St. Helens local named TOPS Oregon King

For many, losing weight may seem like a daunting task, but it might be a little easier if you don't have to go through it alone.

St. Helens local Kenneth Law can attest that losing weight can be easier with help along the way. Law lost more than 42 pounds since first joining the non-profit TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), a non–commercial weight loss, education, and support organization in January 2020.

Law said his motivation to lead a healthy lifestyle came in part from the passing of his father, who died from a "massive heart attack" when he was just 51. Law said that seeing his father's lifestyle made him want to ensure his own health. At age 54, Law quit smoking after 40 years in 2015 but was having trouble losing weight despite changing his diet to include more fruits, vegetables, fish, and chicken, rather than the "meat and potatoes" diet he was raised on.

It was around then that Law discovered TOPS through his significant other, who was a leader in the local chapter.

"She invited me to attend TOPS, and I started going. I found out there was good support, good fellowship, good motivation strategies," Law said. "The thing is, it's not a diet; it's learning how to eat sensibly, learning portion control. When I joined at the end of 2019, my first weigh-in at that time, I weighed 222.6 pounds. Through the support and motivational strategies, I had an original goal of 190, and I reached that by the summertime; within a few months, I got down to 190."

Law said he hadn't weighed "that little" since he was in his 20s. Unfortunately, the pandemic shut everything down, and Law couldn't attend meetings. Though he maintained his goal weight for a while, Law said he added more weight during the shutdown and weighed about 213 pounds when he rejoined TOPS.

Law rejoined TOPS in April 2023, and considering he achieved his 190-pound goal weight so quickly the first time around, he set his new goal weight at 185 pounds.

"I managed to get to my 185 goal weight in August 2023," Law said.

After achieving his 185-pound goal weight, he changed his goal weight to 180. In November 2023, Law said he turned in his new goal weight and "has not looked back since." At the end of December 2023, he had weighed as low as 173.

"If you go by when I quit smoking at 243 pounds, to getting down to 173, it's really close to 70 pounds that I lost, but the last 42 were thanks to TOPS, or I would never have made it," Law said.

Recognized

Losing weight isn't the only achievement Law has accomplished in 2023; thanks to his dedication to reaching his weight goal, Law was recognized by TOPS as the 2023 TOPS Oregon King at the organization's recognition event, which was held at the Pendleton Convention Center in May.

"Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected that," Law said of the recognition he received. "Our TOPS advocate showed up one day, presented me with a certificate, and told me I was the King of Oregon. I didn't even know that was possible, and it was a little overwhelming."

Going to the ceremony, Law said he had to get a new suit because his old ones didn't fit anymore. That's not the only suit that needs adjusting. Law dresses up as Santa around the holidays.

The only downside of his losing weight? He said that he might no longer be the most convincing Santa around the holidays, though he noted he's already working on getting a prosthesis so he can project St. Nick's substantial gut.

In 2023, Oregon TOPS members lost a total of 9,631 pounds. Law said that the most helpful step in his journey was the support that he got from his weekly TOPS meetings.

"The encouragement, motivational challenges; there's so much to it. Learning to eat sensibly, drink more water, exercise, portion control, accountability are all part of the support," Law said.

The group meets every Monday at the Methodist church at 6th and Columbia. Law said there are about 18 members in the group, and the connections he's made have been a huge piece of his personal success.

"It's like one big family. Everybody is so friendly and so nice and so encouraging," Law said. "I feel like it's a family."