Fresh Talk We have all heard many OA slogans over and over. I’d like to share a few fresh slogans I’ve heard in OA meetings, both face-to-face and telephone. I love these: Without abstinence, the rest is just conversation. Stay in the middle of the herd. My spiritual awakening was preceded by many rude awakenings. You can’t teach what you don’t know. … Read More
Life List This Twelve Step program has saved my life. I have been maintaining a 50 pound (23 kg) weight release for thirty wonderful years and am at my ideal body weight. This is a miracle; generations of women in my family have suffered from food addiction and premature death. I use slogans constantly to help keep me on track, and I’ve … Read More
Should I Quit? I had many years of Twelve Step recovery from an addiction unrelated to food, and I thought adding OA would be a snap. I joined OA in January 2010, and because of my previous Twelve Step experience, I knew I had to attend meetings and get a sponsor. Within the first three weeks, I found meetings I liked, and I … Read More
What I Needed When I started OA in August 2015, I thought many things about the program seemed unnecessary or ought to be changed. Some of the Tools seemed pointless—what did they have to do with losing weight? The Twelve Steps seemed good, but surely I didn’t need to work them, because I had dealt with all that stuff before (I thought). I … Read More
Using Help “You have cancer!” Those were the first words I heard after coming out of surgery. My first thought was “Oh, good. I can eat now, and no one will judge me for it.” I’d been abstinent for almost three years at that point, but once a compulsive overeater, always a compulsive overeater. I didn’t like the thought of not being … Read More
First Aid One Saturday, I had a long to-do list of errands and wondered how to get it all done. My highest priority was to go to my home meeting, but I had an hour until it started. “Hey, I can get the grocery shopping done if I hurry.” This is the thought that crossed the brain of a person who tends to overcommit … Read More
Half a World Away When I lived in Lithuania, which had no OA groups at the time, staying connected to my OA group in Montana helped me maintain my program and continue to lose weight. My OA group in Montana is small, and the members live in different communities. We have limited access to sponsors, so we use group emails to help us maintain … Read More
Phone Connection I have been a compulsive eater since birth, seventy-six years ago. I first came to OA thirty-seven years ago, and though not always abstinent, I was able to maintain a reasonable weight. In 2005, I retired and moved to western Arkansas. While this is a beautiful place, the move was a big mistake as far as my OA recovery was … Read More
Make It by Phone It was a rainy evening, and I was tired and unmotivated. I did not relish the thought of taking my daughter home, grabbing dinner, and paying for the gas to go all the way back to my meeting in the town where I’d just finished work. But I was struggling that week, and I needed a meeting. I decided, as … Read More
Directions to Follow Abstinence is the most important thing in my life without exception. Because of the seriousness of this disease, I don’t fool around with my abstinence. I’ve seen the horrific consequences of taking that first bite, and I want no part of it. I want this amazing life in recovery I have today, thanks to OA, the Twelve Steps, and my … Read More