TOPS Greatest Improvement Winner based on before and after p

WINNER STORY

LISA VORWERK
Dover, Arkansas

Highest weight: 268 lbs. • After: 158 lbs. • Pounds lost: 110 • Height: 5’ 6 1/2” • Former size: 24/26 • Current size: 6
Goal Weight 146.75

GREATEST
IMPROVEMENT
CONTEST
2009
First Place Winner
Category 2



When I turned 40, I gazed at my 268-pound reflection in the hallway mirror. I desperately tried to recall the strong, physical, competitive woman I used to be, but the vision was hard to imagine. I was overcome with a sense of hopelessness and failure. Standing there facing reality and dreaming about the good old days of my youth, I wondered how I had let myself slide into such poor physical condition. I thought back to my 125-pound-cheerleader figure and recalled running a 6-minute mile at the state track meet in high school. I asked myself, “How can I ever get that back in my life?” Then I rediscovered TOPS through school, where I work as an adult education instructor.

I looked up the local TOPS chapter, but it met on a night I worked, so I had to come up with a different plan. I knew I had the competitiveness in me to see this journey through to the end, if only I had some support. I called TOPS Headquarters and got help starting TOPS AR 0580 Dover. We chartered with seven members, three of whom were from my church, where we met. I became Leader and set myself up to be the best example a Leader could be. I remained motivated, lost regularly, and supported my fellow members with a vengeance.

The fact that I served as a Leader has been an integral part of my weight-loss success. I felt it was my job to lead my TOPS friends to victory by being victorious myself. Ours was a great support group that grew into 15 men and woman who won the Arkansas Best Average Weight Loss Award with an average weight loss of 12.58 pounds per member. I was so excited, since we’d only been in existence for 5 1/2 months. We were really on a roll and dropping weight like hot potatoes loaded with carbs! We called, wrote, exercised, and creatively supported each other as we each worked toward our goal. My chapter was a huge part of my success. I craved the contests and compliments, and the group always provided both to help me keep going.

In July 2008 I weighed 268 pounds, and by Christmas I had lost 40 pounds. I responded positively to the many awards and recognitions I received. During those 5 1/2 months, I had five gains. However, after each one, I came back with an energetic new passion, and I always lost what I had gained plus some extra. My losses earned me only chapter—not state—division honors that year. But knowing I could win in the future kept me going.

It wasn’t long before Arkansas State Recognition Day arrived. I was looking pretty good at 198 pounds or so. I’d lost 70 pounds to that point and I was pumped, but what really got me focused was hearing all the success stories and seeing that crown placed on the queen’s head as she stood in that pure white dress. I vowed that from then on I would only aim high. Beginning that day, I secretly became the Arkansas Dream Queen. I still had eight months to reach my goal, and I really kicked it in gear.

Up to this point, I had been eating healthy and following a well-balanced diet: not too many carbs, fats, or protein, but balance. My diet was sensible, just like TOPS advocated. I loosely followed a food plan of 40% carbs, 30% fat, and 30% protein in each meal. I never ate more than 1,500 calories per day and never more than 100 calories for a snack. I was consistent with drinking water, and my progress grew.

I walked 3.5 miles three to four times per week, and I did cardio power pump and aerobic classes two to three times per week. I slowly started walking and then moved into a walk/jog pattern. Just for fun, every time someone passed me on the trail, I would jog 100 steps--until one day I just jogged it all! I did everything I could to keep exercising regularly. It was hard to get out there, but once I got there, it was great. I bought a Nintendo Wii, which helped keep me motivated with its games and progress reports. If it had a contest involved with it, I wanted to win!

Eventually, I needed more to keep me challenged, so I started competing in races. At first, my goal was to just finish events by walking, but it got better than that. In June 2009, I competed in the Mount Magazine 15K Run up the tallest mountain in Arkansas, peaking at 2,749 feet. I jogged the first three miles and walked the final 6.3 miles up the hill with my TOPS pal, Abby Arriola. I knew I could finish, but Abby wasn’t sure about herself. In the end, she finished five seconds before me. I was so happy to have a TOPS pal to lead me on in my TOPS journey, and I was hooked. It took 2 hours and 21 minutes, but those old track memories were coming back to me. I knew I could be a winner again.

My finish times got better on the trail and, eventually, I was ready to run again. I did the Ozark Memory Day 3.4-mile (a little over 5K) run and took first place for my age group with a time of 33 minutes. I followed that up with the world’s fourth largest 5K Race for the Cure with a time of 31 minutes. Out of 46,000 entries, I finished somewhere around 320th place. I ran my latest 5K at the Russellville Fall Fest and finished second place in my age group with a time of 28:24! Next on my list are more 5K runs, a half marathon and a full marathon in March 2010.

Right now, I’m looking great and feeling great! I’m in good shape, and I’m getting closer to my former “cheerleader” body. My old memories of winning in track meets have once again become a reality. Even though I’m not at my goal yet, I am a winner. I didn’t do it overnight because I did it sensibly. I didn’t do it without exercise because I wanted to be toned and fit. Currently, I’ve lost 110 pounds and 62.5 inches and will be at my goal by December 31, 2009.

I used to wear size 24/26 stretch pants and loose, billowy, 3X blouses, but now I’m wearing size 6/8 low-rider, skinny jeans and size 4/6 blouses. I hope to be in the running for the honor of being crowned TOPS’ 2009 Arkansas State Queen and make everyone proud of me. But, most of all, I hope my story inspires thousands of TOPS members to rekindle those old memories into new realities, because they will lead you to your goal!