The Holiday Season: Parties, Weigh In, and Workouts

Tops (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Weigh in #3 and #4

On the 25th I was down one pound. At that meeting everyone was welcome to share their Tops journey. Very emotional with lots of laughs and tears. Some of these ladies have been with Tops/Kops since their teens. I wish I could share some of the stories but they are not mine to tell. Since I'm new to the group I didn't have a story to tell. Next year...

This past Monday I had gained 1.5. I went to Napa to spend Thanksgiving with my family and for three days and nights we ate and drank. It was worth every pound. ;) I'm sure if I had exercised at all this past week I wouldn't have gained anything. But I didn't so I did. Lesson learned.

This month is going to be a tough one. As of now, I have a work party tonight, two parties on Saturday, a dinner party on Sunday, another work party on Wednesday, and Thursday, then two more parties Saturday. Then the following week my husbands work party. Then I'll have a couple days off to get ready for my families arrival. I better step up my workout.

Every year I hear the tip "fill up first" regarding holiday parties. The "experts" say to fill up on healthy snacks before attending a party. I say one of the enjoyments of going to a party is the food and drinks being served. This is my (Bethenny's) tip to you... Taste everything, eat nothing.

Tops (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) Weigh in #2

Down another 5.25 pounds for a total of 10 pounds. I missed last Mondays weigh in due to the lovely root canal I got instead.

At this meeting we did a mock Thanksgiving dinner to figure out how many calories we end up eating with the choices we make. By being aware of what we put on our plates it helps make smarter choices. Taste everything, eat nothing that's what I'll be doing. And then a few hours later I'll do it again. ;)

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First Weigh In with Tops

My first weigh in was last night and I had lost 4.75 lbs. I was surprised because I had not exercised at all and on Wednesday (Halloween.) I had three glasses of wine and I know I ate more than I should have. I was pretty good all the other days so I knew I would lose a pound or two but almost five I was not expecting.

At my Tops chapter they have different incentives and to weigh in you have to pay a quarter. Then the person or persons that lose the most gets the pot. Also you have to bring in two healthy snacks and each one gets put into a basket. The person to lose the most gets one of the baskets full of healthy snacks. Last night I got one of the baskets and I also got half the weigh in money. I also won a couple other cash prizes but to be honest there are so many different incentives I don't even know what they all were for.

Today I started getting my fitness on. I started slow with walking 1.5 miles this morning. I'll do some hand weight exercises this afternoon. By next week I'll double the miles and add some other fun actives to get more exercise in.

Tops (Take Off Pounds Sensibly)

Last night I became a member of Tops (Take Off Pounds Sensibly.) I've been looking for something that is motivating and would hold me accountable. I have already tried the whole buddy system with family and friends with no luck. You need to want to be motivated and want to be held accountable. They just weren't so they weren't giving it back.

 I thought about joining weight watchers for the weekly meetings. I also thought a personal trainer may be the right person to motivate and hold me accountable. I was searching the web for other local programs when I came across Tops. This was just what I was looking for. Tops has the weekly meetings (accountability), weekly weigh ins, with small rewards (motivation), education (knowledge is power is always motivating), and the right price (28.00 to join, plus 3.00 a month.)

For $17.00 I purchased the book Real Life: The Hands-on Pounds-off Guide. Not required but I'm the kind of person that wants all the resources available.

Such a great group and I'm so happy I found Tops and that I joined.

About TOPS weight-loss support!

No quick fixes. No fad diets. 
No pills or magic potions.

No outrageous monthly fees.

TOPS Club, Inc. is the original, nonprofit, weight-loss support and wellness education organization. Our program is scientifically proven and has helped millions over the last 60+ years. TOPS promotes successful, affordable weight management with "a hands-on pounds-off approach to weight loss®" that combines:

1. healthy eating
2. regular physical activity
3. wellness information
4. awards and recognition
5. support from others at weekly chapter meetings

Weekly meetings provide a supportive, educational environment where people are encouraged and not judged. If face-to-face meetings aren’t your style or if you can’t find a meeting that fits your schedule, you can be an online member and still take advantage of our experts’ tips and our many print and online materials. Plus, you can choose to join a chapter at any time in the future or change chapters.

With thousands of chapters across the U.S. and Canada, each meeting is a little different, so you might want to visit a few meetings in your area to find the one that’s best for you.

The first visit to any chapter is free.

1. Each meeting starts with a private Weigh-In, so you can stay accountable to the goals you’ve set for yourself.
2. That’s often followed by Roll Call, which is a chance for members to share challenges, successes, or goals if they wish to.
3. Many chapters hand out Awards each week or month and participate in the TOPS International Recognition program.
4. TOPS experts on nutrition, fitness, and motivation share their best tips to Take Off Pounds Sensibly® in our brief, interactiveChapter Programs, presented by volunteer Leaders.
5. The meeting closes with a Thought for the Week or other inspirational activity.

Visit Tops.org for more information.