Hit bottom and hoping FAA will help

[freeme]

A friend told me about FAA about one month ago and it's been on my mind. I even went so far as to search for meetings in my area and was set to go to one, but found a way to have to "work late." I have been a food addict for decades, bulimic, and the consequences of this are finally catching up with my health and body. I am depressed, wanting to escape, and wanting to change.

[here42da]

Hi freeme,
I am so glad you are checking us out, and it reminds me of how there was a time when I was told a little about our program, but I wasn't ready at that time. It was a few years later when it was mentioned again and a bit more information was addressed in a conversation, that I believe my Higher Power (God) had me where I needed to be. (ready and willing) :)

Even so I still questioned whether I was actually a food addict. There is a lot of really good literature explaining this concept. I discovered that I definitely had the cahacteristics of food addiction. The questions in the step book made that very plain to me.

It is wonderful to know that I am free of the results of this dreadful disease today, because there is a solution. I am not alone, as there are many with the same common problem. as long as we continue to eat the addictive foods, especially flour, sugar, and wheat. and their artificial substitutes, we will continue to have the cravings for more, more, and much more. :cry: I am going to give you a couple of links that will help you to get to important information on the website. And also try to go to phone meetings. That is where you will be able to connect with others in the program, and hear their e/s/h, where they came from and where they are now in recovery.

http://www.foodaddictsanonymous.org/are-you-food-addict

http://www.foodaddictsanonymous.org/faa-food-plan

Blessing to you,
here42da

[JackieG213]

Hi freeme,
I am DAY ONE, today. So.... I am new to FAA as well.
Thank you for posting and reaching out.
Hope today is going well for you! :)

[freeme]

Thank you for the encouragement! Hope things go well for you Jackie!

Went to my first meeting tonight. Now am home trying to figure out what to eat and how to start on the path to abstinence. It's a bit confusing at first. Am going to visit other sites with suggestions for meals. I don't want food to be the focus here, but right now it seems to be.

[~Girlbot]

In the beginning you kind of do have to focus on food, but in a completely different and healing sort of way than our old way of thinking about it. I also feel that by focusing on FAA plan food in the beginning, we'll in fact eventually be freed from food obsession, like once we have the whole thing memorized and the system (like weighing and measuring and portion sizes) down pat. Right now I have the whole FAA food chart printed out and taped up inside my pantry door, so I can look at it each mealtime and piece together my meals. Eventually though, I'll have it memorized and prepping my food will just become an "automatic function," ya' know?

Have a nice day!

[here42da]

It is great seeing the enthusiasm and courage that is displayed in the sharing. I also love the tips of information that we share with each other. Who knows what particular idea is what is going to be what helps someone else. This is a "we" program and we definitely need each other. Advice, and knowledge from long term abstinent members in FAA, and just the daily contact with others in program. The connection with others is a vital part of recovery. And it is also a big help to have a sponsor who can help guide us throught the process of getting, and staying abstinent. I liked your idea of having the food plan taped on the inside of the pantry door.

When I used to e-mail my food to a sponsor, I would print it out also, and attach it to the refrigerator, so that I would be sure to get and eat the right foods at the right time. Can you believe that I am actually having fun with this now and sometimes my foods look so beautiful with the different colors, that I want to take pictures of it. I think that pictures together with the recipes would really be fantastic in a new cookbook if and when it is revised. Anyway thanks again for all of your shares.
here42da

[freeme]

Day 2: This is a good thing that I am doing for myself. The online help is great! Figuring out the whole eating thing is confusing. I spoke with a FAA coodinator for meetings in our area and she encouraged me to not get caught up worrying about this until I get a sponsor. I am hoping that one will be available at the next meeting on Thursday.

My mantra for right now is one day at a time. Don't thing that this is for the rest of my life as that's just overwhelming. Great way to defeat myself before I begin. Appreciate all of the words of wisdom!

[step3]

@ here42da: What a great idea of having pictures to go along with the recipes! People with digital cameras who post recipes here in the Abstinent Recipes Forum of Online Support could do that now, if they wanted. I don't personally know how to do it, but I've seen pictures posted here (that have had to be deleted because of their content) in some of the forums, so I know it can be done.

@ freeme (love your user name!) You don't have to wait a week to do what you need to do. If you're willing to get onto the food plan now, you can plan out your meals for a couple of days and get the food you need. I always plan for a whole day, not a meal at a time. That way, I can have everything I need in the house and there are no last minute runs to the grocery store for needed groceries when I'm hungry. Being hungry and not having what I need is a "recipe" for failure for me! There's a slogan in FAA: If we fail to plan, then we're planning to fail.

What I did for a long time was carry Xerox copies of the food plan and of the list of foods on the food plan with me in my purse to the supermarket. On the food plan page is the Sugar List, the lists of all the forms of sugar/flour/wheat that are addictive for food addicts. It was very helpful having these things with me while grocery shopping. I also had phone numbers of FAA members. The way to get those phone numbers is to go to lots of phone meetings~~ during the last five minutes of the meeting, contact information is exchanged.
http://www.foodaddictsanonymous.org/phone-meetings
There were times in the early days of my abstinence and recovery that I'd be able to call someone in FAA when I was at the supermarket and had a question on some food or another.

You're exactly right about doing this one day at a time. We do need to come to accept that we're powerless over our food addiction... our bodies are biochemically different as food addicts and that will never change. But keeping the focus on today, each day, works very well to not overwhelm us, especially before we've come to complete acceptance of our powerlessness. One day at a time, even one meal at a time, will do it!

Welcome to FAA, freeme. I'm so glad you're here! :P

Warmly,
step3

[freeme]

Day 5: Things have been well. Went to second meeting and working on getting a sponsor. Everyone is busy! I have been working the steps and following the food plan that is listed on the website. But right now, I'm struggling and need to be reminded to take it one step at a time, one day at a time. I will not die if I do not eat the things that make me ill in the first place, quite the contary. So why does it feel like I am so deprived?

It's my addiction speaking. I'm putting this in writing as it helps me to process: I am powerless over my addiction and my life has been unmanageable because of it. I believe that God can restore me to sanity and I have made a decision to turn my life and my will over to Him. God is always with me and is always full of grace and love for me and each one of us. Thanks for listening!

[TYGtoday]

Thanks for sharing, freeme. Please do keep coming; the program definitely does work when we work it!