I was a member of OA for 7 years before I gave up on the idea of being abstinent and began to reach for balance through EDA instead. I was so hard on myself any time I would break my complex food rules. Looking back, I was steeped in diet culture and all or nothing thinking.
The OA definition of abstinence: “The action of refraining from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors while working towards or maintaining a healthy body weight.”
Anytime I would slip in OA, the answer was to go back to step 1 because I clearly hadn’t fullly accepted my powerlessness over food – step one.
Now, I adhere to the EDA notion of recovery: living life without obsessing on food, weight, body image or exericse.
It is a deeper trust with my Higher Power because I am not following a diet / plan of eating (OA tool of recovery). I do plan my food, but I do so using the approach I learned in treatment. It advocates for balance as well – not demonizing food but instead appreciating it for all it does for me.
I am grateful to be on the road to recovery – step 4 is upcoming!
Words of Recovery 