CENTRE WELLINGTON – Anyone who’s been struggling with their weight may find Doug Lucas’ story strikes a chord.
The 56-year-old Centre Wellington man was named King of TOPS Ontario (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) in 2020 for losing the most weight in the province and for reaching his goal weight.
The award was for his efforts in 2019 but since then – and throughout the pandemic – Lucas has stuck with his exercise program, stuck with his healthy eating plan, and continues to meet with the local TOPS support group.
Like many people, Lucas’ story began with a health concern and over the years, there were several more.
He was always involved in sports and that often led him to bars for a post-game beer and pub grub. He was also a DJ, so bar food and takeout were always handy.
But because of his active lifestyle, he was able to keep his weight in check.
But when he was 35, he became very ill and was diagnosed with collagenous colitis.
“No sports, not able to work, and except for seeing my specialist, I did not leave the house for a couple of years,” he wrote in a brief biography.
“It basically forced me into couch-potato status. My weight skyrocketed to a high of close to 500 pounds.”
In 2010 he had a “heart episode” and later lost part of his lung due to lung cancer.
He’d go on a diet, lose some weight, but always put it back on.
“I’d yo-yo,” he said in an interview. “I’d lose 50 pounds and then put it back on. I used to drink to deal with stress; now I was stress eating.”
In 2018 his doctor told him he was heading down a dangerous road to diabetes.
Finally, it was time to do something about his skyrocketing weight, poor eating habits and lack of physical exercise.
He had joined TOPS, a network of weight-loss support groups, in 2009 and in 2019 also started seeing a therapist.
DOUG LUCAS (Submitted photo)
“My mind is in a better spot now,” he said.
“Everyone knows what to do to lose weight – eat better and exercise – but it’s not that easy. Your mind has got to be there as well.”
When he started walking for exercise, he could only go as far as his neighbour’s driveway and back.
“I’d be out of breath from that. I could barely walk 2,000 steps a day,” he said.
But he kept at it and within a month was walking around the block and now he averages 22,000 steps a day.
That’s three-and-a-half hours of walking every day, which is a lot.
“You have to make the time,” he said. “I walk early in the day, but I also walk on my breaks. It’s cheap. All you really need is shoes.”
Lucas said he doesn’t deprive himself of sugary sweets, but he only takes three bites “and it has to be a 9 or 10 on the delicious scale.”
He’s also working on how he responds to stress.
“Stress was killing me,” he said. “Now I try not to worry about what people are doing or saying.
“I’m going to do what I can do and not worry about the rest.”
Walking is now not just a habit, but a part of the day he looks forward to.
“I put on my headphones and listen to sports or music. You’ll often see me dancing on the trails,” he said with a laugh.
“But I’ve learned to listen to my body. If I ache, I will take a day off walking.”
Lucas said he found attending TOPS to be helpful because of the weekly weigh-in, which keeps him accountable, and the non-judgemental support, which is unwavering.
“We work through things together,” he said, adding people’s stories are inspiring and motivating.
And now he hopes to help others by becoming a weight loss coach.
“I have a completely different mindset and I am mentally ready for anything that life throws at me more than I have been at any other time in my adult life,” he said.
“I’ve walked the walk. Now I want to talk the talk.”
