Each participant should have a Lose It for Life book and workbook. Because the workbook follows the eleven book chapters, it will work best in an eleven-week format. The workbook has five lessons (days) for each chapter of the book. Each week, discuss the first lesson (Day 1) for each chapter with your group. Then make sure that everyone finishes the next four days of lessons during the week.
Preparation
To prepare for each week, participants should read the appropriate chapter in the book and then work through the corresponding lessons in the workbook, being sure to answer all the questions. You, as the group leader, should do the same.
Openers
You may want to begin each session with an interesting opener to introduce the topic and initiate discussion. These activities should be light and easy to do. When used well, openers can be very effective. As you think through your own creative openers, here are some sample ideas:
• To begin the Week 1 session, distribute magazines and have group members find ads for diet plans or articles about losing weight. Then ask, “What are the most popular diet plans these days? Which ones have you’ve tried over the course of your life?”
• Week 2, show the “Red Pill” clip from The Matrix DVD.
• Week 3, have the group design a new “breakthrough” diet that focuses on the guidelines you give. For example, break into pairs and have them create a diet centered around the colors orange and yellow; a leftovers only diet; a timed diet (everything must be consumed within a certain time limit), and so forth. Use your imagination. Everyone will enjoy some good laughs as they hear the diet reported. And this will lead naturally into the topic.
After the first week, you may want to precede the opener with a brief time of personal reporting/reviewing. Ask members how they did during the week, and be sure to affirm those who completed their assignments.
Discussion
You’ll notice that some of the questions in the LIFL workbook are more personal than others. To avoid embarrassing anyone and keep the discussion moving, choose the more neutral questions to highlight in the group sessions. (Note: the “Losing It for Life” section of each lesson focuses on personal application.) Eventually, you will be able to get more personal, especially in Week 10, where we discuss holding each other accountable. You may even want to have group members divide into accountability partners. (Note: it’s important to foster an environment of confidentiality within the group as they share experiences.)
Wrap-Up
The end of the lesson is the time to encourage members to continue doing the lessons and to follow through on their assignments. You may also want to end with a time of prayer, so members can pray with and for each other.