Dieters Put Faith in Bible-Based System

It was her first meeting of the Bible-based weight loss workshop called Weigh Down, and Kendra Bennett had a prayer request.

Pray for me, she asked the dozen women gathered in a classroom at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Oxnard. “Because I’ve tried ‘em all. If this doesn’t do it for me, nothing will,” Bennett said before she ticked off several other weight-loss programs. “Jenny . . . Overeaters . . . Slim Fast . . . Fen-Phen . . . hypnosis . . . Weight Watchers . . . “

Her fellow newcomers, seated around a large library table on a Tuesday afternoon, nodded, some smiling in recognition.

The program they had all just signed up for, Weigh Down, is subtitled Exodus Out of Egypt. Invented by a woman named Gwen Shamblin, the nondenominational religion-based program has spread into 70 countries since 1992, with more than 1,000 workshops. Shamblin also has a book out called “The Weigh Down Diet,” which is available in secular and religious bookstores.

At this first of 12 weekly meetings, for which the women had paid $103, everyone was handed a fat packet of a dozen inspirational take-home cassette tapes and a workbook that is part diary and part homework, with a sprinkling of Bible verses thrown in.

A new hourlong video featuring Shamblin is aired at each weekly meeting. The $103 also covers those all-important ingredients: the encouragement, focus and discipline supplied by fellow dieters at regular meetings.

“The program takes your focus off yourself and puts it on the Lord,” said leader Dee Riddering, who added that she hopes the program will help her take off unnecessary daily stress along with a few extra pounds.

It can help in other areas too “such as with smoking, nail biting, over-exercising and even computer addiction,” said Riddering’s daughter, Lynn, who is a graduate of a Weigh Down program in Canada. Lynn Mackereth lost 15 pounds on the diet.

Although Weigh Down shares a few essential components with other diet programs, such as weekly meetings, it does not forbid any particular food, nor does it push an exercise program.

It exhorts participants to put their trust and faith in God and not to eat unless they are truly hungry. Even then, they shouldn’t eat so much that they have to loosen their belts.

“We all have a choice of what to worship,” Shamblin instructs. “We all have God-given controls.”

Order the cheeseburger and fries, Shamblin tells participants, “but cut it all in half before you begin to eat.”

“You’d be surprised,” she says. “I was.”

She is referring to the time she, constantly hungry and overweight, had lunch with a “skinny friend, and she ate only part of her meal, then actually said she didn’t want any more.” Shamblin was astounded.

One lesson she took from that luncheon, she said, was that, “The key to permanent weight control is a matter of the heart.”

She learned to distinguish between “head hunger” and “stomach hunger.”

Transferring love of food to love of God helps break the focus on that pan of brownies--whether the hunger comes from stress, personal troubles, “head hunger” or even boredom.

“True stomach hunger is a growl, a hollow feeling, almost a burning in your stomach,” she said.

“Wait for that feeling before you eat, and then eat until you’re satisfied . . . but not stuffed.”

Shamblin’s video drew the biggest laugh from the Oxnard dieters when she spoke of learning to actually eat only half a side of fries. “Remember, there are always more fries. If you’re in your 30s, you still have 70,000 to 90,000 more eating occasions.”

Once again, she reminded new members of what is more or less the program’s mantra: “Wait for the growl.”

After watching the first week’s video, the new Weigh Downers agreed that they liked what they had seen.

Judi Partello said she wanted to improve her body image and quit smoking. When questioned about taking on both weight loss and a smoking habit at the same time, Partello allowed that she would settle for more control with either habit.

Another woman, who identified herself as Ruth, said, “I’m here to improve my health. I’m 72, and I can’t carry this weight around anymore.”

Distraction can help, said another participant. She will carry her Bible with her everywhere, and, when she is tempted by that pan of brownies, just let it fall open and find an inspirational verse.

“Unfortunately, I have 12 boxes of Girl Scout cookies at home right now,” said the woman, to the knowing smile of at least one other Girl Scout mom.

As the meeting drew to a close, someone had another prayer request--for concentration. “It’s harder to focus when I’m out of class.”

Riddering reminded everyone that the first week would probably be the hardest.

“It’s really important that we all pray for each other this week,” she said.

FYI

For information on Weigh Down workshop locations, call (800) 844-5208.