Here’s how a Mahoning County woman lost 94 pounds with TOPS, family support
Obesity affects over 39% of adults in the U.S., and Ohio has the seventh highest obesity rate in the nation, affecting around 38% of residents.
For Ohioans with obesity, losing weight can feel like a challenge and it’s easy to get discouraged.
Doctors recommend changing your diet, implementing more exercise into your routine and sticking to your goals.
Meet Wendy Gump
Wendy Gump is a lifelong Lake Milton resident celebrating her renewed love for life and family after losing 94 pounds.
“I just love my life and my family,” said Gump. “I have two sons, two grandchildren and two great-grandsons. I’m very lucky and I feel blessed.”
Gump credits her successful weight loss journey to finding people with similar goals and thanks a close friend for bringing her to a TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) meeting in 2015.
Since joining, she’s risen to be a leader in the local weight loss program, guiding new members and connecting with other Mahoning County residents ready to keep one another accountable.
“We all get together to walk at the park here in Lake Milton, down by the beach, and it’s beautiful,” said Gump. “I have my friends that help keep me where I am, and I just love TOPS, I don’t how else to explain it. They are very supportive and if you have any need, that’s where you need to go
Gump said at TOPS meetings, it’s important to make sure everyone feels accepted even if their weight loss goals aren’t fully met each week.
“The first few years was difficult because when you’re finding your path... you go up and down, but [at TOPS], you still have that support, no matter if you gain or if you lose, everybody just gets applause,” said Gump. “If you gain, they say, ‘I’m so glad you’re here, you’ll do better.’ I mean, it’s always support when you gain, yeah, we’re just glad you’re here.
Having her family and support from others at TOPS through the ups and downs of the weight loss journey helped Gump successfully shed 94 pounds.
Advice for losing weight
“You have to find what works for you,” said Gump. “It was a big struggle at first. I mean, I lost, I gained.
Gump recommends finding healthier substitutes as well as trying intermittent fasting.
“From 6 p.m. until 10 a.m. I won’t eat anything, and I only eat in an eight hour period,” said Gump. “I’m not really into sweets, but gosh, I like carbs. I like bread. I have swtiched to [Food For Life’s] Ezekiel Bread that’s gluten free, it’s in the freezer and there’s no flour. So that’s what I eat now, but I’ve really learned how to control it. You have to make foods that you like and taste. I also don’t eat processed foods.”
Because of a spine surgery last year, she’s adjusted her exercises to walk with a cane and does chair yoga.
What is TOPS?
TOPS provides an individual approach to weight loss and overall wellness. Consistent group support, health education, and recognition are all key components to successful weight management.
In 2023, TOPS members in Ohio lost a cumulative 12,609 pounds.
TOPS recognized Gump for losing the most weight of any Ohio woman enrolled in the TOPS program and received a crown when she was named the TOPS Ohio Queen of 2023.
TOPS honored Gump this year on April 26-27 at the Howard Johnson Hotel Banquet and Conference Center in Lima.
Find a TOPS club in your area on the website.
Visitors can attend their first TOPS in-person meeting free of charge and are encouraged to try more than one chapter since they’re all a little different.
For online membership, meetings are conducted via Zoom and are offered at least five times during the week.
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