Hi everyone,

I have been so blind not tjo notice that there is a websight for O.V., I have recently become a member of TOPS it's great, the women there are so caring, it's unbelieveable, I love to go.

I want to pick up the book "feeding the Hungry Heart" I wand my whole family to read it, overeating, is very unhealthy, I keep putting on the weight, I am 5' tall I can't handle the extra 45 lbs I'm carrying around.

I'm glad I found you all.

Actually I am looking into several groups in my area...I just added TOPS to the list to look in....Thanks

I don't attend OA, but the woman who is my Mentor does. I have suffered from minor health problems my entire life.

I have a personal issue with hearing that being overweight is a disease --even though the logical part of my brain can see it, emotionally it makes me feel like if it is a disease then there is nothng that I can do.

With that said, I also believe that having forgiveness, support and accountability for people that have the issue of overeating is essential. I am hoping that at some point I will get over my problem around this and be able to attend OA.

I realized this last month when I saw an old friend who had a 10 pounds b aby 3 years ago and put on a bunch of weight. She was telling me how she lost all of her weight on WW and she has kept it off. I realized, after wanting to smack her face, that of course it worked and no regain--- SHE DOESN'T HAVE A EATING ISSUE.

I believe that we "Eaters" are challenenged with balancing our diet, whether we are anorexic or overweight. Bulimic binge and purge or are suffering from obesity.

My friend has a beautiful male model type friend. I was always intimidated around him. One day at coffee, his wife passed around coffee cake and when I declined I made a very subtle remark about my girth, he leaned over and put his hand on my arm and looked me straight in the eye and told me almost in a whisper that he was Anorexic and then he said, "I know how you feel, I feel the same way". I never felt so understood than in that 5 second interaction. I realized that all Eating Disorders are rooted in the same place. It was difficult for me for years to look at thin people and believe that they felt the same feelings that I did, I was just so jealous of their thin bodies. I am grateful that I realized that and am in this place....I was really judging without knowing....shame on me!!

It isn't about the food for me. For me ist is about WHY I am medicating with food. It has been a long, painful journey that after the years of work on myself I have just arrived NOW to begin working on that issues for myself. It does have me a bit pis**d off because I really thought that I had suffered enough and I should just be in the place to lose and keep the weight off.

Well, this I know, that for me anything that is great requires great effort. The harder the work, the greater the reward. This is what I am trying to focus on when I am angry and want to do what I call binge and justify. It is a lonely place. .

So, in a long winded way, and this is just what is working for me.....I say find support wherever it works for you and work whatever program you find....it all comes from inside anyhow...any of these things will work, its just how and if we will work it for ourselves.