Michele Malkowiak loves being called a loser.
The Buffalo Township grandmother and housewife lost more than 100 pounds over a two-year period during the pandemic. As a result, she is the reigning queen of Pennsylvania 2021-22 Take Off Pounds Sensably (TOPS).
“I was caught off guard,” said Malkowiak, 56. “I found out the day I showed up at Erie for a TOPS– related area reconnaissance program.
Malkowiak credits the TOPS program with providing her with an encouraging club setting for her to meet, discuss and receive support from others on a similar weight loss journey.
TOPS was founded in 1948. It is a non-profit organization with thousands of weight loss support chapters in the United States and Canada.
In Pennsylvania, the adult obesity rate hovers around 31%, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Malkowiak described a defining and humbling weight-related moment in 2018, when she was the heaviest.
“I was on my knees at school where I was volunteering at my granddaughter’s school and then I couldn’t get up. It was the most embarrassing moment I have ever experienced,” she said. “I knew I had to do something. It was my rock bottom.
Malkowiak joined TOPS over 20 years ago when she gained weight after quitting smoking.
“I quit smoking, but I traded it for food,” Malkowiak said. “I ended up quitting TOPS because I never did the right thing to lose weight. I accepted that I would just be heavy the rest of my life. I thought quitting smoking would be enough. to stay healthy and that my weight wouldn’t matter.
In 2018, Malkowiak started having weight-related health issues.
“My joints hurt. I had arthritis in my knees and couldn’t get up off the floor without help,” Malkowiak said. “I joined TOPS and lost about 25 pounds that first year.”
Then the pandemic hit, forcing Malkowiak to stay home. She had to stop dining out, which she did frequently.
“I decided that if I was stuck at home, I might as well focus on losing weight,” she said. “I realized the extra weight put me in a higher risk category for serious symptoms if I got covid.”
She joined TOPS, gave up drinking alcohol (except for the occasional glass of red wine), and said her resolve to lose weight never wavered.
Malkowiak struggled with weight issues from an early age.
“I just ate, and when I started I couldn’t stop,” she said. “Food was probably an escape for me.”
A key part of TOPS is the weekly weigh-in.
His starting weight on September 27, 2018 was 225 pounds.
On March 8, 2023, at a weekly TOPS reunion weigh-in, she weighed 124 pounds.
“We love losers,” said TOPS weigh-in recorder Eleanor White. “They are our champions here.”
TOPS Chapter 1406 meets weekly at Evangel Heights Church in Buffalo Township.
Malkowiak is now a size 2-6, according to the clothing designer.
Her best weight loss benefit to date is wearing a bathing suit and jeans without being embarrassed.
“I recognize myself when I look in the mirror,” she said. “I feel good and I never thought I would make it. But what made it happen was going to this TOPS group. They support, love and care about each other .
A 1984 graduate of Hampton High School, Malkowiak has been married to her husband Ted for 30 years. They live on a small farm in Buffalo Township. They raised three daughters and have three granddaughters. Ted is also a member of TOPS.
Courtesy of Michele Malkowiak
Buffalo Township’s Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) member Michele Malkowiak was crowned the 2021-22 TOPS Queen of Pennsylvania at a recognition event in Erie.
Her daily weight maintenance habits include walking, eating fiber-rich foods and lean proteins, keeping a food diary, drinking plenty of water, and counting calories.
She loves pancakes – enjoying them in moderation – and likes to eat popcorn as a snack.
“My message is, never give up,” Malkowiak said, fighting back tears as he recalled the past two years of his weight loss journey. “I had setbacks. You just have to get back to it. »
Joyce Hanz is editor of Tribune-Review. You can contact Joyce by email at [email protected] or via Twitter .