The Prism Weight Loss Program

Review

 

Unveiled back in 1990, the Prism Weight Loss Program is a faith-based weight loss program that aims to help you change your way of life and become the person God wants you to be through nutrition education, eating strategies and biblical principles. Prism does not call itself a "diet" per se - it aims to steer you away from diet programs it considers "temporary", and lead you to a place where you transform yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually.

The purpose of Prism is to understand and then fight and win the battle with food addiction that leads to overeating. Obviously, food addiction is rooted in psychological and emotional territory, and it is there that Prism applies the faith-based and biblical principles to making things right in your head and in your soul so that you will stop making self-destructive lifestyle choices. The mechanics of Prism is a low carbohydrate, low calorie eating plan that is a blend of Atkins and Sugar Busters - cut out processed food, white bread and sugar, cut carbs significantly but don't cut your fruits and veggies. The eating plan allows 1,200 to 1,400 calories a day of whole, unprocessed foods which should be weighed for portion size.

The diet program consists of four six-week phases. Allowable foods are expanded in each successive phase, with the idea that you are getting a handle on healthy, sensible eating so you can expand into a more reasonably sustainable diet. You can stay in a phase longer than the suggested period if you wish, and phases can be repeated as often as you wish. Concurrent with this eating plan, you'll be doing daily devotional lessons in the Prism Workbook. The workbook contains inspirational readings from scripture and "homework" questions to get you to explore your issues with food and your weight in an effort to get you to "see the light" with regard to food and its purpose in your life.

Prism will provide you with the materials - an introductory video, a weekly video, a CD and a workbook for each of the phases. They encourage their devotees to join support groups, which meet weekly for discussion, support and encouragement and typically include a video presentation. If a support group is not possible for you, they recommend you complete the program with the help of the home study course, which includes the workbook, videos, etc.

A major quibble with the Prism Weight Loss Program: there is no emphasis on exercise as a critical component to a healthy lifestyle. Another quibble: low carb diets are not, from a medical perspective, the healthiest option for weight loss or a lifestyle. And from a practical perspective - they're just not sustainable long term. That having been said, PWLC is to be commended for its comprehensive approach to the psychology of food addiction and chronic obesity. If you are not spiritual in any way, this will not be your cup of tea. But for those of you who are - or who are looking to explore spirituality - there is some interesting stuff there that you may find thought-provoking.