OverEaters Anonymous?

[Anonymous]

I am thinking about trying a meeting. Has anyone else been? If you have, what was your impression? Success? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who had great success with Food Addicts Anon.... there is a difference between being addicted to food vs overeating.... he wasn't an over eater but was obsessed with food....


anyway -- if you were looking into programs, thought I would throw that out there in case you had not already considered.

[Anonymous]

OP here. NO, I have not heard of that one! Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I went to one meeting and didn't go back.

The advocate a diet that elminates all sugar including white bread, etc . I knew as a long term approach that I would not be able to do that. Its like one of their 12 steps I believe.

I met people who had been going for a year or 2 and they were all still very obese and reported that they had not lost very much weight Based on that, I just didn't see it as a very worthwhile. Also, the majority of the people attending the meeting were in their 50's and 60's and I was only in my late 20's and I felt really out of place.

[Anonymous]

PP, thank you so much for that useful information. I have to be honest, there is no way I can eliminate white bread. I am in my early 30's and would feel really out of place as well!

I was hoping for another support system other than WW. But looks as if I will stick to that! Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

Have you tried Spark People? It's online support I think. I think it has a pretty good track record.

Good luck OP. What you are going through is very common. I don't know much about Overeater's Anon. but I am wary of any diet that eliminates anything. All in moderation. I know some people who have a true addiction can't drink alcohol, but I don't think that's practical with food. It is EVERYWHERE so it's best to learn how to moderate it. I know it's hard but congratulations on looking into different resources!

[Anonymous]

I don't know much about OA (I'm a WW success story myself), but I do have an ex SIL who lost probably close to 90 pounds with OA and has kept it off for something like 15 years. The things I remember about it are this. She would develop an eating plan with her sponsor and she had to measure her food. If she wanted to deviate from the plan, she would call her sponsor to get permission. And, by deviate, I mean even if she wanted an extra quarter cup of string beans. She did not exercise at all and still doesn't if my nephews are a reliable source of such information - I don't know if the program doesn't require it or encourage it or if she just didn't do it. But, as religiously as she followed the program, I imagine that if the program required exercise, she would have done it. To this day, she still goes to meetings. It's not for me, but it obviously worked for her.

[Anonymous]

Maybe start with a food diary? Writing down everything you eat in a day can help to hold yourself accountable for what you are eating. I could totally house a whole container of ice cream, eat most of a pizza, out eat man vs. food; but right now I am holding myself accountable for what I eat and keeping track. I have lost almost 30 pounds in 4 months, it is hard but it needed to happen. I am about 13 pounds away from my goal. Once you hit that 10 pound weight loss mark I think that gives you a lot more motivation. Good luck, hope you find something that works fo you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, thank you so much for that useful information. I have to be honest, there is no way I can eliminate white bread. I am in my early 30's and would feel really out of place as well!

I was hoping for another support system other than WW. But looks as if I will stick to that! Thanks again!

You could try TOPS - Take Off Pounds Sensibly - they don't adovocate any particular diet plan but just encourage you to lose weight. They have meetings once a week much like WW

[Anonymous]

I was going to suggest TOPS as an alternative as well.

I've never gone to a meeting yet, but probably will soon if i don't get this weight gain under control on my own.

[Anonymous]

Maybe you could check out GWU Hospital's weight management program. It includes not only the diet component, but a lot of classes, therapy, etc. for the support component. They bill as much as they can to your insurance, too. http://gwobesity.com/

[Anonymous]

Thank you all for the kind words of encouragement. Weight has always been an issue. I was very large , had gastric bypass years ago, and now my weight is creeping up due to emotional issues(depression, loss of a very close family member).

I need to take control before I completely lose all control yet again! Thank you all again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to one meeting and didn't go back.

The advocate a diet that elminates all sugar including white bread, etc . I knew as a long term approach that I would not be able to do that. Its like one of their 12 steps I believe.

I met people who had been going for a year or 2 and they were all still very obese and reported that they had not lost very much weight Based on that, I just didn't see it as a very worthwhile. Also, the majority of the people attending the meeting were in their 50's and 60's and I was only in my late 20's and I felt really out of place.

Each meeting is different. I attend a meeting in DC at St. Margaret and they don't endorse any food plan. They just want you to abstain from overeating. I know I can't not eat any bread or sugar either. You just need to attend a few meetings and see for yourself. Just the act of talking with other people who have these issues with food is helpful for me. also, some people at other meetings have decided to give up sugar and bread or other things that trigger their overeating. I still eat most things but try to stay away from items like oreos or famous amos cookies. Those are things I can't eat in moderation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to one meeting and didn't go back.

The advocate a diet that elminates all sugar including white bread, etc . I knew as a long term approach that I would not be able to do that. Its like one of their 12 steps I believe.

I met people who had been going for a year or 2 and they were all still very obese and reported that they had not lost very much weight Based on that, I just didn't see it as a very worthwhile. Also, the majority of the people attending the meeting were in their 50's and 60's and I was only in my late 20's and I felt really out of place.

Each meeting is different. I attend a meeting in DC at St. Margaret and they don't endorse any food plan. They just want you to abstain from overeating. I know I can't not eat any bread or sugar either. You just need to attend a few meetings and see for yourself. Just the act of talking with other people who have these issues with food is helpful for me. also, some people at other meetings have decided to give up sugar and bread or other things that trigger their overeating. I still eat most things but try to stay away from items like oreos or famous amos cookies. Those are things I can't eat in moderation.

OP, I agree with this PP. Try a couple of different meetings before rejecting OA. I haven't been to OA but I have a lot of experience in AA and Al-Anon. Different meetings can have very different personalities depending on the location and the time of day.

[Anonymous]

Overeater's Anonymous does not advocate any eating plans, including eliminating sugar and white bread. However, hey do ask people to seriously look at the foods they are eating compulsively, which is different for everyone. My husband and I are in the program and we each have different foods that give us problems. Sugar is my main one and fat is his. He can drink Coke, while Coke is the most deadly thing I could put in my body because it sets of a craving that is insatiable. There are a list of questions on the OA website that can help people determine if they are a compulsive overeater.