WR woman reaches weight loss goal after long journey

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. – Jean Boatright lost 72 pounds through a non-profit organization called Take Off Pounds Sensibly and now shares her weight loss journey with others.

Boatright found out about the organization through a friend back in 1985 and ever since then it has been an up-and-down road towards her goal. She shares that she had a few challenges on the road including her health, but thanks to her support from both family and friends from TOPS, she was able to overcome her obstacles.

TOPS is a non-profit organization with many chapters not only across the country but internationally. Boatright shares that there are two chapters located in Warner Robins who meet every month.

Ever since she joined the organization, she said she has developed many close-knit friendships along the way. She added a lot were lost along the way and some made their goal, but she remembers each friendship the organization gave her.

She was recently named the 2022 TOPS Georgia Queen, meaning she lost more weight than any other female member in the state. She said she felt humbled but honored because she has seen many TOPS members receive that accomplishment and remembers hearing their stories and sacrifices to reach their goals.

“I’ve journeyed for years and years up and down that road hard, because it was. And finally between health problems and everything else got busy, I got some weight off. It was hard but without the loyal support of my family at TOPS it wouldn’t have happened,” said Boatright.

She shares that she has a disease in the muscular dystrophy family and lung problems which contribute to her reasoning for losing weight. Not only was health a big factor, but also the way society judges body image. 

She said she started to get serious about losing weight during the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2020. Boatwright shared that she started cutting back on what she was eating and every week she would have a treat day where she would treat herself to a snack or sweets. Unfortunately, she got pneumonia and had to be in the hospital, which also contributed to her weight loss. She said by the time she got out of the hospital and went back to TOPS; she was under her goal.

She said the biggest advice she gives to anyone who wants to lose weight is to not give up and every day is another journey. She shared that her husband is a longtime smoker and he often tells her she doesn’t understand how hard it is to quit smoking and she always tells him he doesn’t understand how hard it is to lose weight.

“You can go every day the rest of your life and not smoke but you can’t go every day the rest of your life and not eat,” said Boatright.

She also encourages anyone who needs support to visit a TOPS chapter, with multiple locations in Georgia. She invites people to attend her chapter which meets every Thursday evening at First Methodist Church on North Davis Drive. The meetings start at 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. to give everyone time to share their weight loss stories.

“I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to my TOPS family for walking this journey with me,” said Boatright.

To find out more about the organization and find the nearest chapter, visit https://www.tops.org/tops/TOPS/Default.aspx.

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