Thin Within

December 1, 2002
This husband and wife team (Judy's a registered nurse and Arthur practices internal medicine) joins the ranks of Christian authors and publishers who combine religion and weight loss. Proclaiming that the road to weight loss is a spiritual one, and that counting calories and abstaining from sweets ultimately doesn't work, they offer a 30-day guide to "freedom from concerns about food, eating, and your body." More than a weight-loss regimen, this spiritual self-improvement program combines practical "Keys to Conscious Living" (including tips such as eat only when the body is hungry and eat when sitting down) with a spiritual message about God's love. The book is sometimes repetitive, driving home the message of God's grace on nearly every page, but the charts and probing questions will help readers track eating patterns to gain a deeper understanding of what emotional need food is trying to replace. As much a self-help volume as a weight-loss one, the book's constant accentuation on learning new habits-both spiritual and physical-will help readers seeking to find a balance in their bodies and their lives.