[msruthie]

OK here it goes! I have vowed not to weight myself. It's been working so far I just stay away from the scale. When I was following an eating plan and taking care of myself consistentely I was losing 2lbs a week steadly for 3 months, I lost an inital 30lbs. I haven't gained it back either this whole year. I gained back about 10 because of my binges buffets and junk weekends, stressful move, family problems overeating as result. I kept trying to workout and take care of myself but it was hard coming back from one weekend of binging. I spent $100 on eating out that weekend and as my wonderful disease always does I was reminded of how I could have done better afterwards. I've been using food this way all my life, stressful, sad situation? Eat. Happy times you want to share with others? Eat. Fellowship with friends? Eat. Food, food food. I have been working for months on a food plan that's rational, sane and doable. The one thing I don't have is accountability. There is no one and no way for me to be accountable to. I cut out weighing myself cause I didn't like what I saw. I have been taking pictures every two months so far this year.Body has changed. But I'd like to know what is your accountability? What is your check and balance of progress in this program?

[marny]

Hi there-
In OA we are accountable to ourselves, God, and our sponsor. I call my sponsor daily and let her know how I am, how my program is, and how my food is. Some people call in their food to their sponsor and share their food plan for the day.

One of the powerful things about OA is that we don't work the program by ourselves. That means that when we work out a food plan, we do it with the help of a sponsor. When we decide on what our abstinence is, we do that with the help of a sponsor too.

Step One teaches us that we are powerless over food, and our lives are unmanageable. It is only through surrendering our will to God that we can find sanity and serenity regarding food in our lives. So, to try to create a food plan and be accountable all by ourselves without God's help or our sponsor's help doesn't work.

Have you been to a meeting or read Step One in the OA 12 Steps and Traditions? I highly recommend both.