Category: First step

Accountability – 12 September 2021

September 12th, 2021

I’m focusing on accountability at the moment.

Tracking absolutely everything that I eat, using the My Fitness Pal app.

When I say “everything” I mean everything. If I drink a cup of tea, it gets listed. The lemon juice I drink in my soda water through to a “taster” I had of the kids chicken nuggets the other night.

The app never worked for me before, because I didn’t include all the “optional extras” that I eat throughout the day. I didn’t realise it, but I was lying to myself about what I really eat. Those “extras” sure add up!

I’ve also stopped eating chocolate and drinking Pepsi Max. I am seriously addicted to both. So it’s cold turkey time.

And I’m already starting to lose weight. Down a kilogram since last week – which is two pounds.

This is all related to Step One of the OA Twelve Steps – admitting you are powerless over food.

I was, and I am powerless over food. I need strong structure and accountability.

I went to my Saturday meeting yesterday – the first face to face meeting since lockdown. It felt great to see people again. And I actually asked the Big Question about finding a sponsor.

So I’m starting to make progress. I have a long way to go, but I’m starting to actually feel positive, like I might actually achieve my goals through OA.

I feel good 😃
Step 1: Powerless over food

August 18th, 2021

Step 1 says “We admitted we were powerless over food – that our lives had become unmanageable.”

Step 1 wasn’t as difficult for me to understand as you would imagine. I’ve known for a long time that I’m powerless over food. When someone asks “Would you like..?” my answer is invariably “Yes please!”

I felt like I couldn’t say no, and my husband (who is also battling a weight problem) and I were culprits for feeding each other, undermining each other’s resolve to eat sensibly and generally being each other’s worst enemies.

However, knowing you’re powerless over food and accepting you’re powerless over food are two very different things.

I always thought I could manage it, that it was just a matter of finding the right diet, and that all I needed was more willpower. Lurking at the back of all this was the suspicion that I was powerless, but I never accepted it. Surely a capable person such as me could get a handle on my eating! Other people did! Why not me?

I realize now that I was never going to get a handle on it by myself. I needed help. OA is that help.

I can be healed, but I can’t be cured.

The acceptance is coming. I’m on my way now.

Category: First step

Accountability – 12 September 2021

Step 1: Powerless over food