Differences between Overeaters Anonymous and CEO-HOW? Recommendations?

A woman I know in my town has lost a great deal of weight lately (50 lbs).  We carpool sometimes, and one day her son said she was at an Overeaters Anonymous convention.  I asked her more about it, and she said she goes to a group called CEO-HOW, which is an offbreak of OA.

I like the idea of having a face-to-face friend who is also working on eating issues.  However, the CEO-HOW approach seems very strict.  I do need strict, but I am concerned that this will come with public judgement for my surgery.

Does anyone have experience with CEO-HOW?  OA?  What do you think?

I've been in OA for almost 10 years.  CEO-HOW is super strict.  If I remember correctly it was abo****ely no sugar or any flour products at all.  And if you ate one bite of any of those you weren't allowed to share at the meeting....which kind of ruins the whole meaning of a "support group", right? OA doesn't dictate your food plan; you figure that out for yourself or with a sponsor.  

With either group you will find that there are some people who see WLS as a cop-out.  However, it's becoming more and more mainstream in OA and those of us who've had the surgery are talking about it more and explaining how the surgery didn't "cure" our food addiction.  It helps other people understand that the struggle is real and constant and that OA is simply another tool in the toolbelt to fight obesity.  

I'd say try them out and see what you think.  It doesn't cost a thing except a bit of your time.  And try different meeting times.  There are certain OA meetings where everything just "clicks" for me and other ones that I avoid.  Find one that fits you.  

Good luck! 

Hi, Tracy.  I really appreciated this response, both regarding OA vs CEO-HOW, and also how these groups might perceive/accept me having had WLS.  I also thank you for the insight about trying various meetings.  I responded a little more to your answer on the General forum.  Thanks again.

I would start with the regular OA meetings. So much depends on the personalities of the people there... so try different meetings, as it's been said. Do you have WLS surgery support groups near you? In my area some of the Hospitals open it up to anyone who has had surgery, Not just their patients. We also have some community based support groups run by people who had WLS.

Thanks NYMom!  That is a good idea to look around for other support groups of many types. 

We do have a surgery support group at my surgeon's office.  It is once/month.  I have gone each time but once since my surgery.  It is quite a drive from my house, and always in the early evening--a challenging time considering my family's activities.  So I do think it would really help me to have something closer to home, and to have something weekly.  That way if I must miss the surgeon's sponsored group, I am not waiting 2 months.  I can still go to the monthly support group at my surgeon's office.

I really do value the daily OH discussions online.  I felt so strong and disciplined after my surgery, until about a month ago.  With  life's stresses, and time, I find myself returning to some old patterns.  In fact, they are patterns I did not really realize I had!  I am counting it as a gift, to have the WLS surgery make it so I see those behavioral issues in myself.  But I now have some things I must work on.

Thanks!