They stalked me the length of the block, down the subway stairs, onto the #2 train, through the whole ride to 96th Street, where they got off and changed to the #1 along with me. Upstairs at 116th Street, what did I meet but those same stalking fragrances: not sweet, no, not those—the pungent ones that promised pleasures beyond measure …

My first sponsor pointed out that the promises of the program are clear: If we clean up the past (Steps Four through Nine) and continue to take daily inventory (Steps Ten and Eleven), ever relying on God, then we can be free of cravings, restored to sanity and power, and find our will becoming aligned to that of our Higher …

In our readings and in many other ways we are told, “Once we compulsive overeaters truly take the Third Step, we cannot fail to recover” (The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, p. 27). That’s quite a promise. When I was a newcomer, and again during my horrible three-year relapse, when I gained 60 pounds (27 kg) and …

If this were a highly complicated program requiring complex levels of thought and planning, I would have nailed it long ago. But a simple program of recovery? Nope, that’s baffling! As wise fellows have said, “You can’t be too dumb for this program, but you can be too smart!” I have this vision of me versus God. I’m on my …

At my first Overeaters Anonymous meeting, I was scared, embarrassed, and nervous, and I felt very alone. Those same emotions made me into what I was that day: obese and unhealthy. Eight people genuinely welcomed me. I didn’t understand the entire program (I still don’t), but I went home after that meeting and haven’t touched any sugar since. I learned …

I am a compulsive eater who arrived in OA six years ago and has been in continuous abstinence ever since. I maintain a weight loss of more than 40 kilograms (88 lbs). I know I have an emotional, spiritual, and physical disease and need to keep my recovery strong by doing daily work. This is a simple program, not an …

I have been in program for six years and have recently found recovery. The obsession of the mind has been removed, and I can honestly say I no longer desire to use food as a solution to life’s problems. I have been placed in a position of neutrality with food, and I feel grateful to God and to this program …

“I’ve prayed healing prayers for people who are ill, and I’ve prayed for guidance in being able to grocery shop without buying the wrong items. My weight loss results from actions I am willing to take, not from asking God to remove my fat or help me lose weight” (Voices of Recovery, p. 318). I can’t pray for weight loss …

When I began to explore ideas of a Power greater than myself, I readily conceded that nature is majestic—I often found peace among the redwood trees or in the Pacific surf—but praying to nature didn’t work for me. Then, in the quiet of meditation, I recalled a childhood memory: calling ‘God’ the beauty of the sun’s rays peeking through rainclouds. There …

About three years after I became abstinent, I was driving to a meeting when I felt the presence of God in my car. Peacefulness and calm came over me. It seemed as though God was guiding my driving, there in the car with me. I shared in the meeting about this experience, and someone whom I considered very spiritual asked …