LABRADOR CITY, N.L. — A Labrador City woman who lost 113 lbs. was recently honoured for her achievement by being named the TOPS Queen for Newfoundland and Labrador. Catherine Stone was named Queen and Harvey Branton of Thornlea, who dropped 51 pounds, was named King.
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) hands out the honours annually to the man and woman in each province who lost the most weight from their starting weight.
Stone has been a member of TOPS since the 1970’s and said she really started this current journey in March of 2015.
She was told she should lose some weight for a knee replacement surgery and started using an app that tracked calories and read food labels.
“I started to write down everything I ate, another activity those in TOPS are encouraged to do,” she said in a release. “I also started walking each day.”
When she returned to the doctor in October of 2015, she had lost 50 pounds. A year later, she was down another 28 lbs.
“In 2019, my weight loss stands at 113 pounds,” she said. “I am a smaller and happier woman. My friends in TOPS helped encourage me along the way, plus it was important to go to meetings and get involved in the chapter.”
Stone said her weight had been an issue her whole life, with her trying a number of different diets and even having lap band surgery.
“I have been on most every fad diet and they work until you stop them, with the weight you lost returning and more,” she said. “In my life, I have lost and gained the weight of several adults.”
She said attending the meeting was an important part of her TOPS journey, giving her the support she needed to continue.
TOPS, which has a branch in Labrador west, is a non-profit organization that offers weight-loss support and wellness education.
According to a release from TOPS their Newfoundland and Labrador chapter members lost a combined total of 9,951 pounds last year.
“We are so gratified by our TOPS members’ amazing weight-loss accomplishments,” TOPS President Rick Danforth said in the release. “Commemorating their life-changing achievements is an essential component of TOPS’ winning formula, whether by losing weight or maintaining goals.”
To find a local chapter, visit www.tops.org or call 1-800-932-8677.
