Suzanne FowlerE writes: "I was wondering how you feel about the Light Weigh. I did one cycle of the program a few years ago and lost 25 pounds at an acceptable pace (2 lbs. a week)." I gained it all back during a stressful time. Something doesn't sit right with me regarding nutrition but I like the fasting between meals. Wondering what your thoughts are?"
There is nothing New Age about the Light Weigh program. It was founded by Suzanne Fowler in 1998 and is essentially a Bible study that helps people to "make peace" with God - and food!
I know several people who have participated in a Light Weigh group and they all lost weight and found the program to be beneficial both spiritually and physically. Although I never joined a group, I was intrigued by the concept that a healthy serving size fits into an average coffee mug. When I tried it, I instantly started losing weight and was relieved of bloating and other discomforts that come about when we chow down on huge portion sizes that are well beyond the capacity of our stomach.
Fowler's program is thoroughly Catholic and is based on imitating the example of Jesus and the spirituality of St. Ignatius Loyola and St. Therese of Lisieux. Her goal is to help people achieve "peace with food" from a spiritual as well as a physical perspective.
"God (The Father, Son and Holy Spirit) has designed everyone with a ready made hole in their heart," she writes on her website. "God did this so we would be incomplete without Him. This longing, this incompleteness, causes us to seek Him; which is what He wants us to do! God is the only thing that will fill the hole in our heart perfectly. The problem is we try to fill this spiritual hunger with everything but Him."
The program consists of a 12-week Bible study that members attend once a week. The first thirty minutes is spent discussing the Bible Study, followed by watching an instructional Light Weigh DVD which offers an eating example designed to reinforce the Light Weigh approach to eating. Meetings last about an hour and there is no weigh-in required.
As she explains: "In Light Weigh, God's Love transforms. The transformation is from the inside out and special for each person. Peace with food means that you still enjoy food, but food no longer controls you."
This really is a Spirit-filled approach to dieting!
