6:00: Morning News

Mount Hope man shares story of weight loss and encouragement for others

MOUNT HOPE, W.Va. — Many West Virginians will be setting goals in the New Year to lose weight and keep it off.

George Stepp from Mount Hope made that his goal in 2017 and he has been successful more than two years later.

Stepp was recently crowned West Virginia King of the non-profit Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) program for his weight loss of 30 pounds over the past year.

He told MetroNews that anyone that wants to lose weight needs to start sooner rather than later.

“Start today, start your next meal,” Stepp said. “Watch what you eat, start counting calories. I didn’t realize the number of calories I was eating until I started counting them. Don’t wait until tomorrow to start today. Just make it happen.”

Stepp said his weight loss journey began in 2017 when a visit to the doctors changed his life.

“I went to the doctor and the doctor told me my cholesterol was high, my blood pressure was bad and my sugar was rising,” he said. “They told me they wanted to put me on medication or I had to lose the weight and get healthy.”

So Stepp took the route of losing weight and living a healthier life. He said it takes dedication but can be done for anyone who wants to do it.

“I laid off a lot of sugary drinks, the sodas and do a lot of walking,” he said. “It’s about exchanging food. Instead of getting a burger, I will have a healthier snack and stay away from fast-food restaurants. I haven’t quit eating the things I like, it’s just I have learned to portion control my foods.”

“When I went to the doctor last, all my levels like blood pressure and cholesterol, everything is in a great range for the doctor. I feel really good and healthy now.”

According to TOPS, West Virginia tips the scales as the “heaviest” state in the U.S., where 32% of adults are affected by obesity.





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