More than 400 people seeking help for their struggles with weight and obesity packed a room at the Brainerd BX on Thursday night during a free program organizers are touting as a unique approach to weight management. Nearly 300 of the guests signed up to be part of what will be a monthly Heartwise weight management meeting designed to guide people to healthier lifestyles.

Leaders were a little overwhelmed and pointed to the long lines of guests waiting to sign into the program, and later, the lines of families waiting to have their blood pressure checked.
Dr. James L. Marcum, a cardiologist practicing with the Chattanooga Heart Institute, launched the free program with a group of volunteers Thursday night and asked participants to commit to the monthly meetings in order to discover key health principles grounded by the Bible and solid medicine.

"I think we are off to an excellent start," Dr. Marcum said Friday. "I had 50 emails today. As we gain credibility the group will grow."
Relationships are a foundation for the new program, he said.

Guest speaker David Hamilton, who spoke on his own struggles with weight over the years, told visitors that they would not discover any magical, quick answers while attending Heartwise. However, he said they would discover the same thing that has made all the difference in his life — healthy connections with people and with God.

"Today I have a safety net," Mr. Hamilton said. "I have a sponsor I can talk with. I have support groups I attend every week. And I have you to share my story with. I have a God I rely on. Relationships have helped me build a healthier lifestyle."

Mr. Hamilton once weighed 225 pounds. Today, he is maintaining a weight of 160, a level he has not seen since high school, he said.

Thursday night Dr. Marcum spoke on the importance of drinking enough water and hydration. At the March 11 meeting, the focus will likely be on food choices and food planning. Organizers eventually will break participants up into separate groups, depending upon how quickly members want to address their health issues.
Dr. Marcum's group will be filled with those who need a doctor guiding some of their decisions, especially those with health conditions that require monitoring.

Leaders also are encouraging participants to continue any weight management program they currently use. Mr. Hamilton suggested that he needed daily meetings when he first began looking for answers, and pointed to programs such as Overeater's Anonymous and Celebrate Recovery.

“Most people know how they should eat and how they should exercise. The question is, where do they get the power to accomplish these,” Dr. Marcum said. “The answer is God. And the answer includes the relationships around us.”

He said using principles found in the Bible and encouraging deeper relationships among those seeking help, Heartwise Ministries will continue to offer advice and perspectives regarding common health issues and concerns expressed here and around the country.

Dr. Marcum is active in the television, radio and print arm of Heartwise and “has a heart” for those needing to lose weight.
“HeartWise” is featured on J103 every Sunday at 8 a.m. Their ministry’s new television program, “Heart of Health,” airs Tuesday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m. on the Dish Network Channel 260, known as Angel 2. The program runs each Saturday at 6:30 a.m. on the RetroTelevision Network.

HeartWise Ministries is a non-denominational ministry now on 250 radio stations worldwide. They produce an hour of radio programming each week as well as producing 26 television programs annually. Healers from every discipline answer questions submitted weekly to the home website, found at www.heartwiseministries.org.