Steps to Abstinence Abstinence is the most important thing in my life. The OA program and the spiritual Twelve Steps have been essential in getting and keeping my abstinence. I’ve been abstinent since 2015 when I came in and began working my program. My first step in becoming abstinent was to find a food plan that I could follow without too much difficulty. … Read More
A Change of Purpose When I came to OA, I heard “We are not a diet-and-calories club.” “Oh really?” I thought. “Of course it’s a diet-and-calories club. Who are they trying to fool?” I had spent years joining every dieting, calorie-counting, television-infomercial club out there. They all promised weight loss. We’re all here, I thought, because we want to lose weight. Lose weight, lose … Read More
The Biggest Deal I am a compulsive overeater. I have been abstinent in Overeaters Anonymous for over twenty-five years by the grace of God, the patience of sponsors, the kindness of friends, and the consistency of meetings. I use the Tools, work the Steps and try to the best of my ability to practice the Principles of this program in all my affairs. As … Read More
Mindful Every Day Thanks be to God and to practicing program one day at a time. I’m frequently reminded of the critical importance of remembering exactly where I came from. It is crucial for me to remember that being in active addiction really was that bad. With time, my memory can become fuzzy. It can encounter peculiar twists that try to convince me that it could never … Read More
Clear Definitions What is abstinence with respect to food? It’s a good question. Overeaters Anonymous defines abstinence as “The act of refraining from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors while working toward or maintaining a healthy body weight” (Business Conference Policy Manual, 1988b (amended 2002, 2009, 2011, and 2019). This sounds reasonable . . . except it doesn’t define compulsive eating or compulsive food … Read More
Before the First Bite Just what is compulsive overeating? I’ve not had to wonder about that, because my first sponsor made it very clear, as does the Big Book, that we’re talking about the first compulsive bite: the first bite of “more than planned,” the first bite of “a bit more,” the first bite of a food I do not eat today, and the … Read More
Choice and Freedom To me abstinence means freedom: freedom from the obsession with food and having to act on it when I get cravings. I still think about food a lot (I’m quite newly abstinent), but I have the choice not to pick-up because of certain daily actions that give me protection. Abstinence means sanity. It keeps food in its right place. I … Read More
A Real Human Life Abstinence to me is the key to a better life. In the beginning of my precious abstinence, I remember being amazed at how much the resolution of my difficulties relationships and life in general was tied to simply not doing the behavior of compulsive overeating. I had always thought that the resolution would be mental or psychological realm. “No,” I … Read More
What a Gift to Grow Abstinence has changed my life physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Abstinence has stopped physical cravings and emotional swings. It has opened the doorway for acceptance and understanding as well as Step work around my powerlessness over food, people, places, and things. Abstinence has opened me up to Higher Power, inner growth, and open-mindedness. One day at a time, Higher Power and … Read More
Top Ten . . . Ways I Achieved Abstinence My sponsor asked me if I was willing to stop throwing up. I said yes and made a commitment. I knew that if I wasn’t going to throw up anymore, then I needed to quit bingeing too. God gave me the willingness and ability to keep my commitment. He continued to do so every day for the past twenty-three and … Read More
