A Lenexa man is inspiring others through his weight loss journey with the help of a community-based support group.
Losing about 63 pounds over a nine-month period, Dan Kellerman credits his wife, Jan Kellerman, for kickstarting his journey toward better health.
One day nearly a year ago, his wife saw an ad in the city of Lenexa’s TownTalk magazine for TOPS Club Inc. That local chapter of the international nonprofit, whose name is an acronym for Taking Off Pounds Sensibly, became his lifeline.
The nonprofit group focuses on weekly meetings and sensible eating rather than fad diets and shortcuts.
“We’ve done the supplements and all that, but that’s the one thing we’re looking for — something a little more natural, where we just kind of learn how to eat properly,” Dan said. “They don’t hand you a diet and say, ‘Here’s what you need to do,’ and you count calories and all that. They promote more of a lifestyle change.”
In 2023, Dan was honored for having lost the most weight in Kansas over a year through the program.
The Kellermans were all in
Both retired, the original purpose for Dan and Jan Kellerman to get healthy was to make sure they would enjoy their 25th wedding anniversary trip, which involved ziplining, hiking and other physical activities.
While they had tried diets on their own, they realized they wanted a community with more accountability and a place to share their accomplishments and disappointments.
“We were just looking for something that was gonna be more long term, that we can live with,” Dan said. “The meetings are good. They’re basically support groups where we can share ideas — things (members) have done that’s worked for them.”
Having gone through and failed several different kinds of diets, Dan said it was encouraging to meet others that had the same experience.
“You’ve got the support of other people,” he said. “If you had a bad week, they’re there to support you. If you had a good week, you get to share that, so it’s really good. It’s more of a family situation now than anything else.”
Weight loss through sensible eating
Reflecting on their eating habits, Dan said they recognized the patterns they were falling into and cut them out.
“We probably ate out way too much,” he said. “There were some places, they kind of knew us, knew what we would order.”
Instead, the couple opted to eat at home and portion out their meals, as well as go on daily walks.
“We fix our meals at home now, mainly, and that way it’s easy to control and we know what we’re getting,” Dan said.
On top of that, they also committed to an intermittent fasting diet, which cycles between a eight-hour window where a person can eat and 16 hours where they can only drink non-caloric beverages like water or coffee. It helps set boundaries that prevents late-night snacking, which Dan said is one of his biggest weaknesses.
“That really was the biggest thing,” he said. “We kind of continue that now. By 5, 6 , 7 o’clock — you know, ‘No more. That’s it. We’re done. Kitchens are closed.'”
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The group helps celebrates their accomplishments
Since 2023, the Kellermans have been showing up on Wednesdays at the Lenexa Senior Center in Old Town.
Leading the group since 2021, Lynnette Weber said they’ve helped inspire others to establish a healthier way of life — and stick to it.
“They have been very supportive of everybody and very helpful because they share their story,” she said. “They share what’s worked for them, and that has made it a big difference, I think, for a lot of us.”
While it’s taken years of trial and error to get to where they are, the Kellermans want people to know that it’s worth it to stick to a plan and find a community to help provide support.
“It’s nice to know that you’re maybe helping other people, to motivate them and lose weight and stay on track and stuff,” Dan said. “Both of us, we still struggle, and that’s why it’s still so important to go to meetings. We’re glad to have their support, and we’re glad to support them.”
How to join TOPS
There are five different TOPS Club groups in the Johnson County area, including Shawnee, Overland Park and Lenexa.
A full list is available at the TOPS “Find a meeting” website or by calling 800-932-8677. Membership is $49 per year.
