January 17, 2013 Book Discussion: The Joy of Weight Loss

"On September 6, 1989 Norris Chumley was at a crossroads. At 330 pounds and rising, it was simply a matter of time before he would again tip the scales at the 400 pounds he had reached many times before. He had been on virtually every diet, and they’d all failed. He felt hopeless.


The Joy of Weight Loss is the dramatic story of how Norris Chumley turned his life around. It details how Chumley came to accept his conflict about food and body image and finally looked long and hard at his weight fluctuations and diet history. Chumley shares his experiences and secrets of success—of how he discovered joy and lasting happiness, with permanent freedom from obesity.”

Chumley counsels a “sensible” diet, and, most importantly of all, learning to surrender yourself God. While the book is not written specifically for Orthodox Christians, we will discuss whether the spiritual guidance for weight management that Dr. Chumley offers is consistent with Orthodoxy. Could Dr. Chumley provide the impetus for us to look to our Orthodox faith in a way that we have not thought of previously? Does Dr. Chumley's experience suggest ways that we may go to the Lord so that He "may give us rest?" Are there lessons here for us or for family and friends that can be applied to healthy living? Is the sensible diet that Dr. Chumley recommends truly a sensible diet? Is Dr. Chumley’s approach more than a plan for losing weight? Does he remind us to aspire in our Orthodox faith toward finding each day the joy God promises regardless of our circumstances? Truly, what is joy?

Norris J. Chumley, Ph.D. is an Emmy-Award-winning documentary producer, director, and author. He holds a Ph.D. in Theology and the Arts, from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. Dr. Chumley served as Executive Producer, Director, and Co-Author of Mysteries of the Jesus Prayer, a feature PBS documentary. Dr. Chumley is Executive Producer and Director of Media for Columbia University’s Institute for Religion, Culture and Public Life.

Join us for a lively discussion of this interesting book January 17, 2013. The place is TBA. Visit www.hocalibrary.blogspot.com for updates. The Joy of Weight Loss may be borrowed from the church’s library or purchased from the Orthodox Bookstore. It is also available as a Kindle e-book.