What Would Jesus Weigh?

Here is a new way for "christians" to shove their beliefs (literally) down our throats. Can you believe this? "Faith-based dieting." Give me a break.

You've heard of faith-based initiatives. Now, perk up your ears and put down your fork. Faith-based weight loss is drawing converts in Buzz.

The Weigh Down Workshop looks to the lessons of the Bible to reduce waistlines and trim thighs. The program, which was designed by nutritionist Gwen Shamblin, has been around for years, but it recently found a praise-worthy (and media-friendly) parable in Maggie and Andy Sorrells. The Tennessee couple once jointly tipped the scale at nearly 1,000 pounds. They've lost more than half that heavy load by following the Weigh Down way.

Since news agencies picked up the Sorrells' success story, buzz for the Good Book-inspired diet, program, and workshop has surged. The Weigh Down regime doesn't yet have the mainstream caché of Weight Watchers or Atkins, but it draws the same demographic interest: Middle-aged women account for the majority of searches and the South logs the most fervent interest.

In this case, the Sorrells' home state of Tennessee tops the list of areas searching for fat-shedding salvation. Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi follow closely behind. In a land of milk and honey-fried temptation, it takes a lot of faith to resist seconds.

This will prove interesting for gargantuan "christians" in the south. With the south having the highest per capita density of overweight people in the country (all those clogged arteries brought to you by a daily dose of biscuits and gravy and fried everything) and the highest density of alleged "christians" this may do some good for weight loss and health. Of course in true "christian" fashion, when the diets don't work and they put on even more weight they can simply blame Bill Clinton and everyone will understand.