Overeaters Anonymous of San Francisco

Julie, member since 1981, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser. Julie's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: message to the newcomer • being a fat baby • 1st diet at age 5 • fast food • the Big Book of AA • diets/commercial weight-loss • from 98 to 200 pounds in less than 3 months • keep coming back • an inside job • relapse •...

Irene, member since 1972, identifies as a compulsive overeater and century person. Irene's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting, includes the following themes: obese with back problems at 32 • 2 weeks without dieting turning into 2 years • never hungry/full all the time • hunger is a privilege • finding OA • dropping the debating society • going to any lengths for the first time • wantin...

Margaret, member since 1998, identifies as a compulsive overeater. Margaret's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: childhood • love & unpredictable violence at home • nighttime fear eating • punished for eating too much • alcoholism • AA/sobriety • finding 12 Step help for food issues • finding OA • therapy • "re-entry anxiety" • sugar- and wheat-free •...

Jeri, member since 2011, identifies as a compulsive overeater. Jeri's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: always into the food • lonely kid • family/mother • restricting & over-exercising • food: a life of its own • food while raising children • 1st OA meeting • 1st outreach call received • 1st sponsor • 1st plan of eating • self-hating/shame/demoraliz...

Ilana, member since 2008, identifies as a compulsive overeater and Century person. Ilana's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: commercial weight-loss • controlling food & body • coping with life without food • discovering 12 Step programs • gas stations • hiding food & garbage • 1st OA meeting • the Big Book of AA • learning to follow direction • diets ver...

Katie H. (Century Meeting, Apr 2018)

Forest, member since 2014, identifies as a compulsive eater. Forest's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: childhood • religious household • control • needing to know why • being gay • health consequences of overeating • self-hatred • compulsive exercising • bulimia • feeling dead inside • accepting sugar addiction • trying OA • 1st abstinence • perfectioni...

Andrea, member since 1984, identifies as a compulsive overeater and century person. Andrea's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: still a compulsive overeater • being a 300-lber • finding OA • food liar/scammer • sometimes quickly, sometimes sloooooowly... (god's timetable) • Tradition 3 • 12th Step Within Committee (relapse/recovery) • the 11th Step Prayer...

Jacqui, member since 2010, identifies as a compulsive overeater, sugar addict, and relapser. Jacqui's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: perfection • childhood • control • learning sneaky eating • not allowed to feel feelings (stunted emotionally) • discovering alcohol • college • trading alcohol for sugar • balancing dieting/bingeing/drinking/over-exerci...

Sean, member since 2008, identifies as a compulsive overeater, sugar addict, century person, and relapser. Sean's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: letting go of the scale • relapse • being dually diagnosed • self-judgment • 1st time eating in isolation (sneaky eating) • commercial weight-loss • judging bodies • the binge/depression cycle • unhealthy wei...

Gail W. (Century Meeting, Mar 2018)

Peggy, member since 2007, identifies as a compulsive overeater, a relapser, and an exercise bulimic. Peggy's share from the 2018 Unity Day event includes the following themes: being a diverse OA member • OA not curing food problem • understanding that this is a disease • trying to control food • unmanageability • exercising to mitigate compulsive overeating • restricting • Higher Power leading to...

Toby, member since 1983, identifies as a compulsive overeater and century person. Toby's share from the 2018 Unity Day event includes the following themes: enormous shift in personality & behavior • diets • finding OA • attending first 2 OA meetings • hearing the concept of powerlessness & Step 1 • discovering the problem • 1st sponsor • OA service is critical • newly abstinent & feelings coming u...

Trish, member since 2002, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser. Trish's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: keeping pain at bay • losing 100 lbs 3 times • people-pleasing • relapse • leaving and returning to OA • "the slow boat to recovery" • putting down sugar • can't do this program alone • being a part of the group • findin...

Nora, member since 2003, identifies as a compulsive overeater and century person. Nora's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: arthritic knees • physical pain • growing up in a food culture (Italian family) • eating all day & alone • sugar addiction • drug use • body image issues • dieting/commercial weight-loss • difficulty keeping off weight • not weighing...

Ron, member since 1988/1989, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser. Ron's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: growing up with alcoholics • childhood: where food addiction began • growing up with a weight-obsessed father • eating to survive • multiple addictions • feeding myself physically & emotionally • shame from father • emo...

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: being over 450 lbs • morbid obesity • multiple addictions • relapse • feeling awkward • self-hatred • family addiction • dating • food being the solution • cutting out certain foods • taking suggestions • 1st OA meeting • th...

Cory, member since 1992, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, bulimic, and relapser. Cory's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: H.O.W. • failing at weight loss • bulimia • diets • commercial weight loss programs • 1st OA meeting • 1st OA sponsor • meeting attendance • creating a Higher Power • losing & regaining 100 lbs • relapse • acting...

Patricia, returning member since 2015, identifies as a compulsive overeater, century person, and relapser. Patricia's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: coming out of relapse • sponsors • god • food • exercise • clothing • meeting attendance • find someone who has what you want • listening to others • experiencing OA • weighing & measuring • eating out •...

Jeremiah, member since 2010, identifies as a compulsive overeater and century person. Jeremiah's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: the "Twelve Stepping a Problem" wallet card • avoidance • trust • fast food • vulnerability • consequences of overeating • numbing feelings • attending 1st meeting • sponsorship • abstinence • service • gratitude • fear A cen...

Alison, member since 1983, identifies as an ABC, a compulsive overeater, and a relapser. Alison's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: bulimia • compulsive overeating • stealing food • competing with siblings • multiple addictions • dieting • written inventories • higher power A century person is an individual who has lost or needs to lose 100 pounds or mor...

Rebecca, member since 1997, identifies as a food addict. Rebecca's share from the Tuesday evening Century Meeting includes the following themes: being of service • Higher Power • dieting • family • safety • secrets • marriage/divorce • guilt • relapse • spiritual awakening • HOW A century person is an individual who has lost or needs to lose 100 pounds or more. Note: Speaker does not identify as a...

Sima, member since 1978, identifies as a compulsive overeater, bulimic, and relapser. Sima's share from the 2017 12/12 Day event, includes the following themes: 12th Step Within • relapse • shame • fear • abstinence • bulimia • gifts of the program • love • honesty For more info on Twelfth Step Within, please check out: https://oa.org/groupsservice-bodies/resources/twelfth-step-within/

Chris, member since 2014, identifies as a bulimic, compulsive overeater, compulsive exerciser, and restricter. Chris' share from the 2017 ABC Half-Day includes the following themes: program principles • humility • growing up • family violence • need to be thin & pretty • "get good grades, make a lot of money, & look good" • abusing diets • bulimia • finding OA • 1st OA meeting • taking program mor...

Jeremiah, member since 2010, identifies as a compulsive overeater and century person. Jeremiah's share from the Monday evening LGBT meeting includes the following themes: OA podcasts • childhood • trauma • food obsession • service • vulnerability • abstinence