Cape Breton’s ‘biggest loser’
Cape Breton woman wins weight-loss crown
SYDNEY MINES — A Cape Breton woman says she’s being called "the biggest loser of Nova Scotia" but doesn’t mind. Lorna Banks of Sydney Mines said the title netted her a crown.
TOPS Club Inc. has named Banks, 56, the Nova Scotia Queen of 2019 for losing 125.2 pounds last year. Banks won over the 101 active chapters in Nova Scotia and is among the 1,774 members. There are 10 chapters in Cape Breton with 217 active members. A king is also chosen annually.
“Yes I am proud,” Banks said. “I weighted 301 pounds and lost 125.2 pounds in one year.”
TOPS, which stands for Taking Off Pounds Sensibly, is a non-profit weight-loss organization founded in 1948.
Dave Amoroso, vice-president a spokesman for TOPS, said Banks made “a wonderful achievement.”
Amoroso said a member reaching a goal is not based on a calendar year but meeting the goal established set through help of a physician.
“That's what's done when you become a member of a TOPS chapter — you work with a doctor to determine your goal-weight that you want to achieve,” he said.
“It could take you eight months, or it could take you eight years. It's about your starting weight and the year you reach that goal.”
Amoroso said the queens and kings are announced annually.
THE STRUGGLES
Banks said because she always had a weight problem, she often belonged to some sort of weight support group.
"Once I had the kids, I just never lost the weight,” she said. “At one time I'd sit down at night and it was nothing to eat a great big bag of chips.”
In 2006, she first decided to lose weight. She weighed 320 pounds at the time and ended up losing 100 pounds.
Banks said it had gotten to the point where she wasn't comfortable in her own body.
“I was just too big,” she said. “I was scared I was going to have a heart attack.”
At that time Banks achieved her goal through walking and other lifestyle changes.
“I did it by myself through putting my mind to it,” she said. “I thought I had to change my life, or I'd be a young woman six feet under.”
However, within a year she had put it all back on.
SUCCESS
In 2018, she joined a TOPS group and credits her current success to the support, motivation and encouragement of the group.
“They are just fabulous, such a big inspiration.”
Banks said the group claps for you, provides incredible support, no matter what.
“If you gain a week they still clap for you. They will be like, ‘That's OK, next week we'll do it.' They are just a big inspiration to me. I've been to a bunch of groups, this one is the best.”
The group follows the Canada Food Guide and focuses on support and encouragement.
Banks said she achieved the 125.2-pound weight loss by August 2019.
Banks said part of the win includes an invitation to participate in the TOPS International Recognition Days in New York, honouring all those who were named queen and king from all across North America, along with winners of various divisions within TOPS.
"My motivator now is I don't want to lose my trip,” she added, smiling.
There are more than 100 winners in attendance at the events and hundreds of other members attending.
The 2020 event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the 2019 royalty will be recognized along with 2020 royalty at the 2021 event in Niagara Falls, New York.
In the meantime Banks can gain three pounds but can't go under eight lbs. T
"There's weeks I put on three or four pounds but most weeks I'm up a pound or down a quarter of a pound,” she said.
“It's hard now as I have to stay in that limit but I'm going to continue to do it."
As far as advice for others wanting to lose weight, Banks said you have to want to do it.
“I never thought I would reach my goal and maintain it but I have, so far,” she said. And if I can do it, anyone can. It is important to believe in yourself and have a good support group like TOPS.”