Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
Marjorie Dwyer lost almost 200 pounds in less than three years. At the age of 78, she feels like she’s accomplished a lifelong goal. (Submitted by Marjorie Dwyer)
After more than 50 years of attempting to lose weight for her health, Marjorie Dwyer was finally able to shed 174 pounds and reach her goal weight — at the age of 78.
Dwyer achieved her goal through the non-profit weight-loss organization TOPS — which stands for “take off pounds sensibly” — where she has been a member for 49 years.
“It wasn’t for lack of trying on my chapter’s part, let me tell you,” Dwyer laughed. “I’m just a slow learner.”
The purpose of the chapter, according to co-ordinator Jo Cull, is to support and encourage one another in their health.
“TOPS does not tell you what to eat. You have the choice based on the advice of your health-care provider, who determines what your goal weight should be,” Cull said.
Dwyer said her highest weight was 405 pounds. As a result of achieving goal, she earned the title of International Queen runner-up in the organization, second only to one person who lost more.
Dwyer, who joined the club when she was 21, says it took her many attempts and experiences of both success and failure before she began to take her weight loss journey more seriously, around three years ago.
“I was like a yo-yo,” she said. “I was down and I was up.
“I finally, you know, seemed to realize that if I didn’t get some of that off, what was going to happen to me? Was I going to end up confined to a bed and not be able to move at all? So I said, it’s time for you to get your little heinie moving.”
She credits her choice in food for the success.
Marjorie Dwyer says her heaviest weight was 405 pounds. She says she was afraid of being confined to a bed due to health-related issues. (Submitted by Marjorie Dwyer)
“It was all diet. Because as far as exercise goes, well, you can see,” Dwyer said, who is using a wheelchair.
“The biggest change in my diet was to leave out takeout food,” she says and smiles. “Well, only one treat once a week.”
And alongside making healthy choices in food, she says the support she received from her group at TOPS made a big difference.
“I loved everything about my TOPS. It was a way of life for me. If I didn’t go to TOPS, my family wondered what was wrong with me,” she said and added that throughout the years in the club, she never felt judged for not losing weight quickly enough.
Marjorie Dwyer won the title of International Queen runner-up at the non-profit organization TOPS, which supports people in their weight loss journey. (Submitted by Marjorie Dwyer)
Cull says there are 1,400 members in the province and about 60 groups scattered around it. She says there’s about 50 people who, like her, stayed with their groups for many decades. They don’t tell each other what they can or can’t eat, she says, and the principle that guides participants is the non-judgment they give each other.
“I have gone through a lot of judgement because of what my size was,” Cull said with a voice full of emotion. “We do our best to fix it, to teach our children and grandchildren that no matter what a person looks like, they are still a human being and they are to be treated with respect.”
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