Williamson - A Course in Weight Loss

ALSO BY MARIANNE WILLIAMSON

The Age of Miracles*
A Return to Love
A Womans Worth
Illuminata
Emma & Mommy Talk to God
Healing the Soul of America
Illuminated Prayers
Enchanted Love
Everyday Grace
The Gift of Change
Miracle Cards*
A Year of Daily Wisdom Perpetual Calendar*

*Available from Hay House

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Copyright 2010 by Marianne Williamson

Published and distributed in the United States by: Hay House, Inc.: www.hayhouse.com Published and distributed in Australia by: Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.: www.hayhouse.com.au Published and distributed in the United Kingdom by: Hay House UK, Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.uk Published and distributed in the Republic of South Africa by: Hay House SA (Pty), Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.za Distributed in Canada by: Raincoast: www.raincoast.com Published in India by: Hay House Publishers India: www.hayhouse.co.in

Editorial supervision: Jill Kramer Project editor: Shannon Littrell
Design: Tricia Breidenthal

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private useother than for fair use as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviewswithout prior written permission of the publisher.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Williamson, Marianne.

A course in weight loss : 21 spiritual lessons for surrendering your weight forever / Marianne Williamson.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-4019-2152-1 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Weight lossPsychological aspects. 2. Weight lossReligious aspectsChristianity. I. Title.

RM222.2.W4557 2010

616.3980652dc22

2010032465

Tradepaper ISBN: 978-1-4019-2153-8
Digital ISBN: 978-1-4019-2943-5

15 14 13 12 5 4 3 2
1st edition, November 2010
2nd edition, January 2012

Printed in the United States of America

For Oprah

This book began and ended as a communication
between friends. Oprah Winfrey inspired the book,
directed its course, and guided its vision. On a soul level
definitely, and in many ways a literary one, this book
was a collaborative effort. Every page is a reflection of my
affection for and gratitude to her; my hope is that it brings
comfort to her as she has brought comfort to so many.

To any reader who might feel that this book is a gift,
please know that it was a gift from her.

In this wonderful and inspiring book by Marianne Williamson, she addresses the root causes not only of our weight, but also of our suffering.

For more than 30 years, my colleagues and I at the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute have conducted a series of studies proving that when we address the underlying causes of a condition, our bodies often have a remarkable capacity to begin healing, and much more quickly than had once been thought possible. Weve used high-tech, state-of-the-art measures to prove the power of these low-tech, low-cost, and ancient interventions.

Our research proved that the progression of even severe heart disease often can be reversed by making comprehensive lifestyle changes; so can early-stage prostate cancer as well as diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, arthritis, and depression. We published studies showing that when you change your lifestyle, you change your genesturning on the genes that prevent disease and turning off the ones that promote heart disease, cancer, and other illnessesand even increasing an enzyme that lengthens telomeres (the ends of our chromosomes that control aging), thereby enhancing longevity. And people lost an average of 24 pounds in the first year and kept off half that weight five years later.

However, if we only literally or figuratively bypass the underlying causes, then the same problem often recurswe regain the lost weight, the bypassed coronary arteries clog up again, the medications have to be taken foreveror a new set of problems may occur, or there may be painful choices. When I lecture, I often show a slide of doctors busily mopping up the floor around an overflowing sink without also turning off the faucet.

The lifestyle choices we make each day in what we eat and in how we live are among the most important underlying causes of obesity and other chronic diseases. But there is an even deeper, root cause that powerfully affects our lifestyle choices, and that is the separation from who we really arethe misperception that we are separate and only separate. This is what Marianne describes so eloquently and intelligently in this book.

Information is important, but not usually sufficient, to motivate lasting changes in diet and lifestyle. If it were, wed all be thin and healthy, as most people know which foods are healthy and unhealthy to eat. And no one would smoke. Everyone who smokes knows its not good for themthe Surgeon Generals warning is on every package of cigarettes, at least in this country. Yet one-third of Americans still smoke. Clearly, we need to work at a deeper level.

The real epidemic is not just obesity or heart disease or cancer; its loneliness, depression, and isolation. If we address these deeper issues, then it becomes easier for people to make lasting changes in their behaviors.

In our studies, I spent a lot of time with the participants over a period of several years. We got to know each other very well, and a powerful trust emerged.

I asked them, Teach me something. Why do you overeat? Smoke? Drink too much? Work too hard? Abuse substances? Watch too much television? Spend too much time on the Internet and video games? These behaviors seem so maladaptive to me.