Overeaters Anonymous of San Francisco

Dan, member since 2015, identifies as an addict, a compulsive overeater, and a century person. Dan's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: we all have to eat • spirituality • it's not about the weight; it's about the hate • growing up • finding ways to prove myself • identifying as an addict & compulsive overeater • sleep apnea, diabetes, anxiety, and depres...

Kelley identifies as a compulsive eater, bulimic, and restricter. Kelley's share from the Monday evening LGBT Meeting includes the following themes: co-dependent eater • humility • restrictive behavior • obsession & negotiations • escaping discomfort • most mental energy spent thinking about food • fear of scarcity • relationship to body • sex object • shame living in my body • exercise • trusting...

Ifafunke, member since 2005, identifies as a compulsive overeater and century person. Ifafunke’s share from the Monday evening Commitment to Abstinence & Literature Meeting includes the following themes: drug-addicted parents • program helps with anxiety • things may work out • sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly • 165-pound weight loss (top weight of 330) • not fitting in • isolated with fear & a...

Anonymous, member since 2001, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser. Anonymous' share from the Saturday morning Step, Speaker, Into Action Meeting includes the following themes: recent weight gain • closing bookend • what I was like: miserable • age 4 to 8: framework for fear, dishonesty, & reliance on manmade junk food • history of employment & rapid weight ga...

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 pu...

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 pers...

Anonymous, member since 2001, identifies as a compulsive overeater, relapser, and century person. Anonymous' 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 • "...

Anonymous, member since 2001, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser. Anonymous' 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 unheal...

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 thin...

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 a...

Frank, member since 1979, identifies as a recovered compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser. Frank's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: high weight of 460 pounds • relapse/recovery period: 18 years • learning in 7th grade that I was a compulsive overeater • multiple addictions • from Catholicism to Atheism • first 3 meetings • food plan • givin...

Rachel, member since 1985, identifies as a compulsive overeater. Rachel's share from the Monday evening LGBT Speaker & Literature 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...

Gail W. (Century Meeting, Aug 2018)

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 eno...

Joe, member since 2016, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser. Joe's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: maintaining 225-pound weight loss • if you're in the food, you can't get spiritual solution • 3 ways Big Book phrases "god" • believing weight loss was solution to my problems • fat baby, fat kindergartener, fat teenager • a...

Andrea, member since returning in 1975, identifies as a compulsive overeater. Andrea's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: in & out of OA • such a fantasy person (escape) • hopeless nature of the disease • some successful diets • becoming conscious of body • being an overweight teenager • people-pleasing • being a binger • resentments • addicted, allergic,...

Amy identifies as a compulsive overeater and bulimic. Amy's share from the Monday evening LGBT Meeting includes the following themes: family of compulsive overeaters • when weight first started affecting life • blaming weight & self for loss • discovering bulimia • secretly bulimic • bulimic for 20 years • adopting healthier lifestyle • bingeing • discovering OA • 2 years of abstinence • Steps lea...

Carter, member since 2002, identifies as a compulsive overeater and sugar addict. Carter's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: not a century person • family • eating out of garbage • vomiting • obsessed about appearance • not humiliated but humble • "I'm not special" • there are miracles yet to be had • a raging addict • cake over crack • marriage • findin...

Jeri, member since 2011, identifies as a compulsive overeater. Jeri's share from the Monday evening LGBT meeting includes the following themes: compulsive overeater for whole life • loneliness • salty-sweet-salty-sweet-the dog • food was my friend • popcorn & vodka • fullness & hunger: triggers • exercise bulimia • dieting • why come to OA? • not struck by abstinence • why keep coming back? • 1st...

Anonymous, member since 2001, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser. Anonymous share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: completing graduate school • new grown-up job • OA didn't give me my life back; it gave me a life period • addiction: sacrificing the future for immediate gratification • 140-150-lbs weight-loss • 18 medical &...

Bobby, member since 1986, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and recovering bulimic. Bobby's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting, includes the following themes: "the college years": 9 meetings/week as newcomer • coming to OA to die • anything white, I take to (sugar, rice, bread, cocaine) • 270-280 lbs/bulimia/drinking/doing drugs: a commitment to abuse • practicing t...

Michael, member since 2010, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser. Michael's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: yo-yo dieter • doing a food history • losing and gaining 100 pounds 5 times • control • surrender • Steps offering hope to the hopeless • letting go of preferences • god: something greater than myself, my dieting, &...

David, member since 1996, identifies as a compulsive overeater, food addict, and relapser. David's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: family of compulsive overeaters • alcoholism at home • diets • finding OA and leaving • returning to OA • sexual reawakening • coming out • working Steps with sponsor • 2 relapses • physical & emotional cravings • restricti...

Gini, member since 1978, identifies as a compulsive overeater, a bulimic, and an anorexic. Gini's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: incomprehensible demoralization • middle of the disease: lowest depth of misery • 1st OA meeting • maintaining current weight for over 30 years • eating out of garbage cans, stealing food, hiding food, & washing dish soa...

George B. (Century Meeting, May 2018)