Weigh Down Diet
Product Description
Isn’t your desire to overeat really spiritual hunger?
“I can stop in the middle of a candy bar and have no desire to eat the second half if my stomach is not calling for it.”
- Gwen Shamblin
Do you eat and eat and never feel full? Rise above the magnetic pull of the refrigerator and turn to the bounty offered to thousands who have embraced a liberating weight-reduction program in churches across America. The Weigh Down Diet gives new hop… More >>
Price: $7.65
Rating: 4.0 (221 reviews)
From looking at these reviews, there is no middle ground–people either love this book or they hate it!
I look around me every day and see people who preach low-fat diets, fitness fads, miracle foods, and super supplements. At one time I bought into many of those things, but none took the weight off permanently. They did not deal with the problem–my overeating. People are looking for easy answers, quick results, and bottled solutions to their problems; it is as if they view their problems as external to themselves, rather than in their own hearts. The basic message of this book, I feel, is this: In the grand heirarchy of creation, God ranks above you, and you rank above food and just about everything else. Never serve that which is lesser than yourself, even if it’s 100% whole wheat.
I’ve lost 60 pounds in the last nine months, with another 40 pounds to go. My life no longer revolves around food, dieting and/or exercise. (Even though I was and still am overweight, I spent a lot of time, money, and energy trying to lose weight.) I recommend this book to anyone who has tried everything else. This is not a diet. This is an attitude adjustment. Serve the Lord instead of your dinner plate and the pounds will vanish!
Rating: 5 / 5
There are two really great things about this book. First, it helps those trying to lose weight to realize that eating behaviors influence calorie intake (and therefore weight) as much as what is actually eaten. Mrs. Shamblin encourages three basic changes for the overweight eater to make:
1. Eat only when physically hungry
2. Eat slowly, savoring both food and company.
3. Stop when full, not gorged.
If you can follow that advice, you can’t help but to reduce your calorie intake significantly!
The second great thing about the book is that it promotes more prayer and a better relationship with God as the best way to stick with the healthier eating program. That’s a fresh perspective for a weight loss book! On the other hand, Mrs. Shamblin has a religious outlook that is partly Evangelical Protestant and partly her own. This outlook is definitely reflected in her spiritual and scriptural perspectives, and those of us who don’t share her beliefs might want to turn to other sources for that “closer walk” with God. Further, the author’s desire to support *all* her ideas using Scripture leads to weak or even odd biblical interpretations in a few parts (e.g. page 81). Yet overall, the religious aspect of this book is a plus.
A very big weakness of the Weigh Down system is that the rules above are seen as “God’s Way” of losing weight, so that other methods (cutting fat, less sugar, more fiber) are wrong or even ungodly! Even exercise is not strongly encouraged. On the contrary, the best diet plan is the individualized integration of many good habits. No one thing should be done in an extreme manner; nutrition, good eating behaviors and exercise should all be used according to the person’s needs and temperment. It is particularly important to “err on the side of caution” with respect to complete nutrition; many respected authorities see nutritional lack as being a big problem in this country.
So read this book, then read several more to get a well-rounded perspective, so that you can follow that on-and-only, unique program that is best for *you*.
Rating: 3 / 5
Eat whatever you want?? Could it really be true?!?
The Weigh Down Diet is the first diet that makes absolute sense as a Christian. The concepts are so simple: Eat only when you are truly hungry and stop eating when you are full. No more diet lists, counting calories, figuring fat grams, etc.!
But The Weigh Down Diet is much more to the Christian than merely a weight loss program. We can find those on every block. What sets WD apart from the rest is an absolute dependence upon God, our Creator, for our strength. No more relying on our own “will power.” No more being a slave to exercise and restrictive food lists. Weigh Down encourages prayer and learning to know the body’s own God-given “hunger” and “full” signals.
Don’t go back to a bondage of a diet you know won’t work in the long-run. Stop being a “yo-yo dieter” forever. Turn to God, the Master Dietician, Great Physician, Supreme Scientist, and Creator of all! God may use this book to change your life!
Rating: 5 / 5
Gwen’s (well, not that she invented these methods but she does emphasize them in the book) basic principals of eating when hungry and stopping when satisfied are very effective. Obviously, if you need to lose weight you need to quit eating so much.
BUT anyone reading this book should be very careful. Gwen feels that overeating means that you’re being disobedient to God. And being disobedient to God will block your entrance into Heaven. Thus overeating will cause you to be rejected by God (you will not be accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven).
One must also be careful as this book is part of a full program, WeighDown Workshop, which is basically a tool for recruitment into Remnant Fellowship, Gwen’s church (that’s pretty much a cult).
However, if you follow the basic principles you will lose weight for sure. I did lose weight but I also picked up some really bad habits (like I stopped exercising and started starving myself instead (I was so weak I had to take a nap everyday for atleast 2 hours) to lose the extra weight). But if you speak to the people who lost a lot of weight and they are truly honest with you, they will admit that they eventually turned to starving themselves. Gwen suggests that you shouldn’t exercise because then you are “helping” God take the weight off of you and you’re not being totally obedient by fully relying on God. So by not exercising one has to eventually just start starving themself in order to lose the extra weight. By the way, Gwen sees carrying extra weight as sinful (this means you’re being disobedient).
Bottom line, I would probably try some of the other spiritually focused books that talk about the same principles (eating when hungry, stopping when full). I do think the spiritual aspect is very important as that gives you the extra support you need to accomplish such a hard task as losing weight.
I have not read it but it’s been suggested to me by ex-WeighDown members to try ThinWithin (same principles but with God’s SUPPORT not God’s VENGEANCE). It’s on it’s way in the mail now so we’ll see!
If you’re a Christian, pray before ordering anything and He’ll let you know what you need to do. Then listen and DO IT!
Rating: 1 / 5
Gwen offers a lot of thought provoking ideas in her book the “Weigh Down Diet”. Instead of turning to food, Gwen suggests we turn to God. I really feel Gwen has a lot of spiritual richness to share. I am not surprised that many are finding success with the program. “Eat when you are full. Stop when you are hungry” thats Gwens motto and a sound one. I give her book high marks for reminding us of what is important. I do however, have reservations regarding this book. Thin and fit are not always the same thing. You can be slender and not fit. Gwens suggests that you eat whatever you want. I agree you can in moderation but I also feel one should recognize that some foods lack nutrients. Though these foods should be enjoyed I do feel that an effort should be made to eat nutritious, life giving foods. But Gwen does not seem to feel this is important. How much you eat is more important than what you eat, she says. While that may be true for overall weight loss, it is not true for health. Her sample diet lacks in basic nutrients. There was hardly any calcium for example. And as Gwen does not believe in supplementing with vitamins etc. I feel the plan could cause problems in the long run. In addition Gwen supports the use of aspartame which some studies have shown can cause health problems. Gwen does not appear to support exercise either. Exercise if you want, she says, but its not going to help you lose much weight. Gwen seems to forget that exercise helps keep you fit! She mentions that our Grandparents did not set foot in a gym. And that may be true, but many of them led active lifestyles. Today many of us live a sedentary life. Exercise does not have to be formal (ie done in a gym) but activity should be worked into the day to stay fit. Exercise is also wonderful for good mental health. The spiritual aspect of the program is the core of the book. I feel Gwen writes with her heart but I feel that each individual needs to develop their own personal relationship with God. It will not be the same type of relationship for everyone. Gwen has very strong feelings about what God thinks and what God wants you to do. Her ideas of God demonstrating negative emotions, such as jealousy etc. conflict with the idea that others have that God is an all loving, accepting force who supports you no matter what. At times I was uncomfortable with Gwens thoughts. Some of what she said just didnt feel right to me. But Gwen does not seem to allow for individuals to have their own feelings about God. This is what God thinks and what God wants according to Gwen and there is no other way. Personally I prefer to view God as a total loving spirit that will support me regardless of if I eat too many cookies or not. Overall though I feel Gwens book shares some interesting thoughts and her idea that too much emphasis is on food not on the spirit is wonderful. I would recommend reading it for some of the insights she shares. But I would also take heed that good nutrition and exercise are very important.
Rating: 4 / 5