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State Queen
Marilyn Driscoll
0211, Lyman
Lost 69.75 pounds
I can’t begin to explain the joy of reaching my
goal and being
crowned TOPS QUEEN for my State of Maine all in a matter
of a few months. My husband of 53 years has been very
encouraging as he is a 14 year KOPS.
Even
though I was always pleasingly plump, I’ve always been
active: played with my kids, loved to dance, always
involved with school activities, etc. Finally the big
diabetes came to me, but I stayed busy and kind of
pushed any concern away. In 1993 or 1994 my husband had
his first heart attack and we decided we needed to join
a group to get much help for our weight loss. We chose
TOPS because it was a reasonable cost. We found it to be
a very warm and friendly group, so we joined right away.
Charlie reached his goal in 1995 but I didn’t do as
well. Eventually I was put on insulin, but never given
proper instruction. If my blood tested below 100, I was
afraid I’d go into a coma so I would eat carbs all day.
Needless to say I gained my weight all back. For a few
years I just played with my sugar and last year I was
eating at a local restaurant, sitting at the counter and
I told my husband that I couldn’t see the clock. The
next thing I knew I was laying on the floor looking up
at an ambulance crew. My sugar had dropped out of
reason. While in the hospital the doctor advised me to
eat four or five small meals a day, eat mainly fish and
chicken, and drink lots of
water. I finally paid attention and that’s how I am
eating.
For Thanksgiving dinner I ate a bit of every food on the
table, but my plate was a five inch saucer. I ate slowly
and got up feeling wonderful. I have continued this
eating
pattern and now I eat out and ask for a take home box
when I order. Half or three quarters of my plate goes
into the box before I eat. It works and I’m very
thankful to God for the warning and sense to follow
through.
It is a great feeling to finally reach my goal
which was set when I was in my mid fifties and I never
changed it. My starting weight was 259-3/4 and I am now
190. My clothes sizes were 48 and 50 but now size 18
with a few 16’s. WOW do I feel proud.
I might say my insulin dose started at 50 units in
the morning and 15 units at night and now I am using 30
units in the morning and 5 units at night. There are no
words to explain the “pride” I have in representing my
State of Maine.
Love and success to you all from “Honey” Marilyn B.
Driscoll. |
State King
David Rynne
0230, Waterboro
Lost 35 Pounds
I began
going to TOPS to support my wife. She has always asked
me to come with her and I wanted to support her. She has
always inspired me with her commitment to herself.
Although I never considered myself heavy, I thought…why
not. Along with learning how challenging this is for
her, what I found was what was important in my life.
First, the reasons why I wanted to lose weight. I had
many reasons, I wanted to get back to my high school
weight, I had back and foot problems, I wanted to see my
sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren grow up. It
was very important to me to be there for my
grandchildren. They have wonderful interests and some of
them are physical: Disney (if you haven’t walked Disney,
it is the best gym ever!), gardening, old machines,
looking for sea glass.
My sons like to have me help them with woodworking,
machining, cutting trees, or just walking with them.
They think the world of hearing our family history that
I share with them and the best way to do this is the
many activities we share together. I realized I needed
to take care of me in order to be there for them. So as
I began this journey, I realized it was the little
things that allowed me to make big changes.
If you don’t feel hungry, don’t eat according to the
clock…it is okay!
Don’t get discouraged, if you eat something you didn’t
feel was right, work with it and make the next few meals
really healthy.
Focus on why you want to lose the weight, for me it is
my grandchildren, find what it is for you and focus on
that.
Only keep
good stuff in the house…if you are struggling to make
the right choice, it is easier if your options are
limited.
It is okay to go out and enjoy once a week! Soon your
body will want only healthy “good stuff”.
With the changes I have made and keeping my focus on
what is important, my foot and back no longer bothers
me. I am here today to say thank you to all of you that
have helped me and I hope my suggestions will help you
too!
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Runner-Up State Queen
Beverly Williams
0199,Gardiner
Lost 64.25 Pounds
In
August of 2007 I joined 0199 Gardiner again with low
self esteem in so many ways. My TOPS 0199 pals gave me
so much support. The phase, “you get out of it what you
put into it” is certainly a true statement.
I learned weight loss comes from the heart as well as
from the mind. As the weight came off, my self-esteem
came back. I’m much healthier now than I was before. I
am now very proud of my KOPS status.
My husband Skip has lost 38 pounds and we both work as a
team supporting each other and the other members. We are
very proud to be members of 0199 Gardiner.
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Runner-Up State King
Thornton
J. Costigan, Jr.
0229,Stillwater
10 pounds lost
I joined TOPS ME 0229
Stillwater in June of 2008, to support my wife, Kathy,
and myself as a team. She told me weekly what was going
on and the weight being lost. I then received added
support by participating at work at the University of
Maine in their weight loss challenge. I had my gains,
but never gave up. I reached my KOPS status December 29,
2009. Our chapter had voted to have a meeting between
the holidays…and am I glad they did. That was my last
chance for the year 2009 to become KOPS. I could not
believe the KOPS shower that our chapter gave me. I had
another big surprise when I became the chapter King. I
had never been given such a nice trophy. I was proud to
see articles in our local newspaper of my personal
successes. By the way, I also won the weight loss
contest at work.
Wow, I never thought I would be awarded as Maine’s
Runner-up King. I will continue to give encouragement
with TOPS love to my wife and all TOPS members. TOPS is
a great place to lose weight, and I thank all TOPS
members with giving powerful support. You all helped
create the new ME. |
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Division Winners
Attending SRD
Male:
Div. 1, 1st Place - Larry Smith, 0090 Randolph.
Lost 70 Pounds
Div. 1, 2nd Place - Louis Jean, 0160 Auburn.
Lost, 62.50
Div. 2, 2nd Place - Skip Williams, 0199 Gardiner.
Lost 28.75 Pounds
Div. 3, 1st Place - Stephen Watrous, 0289
Pittsfield, Lost 39.75 Pounds
Div. 3, 2nd Place - David Rynne,
0230 Waterboro. Lost 38 Pounds
Female:
Div. 1, 1st Place - Linda Labousier, 0315 Dover-Foxcroft.
Lost 72 Pounds
Div. 1, 2nd Place - Joyce Lincoln, 0230
Waterboro. Lost 69.25 Pounds
Div. 2, 1st Place - Cel Paquette, 0090 Randolph.
Lost 80 Pounds
Div. 2, 2nd Place - Gail Jewett, 0080 Dexter.
Lost 57.25 Pounds
Div. 3, 1st Place - Priscilla Foley, 0229
Stillwater. Lost 63.50 Pounds
Div. 3, 2nd Place - Debra Palmer,
0011 Saco. Lost 59.75 Pounds
Div. 9, 2nd Place - Lousie
Arsenault, 0157 Dixfield. Lost 20.50 Pounds
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