Weigh Down Weight Loss
Note: This is a review. Click here to go to The Weigh Down Site.
How To Do The Weigh Down Diet.
The Weigh Down Diet has been around since the early 1990’s and is arguably the most popular Christian weight loss plan out there today.
It was the creation of founder Gwen Shamblin, a resident of Brentwood, Tennessee and a somewhat controversial figure due to her interpretations of some bible verses.
Unlike mainstream diets, this Christian weight loss program connects weight loss to spirituality. The premise is that overeating or making bad food choices is not a genetic or other physical problem, it is a problem with the soul.
The program attempts to help its members understand why they eat the foods they do and how it is all based on the way they feel about themselves.
Here, you are encouraged to think before you eat and identify whether you are truly hungry or is there an underlying problem.
I think the premise behind this diet is fairly sound. No foods are off limits here! The key is finding out why you want to eat instead of choosing what is right to eat.
When we eat based on emotion (I can remember eating a half gallon container of ice cream when my girlfriend broke up with me in 1981!), we tend to make poor food choices.
Check out more faith based diets.
So, getting to the bottom of the emotion before making a bad choice, means fewer bad food choices overall for you.
One problem I have with Weigh Down is it doesn’t seem to teach healthy eating habits. Eating only when you are hungry is an attribute of a healthy eating program no doubt but it is not the only thing.
People desiring weight loss help need to understand what good nutrition looks like and how to put together menus that focus on healthy variety and quality. Only eating when you’re hungry is good, if you are feeding your body the correct things.
If you choose to eat a half gallon of ice cream only when you are hungry, you may lose a little weight, but you won’t be getting healthier!
The plan utilizes Weigh Down Workshops usually in churches where members sign up for an 8 week class. There are continued classes and support for those who need it for up to two years.
Pros:
- Following this plan may improve your overall health.
Cons:
- Some people will avoid this plan because it is religous based.
- No exercise requirement.
- Based mostly on common sense.
- Fairly expensive.
Conclusion:
Losing weight should be about education. Learning to eat correctly and exercise are the two staples. I don’t see that with this program.
I do appreciate the introspection for members to discover why they eat as they do. I would not rate this program very highly and would suggest you try other options first….
Click here to go to The Weigh Down Site
Citations:
- Shamblin, Gwen. The Weigh down Diet, 1998.
- WebMD. “The Weigh Down Diet Review: Praying to Lose Weight?” www.webmd.com, February 18, 2021. https://www.webmd.com/diet/a-z/weigh-down-diet.
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