Stay ConnectedMembers of OA in San Francisco share what it was like, what happened, and what life is like now.
Overeaters Anonymous (OA) is a community of people who through shared experience, strength and hope are recovering from unhealthy relationships with food and body image. OA’s twelve-step program works like Alcoholics Anonymous except it helps us deal with food.
OA in San Francisco: https://www.oasf.org/
More about Overeaters Anonymous: https://oa.org/
Frank, member since 1979, identifies as a recovered compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser. Frank's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: high weight of 460 pounds • relapse/recovery period: 18 years • learning in 7th grade that I was a compulsive overeater • multiple addictions • from Catholicism to Atheism • first 3 meetings • food plan • giving up the "no god" debate & acting as if • higher power = higher self • intuition = god's answer • rehashing the past & rehearsing the future • selfishness & self-centeredness • what a spiritual awakening is • ego • relapse • meeting a day for 3 years out of relapse • counting calories • abstaining from starting over • 1 moment at a time • no free food allowed • Steps 1, 2, & 3 before eating • meditation everyday for last 8 years • short prayers • Step 10 A century person is an individual who has lost or needs to lose 100 pounds or more.
Rachel, member since 1985, identifies as a compulsive overeater. Rachel's share from the Monday evening LGBT Speaker & Literature Meeting includes the following themes: letting go of timekeeping • newcomers • 15 years in OA before stringing together abstinence • low-bottom compulsive overeater • a fat bulimic & a century person in sheep's clothing • abstinence is in the Steps • god wasn't helping me (needed to do footwork) • god dialogue • masking feelings • feelings get better & they pass • calling in sick (calling in fat) • Big Book: a set of instructions • Higher Power • I'll be okay • ask others how they do Steps
Oliver identifies as a compulsive overeater, relapser, and century person. Oliver's share from the Sunday morning Relapse & Recovery Meeting includes the following themes: 100-130-pound weight loss • solo junk food binger • OA offers an alternative • recent relapse • done 12 Steps Big Book style, have sponsees, have a sponser & still relapsed • "voodoo" program • what I was doing before wasn't enough • binge made me willing • turning my will over • 1 week since binge • fear of relapse • willingness & meetings • diets versus program For more info on relapse & recovery and Twelfth Step Within, please check out: https://oa.org/groupsservice-bodies/resources/twelfth-step-within/
Joe, member since 2016, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser. Joe's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: maintaining 225-pound weight loss • if you're in the food, you can't get spiritual solution • 3 ways Big Book phrases "god" • believing weight loss was solution to my problems • fat baby, fat kindergartener, fat teenager • always ate alcoholically • an outcast & ugly • can't date until I'm skinny • getting to top weight of 450 pounds • eating & drinking nonstop & hating self • wanting to die • turning point • liquid diet • beginning OA • OA & AA relapse • everyday was Thanksgiving • 90 in 90 (90 meeting in 90 days) & new OA sponsor • diabetic father • life was 12 Steps • freedom from the obsession was not enough • new girlfriend • gift of 5th Step • trust issues • 9th Step with dad • returning to school • carrying the message • why we sponsor • no longer needing to lose weight • if the food calls to me, it's an alcoholic food • brain is broken A century person is an individual who has lost or needs to lose 100 pounds or more.
Andrea, member since returning in 1975, identifies as a compulsive overeater. Andrea's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: in & out of OA • such a fantasy person (escape) • hopeless nature of the disease • some successful diets • becoming conscious of body • being an overweight teenager • people-pleasing • being a binger • resentments • addicted, allergic, & emotionally involved • this is not a deprivation; it's a way of life • a power in this (OA) room • surrendering to the carbohydrates • relationships don't help the compulsive overeater stop • communication was hard • getting pregnant was not the answer to compulsive overeating • Big Book: "How It Works" (a), (b), (c) • self-hatred & isolation • returning to OA for good • Gray Sheet (food plans) • no carbs & no sugars: promise of physical relief • substituting the word "god" • working on gratitude & prayer • the OA fellowship A century person is an individual who has lost or needs to lose 100 pounds or more.
Amy identifies as a compulsive overeater and bulimic. Amy's share from the Monday evening LGBT Meeting includes the following themes: family of compulsive overeaters • when weight first started affecting life • blaming weight & self for loss • discovering bulimia • secretly bulimic • bulimic for 20 years • adopting healthier lifestyle • bingeing • discovering OA • 2 years of abstinence • Steps leading to relief • honesty • being mindful around food • the freedom found in how OA works • pausing before reacting • regular gratitude list • Tools of Recovery • body image • fighting against the suggestion of seeing a nutritionist • courage to come to OA • fully giving & receiving love
Carter, member since 2002, identifies as a compulsive overeater and sugar addict. Carter's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: not a century person • family • eating out of garbage • vomiting • obsessed about appearance • not humiliated but humble • "I'm not special" • there are miracles yet to be had • a raging addict • cake over crack • marriage • finding OA • 1st OA meeting • sugar addict as an identity • no sugar in 15 years • cutting out certain foods is essential • conscious contact • weighing & measuring • sponsor I chose • courage, self-esteem, & humility • listening to & supporting others • the food is not the evil thing • negotiating certain foods • making phone calls • negotiating relationships
A century person is an individual who has lost or needs to lose 100 pounds or more.
Note: Speaker does not identify as a century person.
Jeri, member since 2011, identifies as a compulsive overeater. Jeri's share from the Monday evening LGBT meeting includes the following themes: compulsive overeater for whole life • loneliness • salty-sweet-salty-sweet-the dog • food was my friend • popcorn & vodka • fullness & hunger: triggers • exercise bulimia • dieting • why come to OA? • not struck by abstinence • why keep coming back? • 1st sponsor • oversharing • slowly food starts to drop away • surrendering certain foods • 2 years popcorn-free • I'm human, not broken • meetings ruin eating, & I need it to do that • cultivate self-love, not skinny or perfect • benefits of dancing • done being mad at my body • acceptance of aging body
Anonymous, member since 2001, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser. Anonymous share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: completing graduate school • new grown-up job • OA didn't give me my life back; it gave me a life period • addiction: sacrificing the future for immediate gratification • 140-150-lbs weight-loss • 18 medical & psychiatric conditions cured by good nutrition alone • on 8 medications when entering OA at age 28 • gifts of abstinence • new edition of OA 12/12 • identifying in OA • 8 years of abstinence after 7 years in relapse • 12 Steps of OA in a nutshell • healthy selfishness • life between the ages of 4-13 • Bizarro World 12 Steps (Steps -1 thru -12) • using Tools of Recovery ("Step 0") as a newcomer • Tools helping with food; Steps helping with everything else • physical recovery (black & white) • emotional recovery (colorless) • spiritual recovery (grey) • 1 act of perfection (food) leading to thousands of forms of grey • new girlfriend: zero catastrophic thinking & very little people-pleasing A century person is an individual who has lost or needs to lose 100 pounds or more.
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