Hello my name is Zayna and I am a recovering compulsive overeater and food addict.

This morning I was listening to a podcast on the forward to the 1st Edition of the Big Book. The podcaster was focusing on the purpose of the Big Book and the importance of following directions. Ah, directions, it’s something I continue to wrestle with, given my ego and belief around my status as special snowflake in recovery.

In the Big Book we are asked to pay particular attention to italics, so when Bill wrote “precisely how we recovered” I need to take him at his word. Precisely. I need to follow the simple set of directions, as outlined in the book, precisely. And yet, I want to show up in working my steps as
a negotiator. Precisely, really? Is there no room for creativity?

This idea of precisely had me thinking about a conversation I overhead between two of my favourite nieces. One is a cook and the other a baker. Actually, they are so much more than bakers and cooks and I have the privilege of watching them grow in their relationship with each
other. Notice I am digressing from my point about precision. Back to their overheard conversation, the cook said something like “I dislike baking, it’s so rigid” and the baker responded with “Sister it’s a science, it has to be exact, it’s based on chemical reactions, you can’t substitute ingredients like you do in cooking”

And there it is, I want to substitute, be creative, I want to cook up my own program. The
directions are simple, if I want what the first 100 had, I must do what they did. So, the simple
instructions I need to follow when it comes to my recovery are; be a baker, do not be a cook.
Because, if I follow the recipe as outlined in the big book, I am guaranteed recovery.

Hi everyone, my name is Phil and I'm a compulsive overeater and food addict. 
 
In my last (and first) blog post, I shared a link to the OA bookstore. I wanted to share this as it has some amazing resources you can order online from the U.S., even if you're in Canada. 
 
Last year, I invested some money in ordering a bunch of stuff from the bookstore. I ordered a lot to save on shipping, and in total, it came to about $100 CND, which included import fees. 
 
It sounds like a lot, but I ordered almost all of the pamphlets, and the For Today workbook, twelfth-step-within handbook, twelve step workshop and study guide, and public information service manual. 
 
The For Today workbook is really great. You can buy the physical book or an electronic version in PDF format. It asks questions every day and you write your answers in the workbook. The question for January 1 was "Instead of resolutions and vows, what actions will help ensure my abstinence today?" My answers were:

• Weekly food preparation and daily food plan
• Incorporate more vegetables into my meals
• No sugar, flower, potato chips, or fries
• Daily prayers and meditation (morning and night)
• Continue to work the steps
• Daily reading (For Today and Daily Reflections)
• Practice daily gratitude 

 
The question for January 2 was "What old, misguided notions am I willing to ask God to remove today?" This is what I wrote:

• I can do this by will power alone
• I can crash diet to lose the weight
• I can eat foods that are on my abstinent list
• I can do this on my own
• Exercise is the key to my weight loss 
• Healthy food is boring
• I'm not good enough
• I'll fail because it's too hard
• Being skinny will resolve all my problems

 
I know that these things are not true, so I ask myself, why do I continue to believe them? Well, probably because I've spent decades telling myself that these things are true. Now, I trust in a power greater than myself, and today I pray to my God to remove these misguided notions. 
 
If you have any great OA approved literature that you'd like to share, please let me and others know by emailing [email protected]. You can also use this email to submit your own blog posts, or any news, updates or announcements for inclusion in the monthly OA Sea to Sky newsletter. 

Hi everyone my name is Phil and I'm a compulsive overeater eater and food addict. I've been a member of Overeaters Anonymous since early 2020. Since then, I've completed the twelve steps a few times, and I have experienced a new life. I'm far from perfect but I'm practicing the steps every day now. 
 
I'm starting this blog as a way to put more effort into my twelfth step:
 
"Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive overeaters and to practice these principles in all our affairs." - Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., p. 60
 
This blog is just one of the ways I'm trying to carry the message of recovery to those who still stuffer. I also serve as an intergroup representative (my role is administrator of the OA Sea to Sky website). This year, I'm also starting a monthly newsletter to share these blogs, along with any announcements, updates, and useful resources from across the region and beyond.
 
I'm not someone who considers myself an expert in Overeaters Anonymous. But I do want to help by sharing my own experiences, along with the experiences of others. I don’t consider this my blog. Just like the OA Sea to Sky website isn't my website. It's the blog and website of all members of Overeaters Anonymous in the Sea to Sky Intergroup Region #09217. You’re all welcome to contribute!
 
I encourage anyone who wishes to share their messages of strength, hope and recovery to consider writing a blog post. It doesn’t have to be long or perfect (I’ll apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes I make). Also, if you have any updates or announcements for the group, let me know by emailing [email protected], and I'll include them in the next newsletter. 
 
My goal is to do at least one of these blog posts a month. But if we have more people submit, one a week will make for a more interesting newsletter! So, please feel free to reach out. I'll ensure that you remain anonymous (I'm also happy to mention your name if you wish). 
 
I'd also like to share another blog from the Overeaters Anonymous Region 1 Second Vice Chair, Laurie A. Her blog can be found on the Overeaters Anonymous Region One website. 
 
One other thing I'd like to share is a link to the Overeaters Anonymous website and OA bookstore. There's a load of resources on these sites that I've been finding really useful. And of course, if you haven’t seen it already, we have a list of local OA meetings that you can go to on the OA Sea to Sky website.