Steps Traditions Transformational Awakening What is a spiritual awakening? How do we get it? If it is the result of working the Twelve Steps, that means we have to work them. This is how we can practice the Principles embedded in the Steps. It’s a pattern for living. And, we carry the message to newcomers by living the Steps, while protecting our own and … Read More
Diversity Life Journey I joined the OA program in the fall of 2014. I knew I needed help. I was morbidly obese. I’d tried every diet I knew about— diets would work temporarily, but then the weight I’d lost would find me (along with a few more not-so-friendly pounds). I finally turned to my Higher Power, whom I choose to call God. I … Read More
Diversity Newcomers Core Connections I have been attending OA for about ten months. From a friend, I had some idea of what to expect coming into my first meeting. I have a tendency to deeply connect with the emotions of other people in any room. Sometimes this is a blessing, sometimes it’s a struggle. In that first OA meeting, I immediately felt the openness … Read More
Diversity Newcomers The Great Miracle Recently, I was asked to write a response to a newcomer’s question: “What can OA offer me?” I suffer from two problems that make me powerless over my compulsive eating: a physical problem and a mental one. Certain foods, ingredients, and eating behaviors trigger me to eat uncontrollably. Many times while eating trigger foods, I tried to will myself to … Read More
Diversity Newcomers Long Shot Win Overeaters Anonymous seemed like a long shot to me. How could it help me? I didn’t have serious weight issues—but my eating was out of control. I certainly was a compulsive eater. I spent most of my day obsessing about what to eat. Should I eat some protein or maybe more greens or perhaps just give up and eat potato … Read More
Diversity Newcomers One to Two, Gently I am a newcomer. I’ve been abstinent three weeks. For me, Step One has opened the path of “beginning to change.” Now that I have accepted something that I would never in a million years be willing to accept unless I absolutely had to—I feel that anything is possible. But if can’t do it on my own, then why not … Read More
Diversity Newcomers Search Support It was May of 2015, and I was up 30 pounds (14 kg) after a yearlong sugar binge. Although I’d been on a constant roller coaster of losing and gaining, this was the biggest weight gain I’d experienced in seven years. It was also the low point when I began to realize my powerlessness over food. I had not yet … Read More
Diversity Newcomers It’s All Worth It I came into OA at 18 years old. I’ve been in program for two years, so I’m 20 now. Let me tell you, in the beginning, it wasn’t so easy to gain abstinence and honesty. Even though I’d never really struggled with a lot of weight gain, nobody really knew how much I struggled with food because I looked like … Read More
Diversity Newcomers He Understood I came into the doors of OA six months ago, weighing 159 pounds (72 kg) at 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) tall. I was athletic and a relatively normal size, but I was in food hell and miserable. I believed that if I just got down to a certain weight, I would be happy. By the time I stepped … Read More
Diversity Newcomers My Providential Blurt As I sat across from my doctor and focused on entering my next appointment into my phone, another part of my mind took over my tongue. “I’ve been gaining weight since I moved here last year. Can you give me some advice?” For several months I’d been dithering about asking her for help. Now I felt shock—and immediate relief. She … Read More