Wisconsin State Recognition Days

was held April 24 & 25, 2009 at

Stevens Point

Robert Pripps

58.50 pounds lost

TOPS#WI1478, Springstead

There were a variety of reasons why I wanted to lose weight: the main one being that I was just getting too heavy.  I had steadily been gaining over most of my adult life and it seemed that, unless I did something, the trend would continue.  When my lovely wife, Janice and I were married 55 years ago, I weighed only 168 pounds - now, I was approaching 300!  I had always said that it wasn't that I was too heavy, but that I wasn't tall enough.  Well, I could see that I wasn't getting any taller...

My wife, Janice was steadily moving towards her weight goal at our local TOPS® chapter (TOPS#WI1478, Springstead), and she seemed to enjoy going to meetings.  Several of my men friends were also going and doing well in approaching their goals.  The group seemed enthusiastic and very supportive of each other, so it didn't take much convincing for me to decide to join.

There were, of course, obstacles and set-backs on the lonely road to goal.  I had to essentially give up my two favorite food groups - pizza and polish sausage.  Peer pressure from the group, and especially from my wife, helped me along.  In a  little over two years, I lost 58.50 pounds and went from a waist size of 46 down to size 40.  I have now been a KOPS® and in leeway for 5 months.

Kiersten Immel

104.50 pounds lost

TOPS#WI1477, Campbellsport

I did it - I am done!  After over twenty-five years of yo-yo dieting, I am at my goal weight. I AM DONE LOSING WEIGHT!!  I have never , as an adult been able to say that before.  So, what is different this time . . . ?

This last journey took two and one half years.  I first heard about TOPS® many years ago from my mother, and have been a member of several chapter since then.  My Membership changed as I moved from one state to another and from one town to another following my teaching profession.   My present location had no local TOPS® chapter, so it seemed TOPS 0174 was out of the picture.  As I lost and gained weight, riding the eternal rollercoaster with which so many are familiar, the spring of 2005 found me at my all time heaviest, 284.50 pounds.  That February, I was at a teachers' conference and started observing my fellow teachers.  Many others were just like me, overweight and unhealthy looking.  We were so busy taking care of our students, our classrooms, our families, but not taking care of ourselves.  I pictures myself standing in front of my classroom teaching health.  I knew I could not talk about a healthy lifestyle while showing such a poor example for my students.  Not only did they deserve better from me, but they were too smart not to see the double standard I was presenting.  As I told the, about our bodies being God's temple, I had to admit that my temple was in a state of disrepair.

After that conference I went back home, did some thinking, some praying, and had some discussions with my pastor.  I wanted to start a weight loss group at my home church.  Of course I thought of TOPS®, and from there TOPS#WI1477, Campbellsport was born.  With the support and encouragement of wonderful members, two and one half years from the start of our chapter, I met my goal weight and became a KOPS®.

But that wasn't the only difference in this weight-loss journey.  This time, with the help of my doctor, I set a realistic, maintainable goal weight.  Never before had I actually had a written goal weight from the doctor ( I never felt I was close enough to need it).  Thankfully my doctor saw the sensibility of setting a realistic and healthy goal weight.

There is another thing that made a big difference this time, and that is my husband Tim.  I didn't meet Tim until I was in my mid 30's, but God has really blessed me by bringing him into my life.  Like most overweight people, my self image has always been poor.  I can still remember the first time Tim told me I was beautiful.  Maybe after the 100th time, I started believing that he could look at me with all my excess poundage and see someone beautiful.

After hearing his telling me this for about two or three years, finally something clicked inside of me.  It wasn't poundage, it wasn't insides or outsides, it was simply me that he found beautiful.  When the light bulb finally went on, I knew that someday I would lose the unhealthy weight because I had learned the simple truth from a man who saw my true worth.  It did take a few years and a few additional sizes before I began my final journey to my goal weight and becoming KOPS®.

I started my thoughts by saying "I'm Done".  it sounds so good to say that.  I'm done losing the unhealthy weight, but I'm not done eating healthy.  I'm not done exercising, and I'm certainly not done maintaining, in fact I have just started that journey.  God helped start me on this journey.  He has been with me along the way, and He will be with me as I continue on my way. - Kiersten Immel

Marlyn Zuehlke

36.00 pounds lost

TOPS#WI0875, Kimberly

Barbara Seese

84.50 pounds lost

TOPS#WI0026, Green Bay

Congratulations to TOPS#WI1436, Hurley for having

the best average weight loss per member ~ 14.55 pounds!

Congratulations to Area Captain

Diane Burt 

She won the Wisconsin Area Captain Award for the second year in a row! 

The award is based on overall performance in many areas

(letters, chapter visits, open houses,

health fairs, workshops, etc). 

Diane works hard for TOPS and we congratulate her.

Great job Diane !