[healthy4good]

Hello All. I went to my first meeting last night. I have been looking thru the info packet today. I am going to go to another meeting tomorrow night.

I want to start working on a food plan. The ones in Dignity of Choice, scare me a bit....I am not used to not having snacks. I think I will try and modify this and work on a list of my trigger foods.

I want to define my abstinence, so I am wondering if I can just start it with:
1) No fast food.
2) No overeating.

Anyway...thanks for listening. Any advice or ideas are greatly appreciated!

[CrispyMama]

Hi and welcome to OA.

There seem to be many varriations of abstinance in OA. It is very personal, and people are so different. Some people can jump right in to a food plan, sponser, the works. While others need a slower entrance.

Sure you can start your abstinance with what you have listed. If this is your first time trying to look for trigger foods, go easy on your self. In my life, my trigger foods make it impossible for me to follow any kind of food plan or stick to my goals. So if you find yourself doing things you commited to not doing, like overeating, don't get down on yourself for "breaking" your abstinence. It is a learning process and will take time.

Snacks are another choice. Some people never snack and may ask the people they sponser to do the same. There are also many who do include snacks in their food plan. You can have a snack in your food plan and be abstinent.

[carlady]

Hi Healthy,

I love hearing the words, welcome home. My first meeting a just sat and listened and thought I had landed in a patch of aliens. Then I heard the words... welcome home, and I knew this was so true. I was just sorry it took me 48 years to find the path to OA.

I made my abstinence sugar and all sugar-type sweets, alcohol and white bread.
My food plan was the weight watcher points system because I had the info. in the house and it was easy to compute. It also required me to write down everything that went in my mouth, so the aco****ability and honesty had to be there. This is a biggie for OA.

Gradually I got the 12 step work book, read the 12 & 12 and slowly began the process of working the steps. It is much better when you have a sponsor. The ability to comprehend the meaning behind each question and how truthfully you answer these questions, aids in your recovery from the disease.

I use email to maintain contact with my sponsor, and we meet face-to-face once a week, when our schedules allow.

I'm now abstinent for 6 weeks and have lost over 15 lbs. My sponsor made me promise not to weigh myself until Thanksgiving, it is a test but the reward will be going to the scale on Thanksgiving day. What a great way to stay sane/abstinent on this food deadly holiday. That is the great stuff a sponsor can do for you.

We are having an OA convention in Las Vegas this spring. I can't wait to go. This whole OA experience, including the online chat recovery sessions, is so enlightening.

I am excited every day about OA.

Welcome to the program... welcome home.