TOPS

Woo hoo!  We have ourselves a community!  There's a handful of folks out there joining me on trying to get healthy, so I wanted to share this resource in the beginning...

If you're interested in a weight loss group but find Weight Watchers either too expensive, too gung-ho, or too focused on selling their products, there is an alternative.  TOPS, which stands for Take Off Pounds Sensibly, is a non-profit organization with chapters spread across the United States and Canada.  (Click here for their website.  Click here to find a meeting.)  When I lived near Atlanta shortly before I got married, I joined my local TOPS chapter and eventually even became chapter leader.  It was a wonderful experience, helping me with weight/health plus I made some dear friends I still keep in touch with.  When I moved to a smaller town after getting married, the TOPS chapter there was something of a dud.  A lot depends on the dynamics of the group but also how much time/effort you have to put into it.

One of the great things about TOPS is that it is much cheaper than Weight Watchers.  Annual membership is $26 per year.  Most chapters request a fee to help pay for meeting space rent and office supplies -- around $5 per month.  The other great thing about TOPS is flexibility because they don't require members to adhere to a specific diet plan.  While attending TOPS, you can follow Weight Watchers, a diet program from a book, or just your own weight loss strategies.  TOPS simply offers a support system in the form of a weekly weigh-in, camaraderie, and a brief informational program on various diet and health topics.  Even if you aren't interested in attending, clicking through the TOPS website can be helpful -- inspirational photos and stories, nutrition information, etc.

Does anybody know of other helpful groups or organizations?