Mill Creek OA 100 Pounder Speaker Meeting

2011 at 365 I wanted to loose weight with a new years resolution. No action until Nov. then went to OA Bay think I would get the plan and leave and be fixed, Got sponsor and had to refrain from 5 alcoholic foods. I was proud of how much I can eat. Never full. Had a watermelon cake with fruit for my wedding. I have a daily ritual including prayers daily readings, my abstinence, regular meetings and sponsoring. I trust my sponsor to help me navigate my errors . I was in my 40s when I started growing up.

First time into OA - 1978 They were speaking my language around food. For three weeks I had to hibernate to stay away from sugar. I realized I could be moderate with anything without sugar. I lost weight down to 88 lbs. worked for 3 years For over 40 years I went up and down and kept clothes for every size. I could loose weight, for a minute and never had not worked the steps At 57 I was raising my 3 year old autistic grandson and coped by eating. for the last 15 yearas I have been wearing the same size clothes Today at an Easter dinner I stayed away from the dessert table. My food plan is boring and works for me.

Top weight pregnant 5'3" and 213. Started in OA in 1990. Lasted 5 years, stayed abstinent throguh second pregamancy. I got this... not - 7 rear relapse. I gave up sugar before I came back - It was my heroin, Came home from Paris after gaining 7 lbs in a week realizing I had a problem but didn't need a sponsor. Still wanted the diet. I surrendered VERY slowly. I was just fat. I have had one more slip. waas back quickly, had nowhre else to go. I have a Higher Power whom I don't always listen to. I have a daily ritual for my higher power, my program and my family. Weighing and measureing works for me when I am at home. (Most of the time). I don't hate myself anymore - or you.

Being a hundred pounder came with the shame that I let it get that bad. Now it is with acceptance of my recovery. Came in OA at 24 years old 375 lbs. Food was my solution for a dificult childhood. I kept that solution when that danger was no longer there. There were clues along the way which did not work. I wanted to win on my own ... Got gave me the tools, if I failed it was on me. I was excited to get to day 30. After that was day 31. As I approached the 100 lb mark I had the thought I was loosing part of who I am. I am the same weight I was at 13 but now I am safe and surrounded with people who love me, and I love me. Doing it on my terms did not work. I am no longer defined by my weight, good or bad. My current anxiety and drama is not longer because of my wheight. it is because I am human.

There are lots of 100 pounders who are not here. Been here since 1988 and got 8 years but no higher power. I went out on 'look alikes' Diet foods etc. Took 5 years to come back. Next time 3 years to gain it back. Then 1 year. Nothing scared me into recovery, I knew how to be a fat person and it kept calling me. My dad was a bulemic to stay thin for his daughter. What I put in my mouth affects what comes out of my mouth.

Getting, Hiding, getting rid of, getting more was what I always did with food I staged a kitchen fire to hide my behavior. I did not want recovery, I just wanted the consequences to stop. I loved AA Parties and the food was my best friend. AND I Got credit for staying sober while gaining weight. After failing as my own sponsor I hired and fired a bunch. I eventually understood I needed to listen to someone else. I did the steps- with a sponsor - and did get dose of recovery without my excuses. It felt like I dropped 50 lbs the moment I completed my fifth step. To have this amazing life all I have to do is go to meetings, be of service, call someone and stay on a food plan. There are other tools that help me do this.

I was an exercise bulemic. I was in many sports and a 'healthy' eater. I was a 5th degree black belt by 15. I had to go to the hospital to get my stomach pumped 8 times i 2 years. That time the repercussion were laid out. Today I will be there when called. Whatever I can do for you is doing it for me.

I was always tall/big and felt fat. I always felt different. 1st Diet in 8th grade. thus started the yo-yo of thin and not. Everyone diet worked once. with diminishing results when repeating it. I got to 125 lbs overweight while binging AND purging. I have been in OA for 43 years and never left, but do not have continuous abstinence. I did several OA variations which also worked initially. Finally I heard the message of putting down the food to work the steps to get a relationship with God. Food first, then steps. then recovery. After 30 years I finally got a year. I thought 'I got this' Today I have 7 months and 2 sponsees. Doing the work is so much more than just putting down the food.

Top Weight 305. Snacks I picked up at 7-11 were my friends. Coming into OA this time I got a sponsor and got direction which I followed. After a week I noticed a silence in my mind. My psyche is tuned to crave a certain type of food and MORE of it. Reading the Big Book of AA I discovered an explanation of why I was different that other people. I have an understanding and a relationship the a higher power. I was never hungry when I was in the food. Now I do get hungry. and I don't panic I have a group of recovering friends. we support each other and it makes a difference in may areas of my life.

Started as obese kid. At 11 I was in a UCLA program for obese kids. Diagnosed but no solution. 235 @ 13 yrs old My roommate binge buddy went with me to to OA when I was 19, never been on date and just scared. After 16 years I had a single fork of a dessert. I was up 100 Lbs in 6 months. I gained weight on the Weight Watcher's snack bars. No repercussions (medical, emotional or physical) stopped me from overeating and getting close to death. My current food plan has to reflect the damage I have done to my body. I surrendered and have succeeded rather that white knuckling it and failing. I have to ask 'What would a loving person do?' and then work to act that way.

I had to be the grownup during my childhood in a very unsafe environment. I had the illusion I needed to be in control of everything.. I felt I was in control when I had my food. I ran my life using the CK program with disastrous results. After 3 major losses the food was not enough.. Oct 24 I cried out for help. And meant it. Gave up the CK program and started using the OA Program. Gave up illusion of controls and had way better results I do a daily 10th step. Not perfect yet. I began to realize I do have affect on others and can choose to do no harm. 2025 was a year of my understanding and establishing a working relationship with my higher power. This year I am focused on my emotional sobriety. I have gone from 'How can I serve me' to ;How can I best serve Thee?'

Maintaining 120 lb weight loss, 36 years abstinent Born in rural PA. Dad a coal miner. Grew up doing farm work. I was always fat. Gained and lost over 700 lbs prior to QA, down 30 up 50, down 40 up 70 on and on. I had a lucrative job allowing me to seek the answer to my compulsive eating. I could change my food, for a while. size 4 to 22. I was the same miserable woman with my nose in everyone's business regardless of my weight. I could manage my weight (for a while) but never my life. I ended up in OA and it was incredibly rigid. I got a sponsor and did what they said, did the steps, got into service and immersed myself into this program of action.. and it worked one day at a time. Being skinny does not treat the disease. I have a daily routine that includes all 3 legs of this program. Over my time in program I have had joy and loss all with my weight fluctuating no more than 2 lbs in 36 years. My sponsor gets me to take actions I don't believe in, until I do.,

In OA since 1987 I got a sponsor right away. I was happy a higher power worked for them but it couldn't for me. I have lots or sponsors and each gave me something I still carry. My first inventory was through OA HOW. all 170 questions. I Since then I have done the steps lots of times and lots of different ways. 2017 I was sure I had it down and did not need the program so I stopped listening for about a year and a half. I found I have to find at what really works for ME and then do that, no matter what! In HOW I was sponsoring in 30 days but you could only teach what you have,. It kept me moving forward so I wouldn't have to give them up. Meditation was always guided, not just me. Writing was the best tool for me.

Grew up where food was love. At 8-9 I was eating noticbley more than others, My being active helped it stay 'manageable' In my teens I thought 'they were out to get me' and rejected any suggestion of moderation. I ended in OA directed from another 12 step program. I got a sponsor but I knew better than him. I started doing it my way with the expected outcome. When I came back with more issues I didn't trust anyone, did it my way to 300 lbs. The shame kept me away. 10 years on my own, Back to OA I was so done. Got a sponsor who is still my sponsor today. I embraced the steps for real and I started to really recover. Every step was a revelation day by day. Today I have a daily morning and evening ritual which support my recovery.

I didn't fit in the world or in my clothes How can I get it, hide it, eat it, get more? Even at 11 I had stretch marks I lost my first 100 in weight watchers became a poster child for the program but my life was still lacking and finally the yop yo began for the next 20 years. At rock bottom my higher power slipped me into OA and I was relieved of the obsession. I stopped fighting everyone and everything. I had a couple of periods of relapse I had to white knuckle it - - like a dry drunk.

I was in denial of my compulsive eater all my life. My dad committed suicide wen I was 8 and blamed God and everyone else. Today I have freedom from the bondage of food. I would measure every part of my body and it was depressing. I have relapsed many times but never left the program. The steps are the foundation of my program. Making amends was super important (details in talk_)