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Posts tagged ‘TOPS’

Ten Ways to Get a Handle on Weight

Do you often wish
That you could get a handle
On excessive weight?

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I enjoy burgers –
Especially with french fries.
Eating’s the culprit!

The average person
Has gained fifteen pounds, they say
During this virus.

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No, it’s not because
The average person’s pregnant!
It may be boredom!

Eating’s an escape
From these monotonous days
Of this pandemic.

So how do we control how much, when, and what we eat? And how do we motivate ourselves to get off the couch and get some exercise?

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TOPS

Today was my first day back at TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensible)
https://www.tops.org/
since March 11th.

When this pandemic hit, we were not allowed to meet in our usual spot at the Madison Valley Medical Center. We were encouraged to stay home, socially distance, and sequester if needed to stop the spread of this disease. So we did.

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Some experienced
Loneliness and depression.
We NEED connection!

But knowing that I
Would eventually go
Back to my TOPS helped.

I did not want to
Disappoint my friends at TOPS
When finally we’d meet.

And I I didn’t want
To balloon back up in weight
To where I once was.

Shhh! Don’t admit how heavy I was!!

TOPS helped me take off
Those excess pounds I had gained.
Friends encouraged me.

I needed to be
Accountable to my friends –
Weighing in each week.

On the way down – “Biggest Loser”

Charms and ribbons helped
To keep me motivated.
Slowly losing weight!

Don’t try to rush it.
It is the gradual loss
That stays off of you.

Ribbons represent
The number of miles walked.
Exercise is king!

Watching what you eat
And when you plan your meals
Is also a key.

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Eat colorfully!
Less on fruit, more on veggies,
And watch your portions!

“Mind Over Platter!”
That is an effective goal.
Use a smaller plate!

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If the plate is small,
You can fill it easier –
It looks like a lot!

Don’t snack in between
On things that aren’t good for you!
Choose nuts or carrots!

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Today at my TOPS,
After being gone for months,
I was the winner!

The biggest weight loss
Was only a couple pounds!
But I didn’t GAIN!

MVP = Most Valuable Player = ME
Each TOPS member is “Most Valuable”

So back to the title, “Ten Ways to Get a Handle on Weight”
Did you catch the main points?
Here they are:

  1. Watch what, how much and when you eat.
  2. Exercise Daily.
  3. Avoid boredom – stay connected!
  4. Join with friends who share your passion to remain fit.
  5. Remain accountable to that group of friends.
  6. Lose weight gradually, don’t rush it.
  7. Eat colorfully.
  8. Minimize snacking – and keep it healthy!
  9. Weigh-in weekly – keep a record.
  10. Believe in yourself. You can do it! Remain positive!!
Bee a winner!

Thanks for visiting
JanBeek
See ya tomorrow!

Walk the Talk

My 2020 resolution is to “Walk the Talk.” It is a daily commitment. What was your 2020 resolution?

Try to “Walk the Talk.”
Try to live your commitments.
Express them daily.

Today I walked with my TOPS friends. Here are two of them with me: Cherrie & Jeannie. We walked in our Lion’s Club Park. Did a lot of talking as we walked. Tried to solve all the world’s problems!

Valais, Switzerland

No, this isn’t my walking path… it’s my daughter, DeAna’s, in Sierre, Switzerland. She walks this trail up into the Alps – often joined by one or two of her three sons. Yesterday she sent this photo. Our grandson, Chris, was her walking partner.

DeAna “walked the talk” with Chrissy as they navigated the trail on the terraced mountainsides and enjoyed the outdoor time together.

Here is DeAna, our daughter, with her new haircut.
No, she’s not in Paris. That’s just her “photo op!”

.

And before that haircut:

She says she’d like to be on a tropical island!
I’d say being in Switzerland is not a bad option!

Today De’s walk was with Christine, a friend who was one of their waitresses for almost 20 years in the restaurant they once owned on main street in Sierre.

Christine – on the balcony overlooking the Swiss valley

Half way up the Alps from their city is a beautiful little place called Vissoie, De and Andre’ have purchased a new restaurant… new to them, but with a long history in this Alpine village.

It has that typical Swiss chalet appearance with a hotel attached above and on the right. They take possession in October, I think.

Isn’t this an inviting spot? As they plan for this new venture, they get to “Walk the Talk” of trust. Trust that this pandemic world will not always keep people sequestered and afraid to go out and dine together. Trust that the people of Vissoie and the surrounding communities will accept them and frequent their dining hall. Trust that visitors will stay in their hotel.

My prayers are with them, of course, as I encourage them in this exciting new time on their lives.

Lion’s Club Park, Ennis, Montana

As my lady friends and I walked the trail in our beautiful park, we talked about family, commitments, future events, the racial injustice that is sparking protests all over the USA, and the COVID-19 situation that is far from over.

My goal is encouragement and positivity. I share my faith here on WordPress, and I share the Source of my Joy with my walking friends.

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Follow the sunshine
Follow the Almighty Son
Joy’s in commitment

Walk the Talk!
And be grateful for where you are!!


See ya tomorrow.
Have a Blessed Wednesday.

Love,
JanBeek

How Do You Stop Yo-Yo-ing?

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Feeling pleased when I step off the scale
I see that I am the “Biggest Loser”
At my TOPS group this week.
I have “Taken Off Pounds Sensibly.”

Now, the trick is to keep those pounds off!
I have yo-yoed up 5 or 6 and down again
For about a year now… and it’s discouraging!
My body seems to like where it is, but I don’t!

I have a goal weight to return to …
And when I reached it, I was the queen
Queen of the Montana State TOPS Club.
I felt good and fit my clothes better.

Why is it that I can gain 3 pounds in a week
And then it takes three months to take them off?
Do any of you have that trouble, too?
At 5’0″ the weight goes right to my tummy!

I want to earn the “Best Loser” trophy weekly
Until I regain that goal weight position…
And then I want to KEEP IT OFF!!
Do you have any tricks that work for you?

Happy today…
Up tomorrow?

Keep it off!!!!

See ya later.
Hugs,
Jan ;o)

TOPS – Take Off Pounds Sensibly

Most Valuable Player =
Motivate
Validate
Praise
That’s ME
(and all my TOPS friends!)

What is TOPS?

TOPS is a national organization designed to help folks like me Take Off Pounds Sensibly and keep those pounds off. It is not a diet program, but a supportive organization that focuses on Mind Over Platter. Sensible meal choices, portion control, and self-control are three of the ways TOPS encourages reaching and keeping healthy weight goals.

Why Join?

I joined TOPS in 2012 shortly after Bob & I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. I saw myself in those anniversary photos and said, “Who’s that???” I had gained 20 pounds in about twenty years – a pound a year. It just crept up so slowly that I didn’t notice how out-of-shape I was! See those chubby cheeks? I needed help to get back to my goal weight.

Feb. 11, 2012

Accountability

Today I am back down those 20 pounds and am encouraged each week when I go to my TOPS meeting to keep the pounds off. I have to face the scale and tell my TOPS friends (most of whom are KOPS – Keep Off Pounds Sensibly) whether I gained, lost, or “turtled” this week. (Turtling is staying the same.) That accountability is important to me.

Today’s meeting was our annual Christmas party.
My friend, Devonna, came dressed as Santa!
Molly and Jeannie are the leaders of our group. They have been KOPS for over ten years. A real inspiration… real MVPs!!
Our party included fruit, juice, coffee, and healthy low-cal muffins.
We have food at our meeting only a couple of times a year.
Each person brought a gift (under $5 value) and we each picked one. Such fun!

I was the happy TOPS “Best Loser” today.
Every 1/4 lb. counts. I lost 1/2 lb. (Yay!!)
It’s so easy to put the pounds on this time of year.
I think of my TOPS friends and that scale
every time I put a piece of candy
or a Christmas cookie in my mouth.
I am not asked to deny myself…
Just be smart about how much
and when I eat those sweets!

Is Weight Watching Part of Your Routine?

If, like me, you have to watch what you eat, how much you eat, and when you eat – or you are prone to gain unwanted pounds, you might also look into seeing if there is a group like TOPS in your vicinity. The dues are only $5 per month. There are no foods you have to buy. No extra costs. Just a wonderful group of supportive friends. I am so grateful to my TOPS friends.

I encourage you to seek friends who are MVPs for you, too.
Motivators
Validators
Positive friends who Praise and encourage you.

Happy Holidays!

Have a Wonderful Week!
See ya tomorrow.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek

That Tiny Spark

Strength Within.jpg

Your Goal

Do you have a goal that you’ve been working to accomplish? Does it seem that the harder you work toward it, the farther away it seems to be?

Sometimes trying to accomplish a goal is like eating a bowl of spaghetti. You take a bite and the pasta grows to fill the hole you thought you’d made!

My Goal

The pasta growth is a perfect example for me to use today because my goal is to get back to my “Goal Weight.” I had a potluck at my house yesterday – and lasagna was the main dish. It was soooo good! But, this morning at TOPS, it showed up as .75 of a pound on the scale!!

I was the Queen of the State of Montana TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) back in I don’t remember when… 2013 or so. Earned that status by reaching my goal weight and in the process losing 30+ pounds that had crept up on me over about a 30 year period.

Then like that pasta that fills the void, over the next few years, ten of those pounds have crept back on. My body has settled at this and decided it likes this place on the scale. Well, I don’t!

Arguing with Self & Others

Some of my TOPS friends tell me I should change my goal weight. Afterall Jan, at 80 you’re not supposed to look like you did at 30! Well, that’s not my goal. I just wanna look and feel like I did when I had 10 pounds less than I do now. Thirty was nice, but it’s unrealistic for me now. I’d look gaunt!

Mother-Daughter

Here I am almost 50 years ago when my daughter (who will be 52 tomorrow) was about five years old. (Yes, I sewed our matching dresses. Awww… how cute!)

Well, she doesn’t look like that anymore, so why should I? Here we are now:

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Still got that sparkle. Still love each other to the moon and back. Both still healthy and thanking God daily for our vitality and ability to travel and spend time with each other annually (DeAna lives in Switzerland).

So Why Argue?

When I was ten pounds lighter, my clothes looked better on me. I was able to bend down and tie my shoes without getting out of breath. (Yes, 10 extra pounds makes that kind of difference). I had lower blood pressure. I felt better about myself. So, it’s a goal worth persuing – and an accomplishment worth keeping. This yo-yo-ing is not good for me… 2 lbs down in two weeks and the one week later it’s back. (Why does it come back so much faster than it comes off?)

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Here I am with my granddaughter, Hope,
when I was on my way down – almost to my goal weight.

And my sis, Sally, and my hubby Bob with me at goal weight.

Keep the Tiny Spark Glowing!

The goal you are striving to accomplish may not be a big fiery flame for all to see, but a tiny spark that whispers to you. You know you can do it. The spark keeps whispering, “You can do this! Don’t give up!” Keep the spark alive.

Other people may not think it is important … whatever that personal goal is… but YOU DO! And so it is worth persuing. Stick with it!

Keep going! You got this!

I was TOPS biggest loser last week.
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I can do it again.
Keep those damn pounds off.
Forget about that pasta hole!!
Eat less carbs.

See ya tomorrow.

Life’s a Mosaic

Life’s a Mosaic 

“We know that in all things God works together for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

My life is a mosaic,
Crafted by God’s hand.
Through sunshine or rain,
He shapes me to His plan.

God’s promises never fail.
He promises I’ll feel His touch.
He is in me, with me, for me.
God loves me so very much

The colors in my mosaic,
Each are placed by God’s hand.
His design becomes more beautiful
As I live my life by His command.

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Hooray! I was the Biggest loser this week at TOPS!

May your life feel His hand
Of beauty on your heart
As you live His plan, too.
Today’s a good day to start

See ya later.

Supporting One Another

Being supportive:
Folks who love one another
Just simply do that!

8 TOPS 5-3-19
These are my TOPS friends –
We meet weekly on Wednesdays,
Weigh and encourage.
.
We learn and we laugh
With drama in the weight room.
Yo-yoing is tough!
.
Jan
.

One week I am the
Biggest loser of the group;
Next week it’s back on!

.
This week Cherrie wore
The hat of great distiction
Congratulations!
.
Cherrie
.
The hardest part is
Making those darn pounds stay off.
Encouragement helps!

.
Do you struggle with
Keeping your body perfect?
Seems like we all do!
.

But when I think of
Folks who cannot afford food,
I stop complaining!

person woman sitting old

There are many ways
To support One Another.
What is your best way?

Calendar Says It’s Spring

The calendar says it’s spring,
But the weather says it ain’t.
Hoar frost greeted my morning.
“Smile,” it said.
I replied, “I cain’t!”

Home- TOPS- Lenten Brkfst

Then off I went to Lenten Breakfast
While I marveled at the frost.
I skidded on the icy drive.
“Relax,” I thought.
Then wondered, “At what cost?”

I made it to the breakfast
With the help of neighborly folks.
The place was bright and cheerful.
“Let’s eat,” they invited.
I laughed at friendly jokes.

Lenten Brkfst

My next stop was at TOPS*
Where I weigh in to keep off pounds.
My KOPS** buddies inspire me.
“Did you eat all your breakfast?”
“Nope, I left one of the rounds!”

Paper Hat

My reward was to wear the hat
That signified I’d lost the most weight.
What a treat – worth the feat!
“Keep up the good work!” they encouraged.
I headed home – feeling great!

The calendar says it’s spring,
But the weather says, “Not yet!”
White stuff still covers the ground.
“Smile,” it said.
Sun sparkled. I sang, “You bet!”

Are you enjoying this first day of spring?
What did YOU do??

 

  • * TOPS = Take Off Pounds Sensibly
  • ** KOPS = Keep Off Pounds Sensibly
  • Check it out, if you need encouragement to
    “keep off pounds sensibly”, too.  Log in to  http://www.tops.org
Image

Wordless Wednesday

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F = Friends

Day #6 of the A-Z series on “What Makes Me Happy”

FRIENDS

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Friends who go fishing with my hubby (Thanks, Ray & Charley, CG & BW, Gerry & Steve)

Friends who are fabulous cooks, invite us over, and serve fabulous food, wine, and conversation

Friends at TOPS who reach their goal weight and inspire me

Friends who share their birthday happiness with us

Friends who worship with us at church, share their husband to fish with mine, make me smile, give great hugs and are just plain FABULOUS

Friends who are family – what a blessing when that happens!

Friends who are grown up former students and have kept in touch through the years

Friends who bake beautiful pies and who love the Lord as I do

Friends who serve the community, support FUND-raisers, and give generously to make our world a better place

Friends who donate zucchini to the Sr. Center – and the dear friend who plans, cooks, and serves our seniors with such grace and skill

Friends who live into their 80s and 90s and set a beautiful example of vitality and grace for the rest of us

Forever friends who are FAITHFUL forever and continue to love us in spite of our FLAWS (ah, don’t you love that F word?) … and who are as lovely inside as these FLOWERS are outside!

Friends who go FOUR-WHEELING with us

Friends who never forget us and who are FAITHFUL friends to our children

Here’s another one of those… our Friend who is our #2 daughter… Yes, FAMILY is more than blood relatives.

FAMILY is FRIENDS we choose, not just those we inherit. And if we’re truly blessed,

We have family who are friends in all parts of the world

We have grandchildren who are friends and are FUN to be with, and

We have children who keep in touch with love and gratitude daily, even if they move across the sea thousands of miles from us.

My prayer is that the ones who live close enough to see us daily will come by at least once a month, and let our great-grandson grow to know us as his FRIEND, too.

Ah, my blogging friends, I hope you are truly blessed with the FUN of FAMILY and FRIENDS who make you happy, too! I love making new blogging friends!

And never FORGET (that’s a troublesome F word) the Friend who is your constant companion. If you have this kind of a FRIEND you are blessed indeed

And don’t forget the faithful furry four-legged friends, too!

What’s the F word that makes you happiest?

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