with my husband, and often found myself not being able to keep up, and getting winded,” she said.

She noted accountability was what she needed to lose weight and keep it off. She said food prep became crucial and the support of her family and her fellow TOPS members helped her lose weight.

Edna Klassen lost 41 pounds and shared how she joined TOPS in March 2023 after some encouragement from a friend.

“The accountability of stepping on that scale every week is important. The encouragement when you do well is great. The no judgement when there is a week that hasn’t gone so well together with the encouragement offered is invaluable,” she said.

Klassen went to her doctor to see what weight was appropriate for her age and height. She determined that her goal weight loss would be 55 pounds. She said the hardest part about losing weight was that she liked to cook and bake and while she was doing so she would sample what she was cooking or baking. A friend suggested she chew gum to stop herself from eating, so Klassen keeps a packet of gum in her kitchen now.

The only exercise Klassen does is walking. She walks 14,000 steps a day, which is about 9.5 kilometres a day or 285 kilometres a month. It took her a year to reach her goal weight.

Steinbach division holder for men, Kenton Penner lost 10 pounds after he made a goal of running a marathon with his daughters.

“In 2023, I decided that I needed to make some improvements with my life – make some changes – and motivated in part by my daughters. Two of my daughters for the first time ever ran a half-marathon the year before and they decided they were going to run a marathon and they thought dad should go with them.

“It’s amazing how motivated our kids were and also the fact that I encouraged them to run once upon a time and I didn’t have a leg to stand on against it,” he said jokingly, noting he and his two daughters finished the marathon last summer.

Once he accomplished the marathon he joined TOPS. It took him three months to lose the 10 pounds.

The group said some of the tips to lose weight are accountability, keeping up with exercise, and setting goals. Klassen said the good thing about TOPS is that when you reach your goal weight you continue with the group to keep the weight off.

“They don’t leave you. Some of the weight loss programs you reach your goal and that’s it, you’re done. Not TOPS. You don’t have to come to meetings as often anymore, but they don’t leave you. It’s a lifetime commitment.”

Klassen said the most difficult thing about losing weight was portion control and being active.

Penner gave some advice to those considering joining TOPS.

“Have the courage to step out and do it. I think often times it’s scary for the first time somebody comes and this idea that you weigh in every week is a huge obstacle, but I think that when you step in and do it you find the joy in the system.”