Buda Chapter of TOPS helps locals on weight loss journey

BUDA — The Buda chapter of an international organization, Taking Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS), is on a mission to provide accountability for people who are on a weight loss journey. Founded by Esther S. Manz in 1948 after she spoke with a physician about losing the “baby weight” she had gained when she was pregnant with her fifth child, TOPS began as a small group gathered in the Beulah Brinton Social Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and has grown into an international endeavor, according to its website. As described by the leader of the Buda chapter, Lissa Cook, TOPS is not another high-pressure weight loss program, but rather a community designed to hold each other accountable. “You will be surprised, though, how easily, once you come every week, these people become soulmates,” Cook said. Cook went on to explain how membership with TOPS works. The national dues range from $49 to $79 and, once that is paid to the organization, each member receives a “TOPS News” magazine every two months, as well as what Cook called a “pound book,” which is used to record an individual’s weight loss. Each chapter has different membership requirements. The Buda chapter asks for an additional $5 monthly membership fee. On top of that, once national dues are paid, each member is registered for the events that different areas of TOPS hosts. They are also able to receive recognition beyond their smaller chapters. Members are divided into two groups: TOPS and KOPS (Keeping Off Pounds Sensibly). According to Cook, every TOPS member’s goal is to become a KOPS, which is someone who has reached their weight goal and is looking to maintain it. A lot of the members are in their 70s-80s, but TOPS is open to all ages. In the future, Cook said that she hopes to grow the chapter’s membership. Currently, the Buda chapter has 20 members and, including Cook, six of them are KOPS. The first meeting is free to join and the chapter leader encourages new attendees to ask any questions they have. Cook admitted that at first, she was apprehensive about joining “another” weight loss program, having tried a few in the past. But when she joined back in 2016, she realized that TOPS was different for her: “Nobody said you don’t belong here because you hadn’t lost weight.” The Buda Chapter of TOPS meets at 10 a.m. every Tuesday morning at the Onion Creek Senior Center in Buda. For more information on TOPS, visit www.tops.org.