Songs and laughter fill a room at the Lake Orion Senior Center every Thursday night by the members of ‘Take Off Pounds Sensibly.?
Take Off Pounds Sensibly, better known as TOPS, is a support group for individuals in the process of losing weight. The local chapter of TOPS welcomes both men and women over the age of 21 to join. Those who are interested are allowed to attend one session for free to check out the program. On average, the local group has between 20 and 25 people who attend each week.
One of the differences between TOPS and other weight loss groups is that each of the weigh-ins is in private. Only the individual being weighed, the recorder and the person who runs the scale are allowed in a closed off room.
At the beginning of each meeting, the president of the chapter, Barb Parker, starts off with several announcements, including who are the week’s best loser and spotlight loser, selecting a 50/50 winner and revealing the forbidden food of the previous week. Winners receive small prizes that are donated by the members through out the year.
The best loser is the person in the group who lost the most weight within one week. Whoever earns ‘best loser? is then given a pageant style sash to wear while the rest of the group sings to them.
To determine who will be the spotlight loser, three names are randomly selected at the previous week’s meeting. The next week, whoever loses the most weight out of those three, is the spotlight loser.
A glass jar, in the front of the room, contains several slips of folded paper, each with a type of food printed on it. One slip is selected each week, thus being the forbidden food of the week. Cookies and alcoholic beverages are just two of the forbidden foods that can be found in the jar. If any of the members ate, or drank, the forbidden food in the previous week they must pay 10 cents. The trick is to eat well, because no one knows what the forbidden food will be for the next meeting.
Some of the members have paired up for motivation. The pairs will challenge each other to different kinds of tasks. Parker and fellow board member Sharon Brabo have a challenge going where if either one of them gains weight, they must sing to the other in front of the entire group.
Everyone in TOPS keeps calorie sheets to keep track of what they are eating. ‘If you bite it, you should write it. You should be aware of what you’re eating,? said Parker. Members can also win prizes for turning in their calorie sheet each week.
Members have the option of purchasing a book, called ‘The Choice is Mine,? through the program. The book gives advice and guidelines on eating sensibly, types of exercises, how to count calories and variety of healthy meal plans.
TOPS meetings begin at 7 p.m., with weigh-ins starting at 6 p.m.