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Professional Planning

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When I came into OA in July of 1995, I was working for a weight-loss company and terrified of losing my job because of my weight gain. I was following a diet plan, which is quite different from a plan of eating, and I had to report my food to my manager and weigh in each month. I was in an uncomfortable place. The very last thing I was willing to do in OA was follow a restrictive plan of eating. I never would have made it.

So in the beginning, my plan of eating was just “no sugar.” It was the same as my abstinence definition. That was enough for me. I was working with a sponsor, working the Steps, giving small amounts of service, and going to meetings. I began to maintain a healthy weight.

As time went on, I was able, with my food sponsor’s help, to consult a registered dietitian at a local hospital. This dietitian helped me structure my first full plan of eating. The biggest difference between my plan of eating and a diet is this: my plan of eating helps me find the amounts of food a normal eater uses to maintain a normal weight; it is not a restrictive diet for weight loss. We discussed which foods I felt my body needed more of (protein) and which foods I was not comfortable eating (sugar and deep-fried fatty foods).

I maintained my weight for about ten years. Then I went into graduate school while working full-time. While I maintained my bottom-line abstinence, my weight increased by about 15 pounds (7 kg) during those two and a half years. I was not doing regular exercise and was eating at fast-food restaurants. I felt much shame around that weight gain, so I took action. I shared my pain with my sponsor. My dietitian helped me adjust my plan of eating a tiny bit, while giving me plenty to eat. Slowly, just as it had crept on, the weight fell off; I even lost a bit more than I’d planned, which was a lovely gift.

My plan of eating has evolved over time. I still work with my dietitian, but our visits are often just check-ins. Today I get plenty to eat using my plan of eating. One day at a time, I could eat this much the rest of my life and be content. Now that is recovery! Can you imagine a compulsive overeater saying something like that and believing it? Wow! Thank you, HP and OA.

— Melissa H., Nashville, Tennessee USA

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