Gwen Shamblin Lara was the daughter of a doctor. She was interested in dietetics already in her childhood, so it’s no wonder that she decided to pursue it professionally. After graduating from the University of Tennessee and receiving her master’s degree, she worked at a university in Memphis for several years, then joined the local Department of Health. She grew up in a religious family and was a member of the Church of Christ. In the 1980s, she decided to combine faith with dietetics and created the Weigh Down workshop program.
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Losing weight with faith and learning submission and obedience. She was accused of inciting violence
Lara promised weight loss without exercise, dietary restrictions and calorie counting. Her book, “The Weigh Down Diet,” became a bestseller, even though experts warned against following its advice. – Diet makes people obsessed with food – in 1997 in the Washington Post. – I teach people to transfer their love for food to their love for God – she explained.
Gwen Shamblin Lara believed that faith would help her overcome her cravings and “obsession” with food. She soon left the ranks of the Church of Christ and founded her own congregation, which she headed. She continued her teachings at Remnant Fellowship Church and was trusted by thousands of people around the world. She claimed that thanks to faith she would cure anyone from drug or alcohol addiction, stop them from overeating, and teach children submission and obedience.
Four years after its founding, the church became famous. All because of Joseph and Sonia Smith, who abused their 8-year-old son. They beat him with belts and clothes hangers, tied his hands and locked him in a closet for several days to pray to the image of Jesus. In 2003, 8-year-old Joseph died from his injuries. The parents were sentenced to life imprisonment plus 30 years in prison. The Smiths belonged to the church founded by Shamblin and tried to live according to his teachings. This “weight loss guru” was said to have encouraged them to use harsh punishments, although no one has officially proven this.
Gwen Shamblin died in a plane crash. After her death, an HBO series and a movie with Jennifer Gray were created
In 2021, a three-episode documentary series was dedicated to Gwen, “Into the Precipice: God, Greed and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin”. The main character did not live to see the premiere. Just before the end of filming, she died in a plane crash. On May 29, 2021, she boarded a Cessna 501 with her husband and five members of the congregation. The group was heading to a rally in support of Donald Trump in Florida. Shortly after takeoff, the plane crashed into Percy Priest Lake. They all died on the spot.
After her death, new interlocutors began to approach HBO en masse to talk about the controversial Gwen Shamblin Lara. They mentioned, among others: about eating disorders and mental health problems after his time with Remnant. Two more episodes will be created in 2022. The series can be watched on the HBO Max platform. However, this is not the only production about a “weight loss guru” that has been created in recent years. In February 2023, the film “Gwen Shamblin: Starving for Salvation” premiered on the American Lifetime station. She played the main role. However, the production is not available to Polish viewers.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
