We always encourage people with medical concerns to consult their physician before beginning the program. The Weigh Down Workshop is not a medical weight loss program, nor are we equipped to give medical or professional counsel. We are teaching people to fall in love with God and out of love with food - and this can be accomplished despite one’s medical condition or circumstance.

We continue to receive testimonies from people with all types of medical concerns who were able to lose weight successful through Weigh Down. In some cases, losing weight even alleviated some symptoms or medical conditions. We have seen women diagnosed with lupus or kidney disease lose weight while under heavy doses of cortisone. We have witnessed insulin-dependent diabetics lose weight and in some cases, reduce their insulin intake (with physician’s approval). We’ve seen people confined to wheelchairs lose weight despite not being able to exercise. We’ve also heard from countless people who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, and other medical conditions who lose weight after transferring their focus off of food and onto God.

On the opposite end, we have seen people diagnosed with anorexia and bulimia who have not had more episodes. As stated above, we always recommend that individuals with medical concerns consult their physician before beginning Weigh Down.

We often receive common questions from people who are asking if they would be able to do the program. Here are some of those questions:

Because you have hypoglycemia, you may not be able to wait long periods between meals, but you can eat smaller portions. The normal size of your stomach is about the size of your fist; it does not take a lot of food to fill it. A saucer size plate of food is normally enough to fill the body. Weight loss will occur as you cut down on the amount of food you are eating all together. If you eat smaller portions, then you will not have to wait so long between meals and worry about your blood sugar dropping.

Regarding recognizing when you need to eat, hunger can be detected through several different signals, and different people experience different hunger signals. For example, some people get a growl in their stomach, others may feel an emptiness, and some get headaches, while others may become slightly dizzy or shaky. You have probably felt these signals before and can recognize you own personal signal that the body needs fuel. It is important for you to not wait too long between meals, because your blood sugar could drop too low. This should be no problem with losing the weight as long as you eat very small (saucer size) portions.

We are not saying that you must eat 3 meals a day, nor are we saying you need to eat 6 small meals per day. However, we are saying that through prayer, God can help you determine when you are hungry and your body is calling for fuel. If you absolutely have no idea when you are hungry, then start with the suggestion of eating a saucer size plate of food, and after 3-4 hours, begin looking for your hunger signals. Pay attention for a clear signal at that time. Some days that may mean 3 small meals, and other days that may mean 2 small meals, while one day it may mean 4 small meals.

The point is that there is no magic number only eat when you are truly physically hungry and your body signals you that it needs the food. Blood sugar levels tend to normalize as your body adjusts to smaller amounts of food and you are no longer over-feeding. Also, remember to get the focus off of the food. Focus on the LORD; He made you for His pleasure, not to be overly concerned with what or when you will eat.

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Diabetes

The main thing to remember as a diabetic going through this program is to continue under the guidance of your doctor. Otherwise, the program will work the same for you as for other participants in the class except we recommend that you do not wait for stomach hunger in the mornings. Go ahead and begin your day with the traditional eating that you have learned from your doctor. Then, from that point, after you have stabilized your blood sugar, start looking for true physical hunger and fighting head hunger as discussed in the program.

Hunger for the diabetic may be feeling your individual cues that blood sugar is dropping, not necessarily by a stomach growl. Remember to eat a variety of foods at all eating occasions, which can include very small amounts of sweets if desired at the end of the meal, and if your body does not react negatively to the sweets.

You can eat whatever your body is craving as long as you stop when you are satisfied. You can still lose weight on the fatty foods, because you will be eating such a small amount. What you want to do is listen to your body, and if after three bites you are full, then you stop eating. When your body is hungry again, it will give you those signals again. The normal size of your stomach is the size of your fist. It doesn’t take much food to fill it. Because of your diabetes, it will be especially important for you to listen to what foods your body is craving and when your body is satisfied.

As always, go to God with your concerns, because the Enemy wants you to get distracted and worried that you will not lose weight eating the foods you like. It is simply not true. Trust God. He created your body, and designed it to tell you when it is hungry and when it is full. If you are overweight and begin to eat within the boundaries of true hunger and fullness, not losing weight is a physical impossibility. Turn to God, and replace your worry with a focus on Him and His goodness. When you fall in love with Him, you won’t be concerned with the food.

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Hypothyroidism

Be assured we have testimonies from participants who have a severely under-active thyroid and have still lost all their weight. However, the weight loss may be more gradual. The truth is that when you truly obey hunger and fullness cues, you end up eating a small amount of food each day, and it is physically impossible not to lose weight this way.

The normal size of your stomach is about the size of your fist, and the body will normally only call for about 3-4 saucer size plates of food daily. This is an important point: hypothyroidism does not change the size of your stomach. If you give your body no more than what it needs, (or calls for with true physical hunger) then your body will have no excess food to store as fat, and you will melt down to your God apportioned size. It is as simple and basic as that.

God created our bodies to take care of this all without us focusing on it. Just focus on Him, and relax that He will walk you through this. He wants your heart and mind, so give Him all of your concerns, and trust that He will lead you in the right path. If you find yourself on a weight-loss plateau, realize that many times we cut back on the food intake and it is so much less than what we used to eat, but God is calling for us to give up all of the unnecessary amounts completely. He wants our hearts whole and pure, with no remnant of our idol lingering around. So, if you are not losing, it is important to be sure that you are consistently eating only when you are truly physically hungry and stopping just when you are politely satisfied.

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Pregnancy

Congratulations on your pregnancy! The Lord fearfully and wonderfully makes our bodies! We advise that you continue under the guidance of your OB/GYN. However, eating in the parameters of hunger and fullness and eating a variety of foods is the natural, God-given design for the body; therefore, you and your baby will receive the necessary fuel the body is calling for.

You may find that you are thirsty more often, so be sure to drink lots of fluids. Also, as the baby grows, you may experience true hunger more often, especially if you are eating small amounts. Just always be sure to respond to what your body is calling for.

Pregnancy the WDW way is this: Eat only when your body is calling for food (when you're hungry), and then stop when you are satisfied. Be sure to eat what you are craving and therefore get a variety of foods. Eating 3-4 crackers, or the equivalent to that, when you feel nauseated will settle your stomach and not interfere with your natural hunger signals. And finally, focus all your attention on our Wonderful Creator!

Some women who have weight to lose will lose some weight within the first trimester, but then into the second and third trimesters they maintain and eventually gain. But if you start out with weight to lose, don’t expect to gain much during your pregnancy. You may only gain 9-10 lbs. (the weight of the baby), because your body is already supplied with the excess stored energy (fat) that it needs.

Most of all enjoy your pregnancy and praise Him for the miracle of creation!

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Nursing

Generally speaking, nursing mothers do great in the program. You will be following the same guidelines of hunger and fullness as presented in the Weigh Down Workshop seminar. By eating according to what your body is calling for, you will desire a variety of foods and God will provide for all of you and your baby's needs through this way of eating. Most women will experience increased thirst because drinking fluids is so important for the production of milk. It will be important to listen to your body to cue you to meet this need.

As you lose your excess weight, you may find that you have true hunger more often. Just keep responding to what the body is calling for. You won’t have to carry the extra weight any longer. Eat only within those boundaries of hunger and fullness, and trust that God’s plan when creating your body was sufficient to take care of you and your baby’s needs (Psalm 139:13-16).

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Strugglers

If you have struggled through the Weigh Down seminar, please do NOT give up, that is exactly what the evil one wants you to do. Instead, be encouraged! God has revealed to you your idol to show you what He wants to remove from your heart. He longs for your heart to cling to nothing other than Him, and He has chosen to open your eyes to the idol that keeps you from Him. When God calls you to be released from your idol, whether it is one or many idols, know that He will provide for you the deliverance from those idols.

Read through Romans chapter 6 where Paul shows how we have already been set free from the bondage of sin. Verses 1-6 proclaim the truth that "we died to sin" and "anyone who has died to sin has been freed from sin." The truth is that we truly are free from sin; it has no hold on us. Then in Romans chapter 8, Paul shows why sin has no hold on us. In verses 1-2, he teaches that Christ has set you free from sin and the spiritual death that comes through sin. Therefore, it is through Christ and His death that the hold of sin was rendered powerless - what awesome news! You can walk out confidently to overcome the temptations, knowing that you are free from sin. You have a choice as to which you will serve: your will or the will of God.

Gwen strongly recommends that the desert struggler register for a Weigh Down Advanced class and get a copy of her latest book Rise Above, which she wrote specifically for those who are fighting death to self. Also that you subscribe to her weekly e-mail messages for further exhortation and edification. May God richly bless you.

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