Spiritual nudges motivate Terre Haute parishioner to lose weight

Top: St. Patrick parishioner Tom McBroom of Terre Haute weighed 239 pounds when this photo was taken on Jan. 28, 2010. Bottom: Tom McBroom lost 70 pounds before this photo was taken on March 29, 2011. (Top: submitted photo; bottom: photo by Mary Ann Wyand)

By Mary Ann Wyand

Resurrection experiences—like epiphany moments—can happen at surprising times and in unexpected places.

Tom McBroom’s flash of insight and spiritual inspiration to change his life by losing weight as part of a charity fundraiser came during a barbecue party with his wife, Sandy, and some friends last year.

A member of St. Patrick Parish in Terre Haute, McBroom keeps busy volunteering for a variety of pro-life efforts, but his weight problem was a nagging health concern.

He was intrigued when Jennifer Buell, development coordinator of Catholic Charities Terre Haute, mentioned that “The Biggest Loser,” a popular NBC reality show, offers an online “Pound for Pound Challenge” to lose weight while fighting hunger in America.

McBroom was glad to learn that he could help poor people in Vigo County by raising funds for the local Catholic Charities food bank.

At 239 pounds, he knew it was time to begin a fitness and weight-loss program.

Buell’s suggestion was one of the motivations that he needed to step away from—instead of up to—the plate more often.

“I signed up for this program, and am also participating in another weight-loss program called ‘First Place for Health,’ a Baptist program that my parish offers,” McBroom explained. “ ‘First Place’ is [focused on] placing Christ in the center of your life, especially the weight issue. ‘For Health’ is learning to eat healthy foods.

“In my pro-life case, it’s making healthy choices,” he said. “I thought it was a good way [to lose weight] and another motivation for weight loss. It is a great cause for our community.”

He read about the “Pound for Pound Challenge” online last year, and found out that for every pound he pledged to lose through May 31, 2011, the TV network will donate 11 cents to Feeding America®, a charitable organization of more than 200 member food banks in the U.S.

Surprisingly, just 11 pennies is enough to secure one pound of groceries on behalf of the member food banks, which help low-income people survive and thrive.

Feeding America® is the nation’s largest domestic charitable hunger relief organization, and serves the poor in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Member food banks supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million senior citizens.

McBroom decided that he wanted to lose weight and help Feeding America® collect the TV network’s maximum donation of $1,040,000.

He registered online and designated Catholic Charities Terre Haute as his food bank recipient.

“My participation last year motivated my 70-pound weight loss,” McBroom said. “I never recall having so much energy to serve God.”

For 10 years, he had tried to lose weight, and even joined a fitness class that helped him to drop a few pounds as well as lower his heart rate a little.

“Several years ago, I confessed for the sin of gluttony,” McBroom admitted. “The priest gave me a penance to attend a weight-loss program at St. Patrick Parish. I looked into the program, and it meant that I would have to go every Monday evening. [But I thought] my time was too valuable to do that.”

When another St. Patrick parishioner encouraged him to join the “First Place for Health” program, McBroom realized that God was calling him to lose weight, which could help extend his life span.

“Two months after I started ‘First Place for Health,’ my weight was down to 218 pounds,” he recalled. “I lost about 1.75 pounds a week in that [first] two-month period.”

The spirituality-based weight loss program helps people train themselves to become healthier, McBroom explained, by creating balance in the four core areas—emotional, spiritual, mental and physical—of your life.

“This [focus] results in a weight loss from the inside out,” he said. “We have weekly meetings and short daily Bible studies. All I can say is that out of the many $60 billion a year diet programs in the United States, it worked for me.

“What I liked about ‘First Place’ is that it really is economical,” McBroom said. “I do not have to pay someone to read a book to me. I do not purchase any special foods, and I can ease—not be pressured—into learning the process of healthy weight loss. In fact, when I reached my goal this last December, I had spent less than $150 with the result of a 70-pound weight loss.”

Last year, after McBroom started seeing results from the “First Place” program and a fitness class, he and his wife attended the Catholic Charities Terre Haute Hog Roast.

“The organization placed on the table 10 things a person could do to participate in raising funds that contributed to feeding the hungry,” he said. “One of the items was to participate in the ‘Pound for Pound Challenge.’ This became an easy item to participate in, and filled a role in my weight-loss process because it became an accountability partner. … Not only was I losing weight for personal health and serving God in my pro-life ministry, I also could help raise money to feed others in my local community.”

As part of his expanded fitness program, McBroom began jogging.

“I typically run past the Catholic Charities office, the Terre Haute Deanery Center office and St. Patrick School,” he said. “After a few weeks, [people] would clap, cheer and encourage me as I ran by. It is very encouraging when the young students line up and clap and yell [their] encouragement.”

McBroom hopes other people will join the “Pound for Pound Challenge” before the program ends on May 31—and designate the Catholic Charities Terre Haute food bank as their donor recipient.

“What a great way to feed others in our local communities,” he said, “and what a great accountability partner for weight loss.”

John Etling, agency director for Catholic Charities Terre Haute, said in a recent phone interview that one in six Americans today struggle with hunger and food insecurity challenges.

Etling said proceeds from the second annual “Pound for Pound Challenge” will allow Catholic Charities Terre Haute and other food banks “to maintain operations, expand our services, feed more people with more nutritious, healthy food products, and continue doing God’s work.”

Last year, the fundraiser earned about $1,200 for the Catholic Charities Terre Haute food bank, Etling said, which serves more than 43,000 food-insecure people in a seven-county area with a population of about 250,000 residents.

“Half of that 43,000 people are children and seniors above the age of 65, who are extremely vulnerable,” Etling said. “This is Indiana. We’re an agricultural state. We shouldn’t allow kids to go hungry. We’re called to help the poor.” †