Over-eaters Anonymous

Trista87Marie
Trista87Marie Posts: 180 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I went to a health fair at a local college for work. There was another vendor who was there from Over-eaters Anonymous! I have never heard of this and it sounds almost comical. Anyone else ever heard of or take part in OA?
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Replies

  • AmIhealthyyet
    AmIhealthyyet Posts: 361 Member
    I don't take part init, works the same way as AA though. It has helped many though with binging and over eating issues!
  • Lecterman
    Lecterman Posts: 97 Member
    I am a lifelong overeater. It's not comical. Food addiction is tougher than most addictions as you can live without booze, drugs, gambling, etc. But not without food.

    Moderation can be hard. I have to track my food daily forever to keep from relapsing.

    However, I do not participate in overeaters anonymous as I disagree with certain aspects of 12 step programs.
  • Kebby83
    Kebby83 Posts: 232 Member
    It's not really funny. I don't like 12 step programs but I don't think it's comical that someone finds it so hard not to over eat that they need to get help for it. Why do you?
  • Reza151
    Reza151 Posts: 517 Member
    My dad is a member and has lost 50-60 pounds with the help of OA and his sponsor! I went but I just didn't "get it". The whole "higher power" concept to me sounds like avoiding responsibility and using it as a scapegoat, especially since one of the traditions of OA is to admit that you "are powerless over the food addiction".

    I don't believe ANYONE is truly powerless, that with the right mindset, you can overcome anything. To say that you are powerless to me is like giving yourself permission to compulsively eat (when not hungry) and binge BECAUSE you are powerless.


    Also OA practices abstinence from trigger foods, which i think sets you up for failure. As I've learned from several books on the dieting mindset and Intuitive Eating, to completely refrain from trigger foods, "junk", and sweets makes you want them even more and you end up giving food such an intense focus that once you start restricting and depriving yourself, you find yourself constantly thinkning about your next meal (even when not hungry), what you will eat, how guilty you feel from the previous one, etc... and that's generally been my experience as well.
  • Trista87Marie
    Trista87Marie Posts: 180 Member
    I think you misunderstood. I don't think that having a problem with overeating is comical. Trust me, I didn't get to 338 lbs on accident. Just the idea of a 12 step program for it seems comical. If it works for people then that is great!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I don't take part init, works the same way as AA though. It has helped many though with binging and over eating issues!

    This ^^ It is a useful tool for many who have an addiction to food.
  • shellma00
    shellma00 Posts: 1,684 Member
    I have only seen it on the TV show Mike and Molly. I had never heard of it before I watched that show. I am pretty sure there are no local meetings anywhere near where I live.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Also OA practices abstinence from trigger foods, which i think sets you up for failure.

    Had you said "me" instead of "you", this might be a correct statement.
  • brookrd1
    brookrd1 Posts: 34 Member
    Whatever motivates us to do the right thing is a good thing :smile:
  • kaa02c
    kaa02c Posts: 103 Member
    I went once with the hubby! Maybe it was just the session I attended, but those people were weird! I still have my coin though, lol!
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  • sprintto50
    sprintto50 Posts: 410 Member
    O/A is everywhere, even in my small town. And it's not just for overeaters but offers help to anyone with an eating disorder. And admitting powerlessness just says that you need help and support and can't do it yourself. Nothing wrong with that. I am not a member of O/A, but am very familiar with 12 step programs An eating disorder is serious and can kill.
  • Reza151
    Reza151 Posts: 517 Member
    Also OA practices abstinence from trigger foods, which i think sets you up for failure.

    Had you said "me" instead of "you", this might be a correct statement.

    You're right, I shouldn't be generalizing. BUt in many studies, deprivation has been shown to increase wanting of the item deprived
  • CaddieMay
    CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
    Also OA practices abstinence from trigger foods, which i think sets you up for failure.

    Had you said "me" instead of "you", this might be a correct statement.

    You're right, I shouldn't be generalizing. BUt in many studies, deprivation has been shown to increase wanting of the item deprived

    It's not about deprivation. I have a friend who goes to OA. She is a great success because she follows the steps, consults with her sponsor, has a sensible food plan, and talks with a group of like-minded people who support her. And you should see her body! She is in amazing shape because - after many years in the program - she embraces health and fitness.
  • jagh09
    jagh09 Posts: 555 Member
    Food addiction functions just like any other addiction, so why would a 12-step program seem funny? It's a well-respected program and supports millions of people around the world. It's certainly not for everyone, but it's a good method for food addictions.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    I went to one meeting years ago but didn't find it the least bit helpful.
  • lorib75
    lorib75 Posts: 490 Member
    I think ( my opinion obviously) that food addiction is real. Like another poster shared, it is the only addiction that you can have where you still have to have that which you are addicted to. :flowerforyou:
  • verjavec
    verjavec Posts: 30 Member
    I've read that certain foods can create an opiate response in the brain for some people. Creating both a physical and mental addiction similar to any other drug. I looked into going a few years ago when I was really struggling with my eating habits and certain foods, but with small children, there weren't any convenient times. Now, I have a much better grasp on it so I no longer feel the need to go. I have a friend in MN that goes regularly and it has really helped her.
  • MsDover
    MsDover Posts: 395 Member
    I've been a food addict for as long as I can remember. OA has been around for a very long time, though I have never attended, not because it doesn't work for those who avail themselves of the program, but because I don't like 12-step programs in general. If you have that mindset and it DOES work, more power to you. I've tried to explain food addiction to friends and family as being like a drug addiction, with the added twist of having to have some of the offending agent every day because it's necessary to sustain life. That makes it far tougher, in my opinion. I've known people who have kicked drugs and/or alcohol and/or cigarettes. You can live very nicely with all of those things completely out of your life. You can't live without food. It's like wanting to quit heroin but still having to have just a little bit of it every day, but no more than that little bit. I can absolutely see what a support group like OA would be extremely helpful for some. I can't get my mind around thinking the idea of such a group is comical. Maybe that isn't the word you should be using.
  • Yellerie
    Yellerie Posts: 221 Member
    A friend of mine when once & they were kind of drastic in their aproach they wanted all "whites" cut out completely sugar, white bread, white rice, etc. I couldn't have done that. I don't eat a ton of that stuff but giving anything up completely doesn't work for me . Because as soon as I "can't" have it I want it even if it is something I normally don't eat. It is very religious based too that doesn't bother me but I know alot of people dont like that. But it is whatever works for you go to a meeting & see what you think if you don't like it you don't have to go back but at least you will know.
  • 366to266
    366to266 Posts: 473 Member
    Also OA practices abstinence from trigger foods, which i think sets you up for failure. As I've learned from several books on the dieting mindset and Intuitive Eating, to completely refrain from trigger foods, "junk", and sweets makes you want them even more

    ABSOLUTELY NOT MY EXPERIENCE!

    Nope, my experience was the complete OPPOSITE of this.

    I tried for YEARS and YEARS to have "just a little bit" of the things that I craved and all it did was keep the craving alive. It was like I was teasing myself with the little portions of the things I loved, trying to eat one cookie or one small this or that, or substitutes like sweeteners or Diet Coke.

    The cravings drove me nearly insane!

    Only when I decided to go Cold Turkey on everything I craved did I find complete freedom, control and relief.

    Far from craving these forbidden foods I now have no interest in them whatsoever.
  • Reza151
    Reza151 Posts: 517 Member
    the idea is thst by restricting them, they become special, like a forbidden fruit. By allowing them (in moderation, and only when hungry), they no longer have that power; rather they become equal in value to an apple, or oatmeal. different strokes for different folks.
    Also OA practices abstinence from trigger foods, which i think sets you up for failure. As I've learned from several books on the dieting mindset and Intuitive Eating, to completely refrain from trigger foods, "junk", and sweets makes you want them even more

    ABSOLUTELY NOT MY EXPERIENCE!

    Nope, my experience was the complete OPPOSITE of this.

    I tried for YEARS and YEARS to have "just a little bit" of the things that I craved and all it did was keep the craving alive. It was like I was teasing myself with the little portions of the things I loved, trying to eat one cookie or one small this or that, or substitutes like sweeteners or Diet Coke.

    The cravings drove me nearly insane!

    Only when I decided to go Cold Turkey on everything I craved did I find complete freedom, control and relief.

    Far from craving these forbidden foods I now have no interest in them whatsoever.
  • AlohaKeAkua
    AlohaKeAkua Posts: 92
    I think some people missed the clarification. She doesn't think OA is comical at all. She already explained that.
    I agree w all of you though, food addiction is just like every other addiction on the planet. It sure is tough to handle wo at least the support of friends and family (if you don't go with OA) I personally depend on friends that are going down the same path as I am and conquering our addictions together.
    Don't be so hard on the poster. She didn't mean it that way and I bet she is saying, "why did I choose those words?"... Been there, done that too :tongue:
  • 366to266
    366to266 Posts: 473 Member
    the idea is thst by restricting them, they become special, like a forbidden fruit. By allowing them (in moderation, and only when hungry), they no longer have that power; rather they become equal in value to an apple, or oatmeal. different strokes for different folks.

    Well that may well be the theory, but it did not work for me.

    My feeling is the opposite of what you have written. They don't become special, they become pointless. Once you find out you can live without them, you are free... at last!

    To me the idea of having a little is as stupid as telling someone that to give up smoking it's better that they allow themselves to have one now and again. Or tell an alcoholic that instead of giving up completely he can have just one glass of whiskey a week, or a heroin addict to shoot up just once a week. Or if you are trying to give up a toxic relationship, to see that person once a week instead of every day! Madness. It just prolongs the agony AND it makes you more susceptible to a binge.
  • CaddieMay
    CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
    A friend of mine when once & they were kind of drastic in their aproach they wanted all "whites" cut out completely sugar, white bread, white rice, etc. I couldn't have done that. I don't eat a ton of that stuff but giving anything up completely doesn't work for me . Because as soon as I "can't" have it I want it even if it is something I normally don't eat. It is very religious based too that doesn't bother me but I know alot of people dont like that. But it is whatever works for you go to a meeting & see what you think if you don't like it you don't have to go back but at least you will know.

    Not "religious based." It is spiritually based. There is a difference.
  • Craigamears
    Craigamears Posts: 65 Member
    I attended OA about 20 years ago and lost weight. Everybody on this forum uses the power that comes from sharing a common experience to help in their Fitness goals. If it was just an intellectual exercise then what could be simpler. Eat less and be more active. A little pamphlet of calories in common foods and a pair of sneakers and you would be set.

    Most of us have found it to be a little more complex then that. Food is a major force in our society. It bombards us every 10 minutes or so on TV. It is in all of our newspapers and magazines. Garish neon signs proclaim its presence on our street corners. Even our clubs and churches have social hours that feature food as the point of the gathering.

    How many folks on here recognize their addictions. How many 100 pound wonders who can't eat 1000 calories a day. How about us 300 plus folks who look down on the poor troubled anorexics but don't look at our own behaviors.

    I am just sayin'!
  • FluffyDogsRule
    FluffyDogsRule Posts: 366 Member
    To me the idea of having a little is as stupid as telling someone that to give up smoking it's better that they allow themselves to have one now and again. Or tell an alcoholic that instead of giving up completely he can have just one glass of whiskey a week, or a heroin addict to shoot up just once a week. Or if you are trying to give up a toxic relationship, to see that person once a week instead of every day! Madness. It just prolongs the agony AND it makes you more susceptible to a binge.

    I agree completely. While I understand that for some, having NO trigger foods might make them seem forbidden. But if they really trigger a binge...then, they should be forbidden. I'm much more successful NEVER eating even one goldfish cracker, b/c I know it will trigger a binge. Done. Just like if I was an alcoholic....I wouldn't just have "one" drink. No one would ever tell that to an alcoholic.
  • kimimila86
    kimimila86 Posts: 399 Member
    I am a lifelong overeater. It's not comical. Food addiction is tougher than most addictions as you can live without booze, drugs, gambling, etc. But not without food.

    Moderation can be hard. I have to track my food daily forever to keep from relapsing.

    However, I do not participate in overeaters anonymous as I disagree with certain aspects of 12 step programs.

    ^^^ This, 100%. I also have a compulsive overeating problem, and I don't necessarily agree with the 12 step program. I was a part of a group here on MFP but it was very inactive and I've never been to a meeting. Tracking food helps and not tempting myself is something else that helps. Willpower is not enough.

    I would love to have more friends who deal with compulsive overeating, so please add me!
  • Reza151
    Reza151 Posts: 517 Member
    To me the idea of having a little is as stupid as telling someone that to give up smoking it's better that they allow themselves to have one now and again. Or tell an alcoholic that instead of giving up completely he can have just one glass of whiskey a week, or a heroin addict to shoot up just once a week. Or if you are trying to give up a toxic relationship, to see that person once a week instead of every day! Madness. It just prolongs the agony AND it makes you more susceptible to a binge.

    I agree completely. While I understand that for some, having NO trigger foods might make them seem forbidden. But if they really trigger a binge...then, they should be forbidden. I'm much more successful NEVER eating even one goldfish cracker, b/c I know it will trigger a binge. Done. Just like if I was an alcoholic....I wouldn't just have "one" drink. No one would ever tell that to an alcoholic.

    It's not just having one and stopping there. Here's an example the author gave in her book: SHe let herself eat WHATEVER she wanted in whatever quantity. So she ate cookie dough and cookies every night for dinner for a week. The next week, she no longer wanted cookies. She felt sick remembering how the sugar had drained her of energy and the sugar crashes and headaches. It's about anchoring your body's reactions to certain foods and remembering them the next time you want to eat it. Because she ate so much cookie dough, it lost it's specialness.

    I ate two slices of cheesecake at our housewarming party on sunday night. It was my first time allowing myself cheesecake in at least 7 or 8 months. We still have cheesecake left over, but I find that I don't want any because in my mind, i'm giving it equal power as a healthy food.
  • rlinz123
    rlinz123 Posts: 30
    There is an OA group on MFP, just so you know (in case you are interested).

    I went to one OA meeting to get more information. It didn't feel like the right thing to me at the time. But I would absolutely pursue it if I felt like I needed support. Support groups can be really helpful!

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