Mill Creek OA 100 Pounder Speaker Meeting

Abstinent from 10/86 I was 10 when I got on my first diet from my mother worked for 5 days. Food took me out of where I was, unsafe, and put me in a safe place. My bravest moment was to stand, Indentify a compulsive overeater and in that moment I became 'a part of'. It was a shock when I realized the world did not revolve around me. I continue to improve my conscious contact with 'God'.

1st meeting 1988. I knew what was the right way to eat but I could not refrain from binging/eating for any length of time. Grew up in home with no structure. Could not imagine talking about my food in front of men. I got a sponsor,what she asked me to do made no sense but I did it anyway. Discovering a higher power is an ongoing process for me. Recovery is in the seeking. For me it has been a slow and consistent road of recovery. Like the tortoise.

Used Lunch money to buy candy on the way to school. Hit 250 in high school. Found OA in college, followed the program and.... it worked. My relapse happens slowly, loosing one peice at at time until I was completely out of the program. Gastric Bypass seemed like a miracle.... for a while. The food blocked me from the joy of the American Dream. From all out to all in was the beginning of my recovery..this time. In the beginning, feelings seemed like negative byproduts of doing the work. Really wanting and choosing a salad was a miracle of the program.

Graduated HS @ 270 with 50" waist. It frightened me. Fear ruled me. I fixed/avoided with food. I was willing to go to ANY lengths. Alone - Every diet work for a short time... Once. 46 days in OA led to my worst binge ever. It was a turning point. I discovered a Higher Power of "MY" understanding. Abstinence gave me lots of extra time to do my program.

Food was my crutch when I was 12. Even pudgy brought about massive shame. God was for uneducated, weak- willed people. I attended meetings without participating until somebody actually talked to me. Not a program of feeling, thinking, wanting... It is a program of action !

lost 140 lbs first time in OA. After a major relapse I have 17 years today. I am a skid row compulsive over eater. I learned to show up, sit in the front, raise my hand, be of service and tell the truth. The Doctors Opinion nails it for me. My program is the infrastructure for my life. I now have someone who I love and loves me. I never thought it could happen for me.

Abstinent since 9/8/2003 My addictions does not get triggered if I avoid foods I am allergic to. I knew the foods I was allergic to but kept buying and eating them into oblivion. and wake up with another failed commitment to do it differently. A friend from another 12 step program mentioned OA. I went but did not work the OA program. I was afraid to go shopping at first. I did all the steps in order out of the big book with a sponsor. It worked. Today I am dependent on my Higher Power ... in a healthy way,

Growing up I looked good on the outside. But..... Everything I did I did compulsively, Food/ Sugar was the major negative one. I learned to tap dance at as a child and used it physically and emotionally for years. I created a seemingly cool life on the outside as a designer in Europe until I can back to US. Not cool = Not OK Women were meeting is a restaurant I worked at were having an OA meeting. Ding Ding.Ding. I picked my sponsor because she judged like I did. I have maintained a healthy body weight for 34 years always participating in OA, keeping commitments, sponsoring and doing the steps many times. Stopping my compulsive behaviors is the BEGINNING of my recovery.

I always saw myself as a fat child, but in retrospect is was not always true. I had heard about stopping hard drugs and it sounded like my trying to stop eating chocolate. Long before I got into OA. 2 weeks into OA I discovered Fear and Resentment were the underlying issue for my compulsive eating and cravings. Growing up I never learned how to identify and talk about my emotions in realm time. This is my current work. I can get a resentment when things are not clear and/or consistent and I can eat over it. The work never ends. Today I write about it rather than eat over it. Yay OA

Lonely kids. I knew all the 'Lonely' songs. Big in elementary school. Got sober in '75. Introduced to OA in '76. started on to 18 years of abstinence. Was involved, did service. did not stick. Basic instincts went awry. PAGGLES 7 deadly sins On me to make adjustments with God's help 12 steps in 10 words. 1 Give up 2,3 Look up 4-9 Clean up 10, 11 Keep up 12 Show up

9 of 10 Children. Family dinners were always an adventure. If I excelled in sports I could get Dad's attention. Led to perfectionism and people pleasing and led me to my first 12 steep program. Sugar got me so high my face would tingle. Anytime I step on a scale I feel bad. So i don't step on a scale. Once I got to OA I never left. I didn't do the program well but I never left. I lost my first sponsor - then fake sugar led to weight gain, changing meetings, thinking a nutritionist would be better than getting a new sponsor. Everything changed when I really started 'Doing the Work'. This past year has changed everything in my life for the better. I no longer manage people except as required at work.

Recovery can bring back memories of how bad it was. A Fat American in France I ate violently, destructively and disturbingly. At one point I did a cost-benefit analysis of my addiction...didn't help. My fancy education made no difference. Once in the program I became Miss OA. My physicality came back. 'I got this' led to an 80 lb weight gain I finally did get this Nov 3 2008. Today I have a daily ritual morning and evening which includes reading, writing, step work and A E I O U Y I really do have a life beyond my wildest dreams by doing a few things every day.

Grew up thinking I was unwanted as 5th of 5. Within 3 days of joining the program there was a month long orientation workshop which gave me a deep understand on the program and what I could expect. Unity between my program, my marriage, my higher power and my life keep all the parts working.

I was a sensitive kid obsessed with my body image. At 15 I got diet pills, then speed and was not actually overweight. I restricted, was an exercise bulimic and tried it all. I stopped eating sugar because I was a people pleaser. AND just kept coming back. Today the program and my higher power have helped me all the challenges life has thrown at me and maintained my abstinence. The promises have come true

In my youth I got a rush from stealing and an escape with the food. Long term cycles of feast and famine(excersize, restriction tec.) I was in OA for 8 years without a sponsor. 'Surprise' I had no recovery. Today i have a daily ritual for my recovery which has led to my 2.5 years abstinent,

I was given sugar instead of a bottle. Program worked when I laid down the food and picked up a pen. Never, Never, Never give up. my 4th step made me suicidal because I had no God. Since I developed a belief and relationship with a Higher Power he has saved me regularly.

Lost 100 lbs and put it back before entering Law School. Wore Tee shirts until I was 30 because I was afraid of bursting my buttons. The beginning of my recovery was a spiritual experience that makes no sense, cannot be explained and has been with me 40 years.

Huge amount of food and huge amount of laxatives. It took four months after a 3 week relapse to feel sane. After a long time in the program I had to give up all my sponsees to work on myself. I am on a spiritual journey. The food blocks me from this process.

All about Step one. When I came to OA I thought everyone was abstinent, so I did to. Last Xmas I 12 stepped 2 caregivers. I will never have a normal relationship with food.

Weight kicked up at puberty My first OA Meeting the church was locked. There was one other person and I knew I was home. I lost 100 lbs in 9 months and was rocking in OA until Iost my sponsor and decided to sponsor myself. 160 later I found my way back to OA and was welcomed. The OA community and service makes me know I am not alone.

Dieted from 7th grade to age 50. yo-yo-yo and the swings got bigger. I had a plan for my college reunion to loose weight. I did not go to my reunion. I had a friend who talked about OA. She lost weight while I gained. Gave up sugar after my first OA Meeting. God was the hardest part of OA for me. That is absolutely not the case for me today.

in my 20s and 30s I was a great dieter as a restrictor leading to being under nourished. Today I turn to my Higher Power in times of stress instead of the food. 1st OA was just me and the speaker. She spoke and got my attention. Weighing, recording and reporting honestly is critical for my recovery.

Excellence was expected at home and it separated me from my peers. Food filled my emotional holes. Eating other's leftover from the trash was a hint something was wrong. In college my life looked good superficially, but it wasn't. I completely gave up, was suicidal and my recovery began. My spiritual awakening was transformational but not the end of my journey with food. I could rationalize minor incremental moves away from abstinence. Today my FIRST priority will be my addiction OR my recovery. There can be only one.

Every Diet worked once. I tried them all. I was 12 stepped by my wife and I didn't even know it was happening. OA was OK but I had a big problem with the word 'GOD'. After a substantial relapse I was finally, 'Willing to go to any lengths'. Today my program affords me an astounding life.

Was living the bedevilements (P.52 BB) when I came to OA Gained 60 Lbs during first pregnancy which led to marital problems Used my 3 year old to collect MY Halloween candy Lived the 301 plan- 3 meals, 0 in between, 1 day at a time.

Downed a bottle of Children's aspirin for the orange flavor. Being extremely active helped me avoid weight gain. Sugar free chocolate was a gateway food for me. Came back to OA in 2004 letting everyone know I already knew everything about it. Amazingly when I changed my food plan with anothers help, I lost my weight. Now miracles happen daily.

Grew up in angry home By coincidence I found an OA meeting I could walk to right after I had been given I Big Book and identified. I found a sponsor who took me through the steps after I was abstinent from my alcoholic foods. Today I am overcoming the bedevilments (Page 52) and experiencing the promises (Page 83-84) one day at a time.

Grew up in overweight family. Food competition was the norm. Food, Drugs, alcohol became my life, I had no clue. 12 steps in my first program changed my life but not my food. I found OA and it worked so well I decided I didn't need it. Finally got back with new sponsor and took direction. Now I have added Spirituality into my food plan.

I pulled over an Xmas Tree but held on to the candy cane. Knowledge of nutrition did not reduce my obsession. A life change led to isolation, skipping meetings and the thought I can do it myself... It did not go well. Finally made it back, got a sponsor and followed direction. Today I have a daily ritual which helps me stay on track keeps the obsession at bay.

Long term over eating eventually getting into program at age 65 Listen and take notes: A. S. I. S. 4 Cs 3 Ps T. A. C. T. T.

As a child chubby turned into obese and brough in speed. I just wanted to be able to pick a dress off the rack. I had lost weight but was very unhealthy when I was 12 stepped in a hair salon. Changed from 'What are you going to do about it' to what am I going to do about it.

Binged and purged my way up to over 200 lbs. If you think you can't do your food plan the rest of your life, it is a diet.

Food helped me feel safe in an unsafe environment growing up. When binging and restricting failed me I added exercise bulimia to my repertoire of inappropriate tools. First came to OA in 2003, Did everything I was told except get a sponsor and do the steps. Once back I came to believe if it worked for others it could work for me.

Food was not my problem, it was my solution but it was killing me. I hid my pain by eating compulsively. Coming from my very dark place the light offered by OA was blinding. I need the program and steps to make the adjustment possible.

Understanding I had a disease and it wasn't my fault was the beginning of my recovery. My recovery starts in the grocery store.

Teased in school. Eat in secret. How OA was 51 years ago. none of our own literature, books etc. Just a higher power.

Working the steps from the big book helped me identify my lcohilic foods and refrain. Talking through the steps and the relationships between them weaves the tapestry for a life of recovery. Now it is still all about service, sponsoring, and passing it on as directed by God.

I binged and purged while in a treatment center for another issue. Uing the tools does not equal recovery. I Finally Did the Work of the 12 steps for the spiritual recovery offered in OA. Truly doing the 3rd steps releicved my pain. My current hunger is to know God and his will for me, be of service and help others. It is better.

My inability to control my eating and my weight made me hate myself When I FINALLY got a sponsor I did whatever she said. Recovery is better than a size 4

I remember the food at weddings I went to when I was 10 years old. Overweight in school, compensated by being funny. Success in business allowed to pay for lots of plans, drugs, formulas, They all worked ...for a nano second. Traded my food for the 12 steps and my life is better.

A Sunday promise led to Monday amnesia. I did not connect the quantity component while eating 'Approved' foods. Attended OA Meetings for 16 years but did not work until I REALLY embraced step one, got a sponsor and Worked the Steps. I don't eat anything can't leave on the plate. Today I remember this disease if permanent, progressive and fatal.

Weight was a problem in by the time I was 10. President's fitness challenge was terrifying. Major weight loss in High School gave me a validation I continue to chase. My first 12 step program suggested I eat to handle my new feelings. up 30 lbs following direction.. Today my recovery includes how I treat others, how I treat myself, is my recovery work consistent, and am I staying connected.

Started early,manipulating for food in grade school. Could loose weight for a prize, and get it Immediately game on bigger and faster. Just kept going to meeting, no matter what. Program first seems to work.

Food handled my emotions right from the bottle. 20 Years old, functionally illiterate, overweight, and working up the ladder. My body started breaking down at 38 years old. Entered OA. learned the rules, Attended meetings, participated, sponsored, lost 165 LBS and I was King Sh*t!.... not good. Now 23 years abstinent, humbly involved in the program, loving and loved.

Abandonment issues were helped with food. I always at the charity Candy Bars and Girl Scout cookies. Stomach Stapling led to binge purge cycle. OA with Big Book, And Sponsor led to recovery,

Was not taught any adult skils growing up. Overachiever AND overweight In my disease eating utensils were optional. Can never get back to the feeling of that first bite. Attacking the steps was the real solution.

In old pictures I looked more normal than I felt. Meetings alone did not deliver the results I wanted. I grew up in a small community. Now I have a large OA community.

The only people who really get to act how they feel are 3 years old. Doing the steps id the best tool for weight loss. 9th step promises are true.

In high school super excited about lots of chinese food. I can't see God but I CAN see the effects of God. Completely mind fucked over 3 gum drops.. Having Incremental improvements with my willingness helps my willingness grow stronger.