Overeaters Anonymous

January 29, 2010

Hi Everyone,

For those of you who don't know me, I'm the list owner and co-moderator of this group. I've been very quiet lately, up to eyeballs in projects and numerous endeavors - one of which is taking some advanced professional IE training with Tribole, I love it! I've been working behind the scenes on this group and will be more active within the next week, and will also be sharing with you who will be added as a new moderator since the incredible Katcha has reached a new place in her journey and decided to step away, for at least now, from moderating.

However, I was reading through this thread about OA and wanted to share something with you. Many of you know I am not a supporter of OA, and that is due to my own personal experience and that of clients I have worked with. But I also know of others that have had a positive experience and have found it to work fine in combination with IE. Just as we don't have rules to follow with IE, as others have shared here, you can do the same with OA. Take what works and don't worry about the rest. Remember that "all-or-nothing" doesn't work with eating and it doesn't really work anywhere else. I have a problem with Step 1 because I want to own my power and my decisions regarding food. But part of overcoming overeating for me has been to learn to let go of control where I have no control. It's been a real challenge for me, but it has made a huge difference in other areas of my life. And I don't try to control food or my eating (that's dieting!), I simply make choices and decisions that I take responsibility for. Hopefully that can help some of you that are having mixed feelings about OA and IE. Bottom line, do what is right for you. Listen to your body, trust your intuition, and decide for yourself (kinda like IE, no?)

Anyway, this discussion about IE and OA was asked of Tribole recently (if you don't know here, she's a coauthor of the IE book) and I thought her answer was great. Here's part of it, and at the end is a link to the whole post:

"Many years ago, I was fortunate to meet the president of the national Overeaters Anonymous (OA). She kindly took me through each of OA's 12 steps, which made it clear that OA can support Intuitive Eating. But group dynamics can really vary. Here are some things to consider:

Each OA group has it's own "personality"—some groups are wonderful, others not so much. I refer my interested clients to the OA website, which clearly does not promote any type of diet or restricting.

Abstinence is a personal choice—and it is usually the sticky issue, if there's going to be some sort of conflict. Nowhere in the 12 Steps, does it require you to abstain from a particular food or group of foods. Consider choosing abstinences that are nurturing, realistic and not punitive. For example, you could choose to refrain from dieting, abstain from skipping meals or from weighing yourself.

Your Sponsor has a tremendous impact. So, it's important to choose a sponsor that supports the Intuitive Eating process. (Over the years, I've had many sponsors refer clients to me, specifically to facilitate the Intuitive Eating process). "

http://nutrition-info-411.evelyntribole.com/2010/01/16/what-do-you-think-about-overeaters-anonymous.aspx?ref=rss

What do you all think? Feel free to share your thoughts.

Thanks!GillianGillian Hood-son, MS, ACSM

Get your report, "The 6 Steps to Guilt-Fr*e Eating" at http://www.HealthierOutcomes.com Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gillianhood

January 29, 2010

I think ’s words on this subject are brilliant.

I also struggled with step 1. I wanted this to be

something I controlled. But 20+ years of trying to control it have been

fruitless. As I wrote about earlier for me step 1 was parallel to the

making a truce with food as described in IE. To me it wasn’t

me saying I’m incapable of being in charge of what I was eating it was me

saying “we’re not going to fight anymore, there has to a better way”.

I am Jewish by birth and by identity but not a very religious

individual so the spiritual side of OA was, and still somewhat is,

uncomfortable but I know that it has made a difference. I know that

I’m rational enough about food to start the IE process where I was not

before.

I find my strength comes from the meetings and my interactions

with my sponsor and my sponsee not the spiritual zealousness – but I am

working at growing spiritually and I think that’s great as well.

From:

IntuitiveEating_Support

[mailto:IntuitiveEating_Support ] On Behalf Of Gillian

Hood-son

Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 6:03 PM

To: IntuitiveEating_Support

Subject: Overeaters Anonymous

Hi

Everyone,

For

those of you who don't know me, I'm the list owner and co-moderator of this

group. I've been very quiet lately, up to eyeballs in projects and numerous

endeavors - one of which is taking some advanced professional IE training with

Tribole, I love it! I've been working behind the scenes on this group

and will be more active within the next week, and will also be sharing with you

who will be added as a new moderator since the incredible Katcha has reached a

new place in her journey and decided to step away, for at least now, from

moderating.

However,

I was reading through this thread about OA and wanted to share something with

you. Many of you know I am not a supporter of OA, and that is due to my own

personal experience and that of clients I have worked with. But I also know of

others that have had a positive experience and have found it to work fine in

combination with IE. Just as we don't have rules to follow with IE, as others

have shared here, you can do the same with OA. Take what works and don't worry

about the rest. Remember that " all-or-nothing " doesn't work with

eating and it doesn't really work anywhere else. I have a problem with Step 1

because I want to own my power and my decisions regarding food. But part of

overcoming overeating for me has been to learn to let go of control where I

have no control. It's been a real challenge for me, but it has made a huge

difference in other areas of my life. And I don't try to control food or my

eating (that's dieting!), I simply make choices and decisions that I take

responsibility for. Hopefully that can help some of you that are having mixed

feelings about OA and IE. Bottom line, do what is right for you. Listen to your

body, trust your intuition, and decide for yourself (kinda like IE, no?)

Anyway,

this discussion about IE and OA was asked of Tribole recently (if you

don't know here, she's a coauthor of the IE book) and I thought her answer was

great. Here's part of it, and at the end is a link to the whole post:

" Many years ago, I was fortunate to meet the president of the national

Overeaters Anonymous (OA). She kindly took me through each of OA's 12 steps,

which made it clear that OA can support Intuitive Eating. But group dynamics can really vary. Here

are some things to consider:

Each OA group has it's own

" personality " —some groups are wonderful, others not so

much. I refer my interested clients to the OA

website, which clearly does not promote any type of diet or

restricting.

Abstinence is a personal choice—and it is

usually the sticky issue, if there's going to be some sort of conflict.

Nowhere in the 12 Steps, does it require you to abstain from a

particular food or group of foods. Consider choosing abstinences that are

nurturing, realistic and not punitive. For example, you could choose to

refrain from dieting, abstain from skipping meals or from weighing

yourself.

Your Sponsor has a tremendous impact. So, it's

important to choose a sponsor that supports the Intuitive Eating process.

(Over the years, I've had many sponsors refer clients to me, specifically

to facilitate the Intuitive Eating process). "

http://nutrition-info-411.evelyntribole.com/2010/01/16/what-do-you-think-about-overeaters-anonymous.aspx?ref=rss

What

do you all think? Feel free to share your thoughts.

Thanks!

Gillian

Gillian Hood-son, MS, ACSM

Get your report, " The

6 Steps to Guilt-Fr*e Eating " at http://www.HealthierOutcomes.com

Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gillianhood

January 30, 2010

I think that some of the principles of OA will help me, just not going to so

strick as no white flour or sugar. I feel as long as I am aware of what I'm

eating and picking out healthy foods. I exercise everyday, just gotta get a

handle on binging in the afternoon in front of the Tv, read, write, draw, get

out of house, just something else to do.

Cheryl

>

> Hi Everyone,

>

> For those of you who don't know me, I'm the list owner and co-moderator of

> this group. I've been very quiet lately, up to eyeballs in projects and

> numerous endeavors - one of which is taking some advanced professional IE

> training with Tribole, I love it! I've been working behind the scenes

> on this group and will be more active within the next week, and will also be

> sharing with you who will be added as a new moderator since the incredible

> Katcha has reached a new place in her journey and decided to step away, for

> at least now, from moderating.

>

> However, I was reading through this thread about OA and wanted to share

> something with you. Many of you know I am not a supporter of OA, and that is

> due to my own personal experience and that of clients I have worked with.

> But I also know of others that have had a positive experience and have found

> it to work fine in combination with IE. Just as we don't have rules to

> follow with IE, as others have shared here, you can do the same with OA.

> Take what works and don't worry about the rest. Remember that

> " all-or-nothing " doesn't work with eating and it doesn't really work

> anywhere else. I have a problem with Step 1 because I want to own my power

> and my decisions regarding food. But part of overcoming overeating for me

> has been to learn to let go of control where I have no control. It's been a

> real challenge for me, but it has made a huge difference in other areas of

> my life. And I don't try to control food or my eating (that's dieting!), I

> simply make choices and decisions that I take responsibility for. Hopefully

> that can help some of you that are having mixed feelings about OA and IE.

> Bottom line, do what is right for you. Listen to your body, trust your

> intuition, and decide for yourself (kinda like IE, no?)

>

> Anyway, this discussion about IE and OA was asked of Tribole recently

> (if you don't know here, she's a coauthor of the IE book) and I thought her

> answer was great. Here's part of it, and at the end is a link to the whole

> post:

>

> " Many years ago, I was fortunate to meet the president of the national

> Overeaters Anonymous (OA). She kindly took me through each of OA's 12 steps,

> which made it clear that OA can support Intuitive Eating

> <http://www.evelyntribole.com/index.php?page=intuitive-eating-articles-studi

> es-support-groups> . But group dynamics can really vary. Here are some

> things to consider:

>

> * Each OA group has it's own " personality " -some groups are wonderful,

> others not so much. I refer my interested clients to the OA website

> <http://www.oa.org/new-to-oa/twelve-steps.php> , which clearly does not

> promote any type of diet or restricting.

> * Abstinence is a personal choice-and it is usually the sticky issue,

> if there's going to be some sort of conflict. Nowhere in the 12 Steps

> <http://www.oa.org/new-to-oa/twelve-steps.php> , does it require you to

> abstain from a particular food or group of foods. Consider choosing

> abstinences that are nurturing, realistic and not punitive. For example, you

> could choose to refrain from dieting, abstain from skipping meals or from

> weighing yourself.

> * Your Sponsor has a tremendous impact. So, it's important to choose a

> sponsor that supports the Intuitive Eating process. (Over the years, I've

> had many sponsors refer clients to me, specifically to facilitate the

> Intuitive Eating process). "

>

> http://nutrition-info-411.evelyntribole.com/2010/01/16/what-do-you-think-abo

> ut-overeaters-anonymous.aspx?ref=rss

>

> What do you all think? Feel free to share your thoughts.

>

> Thanks!

> Gillian

> Gillian Hood-son, MS, ACSM

>

> Get your report, " The 6 Steps to Guilt-Fr*e Eating " at

> http://www.HealthierOutcomes.com <http://www.healthieroutcomes.com/>

> Follow me on Twitter: <http://www.twitter.com/gillianhood>

> http://www.twitter.com/gillianhood

>

January 30, 2010

Hi Cheryl,I'm glad you are able to take what you need from OA and leave the rest! that's awesome. However, I worry a little that when you say you are going to pick out " healthy foods " ... I really need a refresher with the IE book, but it seems to me that part of the deal with IE is not restricting your food choices... or else it's still kind of like a diet... unless you have allergies or something like that. Intuitive eating to me, anyway, means letting your body guide your choices a bit more. Letting your decisions be guided by INTERNAL factors, such as what sounds appealing, and not what we hear EXTERNALLY about what we are " supposed' to eat. For many of us, IE started with " legalizing " foods... which often means eating a lot of foods we would've previously classified as " unhealthy. " the amazing thing about doing this is when you let yourself have unlimited access to all foods, many previously forbidden foods lose their magical power... in fact, we often discover we don't even LIKE some of the forbidden foods. but it's definitely hard and scary at first!

after you've worked through this process, GENTLE nutrition can happen...Have you read the Intuitive Eating book? It can be a lot to take in at first... and I definitely am still not at peace with all of it. But I think it is an invaluable tool for the journey, so if you haven't read it, I highly recommend it!

Best,Abby

I think that some of the principles of OA will help me, just not going to so strick as no white flour or sugar. I feel as long as I am aware of what I'm eating and picking out healthy foods. I exercise everyday, just gotta get a handle on binging in the afternoon in front of the Tv, read, write, draw, get out of house, just something else to do.