The Sunshiner. From the Publication Chair. Step 1 Principle - Honesty. Upcoming Events September 14 Sponsorship Mini-thon

Transcription

1 August 2013 Volume 1 Overeaters Anonymous - Ottawa and District Intergroup The Sunshiner From the Publication Chair Hi, my name is Carla and I m a compulsive overeater and your Publications chair. When I took on this position, my hope was that we could resurrect The Sunshiner and we have! After 3 long years, we ve worked together to produce a new version of The Sunshiner and I hope that you are as happy with it as I am. Thank you to everyone who sent us submissions. You ve given The Sunshiner a fresh start...similar to the fresh start we get each day when we awake to a new 24 hours. 24 hours that provide a new opportunity to Let Go and Let God When it was suggested that we try to resurrect the Sunshiner, I worried that there would be nothing to fill the pages. I prayed that we would receive enough to fill one sheet of paper and then I let go and let God. As usual, amazing things happen when I put this slogan into practice. I hope you enjoy reading the wonderful submissions and that they inspire you to submit your own to our upcoming editions! Thank you once again to everyone who submitted this month and helped us to create a wonderful 1st edition. Step 1 Principle - Honesty Step 1 is about honesty. Honesty with those around us, but more importantly; honesty with ourselves. I never thought of myself as a dishonest person when I came into OA, but working the 12 steps has taught me that I d been lying to myself for such a long time that I struggled to tell the truth from the lies. As a teenager the lie was that I was so fat. I lied when I told myself I could do the diet of the week for the rest of my life, and I could go on and on. So now I start my day by asking my Higher Power for a moderate, abstinent day, but in order to receive it, I have to honestly decide and commit to a definition of abstinence that is black and white. This way I can honestly thank my Higher Power for achieving it at the end of the day. Thank you Higher Power for Honesty today with myself and my food. Upcoming Events September 14 Sponsorship Mini-thon 1p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Hintonburg Community Centre, Laroche Room 1064 Wellington, Ottawa,ON Suggested Contribution: $5.00 For the most up to date news and information for the Ottawa and District Intergroup visit our website: OA Principal for our next Sunshiner: Step 2 - Hope Send us your story of Hope for the Fall/Winter edition of The Sunshiner The Sunshiner Volume 1 - Deadline for submissions: for the Fall/Winter edition is November 1st,

2 It Works If You Work It Anniversaries Jan 15 th - Paul D. 18 years Jan 28th - Susan P. 6 years April 27 th - John M. 1 year March 20 - Rolande 7 years July 16 - Randie P 6 years July 21 - Carla V. 12 years August 16 - Kim T. 4 years, The Miracle of Step 12 Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive eaters and to practice these principles in all our affairs. I have had the privilege of working with a newcomer in recent weeks. The miracle came about in the following way: My own program was feeling challenged. Having lived in relapse in previous years and desperate never to return to that potentially fatal downward spiral, I knew that I needed to pray for something to keep my program fresh and alive. Sometimes in recovery when I don t know what to do, the best thing to do is to do the same things I always do: I wake up, I do my prayer and meditation, I read the 12 steps and the reading in For Today and at a later hour in the day I read Just for Today pamphlet. I don t always want to do these things but I do them anyway, they are nonnegotiable. When I do these things, my life, one day at a time, falls into place. So worried that my program was flat lining, I prayed and prayed for something to keep me from falling away as I had done before. I took my usual seat at my Saturday meeting (it was a lovely summer day and I had a list of summer outdoor things I would have rather done that day, but not attending meetings puts me on that fatal downward spiral. I did not want to go but I went anyway). Across from me was the miracle...a newcomer so desperate to get recovery that she was willing to do anything that was suggested. I already had a number of sponsees, but I offered to help this newcomer because some of my sponsees are not using me with any frequency. I had time to give, so I was inspired to talk to her and give her a call and invite her to call during the week. Her desperation and her willingness was so inspiring to me that I was renewed, refreshed, rejuvenated and reminded that recovery is rechargeable. Her willingness was infectious and I now feel myself willing to take the basic recovery actions that I am suggesting to this newcomer, the same actions that my sponsor suggests to me. This is the miracle of step 12 and the power of newcomers at our meetings. It is no accident that the first word in the Big Book chapter There is a Solution is the word WE. Together, WE are the solution. Kim T (Kingston) Clean date: The Sunshiner Volume 1 - Deadline for submissions: for the Fall/Winter edition is November 1st,

3 It s Never Too Late to Keep Coming Back July 2, 2013 Dear OA members, Just to give you a little bit of background, I attempted to join this movement three times: I attended a single meeting in my 20s, then I went half a dozen of times in my 30s and I ve almost got one full year of attendance in my 40s (since July 2012). You see, I had been playing a not-so-pleasant game of yoyo (periods of dieting followed with pigging outs). In my life, I must have lost 150 pounds (the same 25 pounds over 6 different times). This vicious cycle made me feel depressed. At the beginning of July 2013, I celebrated 10 months of abstinence J At first, like most members, it was difficult to define exactly what abstinence was. This is why I had to find my own definition: In my opinion, abstinence is having 3 healthy meals per day (plus a snack) and nothing in between. I don t, however, abstain from sugar and flour as these two substances do not cause any challenges for me right now. On the other hand, I have to limit caffeine to a minimum or else my anxiety levels would become unmanageable. Abstinence also means eliminating behaviours that I consider abnormal (for example, nibbling all day even on vegetables, weighing myself obsessively ) The bottom line is that I don t binge anymore (nor do I starve myself) so no more guilt. As result of abstaining, I don t think about food as much as I used to and I call this relief. Diet clubs are a thing of the past which represents such freedom! According to me, abstinence is maintaining a normal weight one day at a time. Here are 12 ways that help me maintain my abstinence: My loving and supportive fiancé and parents who understand what I am trying to achieve. Attending weekly meetings with friendly members who accept me as I am. Recognition motivates me (key holders offered by my beginner s group whenever I reach an important milestone). Giving back what I have been given via service (I was an Intergroup representative for 6 months and play other roles at weekly groups). I find attending conferences very inspiring. Praying every night is what I do before going to sleep. I am following a food plan that works for me (recording daily food intake and corresponding quantities), drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day to help curb my appetite and measuring food to ensure my portions are kept reasonable. Reading lots of OA literature (the book entitled Abstinence is my favourite). Learning to be more honest with myself. I like writing about my successes and struggles in a journal. I am presently completing step 7 on humility. I also enjoy walking on a daily basis. Note: Although I still tend to exercise compulsively, I know that one day, this too shall pass. I have finally found an organization that I am proud to be part of! Thanks OA!!! The Sunshiner Volume 1 - Deadline for submissions: for the Fall/Winter edition is November 1st,

4 Favourite OA Literature I m writing to share my experience with my favorite pamphlet, Before You Take That First Compulsive Bite. Hi. My name is Tish and I m a compulsive eater. In my early recovery, this pamphlet helped me tremendously in retraining my thinking around food. It suggests if you re confronted with the urge to eat consider these points before you take that first compulsive bite. I m going to talk about the points I used the most. 1. Cultivate continued acceptance of the fact that your choice is between unhappy eating binges and doing without just one small compulsive bite. This helped me to focus on just one thing - doing without that one small compulsive bite - not the idea of having to give up everything and forever. 2. Accept as natural that for a period of time (an it can be a long one) you may recurrently experience: a. The conscious nagging and craving for something to eat between meals. b. The sudden overwhelming impulse just to take one bite. c. The craving, not for food as such, but for the soothing glow and comfort just a bite or two once gave you. This told me what I could anticipate feeling and if I did it was natural. Whew. What a relief. 3. Remember, each time you face a situation without compulsively overeating will make it easier for the next time. I remember when I first started practicing this. It worked. 4. Develop and rehearse a daily plan of thinking & acting by which you will live that day without taking an impulsive bite, regardless of what my upset you or how hard the old urge for a little taste my hit you. I developed a routine where I said the first 3 steps, read AA literature and prayed & meditated every morning. (We didn t have the OA daily reader at that time). This became my daily plan of thinking. And throughout the day I repeated over and over in my head I m powerless over food. I m powerless over food. I m powerless over food especially when I was walking through a food court. 5. Don t allow yourself to either think or talk about any real or imagined pleasure you once got from certain foods. I have never engaged in these thoughts or conversations merely because of this suggestion. I had no idea at the time how helpful this would be to helping me recover from compulsive overeating. 6 Don t permit yourself to think a bite or two would make some bad situation better or, at least, easier to live with. Substitute the thought, One bite will make it worse one bite may eventually mean a binge. Again, this was another thought I kept rehearsing over and over in my head. I never stopped to think about taking that first compulsive bite until I came to OA. The suggestions in this pamphlet were key to me combating the constant food thoughts and the importance of not taking that first compulsive bite. May God Bless the members who wrote this pamphlet. Thank-you Tish The Sunshiner Volume 1 - Deadline for submissions: for the Fall/Winter edition is November 1st,

5 Trust When I first came to OA, I was desperate to find a way out of the misery I had been living in. Food and weight and self-loathing were all I knew. But I found hope in the fellowship. I got a sponsor, started working the Steps, and today I am abstinent from compulsive eating, thanks to my Higher Power. Once I put down the food, I started to discover more of who I was, and I realized I liked that person! Opportunities came my way that I would never have been able to take advantage of before, and that I never even dreamed of. I am so grateful for the life I have today. Slogans Do you have a slogan that keeps you focused and working our program? Write about it and share it with us in our next edition of The Sunshiner But lately it seems that new life brings me more and more in contact with feelings, and memories, and old conflicts that get played out in new and painful ways. Without food, I am finding that I simply don t know how to cope with the real world on my own. So I turn to the Steps, to my sponsor, and I share in meetings, and over and over I hear, Trust your Higher Power. This is not what I want to hear. I want to hear that there s a magic wand, or a pill, or if I read the Big Book six times standing on my head, I can make all my problems go away. Because I am willing to do it. But willing to trust my Higher Power? I realize that although I can now say I have a Higher Power, and I have come to pray and meditate, and am grateful for the many gifts He has given me, I still do not trust Him. What s more, I never have. There is no way that I can force my life to do things on my terms. Just as there is no way that I can force myself to trust my Higher Power. I trusted the fellowship, and my sponsor, and the Steps, and they led me to abstinence, and a life I never could have imagined for myself. I will trust them now, and pray for the willingness to trust. Because I know that sometimes my Higher Power speaks through others, and He knows that sometimes it s easier for me to listen that way. The Sunshiner Volume 1 - Deadline for submissions: for the Fall/Winter edition is November 1st,

6 Tools of the Program What are the tools you use to keep you focused on abstinence and your program? Tell us about them by sending your submissions to The Sunshiner Fall/Winter Breaking Free of Isolation As Canadians we often choose to be housebound rather than face the dark and cold of the fall and winter months. As Compulsive Overeaters, this type of isolation provides our disease plenty of opportunities to take over and run our lives. What does isolation look like for you and how are you using your OA program to break free of the deadly symptom of our disease - Isolation? Service Opportunities Public Information Committee Hi, my name is Tish and I m a compulsive eater. I am also the Public Information (PI) Chairperson for the Ottawa District Intergroup. Are you interested in service? Do you have time to make a phone call or two? We can help. The PI Committee are looking for members to increase OA s awareness by calling your local church, counsellor, hospital, university, community centres, etc. We even have a phone script and will coach you. For further information contact me at or tishieb2003@rogers.com Telephone Answering Committee - OA Service From Home Would you like to serve OA at the inter-group level, but do not have much time to offer, right now? Or, does distance hinder you? Why not join the Telephone Answering Committee? The committee is looking for people willing to give a few minutes of their time, once a week, or as little as two days a month, to answer phone inquiries on the OA phone line, and check s. All you need do is call into the OA answering service once, or perhaps twice in the day, to pick up messages, and then call people back. s are picked up from the OA e- mail account. The committee Chair will be available to answer questions and provide direction. This is a great opportunity to fulfill OA's primary purpose- to reach out to the still suffering compulsive overeater, and to help your fellow members. For more information contact or oaottawa@hotmail.com. Publications - Sunshiner Submissions Is someone in your group approaching an OA Anniversary? Did you hear something or share something at a meeting that helped you in your program? Is there a Tool or Slogan you use regularly? Tell us about it. Share your Experience, Strength and Hope with your fellow members of the Ottawa District Intergroup. We want to hear from Polls Our Intergroup is very wide spread and many groups struggle to send reps to the monthly Ottawa meeting. It has been suggested that we rotate meetings between Brockville and Ottawa. Your thoughts? If your OA group is a member of the Ottawa District Intergoup, your vote counts! Visit and let us know what you think. The Sunshiner Volume 1 - Deadline for submissions: for the Fall/Winter edition is November 1st,

7 The Sunshiner Volume 1 - Deadline for submissions: for the Fall/Winter edition is November 1st,