Someone tell me about OA please.
Hi,
I am reading about some of you who are participating an a twelve step program like AA but for compulsive overeaters. I'm super interested and have found out there is a group that meets at a church only two blocks from my house!
Could someone tell me a little about your experience at OA meetings and the type of support you find there? I am a Christian and would love to make this a spiritual healing as well as a physical and emotional one.
How do I get the books? Will I be required to hold some kind of office after a while? (I take care of my Mom and it would be awkward to have to drop out because I don't have time to serve on any committees or boards.) Are members mostly active? Do they socialize? Does it cost a lot?
I would love to get on the "abstinence bus" with some of you but I'm scared to just walk into a meeting.
Thanks in advance for your input and sorry if this has been answered before - I admit I haven't gone all the way to the beginning of the threads...YET. (But I will.)
All good things to you,
Mary
I am reading about some of you who are participating an a twelve step program like AA but for compulsive overeaters. I'm super interested and have found out there is a group that meets at a church only two blocks from my house!
Could someone tell me a little about your experience at OA meetings and the type of support you find there? I am a Christian and would love to make this a spiritual healing as well as a physical and emotional one.
How do I get the books? Will I be required to hold some kind of office after a while? (I take care of my Mom and it would be awkward to have to drop out because I don't have time to serve on any committees or boards.) Are members mostly active? Do they socialize? Does it cost a lot?
I would love to get on the "abstinence bus" with some of you but I'm scared to just walk into a meeting.
Thanks in advance for your input and sorry if this has been answered before - I admit I haven't gone all the way to the beginning of the threads...YET. (But I will.)
All good things to you,
Mary
Dear Mary:
My name is Denise Phares, and I've been with OA seriously since 2006, but I first joined in 1987.
I've been struggling for years with compulsive overeating, and it's been a losing battle (no pun intended). Until recently, I had what is called "white knuckle" abstinence - I was trying to be abstinent (refraining from compulsive overeating) with no help from my Higher Power. I was obsessed with food, and I struggled for a long time, not getting anywhere losing weight.
Early this September, I went to an OA group that does the steps from the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous called Back to Basics, where you do your best to complete the 12 Steps within the space of 5 weeks (you don't have to, but I wanted to, and worked very hard at it). Probably the hardest step to do is the 4th Step, the inventory of your character defects, resentments, fears, and sexual harms. You list resentments, fears, and sexual harms & acts, how they affected you, and what your part in them has been. Once you do this, you go to the 5th Step, where you give away (read) your inventory to yourself, your Higher Power, and to another human being, either your sponsor (if you have one), or another trustable person, such as a clergyman or close friend. After I did the fifth step, I had my food obsession completely removed. I had very little appetite, easily ate in moderation, and was not at all tempted by junk food anywhere within reach. This was the first "miracle" of working the 12 Steps of AA as adapted for OA. Once I had stopped overeating completely, all the feelings that I had been holding down for years came flooding up, just about overwhelming me. Those feelings were fear, anxiety, and worry. I was living my whole life out of fear entirely, and it was slowly killing me.
The next "miracle" was when I got home from the meeting, I asked (begged, really) God to completely remove these feelings, and He did - immediately! An immense calm, peace, and serenity were there in their place - like nothing I'd ever felt before! I knew my Higher Power had done this, and I entirely surrended my will to Him, and began asking to do His Will in everything I did. I did the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th steps, then had a spiritual awakening.
Ever since then, I've starting losing weight very rapidly, without even trying. I weighed myself this past Saturday, and I weighed 253.5. By this Wednesday, October 1st, I weighed 246.5 - a loss of seven pounds in less than a week! I've been eating moderately ever since, and been feeling more wonderful than I've ever felt before! Recovery is not an easy thing, but it's worth every effort!
I urge you to get yourself to an OA meeting as soon as possible, instead of killing yourself with excess food. At one point in my life, I weighed over 300 pounds, and felt absolutely horrible. Now I know I will never go there again.
Yours truly
Denise Phares/highpow
My name is Denise Phares, and I've been with OA seriously since 2006, but I first joined in 1987.
I've been struggling for years with compulsive overeating, and it's been a losing battle (no pun intended). Until recently, I had what is called "white knuckle" abstinence - I was trying to be abstinent (refraining from compulsive overeating) with no help from my Higher Power. I was obsessed with food, and I struggled for a long time, not getting anywhere losing weight.
Early this September, I went to an OA group that does the steps from the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous called Back to Basics, where you do your best to complete the 12 Steps within the space of 5 weeks (you don't have to, but I wanted to, and worked very hard at it). Probably the hardest step to do is the 4th Step, the inventory of your character defects, resentments, fears, and sexual harms. You list resentments, fears, and sexual harms & acts, how they affected you, and what your part in them has been. Once you do this, you go to the 5th Step, where you give away (read) your inventory to yourself, your Higher Power, and to another human being, either your sponsor (if you have one), or another trustable person, such as a clergyman or close friend. After I did the fifth step, I had my food obsession completely removed. I had very little appetite, easily ate in moderation, and was not at all tempted by junk food anywhere within reach. This was the first "miracle" of working the 12 Steps of AA as adapted for OA. Once I had stopped overeating completely, all the feelings that I had been holding down for years came flooding up, just about overwhelming me. Those feelings were fear, anxiety, and worry. I was living my whole life out of fear entirely, and it was slowly killing me.
The next "miracle" was when I got home from the meeting, I asked (begged, really) God to completely remove these feelings, and He did - immediately! An immense calm, peace, and serenity were there in their place - like nothing I'd ever felt before! I knew my Higher Power had done this, and I entirely surrended my will to Him, and began asking to do His Will in everything I did. I did the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th steps, then had a spiritual awakening.
Ever since then, I've starting losing weight very rapidly, without even trying. I weighed myself this past Saturday, and I weighed 253.5. By this Wednesday, October 1st, I weighed 246.5 - a loss of seven pounds in less than a week! I've been eating moderately ever since, and been feeling more wonderful than I've ever felt before! Recovery is not an easy thing, but it's worth every effort!
I urge you to get yourself to an OA meeting as soon as possible, instead of killing yourself with excess food. At one point in my life, I weighed over 300 pounds, and felt absolutely horrible. Now I know I will never go there again.
Yours truly
Denise Phares/highpow
Thank you Denise!
What a great testament to the power of God and OA. Well, God is what I will call my Higher Power. I will begin next week. I don't know exactly what to expect in terms of the meetings, but the format of the program appeals to me a lot.
Thank you for sharing and congratulations on not just your miraculous weight loss, but also on finding that inner peace that is allowing you to really live your life, free of the eating compulsion. I hope to be joining you on the path.
Mary
What a great testament to the power of God and OA. Well, God is what I will call my Higher Power. I will begin next week. I don't know exactly what to expect in terms of the meetings, but the format of the program appeals to me a lot.
Thank you for sharing and congratulations on not just your miraculous weight loss, but also on finding that inner peace that is allowing you to really live your life, free of the eating compulsion. I hope to be joining you on the path.
Mary
Mary...not enuf time to say all i would like - more later! Read my profile if you have time.
Someone told me at my first meeting to commit to 6 meetings, no matter what I thought of the meetings. Remember you can check out other groups around your area.
This way, we learn to put "Principles Above Personalities". Let's face it, the folks who run the meetings may be not our kind of person, but the message is so good - give it time to understand it. Took me 6 months, gong 3-4x a week when I was in crisis, eating every night, out of control.
Best of luck!
Someone told me at my first meeting to commit to 6 meetings, no matter what I thought of the meetings. Remember you can check out other groups around your area.
This way, we learn to put "Principles Above Personalities". Let's face it, the folks who run the meetings may be not our kind of person, but the message is so good - give it time to understand it. Took me 6 months, gong 3-4x a week when I was in crisis, eating every night, out of control.
Best of luck!
"The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not." ~Mark Twain
Thanks Neecee,
I've located meetings close to home and will attend at least one this week. I can't say I'm not scared, because I am. I guess after a lifetime of rejection there really isn't much to be scared of anymore, huh? I pray that I will understand God's plan for me and that I can really commit to a healthy lifestyle. Thanks for directing me to your profile. Intuitive Eating is the only way that makes sense to me right now.
Mary
I've located meetings close to home and will attend at least one this week. I can't say I'm not scared, because I am. I guess after a lifetime of rejection there really isn't much to be scared of anymore, huh? I pray that I will understand God's plan for me and that I can really commit to a healthy lifestyle. Thanks for directing me to your profile. Intuitive Eating is the only way that makes sense to me right now.
Mary
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