In the latter part of March 2004 I was diagnosed with a minor heart problem, and other health related problems. At that time I weighed 227 pounds, and my doctor told me that I was out of shape and over weight for my age. Like most of us, I thought that I was just a little over weight, and in good shape .Unlike  most of us, after getting the diagnosis, I decided to do something about it.

 

My wife, Frances, is the current Leader of the chapter TOPS® LA, 432  in Winnfield. She is also the Louisiana State Queen of TOPS® 2003.
I have watched her go off to TOPS® meetings every Tuesday night for years. I saw her efforts to lose her weight and maintain her goal and become a KOPS®, but I had never really thought much about it.

 

That all changed when I attended the State Recognition Day in Bossier City La to watch Frances receive her crown. After watching hundreds of men and women supporting each other, and cheering each other at the convention , I began to feel the excitement that TOPS® members feel when their members lose weight.

 

My wife encouraged me to join her TOPS® chapter and taught me how to eat sensibly . Knowing that she had been down the same road that I was traveling, and had succeeded helped me make my decision.
I joined TOPS® LA432 of Winnfield in May 2004. I began attending  meetings, walking eight miles a day, dieting, and drinking eight glasses of water a day. The pounds began to drop and in five weeks, I had lost nineteen pounds. This made me want to work even harder to reach my goal weight which was only eighteen pounds away.

 

I continued to walk, drink lots of water and eat smaller portions, and just fifteen weeks after joining TOPS® I had lost Thirty  Seven  pounds and reached my goal.
On August 24, 2004 I was able to stand and recite the KOPS® pledge to “Keep Off Pounds Sensibly” along with my  wife, I was voted Chapter Angel and also became our chapters first King that was sure a great honor for me.

 

I am loving TOPS®! It has helped me to lose the weight that I set out to lose and has changed my life completely. I feel better about myself now. I am happier, I have more self esteem ,and my health has improved.
Thanks to my wife, and all of my friends at TOPS® LA,432 for all of their support. To others who may want to lose weight, but are hesitant to try, I say  JUST BELIEVE IN YOURSELF AND YOU CAN LOSE THE POUNDS!   I am very proud of myself, but I give all the credit to my wife and to all my friends at TOPS® for support. Without them I could not have done it.
THANK YOU TOPS®!
                                       Ronnie Rushing