Rating: 
Summary: Thought provoking book!
Review: 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: 
Summary: Could be good for spiritual growth, bad for physical health!
Review: I have mixed feelings about Gwen Shamblin and her book. Most of the "facts" are unreferenced. Most of the Biblical verses quoted are out of context and are manipulated to serve the author's point of view. To say that God is the master chef behind all those fatty foods that clog your arteries is blasphemous! Shamblin seems to have good intention, but that doesn't justify the means! This is nothing but a starvation diet in disguise. A friend of mine, who is 5' 8" tall, is now eating barely 800 calories a day (her BMI is 1700) on this WD diet. Most of those calories come from twinkies and candy bars! Why would you choose to eat those junk foods when the hands of the Creator have graciously provided wholesome grains and vegetables that satisfy your nutritional needs and keep you from being sick? Don't focus on losing weight. Focus on improving your overall health. Don't try to lose weight while running garbage through your system. C'mon, my fellow Christians, study God's word and figure out for yourselves if this program is biblically sound. Just because a book has the word God in every sentence doesn't mean it comes from the heart of the Father! There are many other ways to establish a solid relationship with God and achieve optimum health. If this program helps you achieve both, that's fine! But don't think this is THE only way.
Rating: 
Summary: I've tried every diet and always come back to this one
Review: I started this diet in 1997 and went to the classes in addition to reading the book. I lost 5 lbs that time,but every time I would try other diets such as pills, shakes, etc I always came back to Gwen's teachings. Most recently I have lost 15 lbs from eatting when hungry and stopping when full and reading Gwen's book about praying to God for my needs when I want to overeat or eat when not hungry. I've had a weight problem all my life and I'll be 35 this year. I've been on anti depressants off and on thru out my life and those contributed to my weight gain. I couldn't lose the weight until I was off of Paxil. Most recently I tried Slimfast once again and I was so hungry and miserable I finally decided that there is no quick fix and go back to the teachings of Weigh Down because it does work. It's really up to you. It can work quicker if you are faithful to your own hunger cues. Like Gwen had said on one of her tapes, you may not win every battle, but you have to fight it.
Rating:
Summary: Let the Lord guide you in His Word & be diet-free forever!
Review: Having struggled with bulimia for 20 of my 37 years, it was'nt until the Lord led me to this book and began showing me in His Word that He wants me to love Him with all of my heart and mind and soul and strength and my neighbors as myself. The Lord has used His Word and His child, Gwen Shamblin to heal the hurts and deliver many from a food-focused, excercise-obsessed, lo-fat calorie-counting,always-feeling-deprived,tried-every-diet-in exsistence,yo-yo-weight,unhappy,frustrated,struggling-to-live-the-Christian-life people. Just like the Bible, the message of The Weigh Down Diet is simple: Love God First. The Lord has enabled Gwen to shed His light of truth on why obesity and eating disorders are on the rise in America today: We are a food-focused weight-obssessed society, and until more people understand that loving God more than anyone and anything is the only way to be who He created us to be,the trend will continue. The Lord continues to use Gwen to spread His message of love across the world. Gwen is able to use humor, her own experience and the Word of God to share with all who are interested that God created us with a perfect system and a hunger and fullness mechanism which works perfectly when we listen to our bodies and not our hearts. Gwen points out the importance of eating only when we are TRULY hungry and stopping when we are POLITELY satisfied. Americans have become desensitized to true hunger and instead eat for all the wrong reasons. The difference between this and any other "diet" out there is Gwen learned from the Lord what to do with head hunger or emotional eating: Go to God. And in this book she gives extensive insights about how to do that. In my experience, there are other "programs" out there teaching the concept of "eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full", but the part that's missing is what to do with the desire to eat when you're not physiologicaly hungry. Taking that head hunger to God and asking Him to take it away is the only long-lasting cure.
Rating:
Summary: Simple truths that make a big difference
Review: If you are considering losing weight, I hope you will give this a try. The basic ideas in the book are simple and truly effective. Over several months, this book helped me relearn my eating habits and changed my whole life for the better. I lost forty pounds, and have kept it off for a year now with absolutely no regain. Best of all, food is no longer a source of worry in my life. I am not nearly as bubbly a Christian as Shamblin and many of the Weigh Down participants, and I have heard various criticisms regarding Weigh Down (some of which are just silly), but none of that changed the effectiveness of the simple, true message in this book. My family eats a much more nutritious and varied diet now, cooking is much more fun, we are more aware of God, and we feel much better physically. This little book made a big difference to our whole family.
Rating: 
Summary: It Works!
Review: The title of my review is true! I am a former Weigh Down coordinater and a number of years back lost all my weight on this program! I loved Gwen's teachings and they brought me so much closer to God. Now a few years later I find she has left her church and started her own(The Remnant)It clearly states on her website that if you are not obediant to God you will not be saved.There is no Grace in her message.We are saved by grace not by works lest any man should boast.I am saddened by this change because this program had the capacity to help lots of people but due to her blatant twisting of the Word of God I must and with profound sadness no longer support her book, teachings or program. The better alternative is Judy Halliday's Thin Within. If you are still interested in Weigh Down I suggest a search on the Web where you can read for yourself Gwen's beliefs and the statements on her site.See www.remnantfellowship.org and read for yourself the statement of faith. God Bless you all in your walk with Him!
Rating:
Summary: Finally a Diet that WORKS!
Review: This is an excellent book! It has totally changed my whole way of thinking about food. I had tried so many different diets, I was tired of restricting myself and following meal plans. After my aunt lost 25 pounds on the Weigh Down Diet I decided to give it a try. I am so glad I did!! I lost 35 pounds and have kept it off for over a year. I have a low thyroid that I am on medication for and that did not have any effect on my ability to lose weight with this diet. This did not feel like a diet, being able to eat anything you want. By following Gwen's adivse and only eating when your stomach tells you you're hungry and stopping when you are pleasantly full, it seemed so simple. The first few weeks were the hardest, but this book changes the way you think and feel about food. After about a month it seemed so natural not to eat unless I was truly stomach hungry and I didn't mind if I left portions on my plate. Before long I passed up desserts and my favorite night time snack....ice cream. However, if I was still hungry I did not feel guilty having a little dessert. Not only did this book improve my health it also helped me get closer to God! I highly recommend this book to anyone who is serious about losing weight. It will change you life and free you from the constant battle to lose weight! This wasn't just a diet for me, it was a lifestyle change!
Rating:
Summary: Why aren't Christian's healthier????
Review: Must be all the pot lucks? We need to keep our inheritance and keep good care of our temples. this book will help. I also like Jordan Rubin's "Maker's Diet" and Pastor Henry Wright's "A More Excellent way", which talks also about the spiritual casues for weight gain.
Rating:
Summary: Cults are as Cults do
Review: If you could take the diet principles away from Gwen Shamblin and the Remnant church, then you might have something worth supporting. Unfortunately - she has become the idol of the church - and the church lives a cultish existence. Best not to get involved.
Rating:
Summary: Gwen saved my life by bringing me to Christ!
Review: I have been so troubled by the negative reviews some readers have given this book. As a professional dieter, the message in Gwen's book was a breath of fresh air. It's simple. Eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full. Gwen's point is, that if you're addicted to food, it's really not that simple. She shows us how to turn to God in those moments when food is calling our name, and we know we're not hungry. Her teachings are biblically sound. She never references scripture without giving the exact reference, so you can see for yourself where she gets her teachings from. I was saved before I read this book, but I wasn't attending church. Not only am I attending church, but I love to go, and spend time with the Lord each and every day. I didn't know it was possible to have this kind of peace in a person's life. I have been saved from my depression, anxiety, and 25+ pounds of sin (and still counting). If you're going to make a negative comment about the book, at least read it first!
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