Rating: 
Summary: This book is a real mixed bag--best and worst
Review: There is a lot to be said about this book and most of it can be said in superlatives.
On the plus side, this book and the related program (Weigh Down Workshop) is absolutely the BEST method I have ever tried to lose weight, and it saved my life. With the weight loos principles in it I lost over 100 pounds in about a year and brought a couple of weight related illnesses under control. I had tried many, many things to try to lose weight, and NOTHING worked until this. I found it to be incredibly re-assuring and comforting to do it remembering that God was there with me, and I finished the year with a totally revised concept of the will of God. For that I am very indebted to this book.
On the minus side, much of this is the WORST nutritional information that I have ever read (and Gwem S. claims to have a degree in nutrition!). Part of the reason I got fat in the first place was because of food choices--NOT merely the amount. Claiming that people can lose weight while eating these foods I find to be totally irresponsible. NO amount of reduced intake will make up for good and balanced nutrition. I believe that eating nutritionally nourishing food is what our bodies really need and that taking proper care of our bodies is also the will of God.
I also think that much of what she claims to be spiritually based amounts to no more than religious quackery. The scripture references might helpful, but there is lots and lots of it that has been taken out of context to show her point. And there is entirely TOO much emphasis on obedience. It becomes mindless. That's scary to me, and I cannot but remember that the followers of Jim Jones were also being "obedient".
The best way, I suppose, to read this book is to do it in conjunction with a book on basic nutrition and with a TRUSTED spiritual advisor.
Rating: 
Summary: Count your blessings not your fat grams!
Review: "Rise Above" takes the spiritual information from Gwen's first book "The Weigh Down Diet" to a deeper level. The book touches on the "Weigh Down Diet" method of eating in the appendix and with an occasional reference in the book. If you are interested in learning about the eating program, "The Weigh Down Diet" book will have more information on the plan. This book covers the growth of the Weigh Down program, the stories of people who have lost weight with Weigh Down, and includes lessons to help you enrich your faith and focus on spirit not food. I liked reading alot of the information that Gwen shares but one aspect of this book bothers me. According to Gwen "God is so good-looking, so athletic, so powerful and so charming that upon first sight, we would all immediately bow down and adore Him." I think it is a shame that Gwen places this value on looks. And why would we value God because of the way he looks or his athletic ability? Can't we get past lookism and focus on pure loving spirit? Though I appreciate the closeness Gwen feels with the Spirit I often felt uncomfortable (as I did when I read the Weigh Down Diet book) with the way she attributes negative qualities to God, like jealousy etc. Though I feel God is with you always even when shopping as Gwen says, she writes of him as if he were her boyfriend. Other aspects of the book were very rewarding. Reading the stories of those who were successful in their efforts to lose weight is inspiring. The spiritual lessons Gwen shares were thought provoking. Gwen makes a strong case for being able to walk away from drugs, food or other bad habits by focusing on God. Her book is convincing and compelling. It is a wonderful read if you go beyond the "God is so good looking" text and find the true soul in her words.
Rating:
Summary: Count your blessings not your fat grams!
Review: "Rise Above" takes the spiritual information from Gwen's first book "The Weigh Down Diet" to a deeper level. The book touches on the "Weigh Down Diet" method of eating in the appendix and with an occasional reference in the book. If you are interested in learning about the eating program, "The Weigh Down Diet" book will have more information on the plan. This book covers the growth of the Weigh Down program, the stories of people who have lost weight with Weigh Down, and includes lessons to help you enrich your faith and focus on spirit not food. I liked reading alot of the information that Gwen shares but one aspect of this book bothers me. According to Gwen "God is so good-looking, so athletic, so powerful and so charming that upon first sight, we would all immediately bow down and adore Him." I think it is a shame that Gwen places this value on looks. And why would we value God because of the way he looks or his athletic ability? Can't we get past lookism and focus on pure loving spirit? Though I appreciate the closeness Gwen feels with the Spirit I often felt uncomfortable (as I did when I read the Weigh Down Diet book) with the way she attributes negative qualities to God, like jealousy etc. Though I feel God is with you always even when shopping as Gwen says, she writes of him as if he were her boyfriend. Other aspects of the book were very rewarding. Reading the stories of those who were successful in their efforts to lose weight is inspiring. The spiritual lessons Gwen shares were thought provoking. Gwen makes a strong case for being able to walk away from drugs, food or other bad habits by focusing on God. Her book is convincing and compelling. It is a wonderful read if you go beyond the "God is so good looking" text and find the true soul in her words.
Rating: 
Summary: life-changing
Review: A must read for anyone struggling with weight loss or any stronghold. Read and re-read for a life changing experience!
Rating:
Summary: Very valuable motivation, but...
Review: as another review put it, she's mean! Mind you, I know that living in a path with Christ isn't supposed to be always rosy. As a catholic, I cannot connect with some of what she says, in part because she does not refer to Christ as one of the Holy Trinity. I have a hard time applying how she uses her approach to catholic practice. What I do find, however, are some very good references in the Bible (of course they're very good,eh?) that would help to develop perspective relative to eating habits. I read this book with a Catholic Bible next to me, and I would read out of it to compare with what verses the book printed. They didn't always jibe, and there was some warping of context on the part of the Rise Above book. The symbolism of the Exodus was pretty interesting, though.She speaks of false prophets who will lie to you about all sorts of things. The way she waxes on insinuates that anyone that isn't HER fits into that category! If you can make use of the bible verses she offers (and all of the others left out, for that matter;)) and keep in mind that, indeed, we shouldn't use food as a "false idol", then you'll be able to obtain value from the book. I'm not about to look for a Weigh Down group in my area, however!
Rating:
Summary: Everything You Need to Transcend An Eating Disorder !
Review: Gwen Shamblin has revolutionized the industry targeting people who are interested in losing weight-- she is doing this by asking people to simply and literally rise above the problem-- to seek God's love and grace-- and in doing so, come to recognize that food is simply a tool for keeping us healthy and happy on our journey through life- her simple advice is to stop eating when you are full- I suppose the best way to summarize the incredible inspiration you get from reading her account of God in your life (and to enjoy her amazing use of persuasive language-- she could have been a lawyer ! ) is to let her teach you through God's intercession to take a BIG BITE out of life, and NOT out of that piece of pie sitting in front of you! Speaking of pie, she does not endorse abstinence from ANY food-- does not place value judgements on any particular food at all- very freeing process, really ! TRY IT!
Rating:
Summary: Rise Above : God Can Set You Free from Your Weight Problems
Review: Gwen Shamblin's newest book is even better than the expectations for her 2nd Book. It is a refreshing look at the principles from her first book and then some. It is hard hitting and unapologetic for blowing away some of the current diet fads in today's world. Because Gwen through her newest book proclaims that Weigh Down is NOT a diet but a whole new way of losing weight and keeping it permanently off without the drudgery of any kind of dieting. Rise Above picks up where the basic message of Weight Down in her first book left off. As Gwen says in her 2nd book: "Strugglers need more motivation and heartchanging information to help them climb out of this miry pit. We all need someone and something to live for that is bigger than ourselves. We need Jesus Christ. No worldly pursuit--food, alcohol, tobacco, antidepresants, money, the praise of man, sexual lust, or whatever--will satisfy the longing heart. It is not the fault of the food, the alcohol, the money, or the tobacco. It is the effort to use them to fulfill a need that only God can satisfy that is the problem. For anyone who has been in Weigh Down things will be familiar and yet new in this 2nd book. Familiar statements like America Has a Crush on Food; the Exodus Symbolism; the Struggler, Backstroking the Red Sea will be known by any Weigh Down participant but Gwen goes yet a step farther to explain these things. Any Weigh Down participant will find this book a refreshing additional to things already learned. For anyone not familiar with Weigh Down, the adventure and new learning will be worth the investment of time and money. Old ideas about dieting will be blown away and new concepts of eating the way God designed will be a welcomed treat! I personally know that the principles of Weigh Down work. Since 1998 I have lost 113 lbs on my Weigh Down journey. In fact, part of my testimony and before and after pictures are found on page 77 of Rise Above. For me, reading Rise Above has renewed and reinvigorated my quest to the Promised Land!
Rating:
Summary: Read This Book
Review: Having read Gwen's first book, I was eager to see what she had to say as a follow up. This book goes deeper than the first, giving the reader an even better sense of what it takes to be devoted to God. I think it is probably better to read the Weigh Down Diet first, but even if you have not, she includes a synopsis in the appendix, which should be read first. This book is changing my life, and I use it as a reference, as I do her first book. Rise Above is a wonderful book, and worth reading more than once. If you are close to the Father, it will bring you closer, if you are struggling to become close, it will give you the guidance you need. Read this book; you will be blessed.
Rating:
Summary: Spiritually nourishing, but nutritional junk food
Review: I agree with those people who have commented favorably on much of the wisdom of Ms. Shamblin's spiritual advice and her writings on the psychological and spiritual reasons why some people overeat, however I find Ms. Shamblin's nutritional information suspect. The foods she mentions in this book tend to be high in fat (particularly saturated fat), cholesterol and sodium, and she seems to disparage foods such as broccoli that have proven health benefits. In my opinion, this book is best read in conjunction with a book such as _Eating by the Book_ by David Meinz, that addresses nutrition in a biblical context and includes both biblical teaching and information derived from recent medical and dietary research. I am taking the spiritual stuff from Ms. Shamblin and the nutritional stuff from Mr. Meinz, and my eating habits have improved considerably.
Rating:
Summary: THIS BOOK CHANGED MY LIFE
Review: I am forever indebted to Gwen Shamblin. My life and my family's life has changed dramatically since reading this book and joining the church formed out of the teachings in this book, Remnant Fellowship. I have laid down greed, depression, anxiety, selfish-ambition, praise of man, laziness, pride and many other sins. Gwen tells the TRUTH - by quoting the Bible like Ephesians 5:5 "For of this you can be SURE: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." My former church family did not help me identify or smash idols that were in my life. The Weigh Down Diet book and Rise Above book unveiled my idols and the members of Remnant Fellowship keep me accountable to never go back to those idols. Those agaist Gwen's teaching are actually against God and the Bible. This book is mere Christianity - DIE TO SELF AND LIVE ONLY FOR THE WILL OF GOD - that is why Jesus came, so we could stop the deliberate sin in our lives and OBEY GOD all the time.
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