PRAYING AWAY THE POUNDS; DIET PROGRAMS THRIVING AMONG AREA CHURCHES

Taking off pounds is never an easy task, but many people have discovered that losing weight isn't just a matter of having a strong will.

Sometimes it requires a spiritual motivation as well.

Weigh Down Workshop's EXODUS Out of Egypt seminar is a Bible-based program that teaches people to transfer their love relationship with food to a love relationship with God.

Workshop participants meet for a 12-week series of uplifting video lessons in a group setting. Through the weekly videos, testimonials, motivational cassettes and group support, workshop participants learn how they can be delivered from the slavery of overeating and dieting.

Weigh Down founder and director Gwen Shamblin was a consulting registered dietitian and instructor of nutrition at Memphis State University before developing the weight-loss program.

Shamblin's training and strong Christian commitments led her to develop the bestselling book, which focuses on a commitment to God.

"By relearning to follow the natural, internal hunger control he created, and focusing on his will as it relates to food, you can at last enjoy all the wonderful foods God has made without being enslaved to them," says Shamblin.

And many of those workshop groups can be found around the area at a variety of denominations and churches. Westminster Presbyterian Church offers sessions Tuesday mornings at 10 and Thursday at 7 p.m. For information contact coordinator Mary Ray at 339-7636. Lynwood Baptist is just beginning to organize the groups. The meetings are held at 4 p.m on Sunday. For information call Jennifer Wallace at 335-4986.

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No matter how much weight they want to lose or how far along they are in their spiritual journey, each participant has a unique story to tell. Everyone, however, comes to realize that all glory and honor is God's alone.

Jennifer Oslund first participated in the Weigh Down Workshop (WDW) at Westminster Presbyterian in the summer of 1997.

Oslund started the program mostly "because I wanted to lose weight," she said.

Like many other dieters, Oslund had fallen into the yo-yo syndrome. She had tried several other diets, and as is so often the case, regained the lost weight plus additional pounds.

"I was tired of diets and Weigh Down appealed to me because it wasn't just a diet program but a Bible study," said Oslund. Oslund has lost 35 pounds on the program, but she says losing the weight is just a side benefit.

"I didn't even realize that I was losing weight because I had shifted my focus from food to God."

When Oslund returned to college at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, she saw the need for the program there. She wanted other women at school to experience the freedom from food and enjoy a closer relationship with the Lord.

Oslund approached the associate dean with a proposal to begin the program. The following week, a member of the student body suddenly died of anorexia. The student's mother, also suffering from anorexia, had just discovered the Weigh Down Workshop and found it was helping her to overcome her food problems.

With this testimonial, Oslund had the go-ahead to lead the program at Moody.

Oslund admits being a coordinator for WDW has been a huge challenge, but it has also been a great joy. "To be involved in the lives of these ladies, to invest time with them and to always be pointing them back to Jesus Christ has been such an honor for me. I have seen some girls lose weight, one delivered from the chains of anorexia, but most importantly I have seen them all come to love the Lord more passionately."

Jane Stodghill enrolled in the workshop mainly to support her husband Kent who needed to lose a lot of weight. The couple had talked about losing weight for several years, but a relative's success with Weigh Down finally motivated them to join.

"It's really not a diet, but a discipleship program," said Jane Stodghill. "It has helped us define who we are as Christians."

Being able to slip into a pair of slacks or a dress that hadn't fit for quite some time is exciting, Stodghill said.

But she feels the real benefit of the program is what has changed in their personal lives. "We are more aware of people around us and we just enjoy life more."

The Stodghills realized there was a reason why people overeat, but most diets don't address that issue. Kent Stodghill had been raised to always clean his plate. As the years progressed and the amount of food on the plate grew, he still held fast to the way he had been taught. Since his body didn't really need all that food, it was converted into excess fat.

For Jane Stodghill, food was a security blanket. She had gone through a period as a single mother with little money. To open the cabinets and not see any food was a scary experience. As her situation changed, she began to fill those cabinets whether the need was there or not.

"Our grocery bill would be as high as $600 per month," she said. With the children grown and gone, that seemed like an excessive amount. Through the Weigh Down Workshop Stodghill has come to realize that God is her security, not food.

Now her grocery bill has dropped to $250 per month.

Cindy Fletcher has led the Westminster program for the past three years. She has seen people of all ages reach success with the workshops.

For most people the fact there are no set exercise or eating plans is most appealing. "The hardest thing for people to learn is to only eat when they are really hungry," said Fletcher.

Because of the workshop's success, a new program called "Strong Hold" has been developed. It deals with addictions like smoking, alcoholism and drug addictions.

Mary Ray is just beginning as the new coordinator for the workshops at Westminster Presbyterian Church. She said the program is based on obedience to God, not ourselves.

"God is our strength; not food, alcohol, drugs, anger, jealousy, other people, etc."

She also said people must remember the program is not set up to be a quick fix. "The Weigh Down Workshop is a soul-searching, heart-changing program that turns our focus from self to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

Ray joined the program because she knew she had a problem with food and with true obedience to God. With obedience comes jewels or rewards. "My jewels have been a renewed love for God's work; a better relationship with my husband, children, family and friends; more patience and mercy and lastly, weight loss."

Jennifer Wallace joined the program after the birth of her second child. She had managed to lose weight after the birth of her son by a rigorous program of working out on the treadmill, long walks and giving up all the "good" foods. When her daughter was born, she realized she did not have the strength or time to commit to another exercise program.

"I thought surely God doesn't intend for us to live our lives like this," said Wallace. She had read Shamblin's book and when an advertisement for the Westminster workshop caught her eye, she decided to join. Having such great success with the program and seeing what it can do for others led Wallace to become a coordinator and start the program at Lynwood.