Here's a short synopsis of Dr. Rita Hancock's plan (well, not so short after all) ...
What if you could eat whatever you want and still lose weight?
In The Eden Diet, Dr. Rita M. Hancock teaches you how to lose weight by attuning to, and harnessing the power of your hunger pangs -- by using them as a compass to tell you when and how much to eat. On this plan, you get to eat any food you enjoy, even cheeseburgers, pizza, desserts, and junk food—but in smaller portions than the world would have you believe is normal, and only when you're actually hungry.
Through the book, Dr. Hancock exposes food industry and advertising and marketing tactics that lead you to eat when your body doesn't need food. She teaches you how to reject those misleading messages and rely on the only information you can trust—the hunger signals that God programmed into you in the beginning.
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*** THE EDEN DIET: by Dr. Rita Hancock ***
Our Philosophy: No Condemnation! (Romans 8:1)
-- Some people come to me for weight loss to improve their health and self-esteem, to be good role models for their kids and grandkids, to look and feel more attractive, and to enhance their relationships.
-- Other people come with emotional issues that complicate weight control. In their case, it's necessary to address the deep-down emotional issues in addition to their eating habits, or those people will almost certainly regain any weight they lose. These people take longer to help, but they are still VERY helpable.
-- Still others come to me in a state of fear. Either they have fear of losing their health, which often is a reasonable concern, or perhaps they fear more generalized punishment from God over their weight problems. Believe it or not, some Christians believe that how they eat (whether or not they have been "obedient" to God through their diet) actually determines their salvation!
-- Hear me now: this philosophy is absolutely wrong! It's based on works! Once you ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life; you are saved by His grace once and for always, no matter what you weigh or how you eat. God may convict you to take control of your weight problem, but He won't condemn you over it. He is merciful, not vindictive. (Hallelujah, Amen!)
-- Other people come to me with issues of low self-esteem and perfectionism. They don't realize that no matter how much weight they lose, they will never feel good enough about themselves. It doesn't matter how thin they become. They will always feel that they have just a little more weight to lose before they are "done."
-- Please hear me as I counsel you, as I have the voice of experience. Not only do I have an Ivy League education on these matters, I personally lost 75 pounds over 25 years ago and have walked the [admittedly imperfect] walk to keep the weight off. (so she understands us; yeah!)
-- If you want to lose weight and improve your health, do it the right way and for the right reasons. Let go of your perfectionism, low self-esteem, guilt, shame, self-condemnation and fear, and let God work through you so you don't have to struggle. Persevere, be patient, reject the guilt and shame, and ultimately, you will see that your weight loss and your joy will become permanent.
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Biblical Basis of The Eden Diet ...
In the Eden Diet, I teach people to eat when they're physically (not emotionally) hungry and learn how to eat all foods-even fattening foods occasionally and in moderation. (Philip 4:5)
How do I justify this biblically? In the New Testament, Jesus said, "Don't worry about what you eat or drink." (Matthew 6:25 & 31) And, "What comes out of a man is more important than what goes into him." (Mark 7:15) In other words, your relationships with God and others are more important than what you eat.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it to the glory of God." That's why I tell you to tune into the hunger and satiety signals God programmed into your body, thanking Him for giving you a guide that governs eating, and eat smaller portions of the food He gave you with satisfaction and thankfulness.
Yes, I'm saying you can even eat treats and lose weight. You just have to learn how to differentiate true, physical hunger from emotional cravings, and that's not something most people learn overnight. It takes time, prayer, perseverance, and patience, especially if you've spent a lifetime using food as an emotional crutch.
With my help on the Eden Diet, you can learn how to eat small portions of treats occasionally and when you're physically hungry. If you do that, you will break out of bondage to food and feel so liberated emotionally and spiritually that you won't even want to overeat anymore.
Then, you will lose weight in a more joyful, effortless, and positive way---in the flow of God's love!
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About the Program -- The Eden Diet is a comprehensive ...
CHRISTIAN WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM that teaches you:
* How to lose weight while eating rich, delicious desserts and junk food (in moderation) so you can lose weight without feeling deprived!
* How to balance those fleshly desires for treats with your body's instinctive call for healthy food.
* How to beat temptation from advertising and other media. How to beat emotional eating and mindless, automatic eating habits.
* How to draw willpower from God through prayer --- SO YOU CAN LOSE WEIGHT AND KEEP IT OFF PERMANENTLY, just like Dr. Hancock did!
* Length of time on program: Permanent. Once you start you won't want to stop!
* Time requirements per day: No more than thirty minutes each day for prayer and completion of the workbook exercises.
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Cost (if purchased from this website):
$17.95 for an AUTOGRAPHED copy of the book
$16.95 for an AUTOGRAPHED copy of the workbook
$9.99 each for the relaxing audio CDs.
There is no additional cost to attend the workshops.
There is no additional cost to receive the monthly, safe-subscribe newsletters.
*NOTE: you can get her books from Amazon.com and possibly Half.com too.
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FAQs About the Eden Diet ...
Q: The focus of the Eden Diet is learning how to attune to your hunger pangs and use them to your advantage. Does that mean that you're supposed to feel hungry all the time on this program?
A: No way! You're supposed to feel hungry only right before you eat, but then eat with intense satisfaction and joy. Eating with satisfaction brings freedom from bondage so that, in time, you become less focused on food and more focused on God.
Q: If eating for hunger and eating for satisfaction are equally important, why does waiting for hunger get more emphasis in the book?
A: Waiting for hunger requires self-discipline. Eating with pleasure is easier to learn.
Q: Why do some overweight people need to be encouraged to eat with a mindset of satisfaction?
A: If obese dieters break down and eat treats, they usually feel guilt, shame, and condemnation, and those emotions rob them of their eating joy.
Q: How often do you eat on this plan?
A: Different people prefer different eating schedules. If you want to eat multiple tiny meals, go ahead. It's good practice so you can learn how to identify and respond appropriately to hunger. But if you prefer to eat fewer larger meals, like I do, that's fine too. Just wait until you're hungry before you eat.
Q: Why do some overweight people claim that they're "starving to death" all the time?
A: Saying that you're "starving to death" when you're overweight broadcasts your anxiety about going without food for only a short time, and tells me that you may have gained weight by using food as an emotional crutch* (no kidding; and they may have food issues from childhood too). Remember, it is normal to feel hungry before you eat!
Q: What if you never feel hungry?
A: Chances are that you have extra food stored on your body as fat. After you lose some of your excess weight by eating smaller portions and increasing your energy expenditure through exercise, your hunger pangs will probably become more noticeable.
Q: Won't you want to eat junk food all the time if you're allowed to eat it occasionally?
A: The opposite is true. Once you know that you're allowed treats, those foods lose their magical grip on you and you actually begin to crave healthier food more frequently.
Q: Can you eat normal serving sizes of any food and lose weight?
A: It depends on what you mean by a "normal" serving size. Sometimes what the world calls a "normal" portion is too much, especially if the food is very rich. Focus on eating slowly and eating smaller portions with more satisfaction, and the rest will fall into place.
Q: What if you require or prefer a special diet, such as a gluten-free, yeast-free, diabetic, low- salt, or vegetarian diet?
A: No matter what food you are required to or allowed to or prefer to eat, you will benefit from learning how to eat smaller portions and for the right reasons. The Eden Diet can be tailored to meet your personal needs and preferences.
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*** The Apple Test ???
Dr. Rita advocates a very simple technique, called The Apple Test, which can help you decide when it's time to eat. The premise of the test is that when you're physically hungry, you'll eat anything, even an apple.
If you crave a particular food, like the chocolate cake shown on the cover of the book, imagine it sitting on a plate next to a beautiful, shiny, perfect, bright red apple.
Ask yourself, "Am I hungry enough to eat the apple?" If the answer is no, you don't get to eat the cake. You may want the cake, but you're not actually physically hungry for it.
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*On the Eden Diet, you spend less on groceries because normal food is cheaper than diet food, you eat less, and you don't pay fees. Focus on helping others and see how God blesses you!
NOTE: the comments in the (brackets) are my personal thoughts. Rosebud
The Eden Diet by Dr. Rita Hancock
(Revelation 12:10)
