2009 State King

Jim Sumners

TOPS®  NC 390, Hope Mills

68 Pounds to goal

In March of 1998, I came home from work as a corrections officer with the North Carolina Department of Corrections complaining of chest pains.  My wife took me to the emergency room.  They kept me for a couple of days running all kinds of stress tests.  When I was released, I was told to lose weight.  I weighed nearly 300 pounds.  My wife was a member of NC 390, Hope Mills and I went with her to a meeting.  There I found friends and a place where I belonged.

I developed Parkinson’s and had a stent put in my heart in the next couple of years but that only added to my desire to lose weight.

During my time with TOPS, I never had any idea of dropping out although my weight fluctuated up and down.  If I had dropped out, I know my weight would go back up and I would weight more than when I joined.

At first, the weight came off very slowly but then I started eating smaller portions and the weight fell off.  My weight recorder told me at one weigh-in that I was only a couple pounds from goal.  I was amazed!  I never thought I would lose this weight.  Thank you TOPS!

2009 State Queen

Christie Wood

TOPS® NC 701, Charlotte

95.5 pounds to goal

I have always battled my weight.  My weight went on a roller-coaster ride with the rest of my life.  I married young where a divorce followed.  I was then a single mom trying to keep my head above water to give my son the best I could.  I ventured back to school while maintaining full time employment. Suddenly, the term “ME” took a back seat to everything else. 

At my TOPS renewal in January 2008, I was the highest weight to be recorded with TOPS at 222.5 pounds.  OUCH…the scales screamed!  BUT evidentially it didn’t scream loud enough!  Six months later, I began to have health issues, so I went to the doctor in July 2009 and had to face the scales….this time at a whopping 257 pounds.  I had gained 35 MORE pounds.   I was on a path to self-destruction.   BUT THAT DAY CHANGED THE REST OF MY LIFE!!! 

Now since July 2008, and 130 pounds lighter, I can say at age 33….I am alive, healthy and happy….unfortunately still single!  But LIFE IS GOOD because I have the love of my TOPS family across NC, the love and support of my family and the all-forgiving LOVE of GOD.