With an individual approach to weight loss and overall wellness, TOPS provides consistent group support, health education, and recognition to encourage successful weight management. New Brunswick has an adult obesity rate of 37.3%, the second highest in the country. In 2025, TOPS members in New Brunswick lost a cumulative 3,600 pounds.
“All of us in TOPS are immensely proud of our members’ weight-loss achievements,” said TOPS President Rick Danforth. “Through their TOPS membership, these individuals can honor their life-altering successes, other members, and those who have preceded them. By maintaining their allegiance to lifestyle modifications, a hallmark of TOPS’ winning formula, TOPS members apply the tools they’re provided and the backing of their peers to attain their weight loss goals.”
In-person or online weekly meetings are the heart of TOPS support. In-person meetings start with an optional weigh-in, after which members share challenges, successes, or goals. A brief program covering a variety of health and wellness topics follows and may conclude with awards and recognition for the week. 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 held via Zoom and offered at least five times weekly. The meeting starts with members disclosing challenges, successes, or goals. Next, the online facilitator presents a prepared program that sometimes includes guest speakers sharing expert views on fitness, nutrition, and more. Meetings conclude with action steps related to the presented program.
Membership is affordable, starting at $70 USD per year, plus nominal chapter fees. Join TOPS, visit www.tops.org, or call 800-932-8677 to learn more about TOPS and to find a local chapter.
About TOPS®
TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) is the original weight-loss support and wellness education organization. Founded in 1948, TOPS is the only nonprofit, noncommercial weight-loss organization of its kind. TOPS promotes successful weight management with a “Real People. Real Weight Loss.®” philosophy that combines support from others at weekly chapter meetings, healthy eating, regular exercise, and wellness information.
Today, there are about 50,000 members, including men, women, and international members who join chapter meetings in person or online, with thousands of chapters in all 50 states and across Canada. TOPS’ online program is for people who might prefer that model or who live too far to attend in-person chapter meetings. Online resources include news and information from the health and inspirational community, meal planning ideas, workouts, chapter resources, and more.
Visitors are welcome to attend their first TOPS meeting free of charge. Membership is affordable, starting at $70 USD per year, plus nominal chapter fees. The longer you’re a TOPS member, the more you save through reduced renewal rates. Visit www.tops.org or call 800-932-8677 to learn more about TOPS and to find a local chapter.
Sharon Eagles – TOPS 2025 New Brunswick Queen
I first joined TOPS at Naclcawic 4242 and met lots of wonderful TOPS pals that I look forward to seeing each year at PRD. At the time, I was hoping to lose about 70 pounds to reach my goal. But, of course, life happens, and the inevitable ups and downs of weight loss followed. But I’ve stuck with TOPS throughout the years, always in the back of my mind, saying if I quit, I know I would be much worse off. When we moved, I. transferred to Fredericton 592, dragging my friend Denise with me.
The past couple of years, I’ve taken a hard look at my health and realized I was not doing everything I could to be healthier. I didn’t like feeling I was being held back from things I enjoyed because of my body weight.
Several key moments have helped contribute to mv success this time. First, a fellow member who rejoined our chapter found the strength and commitment to lose over 100 pounds. Watching him weekly, taking advice our chapter was giving him, and having success with it was a catalyst for me. I was receiving the same information and could do the same.
Secondly, we were planning a trip to Portugal, which is known for its steep hills. I knew I had to do something to prepare, as travel was something my husband and I wanted to enjoy in retirement.
One of the first tools I started to incorporate was tracking calories to see how much I was consuming. I used a free app on my phone for this. It is truly eye-opening and makes you realize how easy it is to overestimate portion sizes and how much we actually should be consuming to get the nutrition we need. I also started to reduce my carb intake, something I never thought I could do because I love bread. This has been essential to my success, and I have made it a lifelong commitment by making changes I can stick to long-term.
With these changes and, of course, getting out and moving more, I have FINALLY been able to get the weight off that I have been carrying around for so long. As a sidenote, I was able to climb those hills in Portugal with no problem!
Success never comes solely by yourself, even though you need to be your biggest cheerleader, though there were lots of cheerleaders around me who have greatly helped in this struggle.
My chapter members, family, and close friends have all been crucial to my success by providing encouragement, support, and a dose of reality when needed. So, a big thanks to all of them for their continued encouragement.
I encourage others to find ways they can use to help them make lifelong changes they can maintain.
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