About OA | The Program | Plan of Eating THE OA PROGRAM A 12 Step Program The 12 Steps were originally developed by the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The program is based on using a set of suggested principles for recovery from addictive/compulsive behavior. Working the 12 Steps involves the following: Admitting that you cannot control your addiction or compulsion Recognizing a power greater than yourself can Examining past behavior with the help of a sponsor (experienced member) Making amends for these behavior where appropriate Using the OA tools to live a new life with a new code of behavior Helping others that suffer from the same addiction or compulsion TOOLS OF RECOVERY To start working the program you will want to start going to MEETINGS. Just click on the yellow MEETING tab above to find a meeting near you or take advantage of one of the many virtual meetings OA offers. The telephone also provides an immediate outlet for those hard-to-handle highs and lows we may experience. Many members call other OA members and their own sponsors daily. The next step will be to get some OA and 12-Step LITERATURE. Most of the literature is very inexpensive, and some is even available free online. Click on the green DOWNLOADS tab above to view our seletion of free audio & literature or click on the blue SHOP tab above to purchase. Literature and audio tapes/cds are also available for sale at most meetings. Once you start to get to know other OA members in meetings, you'll be able to find a SPONSOR. A sponsor is a more experienced person in recovery who'll help guide you through the program. You and your sponsor will participate in activities that lead to spiritual growth as defined by the 12 Step process. These may include literature discussion & study, meditation and writing. You can work with more than one sponsor and can change sponsors at will. You and your sponsor will develop A PLAN OF EATING. Although individual plans of eating are as varied as our members, most OA members agree that some plan no matter how flexible or structured is necessary. This tool helps us deal with the physical aspects of our disease and helps us achieve physical recovery and move towards a more spiritual living experience. >>MORE ON THE TOOLS OF RECOVERY   WHAT ARE THE 12 STEPS? We admitted we were powerless over food - that our lives had become unmanageable. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. 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. 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.   OA TERMS 12 Traditions - The tenants of the program 12 & 12 / The Brown Book - The book: The 12 steps & Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous. 30 in 30 or 90 in 90 - Refers to number of meetings in number of days. ie 30 meetings in 30 days. Abstinence - The action of refraining from compulsive eating. Big Book - The book: Alcoholics Anonymous. Cross Talk - Giving advice or questioning the person speaking/sharing at the time. Delegate - The person elected at the intergroup level who attends a once monthly meeting in order to gather then disperse OA information to their intergroup. (events or announcements). HOW - Abbreviation for Honesty, Openness and Willingness. This is the acronym for a number of OA groups who have a more structured method of practicing the OA program. IG - Intergroup. Lifeline - Monthly magazine of Overeaters Anonymous, publishing stories of recovery written and submitted by OA members. OAs - People who are in Overeaters Anonymous. Pitch/Share - A brief talk in which members may qualify and describe what they were like before OA and what they are like now. Qualify - The act of telling a group the length of time one has been in the program; usually includes length of abstinence and may include weight lost. World Service (WSO) - Administrative headquarters for Overeaters Anonymous in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Staffed by 14 professionals who conduct day-to-day business operations of OA, the WSO tracks OA groups worldwide, develops OA literature, produces the monthly Lifeline magazine, and sells and ships OA materials. WSBC - World Service Business Conference (also known as the Conference).     © 2010 OASFVI, All Rights Reserved.