How OA Changed My Life Every Minute, Every Situation The key threads woven into and through my soul and my program of recovery are hope and gratitude. The hope I felt at my first OA meeting was probably what kept me coming back, even though I wasn’t sure for what, besides weight loss, and even though my insides were twisted with pain, anger, and resentment. (I didn’t even know … Read More
Tools & Concepts Building Blocks My “home” has been under renovation for the past sixty-five years. When I first walked into OA rooms in 1977, my home was mangled, beaten down, and full of holes. My efforts alone were not working, but it was hard to trust the process. I had failed so many times, and I did not want to wait—I was constantly frustrated. … Read More
Higher Power New Resonance When I first came to OA, I was aware the Twelve Steps required belief in a Higher Power, but I felt spiritually broken after a traumatizing event with my church. I wanted nothing to do with religion or God. Still, I was desperate for hope and help with my compulsive overeating, so I went to meetings and tried to keep … Read More
Fellowship Tools & Concepts All Human I was enjoying a new relationship with a sponsor, and everything seemed to be going very well. I was preparing to do Step Five when it occurred to me that I might feel more comfortable doing this Step with a different person, someone other than my sponsor. I mentioned this to my sponsor in an email, but something I said (I may never … Read More
Newcomers Tools & Concepts Nurturing is Our Nature One of my self-care activities is to spend time with the beautiful wildflowers that we are blessed to have in Tennessee. One of the first wildflowers to announce the coming of spring around here is the bloodroot, and I took pictures just as some were beginning to blossom. As I looked at the small cluster of flowers (right), I thought … Read More
Steps Much in Common I came into program in May of 1985. I didn’t think I could possibly fit in. I was finished with diets, but my weight and eating were out of control. Thank God I found Overeaters Anonymous. I had been a yo-yo dieter all my life; I’m a sugar and carbs addict. I’d never understood my addiction, so every diet failed … Read More
Working the Program Can Do At my first OA meetings, I recognized myself in the shares of others. Defensiveness, excuses, blaming, rationalizing, self-loathing, failure—all those alcoholic thoughts and actions described in the Big Book—all were familiar to me around food. I’d eaten volumes and screwed up dieting every day for years. Every night was one last huge supper and a swearing off, but by breakfast … Read More
Higher Power Closer When I Speak At my first Overeaters Anonymous meeting, I was scared, embarrassed, and nervous, and I felt very alone. Those same emotions made me into what I was that day: obese and unhealthy. Eight people genuinely welcomed me. I didn’t understand the entire program (I still don’t), but I went home after that meeting and haven’t touched any sugar since. I learned … Read More
Working the Program The Changes in Me I first came to OA in August 2015; I was bingeing most days and abusing laxatives. I weighed a hefty 246 pounds (112 kg), about 100 pounds (45 kg) heavier than my healthy weight. I had already attempted suicide once and was well on my way to a second attempt. I was willing to try anything. I remember two things … Read More
Working the Program Show Me the Ropes The recovery Tools I have learned in OA have recently enabled me to overcome one of my greatest fears. I had always been terrified of heights, so when I heard that my coworkers and I would participate in a ropes course as part of our staff training—climbing sixty feet up in the air and balancing on ropes and small pieces … Read More