Literature Tools & Concepts Self-Sustaining Abstinence Did you know that OA exists in Barillas, Guatemala? I am writing to you from a small, rural village outside of the town. Today is Thanksgiving Day in America. My heart is full of gratitude, and my belly is not stuffed from overeating holiday treats! My two teens, my husband, and I have spent the last four days with the … Read More
Anorexia & Bulimia Diversity Meltdown Medicine: Use the Tools I’m a recovering anorexic and bulimic. I have over seven years of not purging, over six years of not weighing myself, and over five years of not restricting. I’m a firm believer that, with time, abstaining gets easier. What I learned this week, however, is there will be days when that doesn’t feel true. Three weeks ago, I had a … Read More
Keep Coming Back Relapse A Life Transformed Last year I was 14 and a half stone (92 kg; 203 lbs) and ate incessantly when I wasn’t at work. I ate anything in sight. My knees complained as I struggled up the stairs at the end of my shifts. My heart was unhappy about coping with my extra weight. Despite knowing what I should do and promising every … Read More
Gratitude Recovery Getting a Life OA has not only changed my life in a positive way, it has given me a life. I am learning how to put food in its proper place. It is now fuel for my body. It gets to come out only three times a day and stay at the table where I am eating. It no longer has the privilege … Read More
Tools & Concepts 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
Anorexia & Bulimia Diversity Different Manifestations of Our Disease Editors note: Below is a world service contribution from OA members in support of our Strategic Plan. My friend and I certainly have different manifestations of this disease. What brought her to OA was life-threatening anorexia, while I have always been a garden-variety compulsive overeater. Still, we relate in many ways: We both need to be very careful with the … Read More
Anorexia & Bulimia Diversity Could and Would For thirty years, I was bulimic, but I have not purged in almost eight years. When my weight reached an all-time high of 293 pounds (133 kg) at 5’11” (180 cm) two years ago in February, I decided I’d had enough and was going to get weight-loss surgery. But the surgery center didn’t want to operate on me because of … Read More
Abstinence Bumper Bowl I am a coordinated, intelligent, healthy individual, so my lack of skill in bowling would come as a surprise to friends and teammates. At first, I’d knock down a pin or two, but soon the gutter balls would begin. It defied logic. I experimented with different positions, ball weights, finger-hole sizes, and speeds, but in the end, I’d get so … Read More
How OA Changed My Life Time: Now; Place: Present When I started in OA, I worked a “diet” program and attended meetings. I did some service. We did not have much OA literature in 1977, so I dove into the AA Big Book with passion. I had heard of, and found, hope. I was very damaged—emotional and spiritual recovery took many years. As time passed, my program of recovery … Read More
Abstinence Six Courses of Abstinence The first thing I did as a member of Overeaters Anonymous on a path to abstinent eating was to divide all foods into two groups: foods I would eat and foods I would not eat. Thirty years later, I still have not eaten any of the foods in the second group, just as I would not eat a pencil or … Read More
