This blog will chronicle my journey in the Overeater's Anonymous-HOW (Honesty, Openess, Willingness) program - a structured and disciplined approach to recovery from compulsive overeating and food addiction. I entered the rooms of HOW on September 19, 2008, hopelessly demoralized about my obesity, weight loss, and weight gain history and knew I had to find a solution that worked. The program is based on the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous. Everything I heard at that first meeting resounded with me and I knew I was where I was supposed to be and I jumped right in, wanting what I saw that other OAs had. I wish I had started this blog from day 1, but I will try to recapture those days because they are important to knowing this journey. The willingness I felt does not mean that I have not struggled and does not mean that I was open to using the 7 tools:
- abstinence-a plan of eating
- meetings
- anonymity
- sponsoring
- telephoning
- literature & writing
- service
As you will often hear in 12 Step programs, the thoughts, feelings, and experiences written here are mine and mine alone- "take what you can and leave the rest." Also, OA-HOW is an anonymous program and so I will not be revealing identifiable information to protect my anonymity and the anonymity of others, honoring the 12th Tradition: "Anonymity is the spiritiual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities." and the HOW tool of anonymity.
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
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