Any one ever went to a TOPS Meeting?

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Replies

  • EnufAlready
    EnufAlready Posts: 77 Member
    Yeah when I was much younger I was secretary at a TOPS club, my friend was President. After each meeting we'd all go around the corner to a restaurant and have coffee and eat dessert. Then eventually if we knew we had gained we went to the show across the street instead of meetings. It was a bit of a dump and the shows were mostly soft porn - we were usually the only girls in there with a bunch of old me in trenchcoats.
  • TOPS is very much a good thing. When you are losing weight you NEED support in your journey. TOPS is a great support group. I was a TOPS member years ago and did very well with it. I wish you the best of luck.
  • FrancesGallagher
    FrancesGallagher Posts: 88 Member
    I was a TOPS member for a number of years and it was a good group. The members encouraged each other but no one was given a "diet" to follow. Each member was to ask their own doctor for advice about diet for themselves and the members were there for support. There were goals set and awards given and maybe it could be called a rather "social" club but I enjoyed the people I met during the time I was a member. I think MFP is a more beneficial way to go because it is a learning tool, logging your meals and seeing the calories in the foods you eat is important to me. I was a Weight Watcher off and on for quite awhile. WW did get expensive and in that program, I was doing points, there was alot of logging in the food consumed each day. This was rather tedious and it seemed you had to think food all the time. I liked the group of people I met there but I think MFP is still the best program for me. I have lost 17 pounds since last March and may want to lose 10 more but I am in no hurry. If I lose 1/2 pound a week that is fine with me. I want to be healthy, eat the right kind of food, and do some exercise. I really am not into extremes in exercise. I hope some of this has been helpful. Have a beautiful Christmas, God bless, fg
  • jaabee11
    jaabee11 Posts: 322 Member
    You don't have to be rude. I am trying to achieve a common goal....weight loss.... I would still use my mfp daily! I love it on here! I just feel like the more information about weight loss I can get is better! I just think having a group once a week might be informational and beneficial to me.


    My humble apologies

    I certainly didn't set out to be rude but unfortunately that is what you and others have read into what I wrote.
    I can't change that & I can only apologise.

    There is background for my statement but no point in expounding.

    I did however write this which maybe you missed in your annoyance.

    "good luck with your weight loss whatever you decide, the most important thing is to be healthy.
    If that club works for you then go for it.
    good luck."

    I sincerely meant well with that & sorry you haven't taken it that way.
  • PedmomJill
    PedmomJill Posts: 505 Member
    I highly recommend sitting in on a meeting before you join. I tried TOPS and ended up quitting after several months because it was just social hour for a bunch of old ladies. No one really cared whether or not you lost weight or if you kept losing and gaining the same pounds. It was actually very unmotivating for me.

    This was exactly my experience. I was very uncomfortable.
  • KendaVSG
    KendaVSG Posts: 147
    TOPS is a good group, in theory and dependent upon which groupl/members you find. I highly recommend it, if you are desiring weekly accountability and in person support. Just don't base all judgment upon one meeting or just one group. It"s similar to weight watchers, but cheaper and less "formal". Every chapter is different. However, TOPS, overall, has many things available nationwide. They have celebrations, and retreats, and other things. I used to belong to TOPS when I was much younger. I was in four different chapters. I made life long friends (one for 20 years now.), I lost weight, I had fun, and wonderful support for much more than just my weight. Just like every person is different (and just like on here, not every person is intelligent nor as knowledgeable as they claim to be) so is every chapter. Some focus on the negatives, some the positive, some (unfortunately, I know from one of the groups I was in) focus on where they are going to go for their meal after the meeting! Give it a shot. Nothing wrong with more support. I really don't understand why some of the responders are having a cow over you being interested in adding more support to your weight loss/health journey. Good luck to you! I hope you find what is right for you!!
  • Tjm288
    Tjm288 Posts: 53 Member
    HAHA Wow.....Yucky old men!
  • Tjm288
    Tjm288 Posts: 53 Member
    Wow so many great comments! THANK YOU! I heard of the TOPS from a man who was in the hospital that i work at he had great success in the group...so thats where my interest came up....I want to give a try just to see how I fit there! :) THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! Wish all of you the best of luck!
  • EnufAlready
    EnufAlready Posts: 77 Member
    Having said my piece about the weird TOPS group I belonged to back in the 70s, I do appreciate the value of a community and a little healthy competition. We have a group here that was started and continues to be run by one woman. It operates for 12 weeks several times a year. We each pay $40 for the week which pays for the rental of the church basement, the weekly $25 that is given to the biggest loser for the week, the $200 given to the biggest loser by weight for the 12 weeks, and the biggest loser by BMI for the 12 weeks. Oh yeah, it also pays for the 'superfood' recipe each week. Whoever has the inclination can get $10 and create a healthy recipe for a superfood which we all sample and get copies of the recipe for each week. There are guest speakers and special events like the Ride the Bike for Breast Cancer event.

    Some people in the group have lost significant amounts of weight with the help of the group.

    And some of them go for a stair climb after each meeting. A far cry from the TOPS group I used to belong to.

    It was originally called Biggest Losers now it's called Thinner Winners.
  • Goal_Seeker_1988
    Goal_Seeker_1988 Posts: 1,619 Member
    Having said my piece about the weird TOPS group I belonged to back in the 70s, I do appreciate the value of a community and a little healthy competition. We have a group here that was started and continues to be run by one woman. It operates for 12 weeks several times a year. We each pay $40 for the week which pays for the rental of the church basement, the weekly $25 that is given to the biggest loser for the week, the $200 given to the biggest loser by weight for the 12 weeks, and the biggest loser by BMI for the 12 weeks. Oh yeah, it also pays for the 'superfood' recipe each week. Whoever has the inclination can get $10 and create a healthy recipe for a superfood which we all sample and get copies of the recipe for each week. There are guest speakers and special events like the Ride the Bike for Breast Cancer event.

    Some people in the group have lost significant amounts of weight with the help of the group.

    And some of them go for a stair climb after each meeting. A far cry from the TOPS group I used to belong to.

    It was originally called Biggest Losers now it's called Thinner Winners.


    Wow, the cost for the TOPS I went to was only .50 cents a week. $20 a year dues. We would have the choice to pay $2 a month or the .50cents a week. Guess we got off easy!!!
  • Caperfae
    Caperfae Posts: 433
    so you don't like MFP?

    If you're not happy here then by all means go try it, I personally have resolved to not pay cash for any more groups etc.

    MFP is free, fantastic support, and a great way to record calorie intake and exercise.

    Not quite sure why you even ask the question especially here...
    I read on another post.. something to the like of " it's like going into a Harley shop & asking what they think of Honda's" kinda strange.

    good luck with your weight loss whatever you decide, the most important thing is to be healthy.
    If that club works for you then go for it.
    good luck.

    I don't think that's the issue here.
    A LOT of people who are members HERE are also doing other programs. Whether it be Weight Watchers, P90X, 30 Day Shred, etc ...
    if you're a member HERE you know it's a great support site BUT some people require more motivation and a human element to their accountability and there's no harm in that at all.

    I have thought about TOPS. I live right down the street from the weekly meeting place but I haven't had the opportunity to check it out yet due to various circumstances.
    I agree with what some others have said .. go and sit in on a meeting or two to see how it feels and what the atmosphere is before committing to being a member. Maybe join with a friend for more motivation?
  • leslielt
    leslielt Posts: 113 Member
    You don't have to be rude. I am trying to achieve a common goal....weight loss.... I would still use my mfp daily! I love it on here! I just feel like the more information about weight loss I can get is better! I just think having a group once a week might be informational and beneficial to me.

    whoa no one was even being mean before you said something. they were just trying to help you out and give you some good advice (sit in on a meeting before spending your hard earned money). what's wrong with that? And not I'm not yelling or being mean either its just that i get sick of people complaining about others being mean all the time. some make whole blog post about it.

    whatever works for you to get healthy
  • Tops is quite similiar to WW,only cheaper. If you find one, check it out and see how any people your age is in it.If there is 90% older women there, It's a social group,and they have been there for years. The club or any other club is what you make it. You will get support,but remember it is a life style.Something that you have to maintain for the rest of your life. No crash diets. Learn to eat correctly no matter what club you join. Past member and co-leader:::
  • Barneystinson
    Barneystinson Posts: 1,357 Member
    I highly recommend sitting in on a meeting before you join. I tried TOPS and ended up quitting after several months because it was just social hour for a bunch of old ladies. No one really cared whether or not you lost weight or if you kept losing and gaining the same pounds. It was actually very unmotivating for me.

    This was exactly my experience. I was very uncomfortable.

    I used to go along with my babysitter to meetings when I was a kid. This describes her TOPS group accurately :) But then again that was the late 80s/early 90s and a small town, so it probably doesn't apply for everywhere else.
  • gertudejekyl
    gertudejekyl Posts: 386 Member
    I highly recommend sitting in on a meeting before you join. I tried TOPS and ended up quitting after several months because it was just social hour for a bunch of old ladies. No one really cared whether or not you lost weight or if you kept losing and gaining the same pounds. It was actually very unmotivating for me.

    ---EXACTLY