Sponsor vs. Skeptic When I was denied for weight-loss surgery, I was devastated. Crying, I went to my primary care physician, threw my hands in the air, and shouted, “I give up! The whole world is against me, and no one wants to help me. If I’m going to be fat forever, then I might as well just go eat myself into oblivion.” … Read More
Higher Purrer Stanley is my “new” 10-year-old cat. He keeps my action plan in line and helps me work my program: trust God, clean house, and help others. Since he is the purrfect lap cat, I am reluctant to shoo him off when he joins me for morning tea. While I wasn’t willing before to sit quietly for prayer and meditation, I … Read More
Following HP’s Path New Year’s resolutions are magical thinking: Tomorrow I’ll lose weight, quit overeating, exercise, eat only low-fat, or only fat, or only whatever else is the fad of the day. By July I’ll lose 100 pounds (45 kg), life will be perfect, and other insane fantasies. An action plan is sanity: Today I’ll follow a food plan, exercise, and use the … Read More
In Good Stead I joined OA in 2009. Below is a list of behaviors and actions I took (in addition to getting a sponsor, working the Twelve Steps, and using the Tools) in the past eighteen months that helped me stay abstinent and spiritually and emotionally recover. Without the program, I don’t think I could have done these things for myself. I live … Read More
Things I Crave This is the first year that I am not making New Year’s resolutions. My resolutions usually lasted only through New Year’s Day anyway before it all got too hard or my desire waned. The action plan is something that I use every single day, and I only have to use it for today. There is no expectation other than in … Read More
Whatever It Takes I am writing this as one of the assignments my sponsor gives me. She asked me to write on the action plan Tool. As I understand this Tool, it means using whatever it takes to help me achieve and maintain my abstinence. What actions have I started to take to help me do this? I make sure I get to … Read More
Baby Steps Up the Mountain Recently I learned I needed to change my plan of eating for my health. Okay, how do I do that? Power through, right?! If I could control my eating I would never have come into Overeaters Anonymous almost thirty years ago. Before that, I tried: I tried every diet in every magazine. Every night, I planned to start this or … Read More
One More Tool I have been abstinent from bulimia for eleven years and abstinent from anorexia for ten years. I access the oa.org website to learn about all types of meetings so I can participate. Relying on the fact that I have choices about face-to-face, phone, and online meetings helps my recovery because I know I can use that meeting Tool and be of … Read More
Sustaining Actions Working my program by attending special-topic meetings that use the OA-HOW meeting format has taught me how to create an action plan. I’ve also developed the muscle to sustain it and the self-discipline to follow it. Here are ten things that help me work my action plan: Remember abstinence. Abstinence is the most important thing in my life without exception. … Read More
Miracles to Me The word “abstinence” comes from “abstain,” which means “to refrain from.” Since we cannot completely refrain from eating, we have to figure out a food plan that meets our nutritional needs but does not include trigger foods or things we’re addicted to. “Keep it simple” is the best advice anyone has given me when it comes to my food plan. My food … Read More
