Pam Teague purposely wore a black dress to a wedding last winter, hoping its slimming effects would conceal the weight she had gained. But pictures from the event revealed her effort had been in vain. “I couldn’t believe it—I didn’t know I was that big,” said Teague. “The pictures made me realize how fat I was, and I knew I had to do something about it.”

As a member of Zion Dominion Church of God, she didn’t have to go far for the fitness and nutrition help she needed. Zion Dominion offers LifeSmart, a comprehensive exercise program, and it’s an official Weight Watchers site. The church also has a full gym, complete with treadmills and other requisite fitness equipment.

Teague, 56, took advantage of all of it—and she has lost nearly 30 pounds since January. Zion Dominion is one of many area African- American churches now offering ongoing free or affordable health programs in the form of exercise classes, seminars and health fairs with experts. Their goal is to make their congregations healthier. And these

programs are extended to the entire community, not church members alone.

“The black church has long met the needs of the community,” said the Rev. Darius G. Pridgen, pastor of True Bethel Baptist Church. “And the health needs of our community are now among the most important issues that we are facing.”

The church’s foray into health and fitness is a response to the serious health problems that plague the African-American population. These include heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and obesity, resulting in lower life expectancies.

According to the Office of Minority Health, African-Americans adults in the United States are twice as likely as whites to be diagnosed with diabetes and 2.2 times more likely to die from the disease. They are 1.5 times as likely to suffer from hypertension, and black women are 1.7 times more likely to be obese than white women. Also, the death rate of black Americans was higher than whites from major illnesses in 2005, its most recent figures.

Pamela D. Hennings, wife of Zion Dominion’s senior pastor and a certified fitness trainer, runs both the Life Smart and Weight Watchers programs at the church. (Zion has traditionally gone beyond its spiritual duties in the community — from economic development initiatives to providing housing and building schools.)

“At Zion, we’re not just concerned about your spiritual health but your physical health as well,” Hennings said. “We want an overall healthy church — the spirit, mind and body.”

True Bethel often invites health experts to speak to the congregation, has fitness classes and organizes a yearly health fair with free screenings. Pridgen said it was the HIV and AIDS crisis that initially got many churches involved with health matters, later prompting them to focus on other ailments.

Pridgen and other ministers also incorporate health education and tips in their Sunday morning sermons to keep the issue on the radar of parishioners.

Free fitness camp

Saturday mornings at True Bethel, church member Jeff “Push up King” Warrick leads a fitness summer camp, a mixture of aerobics and toning exercises, outside of the True Bethel’s sanctuary, at 907 E. Ferry St., where passers-by often join the workout. The class is free and Warrick volunteered to teach it.

“They are having so much fun, they forget they are getting exercise,” said Warrick, a personal trainer who holds world records in push-ups. “I target every area of the body, every muscle, so that no matter what their goals are, this class will make it happen for them. It’s like a one-size-fits-all fitness class.” The church’s annual health fair, from 11 a. m. to 2 p. m. next Saturday in its parking lot, will feature more than 50 health organizations and offer free on-site screenings and referrals.

At Mount Olive, 701 E. Delavan Ave., churchgoers can participate in exercise classes three times a week — Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:45 p. m. and Saturday at 9 a. m. — for $2 per class, $5 for the week or $17.50 a month. The workouts are held in the church’s fellowship hall and include pilates, cardio and weight training.

Ossie Holder, 57, a member of the church since 1997, wanted to lose some weight and decided in February to give the classes a try. From going twice a week and adhering to the low-fat diet that instructor Tonya Bolden recommends, Holder is 39 pounds slimmer.

“Our teacher makes it interesting. She changes up the exercises a lot, so we’re not doing the same things over and over,” the Cheektowaga resident said. “The diet is healthier and I’m not missing out on anything. We can eat just about anything, but just healthier, and nothing fried.”

Female members of these churches’ congregations tend to gravitate toward the exercise classes, while men, through the churches’ respective men’s ministries, gather for basketball and weight training, like at Zion Dominion.

Not all churches have traditional exercise classes, though; some offer line-dancing classes and others organize health workshops and fairs, providing continuous education for members.

For years Zion Dominion has offered LifeSmart, which shifts monthly from yoga to Zumba to using a stability ball and other exercises. The classes meet from 6 to 7 p. m. Mondays and Tuesdays and 8 to 9 a. m. Saturdays in the church’s Family First Center gymnasium. It’s $5 per class or $15 a month, which includes access to the church’s workout facility.

“It’s the best thing I’ve done for myself in a long time,” Teague said. “I’m eating right, I have more energy and I just feel wonderful. It’s a blessing that everything’s right here at the church.”

In January, Hennings, who has been on Weight Watchers for the past 10 years and credits it for maintaining her weight, brought the weight-loss program to the church to teach members better eating habits that will enhance their workouts with LifeSmart, she said. The group meets at 5:30 p. m. Thursdays at the church, 895 North Forest Road, Amherst.

Teague said she has benefited from both.

“It teaches you how to eat properly,” she said. “I eat more than I’ve ever eaten before, but I’m eating the right foods and the right amount.”

At the various churches, prayer commences the classes and ends them, as participants hold hands in a circle.

Erika Edwards, 30, has been going to LifeSmart classes and Weight Watchers meetings since last winter and is thrilled about losing 24 pounds. She’s also excited about working out with fellow church members and the fact Zion Dominion’s first lady, Hennings, instructs the classes and leads Weight Watchers.

“It’s just phenomenal you get to exercise with people you see on Sunday,” said Edwards, a resident of Cheektowaga. “It’s so much fun and addicting that when you miss a class, you get upset.”