The Eye-Opening Truth About Gwen Shamblin Lara's Religious Childhood

Gwen Shamblin Lara was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on February 18, 1955. She would spend most of her life there. Her father, Walter Henley, was a doctor, and she would follow in his footsteps. Her interest in the medical field would ultimately lead to becoming a dietitian.

Lara grew up in an extremely religious household — the obvious upbringing that would lead her to turning her weight loss mission into a religious one. Her family followed the Church of Christ — an ultra conservative form of Protestantism. Her Protestant church had very strict rules. According to Britannica, the aim of this church is to practice the New Testament version of the Bible. Each church is also independent of each other, meaning a single church can govern itself and establish its own rules. Lara's church, in particular, didn't allow female parishioners to speak or even preach the good word publicly. Women were also forbidden from being leaders of the church (via The Guardian). Additionally, music is not allowed in these churches as it doesn't follow the traditional way, per Christianity.