TOPS News for January 28, 2016

At the Meeting

At the January 28th meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Diann was the Best Loser for the Week, and the Best Loser for the month of January. She also received the Kept It Off award, which gives her a month’s chapter dues. Lorna won a little cash in the Ha-Ha drawing. Lorna and Cheryl will provide food for the Community Center Dinner on February 14.

Challenges

The challenges for the week are to add to habits formed in the “Get Healthy & Active” program: 1) Write down everything you eat for at least 4 days; 2) Walk at least the number of steps you did last week, but walk faster for a couple minutes during your walk; 3) Create a playlist of uplifting songs to listen to while you exercise or cook.

Program

Donna presented a program on how to purchase fresh and frozen fish, with instructions on preparing healthy versions of tataki-style tuna and salmon, a fish “fry,” fish cakes, and oily fish such as mackerel, herring, and sardines. Shirley will present the program on February 4, Karen on February 11.

Come Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at imperialnetops.blogspot.com or www.TOPS.org.

TOPS News 1-14-2016

At the Meeting

At the January 14 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Donna was the Best Loser for the week.

Get Healthy and Active - Week 2

• Eat Better - Begin drinking 1 glass of water with at least 2 meals each day
• More More - For 3 days, add 1000 steps to your average number of daily steps.
• Stay on Track - When you catch yourself reviewing old hurts or beliefs ("My cousin tells me even if I lose weight, I'll just put it back on" or "I'll never be able to walk a mile"), try this: Take a deep breath in. As you exhale, let go of the negative thought.

Get Health and Active - Week 3

• Eat Better - Make half your dinner plate fruits or vegetables each day. 
• Move More - Add 2,000 steps to your average number of daily steps in Week 1
• Stay on Track - Meet with someone each week who will support your journey toward good health.

Why a Pedometer?

• Smaller than a cell phone, but can make a significant difference in your effort to keep moving.
• Just wearing one causes people to move more.
• Observational studies show that healthy adults walk between 7,000 and 13,000 steps per day.
• Start small: Keep track of your steps for a week. Increase your average steps each week by a certain number or percentage.
• Even just trying to reach 10,000 steps a day causes you to move more, which will improve your health.

TOPS members can purchase recommended pedometers from the TOPS store.

Cheryl presented the program on pedometers. Barb will present the program on January 21, Donna on the 28th.

Come Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

Get Healthy & Active - Week 1

At the Meeting

At the December 31 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Lorna received the prize for Best Loser of the Month, and Barb received the butterfly pin to keep, for being the best loser the most months. Lorna won the Christmas Tree contest. Diann and Barb will provide food for the January 10th dinner at the Community Center.

Program

As her program, Lorna encouraged members to set small goals for January. Goals set included increasing exercise minutes compared to December, losing a certain number of pounds, cutting out candy and cookies, and 10 minutes of deep breathing each day.

Get Healthy & Active - Week 1

Lorna also encouraged members to follow up on the 10-week “Get Healthy & Active” program. The first week’s activities are 

1. Keep a food journal
2. Begin wearing a pedometer and calculate your average number of steps (at least 3 days), and 
3. Choose one of the following positive statements to repeat each morning as you brush your teeth: “Today I choose joy,” “Good things take time,” or “I can and I will.” Members will briefly report their progress each week.

Come Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

Surprising Ways to Keep Yourself Motivated to Exercise

At the Meeting

At the September 24 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Barb and Karen were the best losers in a No-Gain week, and Barb was the best loser for the month of August. Shirley won a little cash in the Ha-Ha drawing. This month’s challenges: 1) Measure food portions, and 2) Keep a food journal.

The TOPS area fall rally will be in Ogallala on Saturday, October 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Diann will prepare a salad for the rally, and Barb is fixing a basket for the Chinese raffle.

Program: No Excuses
 

Find yourself giving up too soon on your exercise program?

Cheryl presented some TOPS Tips on Staying on the Road to Fitness and Health.

Here are a couple of surprising reasons you may give up exercising too soon:

1. It's too easy to talk yourself out of it. Solution: Get a fitness buddy and use each other for support and motivation. Exercise together or place a friendly wager. For example, whoever logs more steps on a pedometer for the week wins ______.
2. I'm exercising, but I'm not losing any weight. Solution: Stop exercising to lose weight. If you focus on how you feel instead of what the scale reads, you're more likely to stay active. Plus, if you're exercising and replacing fat with muscle, it might not be reflected on the scale right away.
3. I don't enjoy it. Solution: It's fine if you're not a gym person. There is some form of physical activity for everyone. You just have to find what works best for you.
4. I get bored. Solution: Try something new, like a class or an active video game. Make it a goal to try something new each month, even if you feel clumsy at first. At least you tried it and may even have some fun in the process.

Think about how you feel after exercising. Empowered? Energized? Stronger? Remember that feeling. More often than not, you will feel better after exercising than before you started. You will probably never say, "Boy, I wish I hadn't exercised today!"

from TOPS Tips: TOPS Club, Inc. 2011

Come Join Us!

Donna will give the program on October 1 and Lorna on the 8th.  TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

How to Prevent Impulse Grocery Shopping

First – Our Meeting

At the September 10 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Barb was the best loser for the week. Shirley won the Ha-Ha drawing. This month’s challenges: 1) Measure food portions, and 2) Keep a food journal.

The TOPS area fall rally will be in Ogallala on Saturday, October 17, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Next year’s State Recognition Days are in Grand Island on April 1 and 2. Karen will provide dessert and Lorna will provide salad for the Community Center dinner on September 13.

Program – Impulse Shopping

Diann’s program was titled “Are You Shopping under the Influence?” – tips for knowing how to overcome stressful situations that might cause you to buy on impulse at the grocery store.

Her program came from the May 2015 issue of Health.com, in an article by Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD. Here’s a brief summary of the situations that might cause you to buy nutrition-deficient foods on impulse at the grocery store, and your “in-store strategy.”

Situation 1: Thanks to an unflattering photo, you’re feeling fat, and decide it doesn’t make any difference, you might as well eat what you want. Strategy: To take away the focus on the negative aspects of your body, focus on the things it does well: dance, finish a workout, hug people you love. Or listen to a feel-good song.

Situation 2: Since you’ve exercised, you feel you’re entitled to a rich dessert. Strategy: Figure out the number of calories you burned – and eat a treat that’s up to half those calories – but only on the days you’ve exercised.

Situation 3: You buy junk food because your family loves it. Only problem is, you’ll also eat it. Strategy: Buy just one favorite snack at a time, and balance it out with healthier fruit or vegie snacks.

Situation 4: You’re having a bad day and need comfort food. Strategy: Promise yourself a non-food treat – a new book, a facial – something you can look forward to besides comfort food.

Situation 5: Life is boring, and you feel the need for the excitement of a new food. Strategy: Look for healthier exotic fare, like a fruit you’ve never tried or an interesting grain, like quinoa.

Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

Yoga for the Rest of Us

TOPS NEWS

All-Loss Week!

At the August 27 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Karen was the best loser for the week, and Shirley received the Kept-It-Off award, a month’s dues. As the best loser for the month of August, Shirley will also receive a gift certificate. All six members at the meeting lost weight during the week.

Challenges

This week’s challenges: 1) Drink 6-8 glasses of water each day, and 2) Eat five servings of fruits and/or vegetables every day. Keep track.

Meeting News

The Fall Rally Challenge ends today. The TOPS area fall rally will be on Saturday, October 17, in Ogallala. Next year’s State Recognition Days are in Grand Island on April 1 and 2. Karen and Lorna will provide for the Community Center dinner on September 13.

Program

Karen led a program using a video, “Yoga for the Rest of Us,” from yoga instructor Peggy Cappy. All the exercises were done while sitting.

Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

Health Tips from Consumer Reports

TOPS Meeting Reports

At the August 13 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Donna was the best loser for the week, and Shirley won the Kept It Off prize.
Barb reported on her and Karen’s participation in the Walk to Health challenge from the SW Nebraska Dept. of Health. The TOPS area fall rally will be on October 13.

Challenges

This week’s challenges: 1) Drink 6-8 glasses of water each day, and 2) Eat five servings of fruits and/or vegetables every day. Keep track.

Program

For this week’s program, Shirley shared an article from Consumer Reports On Health titled “How to Eat Healthier – No Willpower Required,” explaining how small switches in how and where you eat can help you make smarter food choices. One suggestion: Use small plates and bowls for grains, meats, and desserts, large plates and bowls for fruits and vegetable servings.
Similar suggestions come from a Canadian television website: CTV News. They advise that in order to eat well, make healthy food convenient, attractive, and normal.
Here’s a link to the complete article: “Improve your eating habits without drastically changing your behaviour.”

Coming Up

Next week, the group will meet to weigh in then travel to Champion Lake for a chapter walk and picnic. Members should each bring their lunch and a copy of a TOPS News magazine.

Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org or imperialnetops.blogspot.com.

How to Keep from Wasting Food

Along with our weekly TOPS chapter news, this week we’re re-printing an article from the TOPS.org website on food waste:

Here’s an excerpt:

Be honest. How much food do you end up tossing out every week? If you’re anything like me, you find yourself throwing away produce you had every intention of eating (but has since turned into a terrifying science experiment in the back of the fridge) more often than you’d like. Turns out I’m not alone. In the U.S., 30-40% of the food supply is wasted. This is equivalent to more than 20 pounds of food per person per month!

So what do you do when good food goes bad and how can you keep it from going bad in the first place?

For help, I turned to Jen Ede, the new editor of TOPS News magazine. In her previous life, Jen worked as a personal chef and employed some pretty creative methods for preventing food waste. Check out our Q & A session.

For more, see Waste Not, Want Not: How to Prevent Food Waste.

TOPS NEWS

Meeting News:

At the July 30 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Karen was the best loser for the week, and Barb was the best loser for the month of July. Karen won a little cash in the Ha-Ha drawing. Week’s challenges: 1) Exercise at least 15 minutes a day, and 2) Eat five servings of fruits and/or vegetables every day.

The club installed the following officers for 2015-16: Karen as Leader, Shirley as Co-Leader, Donna as Secretary, Cheryl as Treasurer, Barb as Weight Recorder, and Shirley as Assistant Weight Recorder. Donna will continue as program chair, and Cheryl will continue as publicity chair.

Programs

Upcoming programs: Area Captain Mary Lou from Paxton will present the program on August 6 and Shirley on August 13. After weigh-in on August 20, the club will take a chapter walk at Champion Lake followed by a picnic. Karen will present a program on Yoga at the August 27th meeting.

Join us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org or imperialnetops.blogspot.com.

Sugar: The “White Death”?

Meeting News

At the July 23 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Barb was the best loser for the second week in a row, and Lorna won a little cash in the Ha-Ha drawing.
Barb and Lorna will provide food for the August 9 dinner at the Community Center.

Challenges

1. Exercise at least 15 minutes a day.
2. Eat five servings of fruits and/or vegetables every day.

Contests

Judy won the “Shoot Off Those Pounds” contest. The area-wide Fun in the Summer Sun Challenge will end on August 27. To meet some of the challenges, the club is planning a program on yoga, a chapter walk, and photos with the TOPS News magazine at a tourist site.

Programs

Lorna’s program was on sugar as “The White Death,” based on a news release from cancertruth.net, a blog written by author Ty Bollinger. According to Bollinger, in 2012, half of Americans were consuming 180 pounds of sugar each year, compared with an average consumption of 4 pounds in 1700, 18 pounds in 1800, and 90 pounds in 1900.
Next week’s program will be the installation of officers for the coming year.

Please Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

Why Water Is Good for Your Brain

According to Brain Coach Robin Zahor, RN, BSN, our brains function better when we drink plenty of water.
Lack of enough fluid in our bodies can lead to:

• Problems with focus
• Slow thinking
• Headaches
• Sleep problems
• Anger
• Depression

 

What does water do for your brain?

Like water for a plant, water provides your brain with nutrients and energy, helping with memory and thought. Drinking water makes you more focused, creative, and able to think faster and more clearly.
According to waterbenefitshealth.com, water composes over 70 percent of our bodies and a  whopping 85 percent of our brains. Although losing more than 80 ounces of water every day through sweating, breathing, and eliminating waste, the average adult drinks less than 32 ounces (one quart) of water each day. Health Consultant Nancy Hearn recommends drinking half your body weight in ounces of water daily. (An 180-pound person should drink 90 ounces of water daily.) She recommends slowly building up to the proper amount.

Dangers of Dehydration

Studies show that just one-percent dehydration causes a five-percent decrease in brain function. A two-percent deficiency may cause fuzzy short-term memory, problems with focusing, and trouble with math computations. Prolonged dehydration causes brain cells to shrink in size and mass.
Though caffeinated beverages don’t seem to contribute to fluid loss, the best way to hydrate continues to be pure water.

Club News

At the July 9 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Judy and Donna were the best losers. Judy also received the Kept-It-Off certificate, which pays a month’s dues, and won a little cash in the Ha-Ha drawing.

Challenges

1. Exercise at least ten minutes before breakfast, and
2. Eat five servings of fruits and/or vegetables every day.

Contests

The “Shoot Off Those Pounds” contest ends today. The area-wide Fun in the Summer Sun Challenge continues and includes recording walks of at least 30 minutes, fruits and vegetables for every letter of the alphabet, a variety of exercise types, and some miscellaneous challenges.

Newly Elected Officers

TOPS Club officers for 2015-16 are Karen, Leader; Shirley, Co-Leader; Donna, Secretary; Cheryl, Treasurer; Barb, Weight Recorder; and Shirley, Assistant Weight Recorder.

Please Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

Setting Goals

Meeting News

At the June 25 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Diann was the best loser, received the Kept It Off award, and was the month’s best loser. This week’s challenges: 1) Exercise for at least ten minutes before breakfast, and 2) Eat a combination of five servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
Donna and Cheryl will provide dessert and a non-gelatin salad for the July 12 dinner at the Community Center. Continuing contests are the area-wide Fun in the Summer Sun Challenge and “Shoot Off Those Pounds” contest. Election for new officers will be July 9.

Programs

Because of absences at today’s meeting, the Area Captain will come at a later date, to be decided. Cheryl presented a program from the April/May TOPS magazine called “Express Yourself.” Members discussed their goals when joining TOPS, their goals for a year from now, and what kind of support and encouragement is personally most effective. Donna will give the program next week.

Tips for Setting Goals (adapted from actionforhappiness.org)

1. Decide. Think of something you want to do or work towards. It should be something you want to do for its own sake, not for something or someone else. It helps if it's just a little beyond what you currently can do - goals that stretch us can be motivating!
2. Write it down. Write down how you will know you have reached your goal and when you want to achieve it. What it will look like and how will you feel when you get there? How does it connect to who or what you value in your life?
   Describe your goal in specific terms and timescales e.g. “I want to lose 10 pounds by this time next year” rather than “I want to lose some weight.” State your goals in terms of what you want, not what you don't want. For example: “I want to be able to wear my favorite jeans again,” rather than 'I don't want to be over-weight anymore.”
3. Tell someone. Telling someone about our goals seems to increase the likelihood that we will stick with them. This is where TOPS comes in!
4. Break down your goal into smaller steps. “I want to be more fit” becomes “I want to be able to run around the park in 20 minutes without stopping.” Set dates for these smaller goals. Small successes work wonders.
5. Plan your first step. If you don't know where to start, your first step could be to research 'how to…' on the internet, think of people you could ask or to read a book on the subject. Then think of your next step…and the next…
6. Keep going. If what you’re doing isn't working, try something else that moves you forward, even a tiny bit. If you're struggling, ask friends for their ideas on what you could do. They may help you see a different way. You may need to adjust your goal or small step.
7. Celebrate. When you reach your goal, take time to enjoy it and thank those who helped you. Think about what you enjoyed and learned along the way.

Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org or imperialnetops.blogspot.com.

Garlic Does a Body Good

Meeting News

At the June 18 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Diann was the best loser, and Donna received the Kept It Off award. Judy won a little cash in the Ha-Ha drawing.

Challenges

The week’s challenges: 1) Exercise for at least five minutes before breakfast; 2) Eat a combination of four servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Business

Karen asked the group to be thinking about upcoming officer elections, which are the second week of July. Cheryl read a recent letter from Jessica Burnett, Nebraska TOPS Coordinator. The group also discussed donations to the memorials for two former TOPS members. Continuing contests are the area-wide Fun in the Summer Sun Challenge and “Shoot Off Those Pounds” contest.

Program

Find tips on how to prepare garlic
for the best health benefits at eatingwell.com.

Shirley presented a program on the benefits of garlic, which has been used for centuries to promote good health. Garlic is high in manganese, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. It can help you fight colds, reduce high blood pressure, and improve cholesterol levels.

According to WebMD, eating garlic is also possibly effective for preventing hardening of the arteries, colon and rectal cancer, stomach cancer and such irritations as tick bites, ringworm, and for treating athlete’s foot. It is possibly not effective for breast cancer, diabetes, inherited high cholesterol, or as a mosquito repellent. More evidence is needed to show that garlic helps with hair loss, chest pain, the common cold, or muscle soreness

Our guest speaker next week will be Mary Lou, the TOPS area captain.

 

Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

Keep Your Hands Busy to Prevent Snacking

TOPS News

At the June 11 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Donna was the best loser, and Judy received the Kept It Off award.

Challenges

The week’s challenges remain the same: 1) Exercise for at least five minutes before you eat breakfast , to help form an exercise habit. 2) Eat a combination of four servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Contests

In addition to the area-wide Fun in the Summer Sun Challenge, members will engage in a local 6-week contest, which Barb has named “Shoot Off Those Pounds,” which will reward weight loss, staying for the meeting, and exercising at least 5 days a week.

Programs

Diann presented a program on The TOPS 10 Ways to Keep Your Hands Busy (and keep yourself from reaching for a snack).
Here are some ways, adapted from the April-May issue of TOPS News:

1. Play with a pet. Extra points for brushing, bathing or cleaning up after your pet!
2. Learn a craft: sewing, knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking. How about woodworking?
3. Pick up a devotional book and pace back and forth while reading it and meditating on its words.
4. Develop your artistic talents. Learn to draw or paint. Write your memoirs or that novel that’s been in your head for years.
5. Ever wanted to play an instrument? See if there’s a class or music instructor nearby who takes on adult students.
6. Start a home improvement project.
7. Organize a closet.
8. Create beauty in your outdoor or indoor space with a flower garden. Or start a container garden to grow veggies to eat.
9. Engage your mind with crossword puzzles or get out your cards and play a game of Solitaire.

Just for fun, she also gave a quiz on Nebraska trivia: *

1. According to the Saunders County Museum, how many Nebraskans survived the sinking of the Titanic?
2. The first lawsuit in Nebraska reportedly concerned an argument over some stolen _______________.
3. True or False: The world’s first test tube tigers were raised at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha
4. The largest waterfall in Nebraska is located on what river?

Join us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. Annual membership dues are $32. Monthly club dues are $3. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

*Answers:

1. One
2. cheese
3. True
4. Snake River, in Cherry County

Anti-Inflammatory Fruits and Vegetables

At the June 4 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Karen was the best loser.

Judy presented a program on vegetables and fruit that are anti-inflammatory, which include avocados, yellow and red sweet peppers, tart cherry juice, hummus, and sweet potatoes. Other fruits and vegetables listed at health.com are beets, dark leafy greens, tomatoes, garlic and onion, berries, and tart cherries.

Foods that can increase inflammation are foods high in sugar and saturated fat.

Upcoming programs will be presented by Dianne and Barb. Officers for 2015-16 will be selected in July.

This Week’s Challenges

1. Exercise for at least five minutes before you eat breakfast, to help form an exercise habit.
2. Eat a combination of four servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Another Contest!

Another contest, this one from the Area Captain: A Fun in the Summer Sun Weekly Challenge, which extends until August 31. Included in the challenge are walking, eating a fruit or vegetable for every letter of the alphabet, participating in a different physical activity each week, participating in a community event, trying a new exercise, and participating in a chapter walk.

Come Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

Exercise and Depression

TOPS News

At the May 28 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Barb was the best loser. She also presented a program on Exercise and Depression, from a booklet published by journeyworks.com.

More Advantages of Exercise

Although depression is often a physiological condition treated with combinations of medication and talk therapy, exercise can help you feel better about yourself and get you out and about, which helps with sadness caused by loneliness.

According to Web MD, exercise releases endorphins, which trigger positive feelings and also act as analgesics, which diminish the perception of pain. Regular exercise has been shown to reduce stress, boost self-esteem, and improve sleep. And of course exercise also benefits your heart, blood pressure, muscle tone and strength, and your bones. And it helps reduce body fat.

The types of exercise that are suggested by Web MD for depression are biking, dancing, gardening, housework (sweeping, mopping, vacuuming), jogging at a moderate pace, low-impact aerobics, tennis, swimming, walking, yard work, and yoga. Group exercise makes it even more beneficial because of the added social engagement.

Challenges

1. “2:00 p.m. TOPS Move”: Stop whatever you’re doing at 2 p.m. and move around or stretch for at least 5 minutes. Chances are, while you’re up, you’ll do more than that.
2. Eat a combination of four servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

Contest

In addition to the new Summer TOPS Queen contest, which will go from June 4 to July 30, there will also be a 4-week Independence Day contest, to start next week and go through Thursday, July 9. The new contest will involve weight loss, the 2:00 p.m. TOPS move at least 5 days a week, and attending the meeting.

Come Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

TOPS Queen for a Day

At the May 21st meeting of the Imperial TOPS club, Judy was the club’s TOPS Queen for a Day after losing the most weight in the past month.  She was crowned and given gifts, Diann read several sayings in her honor, and Cheryl led a song and presented her with a poem.

The contest was so much fun the group decided to anoint a summer

TOPS queen, who will be the member who loses the most weight between June 4 and July 30. The ceremony will be on August 6.

Upcoming programs will be given by Judy on May 28, Shirley on June 4, Diann on June 11, and Barb on June 18.

Meeting News

At the May 21 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Karen was the best loser for the week, Judy won a Kept-It-Off award, and Shirley won a little cash in the Ha-Ha drawing.

Challenges

This week’s challenges are to eat a leafy or flowery vegetable or fruit that grows from a vine each day and to meet an individual weekly exercise goal.

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

Food Choices

Diann presented a program on making breakfast food choices when eating out: bacon, eggs, and toast rather than pancakes; bacon, not sausage; poached, not fried eggs; cream cheese on your bagel rather than butter.

Regarding emotional eating, Diann gave this advice from Dr. Deepak Chopra: The next time you get a craving, stop and breathe deeply while counting to 20. Determine your hunger on a scale from 1 to 5. If you’re hungry, snack on something healthy.

Meeting News

At the May 7 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Shirley was the best loser for the week. Cheryl won a little cash in the Ha-Ha drawing.

Challenges

This week’s challenges are to eat a leafy or flowery vegetable or fruit that grows from a vine each day and set and meet a specific weekly exercise goal.

Programs

The Queen for a Day winner will be determined at next week’s meeting, with her “coronation” at the May 21 meeting. Other members will present her with small gifts, a poem, and a song.

Come  Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org or imperialnetops.blogspot.com.

Leaves and Flowers

Good Losers!

At the April 30 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Barb was the best loser for the week; Judy was the best loser for the month. April was a good month for losers, with a net loss of over 15 pounds.

Challenges

The week’s challenges are to eat a leafy or flowery vegetable or fruit from a vine each day and meet a specific exercise goal.

 

Queen for a Day!

The Queen for a Day contest has been extended for a week. The winner will be determined at the May 14 meeting and honored at the May 21 meeting. There is a temporary change in the weekly agenda.

Meeting News

To accommodate a member who can’t weigh in at the beginning of the meeting, roll call will be toward the end. Diann and Cheryl will provide food for the May 10 Community Center buffet.

Programs

Program schedule for the coming weeks: Diann on May 7, Shirley on May 14. On May 21 the group will honor their “Queen for a Day” with poem and song selected by Cheryl.

Come Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

Try Walnuts for Good Health

Meeting

At the April 16 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Shirley was the best loser. It was also a No-Gain day for all the TOPS. Cheryl won some coins in the Ha-Ha drawing.

Challenges

Weekly challenges remain the same: Eat a yellow or orange fruit or vegetable each day; set and meet an exercise goal.

Contests

One of Cheryl’s squares was drawn in the Move, Lose, and Win contest. Next week’s weigh-in will start a “Queen for a Day” contest. Whoever loses the most weight over 3 weeks will be “Queen” on May 14 and will be presented with small gifts from the other members of the club.

Program

Shirley presented a program titled “Go off the Wall for Walnuts” by Drs. Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen. Fourteen walnut halves provide the daily recommended dose of alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, which “eases cardiovascular inflammation, promotes supple veins and arteries, and helps control appetite.”
The non-fatty nutrients in walnuts also “help with insulin and blood sugar regulation and promote healthy cholesterol levels.”

A recent article by Dr. Andrew Weil cites a study that indicates that an ounce of walnuts may also slow Alzheimer’s disease.

Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.

TOPS History: From 4 to 125,000+

Meeting News

At the April 9 meeting of Imperial TOPS NE0267, Diann was the best loser. Barb gathered the Easter Egg contest results and will announce the winner next week. Only two squares remain in the Move, Lose, and Win contest.

Weekly Challenges

Weekly challenges for the month are to eat a yellow or orange fruit or vegetable and to set and meet exercise goals.

History of TOPS

Inspired by a presentation at the State Recognition Days, Karen presented the story of Esther Manz, who founded the TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) organization in 1948. TOPS began with four friends meeting around her kitchen table to encourage each other to “thinner figures and better health.” Just three years later, TOPS had grown to 2500 members.
Today, with over 125,000 members in United States and Canada, TOPS remains a nonprofit organization, with headquarters – including a research facility -- in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 2013, TOPS members lost 400+ tons.

Join Us!

TOPS Club meets from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursdays at the Imperial Community Center, with weigh-ins beginning at 8:30. The first meeting is free. Find out more at www.TOPS.org.