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The Best Thing

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I have always had an obsession with food. As a child, I was obese. Half an hour after I finished a meal, I would announce I was hungry again. My family didn’t think this was possible.

As a teenager, I was never seen without a soda and a sweet. They were my icons.

I tried every weight-loss program invented. I would reach my goal, only to see all that weight, and much more, return faster than it had come off. My eating worsened in my 40s until I was out of control. No matter what I did, I couldn’t stop eating. I finally realized I had a problem with food; I was frustrated with myself and didn’t know what was happening.

One day a miracle came. I was listening to a radio program, and the speaker said that AA and Twelve Step programs helped anyone with any kind of addiction—he even mentioned food addiction. I phoned AA and explained my situation. The person on the phone said he couldn’t help me, but Overeaters Anonymous could.

I had never heard of OA, but the number was in the phone book. I plucked up enough courage to call OA and go to my first meeting. I felt embarrassed that I was too weak to solve it on my own and had to lower myself to an organization like this. I went to a few meetings but wasn’t willing to put down the food or phone my sponsor. I ended up leaving OA.

Then, I hit rock bottom. I was off work, serving as a caregiver to a cancer patient. My eating and stress levels were out of hand and worse than ever. When I re-entered OA’s rooms, the members welcomed me back.

So far, I have lost 20 kilograms (44 lbs). I am still losing weight and working on Step Five. I phone my sponsor daily. The program is working miracles for me, and I cannot believe the things that are happening. OA has changed my life, and I don’t want to go back to my old life. I trust my Higher Power. I let him work the program and keep me abstinent. I just love OA so much—it’s the best thing in my life.

I want to thank the man who answered the phone at AA that day and led me to OA. He saved my life.

— Julie B., Birkenhead, South Australia, Australia

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