Faith inspires women to lose weight

< Prev | 1 | 2

Diet and fitness videos

Helpful hints to slim down your hubby
Dec. 22: Liz Vaccariello, author of “The Flat Belly Diet! For Men,” talks to the TODAY hosts about helping your hubby drop that extra fat that accumulates around the middle.

Fruit juice loaded with sugar, calories?

Eat good foods, trigger positive moods

Man drinks glass of fat in NYC anti-soda video

Mom cuts out fast food, drops 110 pounds

"I found purpose in my weight loss"
Abby Meloy, 46, Lake City, FL
Pounds Lost: 56
Height: 5'8"
Weight Now: 160
Weight Then: 216

As senior pastor, Abby Meloy couldn't say no when parishioners asked her to organize a weight loss group at their church. "I was hesitant because I had failed at many diets in the past," says Meloy, whose weight had reached more than 200 pounds. "But I knew I wasn't setting the right example for my congregation, so I gave it a shot."

Meloy started a chapter of a national Christian health program called First Place at her church. The Bible-based plan focuses on improving all areas of life — physical, spiritual, and emotional. Meloy kept a food journal, balanced her meals, and committed to a daily exercise routine. Soon, she led weekly prayer groups to help empower members to overcome temptation. In the first 13 weeks, Meloy dropped 27 pounds. "When I started seeing results and others came to me for advice, my diet became about something more," she says. "If I continued to succeed, I could help others do the same. That was my motivation." Surrounded by trusted parishioners, Meloy acquired the confidence to explore the real reasons she overate, which included the stress of serving as a pastor. Now when she feels the compulsion to eat to quell her anxiety, she prays or takes a walk to clear her mind. "If I'm still hungry afterward, I'm in a better place mentally to make a healthy choice," she says. And if she does indulge, she tries not to be too hard on herself. "I think, God forgives me, so why shouldn't I forgive myself? — and then I'm right back on track."

My faith helps me...
Find motivation
"When losing weight stopped being about me, me, me, and became about setting a good example — that's when I knew I'd be successful."

Expert tips
"Being a leader keeps you accountable," says Jeannie Moloo, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "And that has a powerful impact on your behavior." Some ways to foster that sense of responsibility:

Consider yourself a role model
Set an example for your family and friends. How you act makes a lasting impression.

Team up
Working toward your goal with another person can provide extra support and inspiration.

"I made peace with food"
Jackie Halgash, 54, Warrington, PA
Pounds Lost: 100
Height: 5'7"
Weight Now: 145
Weight Then: 245

Church was one of the last places Jackie Halgash thought she'd go to lose weight. Though she was raised as a Catholic, she never considered herself overly religious. Still, when a friend suggested she try a faith-based diet program, she agreed. Her weight had reached 245 pounds; she felt like she had no other place to go.

In 2002, Halgash signed up for a Catholic plan called the Light Weigh. Its message: Seek comfort in God, not food. That's what hit home for Halgash: "I'd gorge on cookies when I was sad, and it didn't help," she recalls. Through Bible study classes and videos, she figured out that she needed something more profound to feel at peace. "It's like I had a spiritual 'hole' in my heart," explains Halgash. "I tried to fill it with food but never felt content. When I turned to prayer, I felt complete." One basic lesson she learned: Eat when you're hungry, stop when you're full. "We were given hunger cues for a reason," she says. If she's tempted to eat more, Halgash thinks of giving up the excess food as a sacrifice for someone else — her children or the patients in the hospital where she works. "Cutting portions is easier when it's an act of love," she says. Within 18 months, Halgash lost 100 pounds — and maintained it since.

My faith helps me...
Stop judging foods
"I used to think if I ate salad, I was being good; if I ate ice cream, I was bad. Now, food is simply food. There are no more moral consequences to eating."

Expert tips
Follow hunger cues and control portions — both are key to losing weight, says Moloo. Tips to stay on track: