Oliver identifies as a compulsive overeater, relapser, and century person.  Oliver's share from the Sunday morning Relapse & Recovery Meeting includes the following themes:  100-130-pound weight loss • solo junk food binger • OA offers an alternative • recent relapse • done 12 Steps Big Book style, have sponsees, have a sponser & still relapsed • "voodoo" program • what I was doing before wasn't enough • binge made me willing • turning my will over • 1 week since binge • fear of relapse • willingness & meetings • diets versus program

For more info on relapse & recovery and Twelfth Step Within, please check out: https://oa.org/groupsservice-bodies/resources/twelfth-step-within/

Overeaters Anonymous of San Francisco

Oliver (Relapse & Recovery Meeting)

Gail, member since 1999, identifies as a compulsive overeater, relapser, and century person.  Gail's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes:  relapse for 8-9 years • being in the food & in my mind • relapse:  letting a treasured gift slip through your fingers • current abstinence:  grateful the crazy train stopped • relapse & not knowing how to stop the insanity • relapse:  finding my way back to hell • being in the food is like winter • being 12 Stepped • having the willingness • top weight: 275 pounds/now 156 pounds • no longer have the hamster wheel • I have the Steps, a food plan, a community, & peace of mind • H.O.W. • AA Big Book stories • digging the grave with your fork • Higher Power

A century person is an individual who has lost or needs to lose 100 pounds or more. 

H.O.W. is short for Honesty, Open-mindedness, & Willingness.  For more information, check out https://how-oa.org/about/

For more info on relapse & recovery or Twelfth Step Within, please check out: https://oa.org/groupsservice-bodies/resources/twelfth-step-within/

Gail W. (Century Meeting)

Rachel, member since 1985, identifies as a compulsive overeater.  Rachel's share from the Monday evening LGBT Meeting includes the following themes:  letting go of timekeeping • newcomers • 15 years in OA before stringing together abstinence • low-bottom compulsive overeater • a fat bulimic & a century person in sheep's clothing • abstinence is in the Steps • god wasn't helping me (needed to do footwork) • god dialogue • masking feelings • feelings get better & they pass • calling in sick (calling in fat) • Big Book:  a set of instructions • Higher Power • I'll be okay • ask others how they do Steps

Rachel K. (LGBT Meeting)

Karen, member since 1985, identifies as a compulsive overeater and bulimic.  Karen's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes:  excited for Overeaters Anonymous • a die-hard, low-bottom compulsive overeater • no bulimia for almost 33 years • 2 parents with eating disorders • drug addiction & violence at home • abnormal eating & purging at 13 • associates among century people • 1st OA meeting • latching onto OA as a newcomer • 33 years in OA & still desperate • 1st sponsor • meeting attendance • keep working the Steps • Higher Power • personal connection to a god (as an agnostic) • I feel different when I pray • nowhere else to go • service commitments • going back to school & getting married • OA allowed me to have a super rich life • life is serene & exciting 

A century person is an individual who has lost or needs to lose 100 pounds or more. 

Speaker does not identify as a century person.

Karen S. (Century Meeting)

Dominick, member since 1998, identifies as a compulsive overeater and century person.  Dominick's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes:  21 years of abstinence • scale displaying 333 or "E" • consequences of overeating didn't matter • overweight kid • ashamed & self-conscious • aware of powerlessness at young age • dieting • food:  main addiction • so many things I wanted to do that I didn't • feeling different & not a part of • fantasy life (not connected to others) • others' reactions to weight loss versus weight gain • couldn't stop eating • "sent" to AA & NA • coming to OA • 1 year sober & not wanting to be a newcomer in OA • not having a problem with Step 2 • miracle of not eating between meals • losing weight • terrified of dating & of women • finance & romance • doing what was necessary • the terrified kid • married for 10 years • awareness of the impact of being overweight for so long

A century person is an individual who has lost or needs to lose 100 pounds or more.

Dominick R. (Century Meeting)

Scott, member since 2001, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser.  Scott's share from the Thursday evening Speaker, Literature, Writing, Step, Tradition Study Meeting includes the following themes:  viewing life through the lens of Steps 1, 2 & 3 • Step 1: the problem; Step 2: the solution; Step 3: doing the solution • misusing food at age 4 • developing unhealthy fear of god • learning perfectionism • making money as a teen • hardcore junk food & soda person • consequences of compulsively overeating manmade junk food • health going downhill • accidentally finding OA • 1st OA meeting: most important day of my life • 1st sponsor • learning trust, courage, & responsibility in OA • wonderful life • 9th Step Promises • completing Master's degree • new "big boy" job • having clarity • 7th Tradition (being self-supporting) • loving OA San Francisco

A century person is an individual who has lost or needs to lose 100 pounds or more.

Scott T. (Speak/Lit/Writ/Step/Trad Study Meeting)

Scott, member since 2001, identifies as a compulsive overeater, relapser, and century person.  Scott's share from the Sunday morning Relapse & Recovery Meeting includes the following themes:  life keeps getting better • preparing for early death at 25 • 315 pounds as newcomer • 135-pound weight loss • 16-pound weight gain during last 24 months (+2/3 of a pound per month) • new sponsor • "home free" from compulsive overeating • 7 years in relapse after experimenting with food • 8 years of current abstinence • what is relapse? • what I was like part 1:  misery • pain of suicidal depression is indescribable • formidable 4th year • what happened? part 1:  finding & staying in OA • what I was like part 2:  relapse • not honest about being in relapse • no humility • relapse:  losing winning lottery ticket • what happened part 2: admitting to being in relapse • consequences of relapse • what I'm like now: wonderful • full-time employment • 5 months with new girlfriend • open to having children • moving out of San Francisco • thank you, OA San Francisco

Scott T. (Relapse & Recovery Meeting)

Sima, member since 1974, identifies as a recovering compulsive overeater, anorexic, and bulimic.  Sima's share from the Monday evening LGBT Meeting includes the following themes:  knowing who I am before I die • not liking "acting as if" (history of acting) • bingeing and purging 15-16 hours per day • miserable all the time • finding OA & attending 1st meeting • Grey Sheet • never been a normal person • not throwing up was scary • keep coming back (there's nowhere else to go) • sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly • terrified to be who I was • relapse • bulimia kills • dog dying • grieving & not using food or throwing up • god • having a broken heart & an open heart

Sima S. (LGBT Meeting)

Larry, member since 1999, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser.  Larry's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes:  the chubby kid • diet at age 10 • restaurant job at age 13 • alcoholic, food-oholic, and drugs • Vietnam War • over time, weight and drinking went up • life had gotten small • a working alcoholic • arrested after drug purchase • 1st AA meeting & sobriety • discovering OA & 1st food plan • people-pleaser • 1st time working Steps • 140 lbs weight loss in 2 years • perfection around 4th Step • 5th Step process:  a spiritual awakening • having a sponsor • 8th Step amends list including self • making financial amends • doing a 2nd 4th Step around nuclear family • forgiveness of parents & self • relapse • life is no longer small • recovery is a journey, not a destination • flexible food plan • fellowship keeps us going

A century person is an individual who has lost or needs to lose 100 pounds or more.

Larry S. (Century Meeting)

Members of OA in San Francisco share what it was like, what happened, and what life is like now.

OASF