I am new to this forum and *this* close to making a commitment to OA. The one thing that scares me is having an "abstinence plan." Once you tell me that something is off-limits, that's all I can think about . . . it's my impression that OAers usually declare certain types of food off-limits. (For instance, I've met many folks who have completely eliminated white flour and sugar from their diet.) I'm just wondering what other types of plans are out there.

Thank you!

Glib

I'm NOT in Overeaters' Anonymous - and I think that, for me, making that kind of commitment would be a self-destructive thing. Because I get really perverse about things if I think I'm NOT supposed to do them.

It's great if that works for some people, though - I'm not dissing it. But for me, I don't think that approach would be successful.

That said, I'm Low Carbing (basically doing Atkins) and I'm choosing to avoid sugar, flour and starchy vegetables. But I've not set myself some kind of 'You May Never Have These Things Again' commandment; it's more that I thought I'd see whether it HELPED to cut them out, and I can so definitely see that it helps me to control my weight AND, astonishingly, since I'm not eating them I'm also not CRAVING them. Which makes things easy - I don't feel that I'm denying myself things. I'm choosing to eat other things instead, because they make me feel better, and they help me lose weight.

I think it's pretty important to find an eating plan that you can enjoy, and feel satiated by. Because I don't know about you, but I want this to be IT. I've had enough of being fat. Being fat is just miserable as **** in a whole array of different ways. I would rather be healthy and attractive and flexible and strong and hot than have that cookie or that piece of cake; I CAN have the cookie or the piece of cake, if I decide that they are more important to me than losing weight. But so far, they really aren't.

Um.

Hope that you don't mind me replying? Since I'm not on the OA plan? Just followed the link from the main board, because the word choice caught my eye. It's a very different paradigm of weight control from the one I'm following, and I was intrigued. But I wish all of us success, using whatever method works best for each of us!

No problem at all - I appreciate your feedback. Any OAers out there care to respond? *big smile*

Hello Glib Gurl,
Abstinece in OA is so much more than taking certain foods away. The only requirement to be in OA is a desire to stop eating compulsively. Once you make that choice you attend f2f or online meetings and begin working the program including the 12 Steps. Abstinence is refraining for eating or overeating in a complusive way. There are some foods that cause me to Binge and overeat and I choose to not have them in my life.
Try not to make a decision to not join OA based on taking certain foods out of your life. Instead make your decision by posting here, going to a meeting, getting a sponsor and reading OA literature.
Good luck to you.
Bumps

Thank you, Bumps. (((Hugs)))

Yes, starting an abstinence food plan was scary for me too. But you know what? I lost my cravings for junk food and lost 125 pounds. Guess what else I lost? I am no longer depressed,sad and miserable all the time. I no longer have high blood pressure anymore. I can take a walk without getting short of breath. So yes abstinence from compulsive overeating is the most important thing in my life without exception and it's also very true what they say about abstinence. NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS ABSTINENCE FEELS!!!! I thank God that I no longer have to kill myself with excess food anymore.