Gwen Shamblin Lara

About

American author, dietitian, and church leader famous for creating the Weigh Down Workshop, a Christian diet program. In 1986 she began her weight loss program business which became heavily tied to churches and became so popular it spread to every U.S. state, Canada, and Europe. In 2021, she, her husband, and others riding in her private jet were killed when their plane crashed. 

Before Fame

She attended the University of Tennessee where she earned a degree in dietetics, followed by a master's in food and nutrition + biochemistry. 

Trivia

In 2021 HBO Max made a docuseries about her titled The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin. The HBO docuseries The Way Down: God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin. Early life is centered on her. 

Family Life

From 1978 to 2018 she was married to David Shamblin, who she had two children with. From 2018 until 2021 she was married to Joe Lara. 

Associated With

The Tyra Banks show dedicated an entire episode to her weight loss programs in 2007. Other television programs she made appearances on include The View, The Today Show, and Larry King Live.