INTRODUCING

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS

Where Do I Start?
Everything a Newcomer
Needs to Know

1
Welcome, Newcomers!

The brief excerpts from the Big Book, Alcoholics

Anonymous, Fourth Edition, are reprinted with
permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World
Services, Inc. (“AAWS”). Permission to reprint
these excerpts does not mean that AAWS has
reviewed or approved the contents of this pub-
lication, or that AAWS necessarily agrees with
the views expressed herein. A.A. is a program
of recovery from alcoholism only—use of these
excerpts in connection with programs and
activities that are patterned after A.A., but that ad-
dress other problems, or in any other non-A.A.
context, does not imply otherwise.
 THE TWELVE STEPS OF
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS
1. We admitted we were powerless over
food—that our lives had become
unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater
than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and
our lives over to the care of God as we
understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral
inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to
another human being the exact nature
of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove
all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our
shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had
harmed and became willing to make
amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people
wherever possible, except when to do so
would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory
and when we were wrong, promptly
admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation
to improve our conscious contact with
God as we understood Him, praying
only for knowledge of His will for us
and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the
result of these Steps, we tried to carry
this message to compulsive overeaters
and to practice these principles in all
our affairs.
Permission to use the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous for
adaptation granted by AA World Services, Inc.
Dear Newcomer,
Welcome to Overeaters Anonymous. OA is a
Fellowship of individuals who, through shared ex-
perience, strength, and hope, are recovering from
compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors
by working the Twelve Steps.
If you have tried to achieve a healthy body
weight through many methods, only to fail repeat-
edly, or if your inability to control your eating is
beginning to frighten you, then please consider at-
tending an OA meeting. To find a meeting, go to
oa.org and click on Find a Meeting.
At OA meetings, you will find others who have
the same concerns and who share your feelings.
Chances are you will find many of the answers you
need. Overeaters Anonymous is a simple program
that works. There are no dues or fees. We are self-
supporting through our own contributions. The
only requirement for membership is a desire to
stop eating compulsively.
Now that you have found Overeaters Anony-
mous, you may want to make sure our program
is right for you. Many of us have found it useful to
answer the following questions to help determine
if we have a problem with compulsive eating.
1. Do I eat when I’m not hungry, or not eat
when my body needs nourishment?
2. Do I go on eating binges for no apparent
reason, sometimes eating until I’m stuffed
or even feel sick?
3. Do I have feelings of guilt, shame, or embar-
rassment about my weight or the way I eat?
4. Do I eat sensibly in front of others and then
make up for it when I am alone?
5. Is my eating affecting my health or the way
I live my life?
6. When my emotions are intense—whether
positive or negative—do I find myself
reaching for food?
7. Do my eating behaviors make me or others
unhappy?

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 8. Have I ever used laxatives, vomiting,
diuretics, excessive exercise, diet pills,
shots, or other medical interventions
(including surgery) to try to control my
weight?
9. Do I fast or severely restrict my food intake
to control my weight?
10. Do I fantasize about how much better life
would be if I were a different size or weight?
11. Do I need to chew or have something in
my mouth all the time: food, gum, mints,
candies, or beverages?
12. Have I ever eaten food that is burned,
frozen, or spoiled; from containers in the
grocery store; or out of the garbage?
13. Are there certain foods I can’t stop eating
after having the first bite?
14. Have I lost weight with a diet or “period
of control” only to be followed by bouts of
uncontrolled eating and/or weight gain?
15. Do I spend too much time thinking about
food, arguing with myself about whether
or what to eat, planning the next diet or
exercise cure, or counting calories?
Have you answered “yes” to several of these
questions? If so, it is possible that you have, or are
well on your way to having, a compulsive eating or
overeating problem.
As a newcomer to Overeaters Anonymous, you
probably have many questions about this program
of recovery. What makes OA different from other
programs? How can OA help you recover from
compulsive eating and maintain a healthy weight
when everything else you’ve tried has failed? Can
OA help you stop bingeing or yo-yo dieting? How
can you achieve freedom from food obsession and
compulsive eating? Is there any hope?

You Are Not Alone

You are no longer alone. We, too, have experi-
enced hopelessness when we tried to control our
problems with food or eating. We have tried ev-
ery diet and used many methods to control our

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body size, without success. We could not enjoy
life because of our obsession with food, weight,
and/or size. We could not stop eating too much
even when we really wanted to. At times, some of
us even refused to eat because we were afraid we
would be overcome by our appetite. We felt shame
and humiliation about our behavior with food.
We are not like normal people when it comes
to eating. What all of us have in common is that
our bodies and minds send us signals about food
which seem to be quite different from those the
normal eater receives. Many of us can’t stop once
we start eating, and even if we have managed to
stop from time to time, we can’t keep from starting
again. Some of us have repeatedly tried and failed
to control other compulsive eating behaviors. So
the cycle continues.
In Overeaters Anonymous, we learned that we
have an illness, an unhealthy condition of body
and mind that can be relieved on a daily basis. OA
offers a solution. We find that we no longer want to
return to the foods and eating behaviors that creat-
ed uncontrollable cravings. We have been released
from our mental obsession. We are able to achieve
and maintain a healthy body weight. For us, that is
nothing less than a miracle. We have found a way
to abstain from our compulsive behaviors related
to food, diets, weight, exercise, and/or body image.
We realized that we could not recover by our-
selves, so we learned to share with other OA mem-
bers. Instead of reaching for food to soothe our
nerves, we went to a meeting, wrote about our
feelings, read some OA literature, or called our
sponsor. As we practiced these new and healthy
behaviors, we began to feel safe. We found a home
in the Fellowship and the support that OA offers
us. We discovered that we can recover by follow-
ing OA’s Twelve Steps and by reaching out to help
others with the same problem.
We promise that if you work the Twelve Steps to
the best of your ability, regularly attend meetings,
and use OA’s Tools, your life will change. You will
experience what we have: the miracle of recovery
from compulsive eating.

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Many Symptoms, One Solution
In Overeaters Anonymous, you’ll find members
who are:
• Extremely overweight, even morbidly
obese
• Only moderately overweight
• Average weight
• Underweight
• Still maintaining periodic control over
their eating behavior
• Totally unable to control their compulsive
eating
OA members experience many different pat-
terns of food behaviors. These “symptoms” are as
varied as our membership. Among them are:
• Obsession with body weight, size, and
shape
• Eating binges
• Grazing
• Preoccupation with reducing diets
• Starving
• Excessive exercise
• Inducing vomiting after eating
• Inappropriate and/or excessive use of
diuretics and laxatives
• Chewing and spitting out food
• Use of diet pills, shots, and other medical
interventions, including surgery, to control
weight
• Inability to stop eating certain foods after
taking the first bite
• Fantasies about food
• Vulnerability to quick-weight-loss schemes
• Constant preoccupation with food
• Using food as a reward or for comfort
Our symptoms may vary, but we share a com-
mon bond: We are powerless over food and our
lives are unmanageable. This common problem
has led those in OA to seek and find a common
solution in the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
of Overeaters Anonymous. We find that, no matter

4
what our symptoms, we all suffer from the same
disease—one that can be arrested by living this
program one day at a time.

Abstinence — Our Primary Purpose

OA accepts the following definitions: “1) Ab-
stinence: The act of refraining from compulsive
eating and compulsive food behaviors while work-
ing towards or maintaining a healthy body weight.
2) Recovery: Removal of the need to engage in
compulsive eating behaviors. Spiritual, emotional,
and physical recovery is achieved through work-
ing and living the Overeaters Anonymous Twelve
Step program.”
Many of us have found we cannot abstain from
compulsive eating unless we use some or all of
OA’s nine Tools of Recovery to help us practice the
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.

The Tools of Recovery

We use Tools—a plan of eating, sponsorship,
meetings, telephone, writing, literature, anonymi-
ty, service, and action plan—to help us achieve and
maintain abstinence and recover from our disease.

A Plan of Eating
A plan of eating helps us abstain from compul-
sive eating. This Tool helps us deal with the physi-
cal aspects of our disease and achieve physical
recovery.

Sponsorship
We ask a sponsor to help us through our pro-
gram of recovery on all three levels: physical,
emotional, and spiritual. Find a sponsor who has
what you want and ask that person how he or she
is achieving it.

Meetings
Meetings give us an opportunity to identify our
common problem, confirm our common solution
through the Twelve Steps, and share the gifts we
receive through this program. In addition to face-
to-face meetings, OA offers telephone and online
meetings.

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Telephone
Many members call, text, or email their spon-
sors and other OA members daily. Telephone or
electronic contact also provides an immediate
outlet for those hard-to-handle highs and lows we
may experience.

Writing
Putting our thoughts and feelings down on
paper helps us to better understand our actions
and reactions in a way that is often not revealed to
us by simply thinking or talking about them.

Literature
We read OA-approved books, pamphlets, and
Lifeline magazine. Reading literature daily rein-
forces how to live the Twelve Steps and Twelve
Traditions.

Action Plan
An action plan is the process of identifying and
implementing attainable actions that are necessary
to support our individual abstinence. Just like our
plan of eating, it may vary widely among members
and may need to be adjusted to bring structure,
balance, and manageability into our lives.

Anonymity
Anonymity guarantees we will place principles
before personalities and assures us that only we
have the right to make our membership known
within our community. Anonymity at the level of
press, radio, films, television, and other public me-
dia of communication means that we never allow
our faces or last names to be used once we identify
ourselves as OA members.
Within the Fellowship, anonymity means that
whatever we share with another OA member will
be held in respect and confidence. What we hear at
meetings should remain there.

Service
Any form of service that helps reach a fellow

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sufferer adds to the quality of our own recovery.
Members can give service by getting to meetings,
putting away chairs, putting out literature, and
talking to newcomers. Beyond the group level, a
member can serve as intergroup representative,
committee chair, region representative, or Confer-
ence delegate.
As OA’s Responsibility Pledge states: “Always to
extend the hand and heart of OA to all who share
my compulsion; for this I am responsible.”

Further Information: a Plan of Eating

Most of us came to Overeaters Anonymous ex-
pecting to find the perfect diet and lose weight.
What we found was a Twelve Step program that
provides a foundation for living life one day at a
time. But no diet! We found unconditional love
and support. But no diet! As newcomers to OA,
we were confused. Where was the diet?
Developing a healthy plan of eating is one of
the first Tools of the program we use. While no
plan of eating will be successful without diligent
Step work, using a plan of eating as a Tool allows
us to deal with food in a calm, rational, and bal-
anced way. We follow our plan one meal at a time,
one day at a time. This is the beginning of learning
to eat according to our physical needs rather than
our emotional cravings.

Defining a New Way of Eating Is Important

We are not like normal eaters. Obviously, there
is something wrong with our current eating pat-
terns, or we would not have come to OA. Normal
eaters stop eating when they are full. We do not.
Normal eaters do not hide food and plan how
they will secretly get to it when no one is around.
We do. Normal eaters do not use food to comfort
their insecurities and fears, or to provide a fleeting
escape from worries and troubles. We do. Normal
eaters do not feel guilt and shame about their eat-
ing. We do.
In OA, we discover that our problem is not
weakness or lack of willpower. We have a disease.
When food is in front of us or calling to us, we

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cannot trust our best intentions or willpower to
guide us in making good eating decisions. We
have made hundreds of resolutions to ourselves
and others, tried every diet, tried therapy, hypno-
sis, shots, and pills, yet we could not stop eating
compulsively.

Developing a Plan of Eating

Using a plan of eating is the beginning of free-
dom from compulsive overeating. Instead of de-
pending on resolutions and willpower to help
make good decisions in front of the refrigerator
or in the restaurant, we develop a sensible plan of
eating in advance. Initially, many of us use a daily
plan of eating which includes what, when, where,
and how much. This daily plan serves to separate
our eating from our emotions and relieves us of
making the decisions we formerly had to make
throughout the day. Reducing the time we think
about food clears our heads of the ongoing conflict
between our self-will and the disease. We also find
that we are more likely to stick to our plan if we
commit it daily to a sponsor. As in the rest of the
program, we do this one day at a time. We do not
have to think about doing it forever.

The Dignity of Choice

To develop a plan of eating, we review our eat-
ing patterns in order to learn which foods and/
or eating behaviors create cravings. Discuss-
ing our eating history with a sponsor and health
care professional gives us objectivity and insight.
When we seek help in developing a plan of eating,
we practice the willingness to review our behav-
iors in a way we would not be able to do on our
own. We have learned that a suggestion made by a
sponsor or health care professional should not be
automatically rejected just because it makes us feel
uncomfortable.
We believe that the body and mind of a com-
pulsive eater reacts differently to food than the
body and mind of a normal eater. We find it best to
list and then remove all the foods, ingredients, and
behaviors which cause problems for us. We urge

8
you to be honest and not continue eating certain
foods or practicing certain behaviors simply be-
cause you can’t imagine ever living without them.
Those may be precisely the things that should be
on your list. The practice of the Twelve Steps will,
with time, relieve you of the desire to eat those
foods or return to those eating behaviors. When
we think of this process not as deprivation but as a
positive act and an ongoing spiritual discipline, we
begin to find freedom.
Below are examples of foods and eating behav-
iors that some OA members have identified as
causing uncontrollable cravings.

Choosing Specific Foods to Refrain from

—Our “Trigger” or “Binge” Foods
“Trigger” or “binge” foods are foods we eat in
large quantities or to the exclusion of other foods;
foods we hoard or hide from others; foods we eat
secretly; foods we turn to in times of celebration,
sorrow, or boredom; or foods that are high in calo-
ries and low in nutritional value. In addition, we
look to see whether there are any common ingre-
dients among those foods—like sugar or fat—that
might exist in other foods we haven’t listed.
Each of us may have problems with different
foods or ingredients. If a food has been a binge
food in the past, or if it contains ingredients that
have been binge foods for us, we remove it from
our plan. For example, if pasta is a trigger food,
then other foods made with flour (breads, muffins,
crackers) could cause problems. Extra servings
of a non-trigger food might create cravings. If we
are unsure whether a food causes problems for us,
we leave it out at first. Later, with abstinence, the
correct answer becomes clear.
Here are some examples:
• comfort foods or junk foods (such as
chocolate, name-brand fast foods, cookies,
potato chips)
• foods containing sugar (such as desserts,
sweetened drink products and cereals,
many processed meats, many condiments)
• foods containing fats (such as butter and

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 other high-fat dairy or non-dairy foods,
deep-fried foods and snacks, many desserts)
• foods containing wheat or flour or refined
carbohydrates in general (such as pastries,
certain pastas, and breads)
• foods containing mixtures of sugar and fat,
or sugar, flour, and fat (such as ice cream,
doughnuts, cakes, and pies)
• foods we eat in large quantities even
though they aren’t our trigger foods
When we identify the foods and food ingredi-
ents that cause us cravings, we stop eating them.

Choosing Eating Behaviors to

Refrain from
Many people in OA say they could overeat any-
thing, even if it isn’t a binge food; so we also look
at eating patterns that normal eaters would find
abnormal—whether we eat all the time, or eat at
specific times even though we aren’t really hun-
gry, or have specific habits or excuses that give us
permission to overeat. Although sometimes those
behaviors are linked to certain foods, sometimes
we have those behaviors even with foods we don’t
especially like.
Here are some examples:
• eating until we’re completely stuffed
• rigidly restricting calories until we are weak
• having to finish whatever’s on our plate
(or even someone else’s plate!)
• devouring our food, often finishing before
everyone else
• hiding our eating, or hoarding or hiding
food, in order to eat extra amounts
• searching magazines for the latest weight
loss scheme, or following unrealistic diets
or regimens
• eating because it’s free or because someone
cooked it especially for us
• eating to celebrate or because it gives us com-
fort during times of stress or unhappiness
• needing to keep our mouths busy by chewing

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 • eating at particular times or in particular
situations, whether we need to or not
• purging excess food with restrictive dieting,
laxatives, vomiting, or extra exercise
• eating out of containers or while standing up
• eating while driving, watching television,
or reading
• distorted thinking leading us to believe more
and more foods will cause us problems—this
can lead to dangerous undereating
When we identify the behaviors that apply to
us, we stop them.

Creating a Plan
Virtually all plans of eating found among OA
members involve refraining from specific foods or
food ingredients and/or specific eating behaviors.
Some in OA find just eliminating these to be a suf-
ficient plan of eating. Others in OA have found,
however, that they need more structure.
Those of us who need more structure determine
exactly what and how much we can eat, and the
time of day, intervals between meals, and the envi-
ronment in which we will eat. We may also weigh
or measure our food, count calories, or commit
our food to another person on a daily basis.
Honesty is the key—we have to make certain
we are not fooling ourselves. This is a serious busi-
ness. We have to eliminate the foods and eating
behaviors that trigger our compulsive eating, even
though it means setting aside eating patterns that
seem to form important parts of our lives. Most of
us find we cannot define and select our plan of eat-
ing alone; we need to ask for help from sponsors,
health care professionals, and our Higher Power.
We also need their guidance and support to follow
our plan. Because our disease is so cunning, we
commit to a plan of eating and make changes only
after consulting with others.

Dealing with Quantities

Most of us have a hard time recognizing how
much food to eat, so we use some objective means

11
to tell us when we have had enough. Some of us eat
only one plate’s worth, don’t go back for seconds,
leave something on our plate, or stop when we feel
full. Others find it important to weigh and mea-
sure their food.
Weighing and measuring at home, on occa-
sion, or at all times may help us honestly assess
our needs and progress. If we find it difficult to de-
termine appropriate serving sizes, we may choose
to weigh and measure for a time, or whenever
we make changes to our plan of eating, just to be
sure we are eating the right amounts. Some of us
choose to weigh and measure to free ourselves
from having to struggle with daily decisions about
how much food to eat. OA takes no position on
weighing and measuring; we find it more help-
ful to discuss these matters individually with our
sponsor or health care professional.

Please Note:
OA is not a diet club, and we recommend
no plan of eating in particular. We do, however,
believe as a Fellowship that freedom from the
obsession and compulsion to eat is at the heart
of our recovery, and a plan of eating that helps us
achieve a healthy body weight is an essential part
of our recovery.
OA takes no position on nutrition. It is between
you and your health care professional to decide
whether these or any other plans of eating provide
the nutrition your body requires. We urge OA
members with diagnosed medical problems (in-
cluding bulimia, anorexia, diabetes, heart disease,
high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, etc.) to seek
and follow the advice of a health care professional
before adopting any plan of eating.
What follows are samples of what some OA
members have chosen as plans of eating. They
may help you as written, or as a guide in develop-
ing your own plan. We suggest you talk to your
sponsor and health care professional about how to
tailor any of these plans to your personal needs.
For example, if you have special dietary require-
ments (vegetarian, lactose intolerant, carbohy-

12
drate sensitive, etc.), you may need help selecting
and implementing a plan. In addition, if you need
to modify your plan to suit your schedule or health
conditions, you might split up your servings into
more than the number of meals suggested.
Some plans set out the number of servings of
each food; see the “What Is a Serving?” section on
page 15 for choices and serving sizes. Because OA
is a global Fellowship, foods native to your area
that are not included in this section can certainly
be part of your plan. Also, depending on your
height, weight, and activity level, you may need
8-12 cups of fluid a day.

Plans of Eating
3-0-1 PLAN
• Three moderate, nutritious meals per day,
with nothing in between, one day at a time.
• Don’t eat the foods and food ingredients
you identify as causing cravings.
• Stop the eating behaviors you identify as
causing cravings.

BASIC PLAN #1
• Breakfast
2 ounces protein
2 starch/grain servings
1 fruit serving
2 cups milk or milk substitute
• Lunch
4 ounces protein
2 starch/grain servings
1 fruit serving
2 vegetable servings
2 fat servings (10-12 grams fat total)
• Dinner
4 ounces protein
2 starch/grain servings
1 fruit serving
3 vegetable servings
2 fat servings (10-12 grams total)

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BASIC PLAN #2
• Breakfast
2 ounces protein
1 starch/grain serving
1 fruit serving
1 cup milk or milk substitute
• Lunch
3 ounces protein
1 starch/grain serving
1 fruit serving
3 vegetable servings
2 fat servings (10-12 grams fat total)
• Dinner
3 ounces protein
1 starch/grain serving
1 fruit serving
3 vegetable servings
2 fat servings (10-12 grams total)
• Bedtime
1 starch/grain serving
1 fruit serving
1 cup milk or milk substitute

HIGH-CARBOHYDRATE PLAN
• Breakfast
2 starch/grain servings
1 fruit serving
1 cup milk or milk substitute
• Lunch
2 ounces protein
2 starch/grain servings
1 fruit serving
3 vegetable servings
2 fat servings (10-12 grams fat total)
• Dinner
2 ounces protein
2 starch/grain servings
1 fruit serving
3 vegetable servings
2 fat servings (10-12 grams total)
• Bedtime
2 starch/grain servings

14
 1 fruit serving
1 cup milk or milk substitute

VERY LOW CARBOHYDRATE PLAN

• Breakfast
4 ounces protein
1 fruit serving
• Lunch
4 ounces protein
1 cup cooked vegetables
2 cups raw vegetables
• Dinner
4 ounces protein
1 cup cooked vegetables
2 cups raw vegetables

• 3 fat servings (14-16 grams) throughout

the day
Before choosing any of these plans, we urge
you to consult with your sponsor and a health
care professional.

What Is a Serving?
The serving sizes suggested below are general
guides.
Measurements: The relationship between volume
measures and weight measures is variable, depen-
dent on the food, and the conversion to metric
units is sometimes imprecise. In general:
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons = 15 ml.
1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 240 ml.
1 ounce = 28.35 grams
Protein: Protein servings include all meats, poul-
try, and fish. One egg, 2 ounces of cottage cheese
or ricotta cheese, ¼ cup or 2 ounces of cooked
beans, 1 ounce of regular tofu or 2 ounces of soft/
silken tofu, or 1 tablespoon peanut butter count
as 1 ounce protein. Count 1 ounce of nuts (pea-
nuts, pistachios, soy nuts, or almonds) as 2 ounces
of protein.
Starches/Grains: One serving is an ounce of ce-
real regardless of volume (hot cereal to be weighed

15
before cooking); one slice of bread; ½ cup cooked
pasta, potatoes, rice, corn, peas, winter squash, and
other starchy vegetables. By weight, one serving is
4 ounces of cooked potatoes, sweet potatoes, and
yams; one serving of the other starches (rice, peas,
corn, barley, millet, etc.) weighs 3 ounces cooked.
Fruit: One fruit serving means a moderate-size
piece of fruit, 6 ounces (or one cup) of cut-up fresh
fruit, ½ cup canned fruit packed in its own juices,
or ¾ cup or 6 ounces frozen, unsweetened fruit
(after thawing).
Vegetables: Only the low-starch vegetables are
usually used as vegetable servings; the starchy
vegetables (corn, peas, winter squash) are usu-
ally considered starch/grain servings. One cup
(4 ounces weighed) raw vegetable or ½ cup
(3 ounces weighed) cooked vegetable are counted
as a vegetable serving.
Milk/Milk Substitutes: One cup (8 ounces) of
low-fat, unsweetened milk, soy milk, or yogurt
counts as a serving.
Fats: Because so many low-fat and reduced-fat
items are available, we have elected to specify the
grams of fat suggested. Usually 1 teaspoon of oil or
butter contains 5 grams fat. One ounce of avocado,
five olives, 2 tablespoons sour cream, or 1 table-
spoon cream cheese are 5-7 grams of fat.
Note on reading labels: We carefully read labels
or ask about the ingredients to make sure the
foods on our exclusion list are not in what we are
eating. Some ingredients like sugar are harder to
remove, because there are many different names
for sugar (e.g., sucrose, dextrose, fructose, glucose,
etc.), and it is found in so many foods. Some of us
eliminate any item that contains our trigger foods,
while others eliminate only the items in which the
triggers are listed in the first four ingredients.

Structure and Tolerance

True admission of powerlessness means putting
down the foods over which we are powerless. Those
foods may be different for each of us. We need to

16
be completely honest with ourselves, our sponsors,
and our health care professionals about what foods,
ingredients, and eating behaviors cause cravings,
compulsive eating, or other problems.
Often, the idea of never again eating certain
foods seems terrifying and impossible. Be assured
that with adequate support and the Twelve Step
recovery program, you can do the things that used
to seem totally impossible. We have learned that
as we work the Twelve Steps abstinently, a miracle
occurs; our sanity returns. We no longer want to
have those foods or behaviors in our lives.
Some of us require a more structured plan than
others. Some of us must avoid foods that others
can eat freely. We are all different. When we find
a plan that works for us, we are often so happy
we want to share it with others. There is a differ-
ence between sharing our plan and imposing it
on others. We accept the views and needs of oth-
ers, always retaining our own plan of eating as our
commitment and priority. World Service Business
Conference Policy 2000a (amended 2005) states
that “No OA members shall be prevented from
attending, sharing, leading, and/or serving as a
speaker at an OA meeting due to choice of food
plan. Groups sharing food plan information must
adhere to OA’s policies on outside literature, as
well as copyright law.”

Conclusion
Abstinence is a state of mind characterized by
freedom from our obsession with food. A plan of
eating—our individual guide to nourishing foods
in appropriate portions—is a Tool that helps us
begin the process of recovery from compulsive
eating. This pamphlet encourages respect for in-
dividual needs and differences by allowing us to
determine what is right and nutritionally sound
for ourselves. Remember that the Twelve Step
program of Overeaters Anonymous, and not any
particular plan of eating, is the key to long-term
recovery from compulsive eating.

17
 Frequently Asked Questions—
and Answers
What is compulsive eating?
“Compulsion” is defined as an irresistible de-
sire to take an often-irrational action. The word
“irresistible” means we are unable to resist the
urge, no matter how many promises we have
made to ourselves or others. In our case, we have
the compulsion of being unable to control our
eating behaviors.
In OA, we believe compulsive overeating is a
disease with physical, emotional, and spiritual
components. A disease causes some aspect of the
body to malfunction. In our case, it’s the com-
plex system that governs food behavior. The body
mechanisms that allow normal eaters to push the
plate away, or otherwise control their food behav-
iors, don’t function properly for us.
For some, the disease acts much like an alcohol
or drug addiction; except in our case, certain food
or overeating itself stimulates an insatiable craving
for more. The OA definition of compulsive eating
covers all facets of unhealthy eating behaviors. It’s
not only how much we eat or how much we weigh,
but the ways in which we try to control our food.
Some of us hide our food and eat in secret. Some
binge and purge, while others alternate between
overeating and starvation. All compulsive eaters
have one thing in common: no matter whether
we’re struggling with overeating, undereating,
bingeing, purging, or starving ourselves, we are
driven by forces we don’t understand to deal with
food in irrational and self-destructive ways. Once
compulsive eating as an illness has taken hold, an
individual’s willpower cannot stop it. The power of
choice over food is gone.
We in OA have discovered that this illness can
be arrested—though never completely cured—if a
person is willing to follow the program that has
proven successful for countless numbers of us.
Whether OA will work for a specific individual
depends on his or her sincere desire to stop com-
pulsive food behavior and a willingness to take the

18
actions suggested in the program. The OA recov-
ery process is one of action.

How can I tell if I am a compulsive

overeater?
Only you can decide.
Many of us have been told by family, friends,
and even physicians that all we need is a little
self-control and willpower to lose weight and eat
normally. Believing this, we experienced frustrat-
ing periods of dieting and losing weight, only to
regain all the weight and more. We finally turned
to OA because we felt our eating habits had us
beaten, and we were ready to try anything to be
freed from our self-destructive eating behaviors.
Others with little weight to lose, even those at
normal weight or with only a few years of compul-
sive eating behind them, have also turned to OA.
We have discovered enough about compulsive
eating to recognize that it is a progressive illness.
In OA, compulsive overeaters are described as
people whose eating habits have caused growing
and continuing problems in their lives. Only the
individuals involved can say whether food has
become an unmanageable problem.

I’ve failed at every diet.

How can OA prevent these “slips”?
No one fails in OA. As long as a person is will-
ing to work the OA program, recovery is possible.
“Slips” into compulsive overeating do not need
to happen in OA, but some of us experience them.
Although slips may sometimes be brief, they can
also lead to eating binges and weight gain. When-
ever a slip occurs, members are encouraged to
reach for all the help available to them through OA.
We who have been through these periods can
often trace a slip to specific causes. We may have
forgotten we were compulsive overeaters and be-
come overconfident. Or we may have let ourselves
become too preoccupied with business or social
affairs to remember the importance of abstaining
from compulsive overeating. Or we may have let
ourselves become tired, letting down our mental

19
and emotional defenses. Whatever the cause, the
solution was found through practicing the Twelve
Step recovery program of Overeaters Anonymous.

Can OA help me if I am bulimic or

anorexic?
Yes. All who struggle with compulsive food be-
haviors are welcomed in love and fellowship. Over-
eaters Anonymous supports each person’s efforts
to recover and accepts any member who desires
to stop eating compulsively. When individuals ask
about medical matters, OA always recommends
they seek professional advice.

Can’t a compulsive overeater just use

willpower to stop excessive eating?
Before turning to OA, many of us tried with all
our might to control our food intake and change
our eating habits. Usually we tried many methods:
drastic diets, appetite-suppressant pills, diuretics,
and injections of one kind or another. In other cas-
es, we also tried dieting “gimmicks”: eating only
at mealtimes, cutting food portions in half, never
eating desserts, eating everything but sweets, nev-
er eating in secret, splurging only on weekends,
skipping breakfast, never eating standing up…
the list could go on forever.
Of course, each time we tried something new,
we made a solemn oath “to stick to the diet this
time and never go off again.” When we could never
keep these promises, we inevitably felt guilt and
remorse. Through such experiences, many of us
have finally admitted lacking willpower to change
our eating habits.
When we came into OA, we admitted we were
powerless over food. If our willpower didn’t work,
it followed that we needed a power greater than
ourselves to help us recover.

What is meant by “a power greater

than ourselves”?
Before coming to OA, most of us already re-
alized we couldn’t control our eating. Food had

20
become a power greater than ourselves. Some-
where, in the progression of our food problem,
food began to take over our lives. In essence, we
had become slaves to our compulsion.
OA experience has taught us that to achieve
abstinence from compulsive eating and maintain
recovery, we need to accept and rely upon another
power which we acknowledge is greater than our-
selves. Some of us consider our group or OA it-
self as a power greater than ourselves. Some of us
adopt the concept of God, as we individually un-
derstand and interpret God. However we choose
to interpret a power greater than ourselves is fine.
There are no right or wrong concepts. What’s im-
portant to our recovery from compulsive eating is
that we define and develop a relationship with this
power. The focus and intent of the OA program is
to help us do this.

Is OA a religious society?
No. OA is not a religious society, since it re-
quires no definite religious belief as a condition
of membership. OA has among its membership
people of many religious traditions as well as athe-
ists and agnostics.
The OA recovery program is based on accep-
tance of certain spiritual values. We are free to
interpret these values as we think best, or not to
think about them at all if we so choose. When we
first came to OA, many of us had definite reser-
vations about accepting any concept of a power
greater than ourselves. OA experience has shown
that those who keep an open mind on this subject
and continue coming to OA meetings will not find
it too difficult to work out a personal solution to
this very personal matter.

Can I stop eating compulsively on my

own just through reading OA literature?
The OA program works best for the individual
who recognizes and accepts it as a program involv-
ing other people.
Attending OA meetings and associating with
others who suffer in a similar manner brings us

21
hope and awareness. Because we are neither judged
nor ridiculed, we can share our past experiences,
present problems, and future hopes with those who
understand and support us. Working with other
compulsive overeaters, we no longer feel lonely
and misunderstood. Instead, we feel needed and
accepted at last.
OA members whose living situations or health
problems prevent attendance at face-to-face meet-
ings can attend online or telephone meetings. We
also find that reading OA literature and commu-
nicating with other members helps us to stop eat-
ing compulsively.

What are the requirements for

OA membership?
The OA Third Tradition states, “The only re-
quirement for OA membership is a desire to stop
eating compulsively.” Nothing else is asked or de-
manded of anyone. The acceptance and practice
of the OA recovery program rests entirely with
the individual.

How much does OA membership cost?

There are no financial obligations of any kind
in connection with OA membership. Our recov-
ery program is available to all who want to stop
eating compulsively, regardless of personal finan-
cial situations.

How does OA support itself?

OA is entirely self-supporting through mem-
bership contributions and literature sales. No out-
side donations are accepted. Most local groups
“pass the basket” at meetings to cover the cost of
rent, literature, and meeting expenses, and to sup-
port OA as a whole. Meetings keep enough money
to meet their own expenses and send the balance
to their intergroup or service board, their regional
office, and the World Service Office. The financing
of all OA service bodies depends on these regular
contributions from meetings.

22
Who runs OA?
OA is truly unusual in that it has no central
government and a minimum of formal organiza-
tion. It has no officers or executives who wield
power or authority over the Fellowship or indi-
vidual members.
In even the most informal organization, how-
ever, certain jobs obviously need to be done. For
example, in local groups someone has to arrange
for the meeting place, account for group finances,
make sure adequate OA literature is available, and
keep in touch with local, regional, and internation-
al service centers. On the international level, peo-
ple must be responsible for the maintenance and
smooth functioning of the World Service Office.
All of this means that OA at the local, regional,
and international levels needs responsible people
to perform certain duties. It is important to under-
stand that these members perform services only.
They make no individual decisions and issue no
individual judgments affecting other groups or
OA as a whole. Persons who accept these respon-
sibilities are directly accountable to those they
serve, and service jobs periodically rotate among
members.

What is the Twelve Step recovery

program?
The Twelve Steps are the heart of the OA re-
covery program. They offer a new way of life that
enables the compulsive overeater to live without
the need for excess food. The Steps are suggestions
only, based on the experiences of recovering OA
members. Members who make an earnest effort
to follow these Steps and to apply them in daily
living get far more out of OA than do those mem-
bers who merely come to meetings and don’t do
the serious emotional and spiritual work involved
in the Steps.
The ideas expressed in the Twelve Steps, which
originated in Alcoholics Anonymous, reflect
practical experience and application of physical,
emotional, and spiritual insights as recorded by
thinkers throughout many ages. Their greatest im-

23
portance lies in the fact that they work! They en-
able compulsive eaters to lead happy, productive
lives. They represent the foundation upon which
OA has been built.

What is meant by “sanity” as used in

the Twelve Steps?
The word sanity derives from the Latin word
“sanus,” meaning “sound, healthy.” The word san-
ity as used in OA means “sound or rational think-
ing and acting.”
Most of us admit to irrational behavior, includ-
ing our attempts to control food and other areas of
our lives. A person with sound thinking would not
repeatedly engage in self-destructive behaviors. A
person with sound thinking would not repeat-
edly take actions that had not worked previously
and expect different results. The word sanity in
Step Two does not imply that compulsive eaters
are mentally deranged, but that where our actions
and feelings toward food and other areas of our
lives are concerned, sanity cannot be claimed. By
turning to OA and expressing a desire to return
to rational behavior, we are taking a step toward
achieving sanity.

What are the Twelve Traditions?

The Twelve Traditions are to the groups what
the Twelve Steps are to the individual. The Twelve
Traditions are a means by which OA remains uni-
fied in a common cause. They are suggested prin-
ciples to ensure the smooth functioning, survival,
and growth of the many groups which comprise
Overeaters Anonymous.
Like the Twelve Steps, the Twelve Traditions
have their origins in Alcoholics Anonymous.
These Traditions describe attitudes which those
early members believed were important to group
survival.
OA members ensure group unity so essential
to individual recovery by practicing the attitudes
suggested by the Twelve Traditions.

24
Why does OA place such emphasis
upon “anonymity”?
Anonymity at the most basic level says we don’t
disclose the identities of individual members;
their personal situations; or what they share in
confidence at meetings, online, or on the phone
with us. This makes OA a safe place where we
can be honest with ourselves and others. It allows
us to express ourselves freely at meetings and in
conversation and safeguards us from gossip. Of
course, we as individuals have the right to make
our membership known and, in fact, must do this
if we are to carry the message to other compulsive
eaters (part of Step Twelve). We don’t use anonym-
ity to limit our effectiveness within the Fellowship.
For example, it’s fine to use our full names within
our group or OA service body. The concept of an-
onymity helps us focus on principles rather than
personalities.
Anonymity is also vital at the public level of
press, radio, films, television, and other public me-
dia of communication. By keeping our members
anonymous at the media level, we help ensure that
egotism and self-glorification will not adversely
affect the OA Fellowship.
Humility is fundamental to anonymity. In prac-
ticing these principles, in giving up personal dis-
tinction for the common good, OA members en-
sure that the unity of Overeaters Anonymous will
continue. According to the First Tradition, “per-
sonal recovery depends upon OA unity,” and ano-
nymity is essential to the preservation of that unity.

To the Family of the Compulsive Eater

Family involvement is an individual choice.
Family support can help a compulsive eater who has
made a commitment to stop eating compulsively.

Opening and Closing Prayers

and Readings
Most OA meetings open and close with one of
the following:

25
 Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

Third Step Prayer

God, I offer myself to Thee—to build with me
and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of
the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy
will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over
them may bear witness to those I would help
of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life.
May I do Thy will always!1

Seventh Step Prayer

My Creator, I am now willing that you should
have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you
now remove from me every single defect of
character which stands in the way of my useful-
ness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength,
as I go out from here, to do your bidding.
Amen.2

The OA Promise
I put my hand in yours … and together we can
do what we could never do alone! No longer is
there a sense of hopelessness, no longer must
we each depend upon our own unsteady will-
power. We are all together now, reaching out
our hands for power and strength greater than
ours, and as we join hands, we find love and un-
derstanding beyond our wildest dreams.

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed. (Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.,

1

© 2001) p. 63.

Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed. (Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.,

2

© 2001) p. 76.

26
A Final Welcome

WELCOME HOME!
Have you ever wished you could lose ten pounds
(5 kg)? Twenty (9 kg)? Forty (18 kg)? A hundred
(45 kg) or more? Have you ever wished that once
you got it off you could keep it off? Welcome to
OA; welcome home!
Have you sometimes felt out of step with the
world, like a homeless orphan without a place
where you really belonged? Welcome to OA;
welcome home!
Have you ever wished your family would get
to work or school so you could get busy eating?
Welcome to OA; welcome home!
Have you ever awakened first thing in the
morning and felt happy because you remembered
that your favorite goodie was waiting for you in
the fridge or in the cupboard? Welcome to OA;
welcome home!
Have you ever looked up at the stars and won-
dered what an insignificant person like you is
doing in the world anyway? Welcome to OA;
welcome home!
Have you ever cooked, bought, or baked for
your family and then eaten everything your-
self so you wouldn’t have to share? We know
you in OA because we are you. Welcome to OA;
welcome home!
Have you ever wanted to hide in the house,
without going to work, without getting cleaned
up or even getting dressed, without seeing any-
one or letting anyone see you? Welcome to OA;
welcome home!
Have you ever hidden food under the bed, un-
der the pillow, in the drawer, in the bathroom,
in the wastebasket, the cupboard, the clothes
hamper, the closet, or the car so that you could
eat without anyone seeing you? Welcome to OA;
welcome home!
Have you ever been angry, resentful, defiant—
toward God, your mate, your doctor, your mother,
your father, your friends, your children, the sales-
people in stores whose looks spoke a thousand

27
words as you tried on clothes—because they were
thin, because they wanted you to be thin, and be-
cause you were forced to diet to please them or
shut them up or make them eat their words and
their looks? We welcome you to OA; welcome
home!
Have you ever sobbed out your misery in the
dark night because no one loved or understood
you? Welcome to OA; welcome home!
Have you ever felt that God (if God existed at
all) made the biggest mistake by creating you? Can
you see that this is where such feelings get turned
around? Welcome to OA; welcome home!
Have you ever wanted to get on a bus and just
keep going, without ever once looking back? Or
did you do it? Welcome to OA; welcome home!
Have you ever thought the world is a mess,
and if they would just think and act like you, the
world would be a lot better off? Welcome to OA;
welcome home!
Have you ever thought that OA people must be
a bit nuts? That they might be compulsive over-
eaters, but you just have a weight problem that
you can take care of beginning tomorrow; they
might be one bite from insane eating, but you are
just a little, or a lot, overweight? Welcome to OA;
welcome home!
Have you ever told anyone who would listen
how great you are, how talented, how intelligent,
how powerful—all the time knowing they would
never believe it, because you didn’t believe it?
Welcome to OA; welcome home!
Have you ever lost all your weight and then
found that you were thin and unhappy instead of
fat and unhappy? Welcome to OA; welcome home!
Have you ever worn a mask or hundreds of
masks because you were sure that if you shared
the person you really are no one could ever love
or accept you? We accept you in OA. May we offer
you a home?
Overeaters Anonymous extends to all of you
the gift of acceptance. No matter who you are,
where you come from, or where you are head-
ing, you are welcome here! No matter what you

28
have done or failed to do, what you have felt or
haven’t felt, where you have slept or with whom,
who you have loved or hated—you may be sure of
our acceptance. We accept you as you are, not as
you would be if you could melt yourself and mold
yourself and shape yourself into what other people
think you should be. Only you can decide what
you want to be.
But we will help you work for the goals you set,
and when you are successful, we will rejoice with
you; when you slip, we will tell you that we are not
failures just because we sometimes fail, and we’ll
hold out our arms, in love, and stand beside you
as you pull yourself back up and walk on again to
where you are heading! You’ll never have to cry
alone again, unless you choose to.
Sometimes we fail to be all that we should be,
and sometimes we aren’t there to give you all you
need from us. Accept our imperfection too. Love
us in return and help us in our sometimes-falling
failing. That’s what we are in OA—imperfect, but
trying. Let’s rejoice together in our effort and in the
assurance that we can have a home, if we want one.
Welcome to OA; welcome home!

Additional Literature Resources

This pamphlet was developed from excerpts from
the following OA literature:
A Plan of Eating (#145)
Many Symptoms, One Solution (#106)
Questions and Answers (#170)
Taste of Lifeline (#970)
The Tools of Recovery (#160)
To the Family of the Compulsive Eater (#240)
To the Newcomer (#270)
Additional literature is available for download
and/or purchase at oa.org and bookstore.oa.org.

Disclaimer
The guidelines and plans in this publication are
intended for use by adult members. You should
consult your health care professional before you
participate in a change of diet. The information

29
in these plans is to be used as a guideline for re-
sponsible eating but is not a substitute for com-
petent medical advice, nor are these plans meant
to be a substitute for a medically prescribed diet.
The plans of responsible eating disclosed herein
have been reviewed and approved by a dietitian
licensed in the United States. OA does not endorse
or support any specific eating plan. Please use your
discretion regarding food allergies and intoleranc-
es. If you have any doubts whatsoever concerning
these plans, you should consult your health care
professional.

30
PHONE NUMBERS

31
 THE TWELVE TRADITIONS
OF OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS
1. Our common welfare should come first;
personal recovery depends upon OA unity.
2. For our group purpose there is but one ulti-
mate authority—a loving God as He may ex-
press Himself in our group conscience. Our
leaders are but trusted servants; they do not
govern.
3. The only requirement for OA membership is
a desire to stop eating compulsively.
4. Each group should be autonomous except
in matters affecting other groups or OA as a
whole.
5. Each group has but one primary purpose—
to carry its message to the compulsive over-
eater who still suffers.
6. An OA group ought never endorse, finance,
or lend the OA name to any related facility
or outside enterprise, lest problems of mon-
ey, property, and prestige divert us from our
primary purpose.
7. Every OA group ought to be fully self-
supporting, declining outside contributions.
8. Overeaters Anonymous should remain for-
ever nonprofessional, but our service centers
may employ special workers.
9. OA, as such, ought never be organized; but
we may create service boards or committees
directly responsible to those they serve.
10. Overeaters Anonymous has no opinion on
outside issues; hence the OA name ought
never be drawn into public controversy.
11. Our public relations policy is based on at-
traction rather than promotion; we need
always maintain personal anonymity at the
level of press, radio, films, television, and
other public media of communication.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all
these Traditions, ever reminding us to place
principles before personalities.
Permission to use the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous
for adaptation granted by AA World Services, Inc.
 How to find OA
Visit the OA website at www.oa.org,
or contact the World Service Office at 1-505-891-2664.
Many directories also include local listings
for Overeaters Anonymous.

Overeaters Anonymous®
World Service Office
6075 Zenith Court NE
Rio Rancho, NM 87144-6424 USA
Mail Address: PO Box 44727
Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4727 USA
Tel: 1-505-891-2664 • Fax: 1-505-891-4320
info@oa.org • www.oa.org

OA Board-Approved
© 2018 Overeaters Anonymous, Inc.
All rights reserved
Rev. 6/2019 #705