Usually the key to losing weight is healthy diet and exercise. But involving God? What does religion have to do with losing weight? Now I like to think I’m a pretty spiritual person, but I don’t think that my religious beliefs have anything to do with how healthy I eat.
I was watching the TODAY show yesterday and guest Gwen Shamblin, author of “The Weigh Down” seems to think that spiritual nourishment is the way to go if you want to lose weight. Shamblin claims that changing your focus off of food and onto God will help change your life and eating habits.What?!?
There are even other organizations like First Place, which incorporates Bible study, Scripture memorization, prayer and balanced eating and exercise plans to help people lose weight and live a “better” lifestyle. Or Thin Within, which teaches that food may provide some level of comfort for a little while but can’t provide a spiritual life.
All three programs focus on lifestyle changes physically, spiritually, and emotionally to lose weight. They all also seem to have the mantra, "eat only when truly hungry and stop eating before you’re full." Anyone could’ve thought of that one!
These places sound eerily like a brainwashing cult to me. Did I also mention that for these programs you have to pay to participate? Whether it’s buying the book, taking classes like Shamblin’s Weigh Down Workshops or buying Thin Within Support Group Kits, you’re putting out a lot of money for “eat only when hungry and stop eating when you’re full.”
