How OA Changed My Life Recovery Fresh in My Mind Last January, I celebrated OA’s 59th birthday, my 76th birthday, and two years of continuous abstinence. I went to my first meeting with a couple of buddies who were already in OA. I was beat and knew I needed a Twelve Step program to start crawling my way out of the abyss of compulsive overeating. I knew I was powerless … Read More
Steps Digging Differently As part of my daily program routine, I have been reading the Big Book and then writing on certain passages. On page 325 of Alcoholics Anonymous, Fourth Edition, it states, “You hit bottom when you stop digging.” I can thankfully say that I’m not still digging in the way that I used to. I had many years of digging and … Read More
Higher Power Spirituality Honest to God Surrender is such a simple yet profound concept. When thought about, it seems so impossible and distant, yet when practiced, it is right at my fingertips. I find this dichotomy strange. In my religion, the recognition that we need God’s help to accomplish anything in life is meant to be second nature. However, in my life, this has been an … Read More
Relapse Relapse & Recovery Long Journey, Strong Memory Today my husband and I are living our retirement dream, thanks to OA and the Twelve Steps. My life is so different today than it was before program. Today, I have a life and food has its proper place, thanks to a food plan that works for me. Two years ago, I relapsed after seventeen years of abstinence. It was … Read More
How OA Changed My Life Recovery Morning Person Before OA, mornings were a chore. When my alarm went off, I wanted nothing more than to pull the covers over my head and yell “Not fair!” at a God I thought was cruel and punishing. My overeating, my bingeing the night before, had taken its toll. Once again, I was not ready to function. Finding OA and working the … Read More
Sponsoring Tools & Concepts The Only Thing That Worked Hi, I’m Chris B., a compulsive overeater and powerless over food. I would not be alive today if I didn’t sponsor. I say this because it’s my truth, and I cannot keep what I’ve received unless I give it away. I used to weigh over 430 pounds (195 kg). I used to question whether I could sponsor someone or not. … Read More
Tools & Concepts HOW I Do It I wonder if the Overeaters Anonymous Fellowship took a wrong turn back near the beginning. Like AA, we kept our program one of suggestions rather than requirements. But abstinence in AA is clear-cut: don’t drink alcohol. Abstinence in OA is vague and unspecified: “the action of refraining from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors while working towards or maintaining a … Read More
Keep Coming Back Relapse Courage to Persevere I first went to an OA meeting in February 1990, when a student of mine took me with her. It wasn’t an easy thing for her, admitting to her teacher that she had an addiction. Her courage taught me a lot. I couldn’t believe the First Step before I first took it—that I was powerless over food and my life … Read More
Newcomers OA Means Life All my life I’d been the skinny kid. My brothers and sisters nicknamed me “Stick” because I was so thin. I could eat anything and not gain weight. On my wedding day in 1991, I weighed 115 pounds (52 kg) and wore a size 5. During my first year of marriage, I gained 10 pounds (5 kg). Then I had … Read More
Steps Never and Always Step One: We admitted we were powerless over food—that our lives had become unmanageable. When I read about Step One and think about my life—my crazy eating habits, the mental obsession I’ve struggled with—I can freely, honestly, humbly admit that I am definitely powerless over food. I have tried to control my eating most of my adult life and have … Read More