Pilot 60-Minute Meeting Format Motion 2026
MAIN MOTION
The FA-EAI Maine Chapter moves to adopt a “Pilot 60-Minute Format” (Appendix A), which will remain in place until the World Service Conference approves a 60-minute format at the 2027 World Service Business Convention. During this period:
- The WSI Standing Rules of Order (SRO) June 2024 requirement to read the Tools of Recovery would be modified to allow 60-minute meetings to read the FA Tools of Recovery Statement
- The WSI Bylaws Article IV Section 1.d.i and the SRO June 2024 related to the reading of the Twelve Traditions would be modified to allow 60minute meetings to read the Tradition of the month (i.e., read the Seventh Tradition in July, the seventh month).
CURRENT WORDING
FA WSI Standing Rules of Order Manual (SRO)
2024 June: Meeting Requirements
12.c the Twelve Traditions as adapted by FA*
12.g the Tools of Recovery
FA WSI Bylaws
Article IV. Constituent Groups, Section 1.d.3.i
Section 1.d.3.i The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of FA
PROPOSED WORDING
FA WSI Standing Rules of Order Manual (SRO)
2024 June: Meeting Requirements
12c the Twelve Traditions as adapted by FA* (60-minute meetings read the “Tradition of the Month,” i.e., in the seventh month read the Seventh Tradition)
12d…
12e…
12f…
12g the Tools of Recovery (60-minute meetings read the FA Tools of Recovery Statement)
FA WSI Bylaws
Article IV. Constituent Groups
Section 1.d.3.i The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of FA (60-minute meetings read the “Tradition of the Month,” i.e., in the seventh month read the Seventh Tradition)
RATIONALE
This motion will give groups choosing to meet for 60 minutes a pilot format to use until the World Service Conference approves the 60-Minute Meeting Guidelines and Format at the 2027 World Service Business Convention.
Modifying the SRO requirement to read the Tools at every meeting and modifying the SRO and Bylaw regarding the Twelve Traditions will allow adequate time for sharing and hearing experience, strength, and hope.
See Appendix A, below, for a Pilot 60-Minute Format.
APPENDIX A
Pilot 60-Minute Format.
Please note that changes affected by the SROs and Bylaws are in blue.
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the [day, time, location] meeting of Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous — FA. My name is NAME from LOCATION. I am a food addict and the leader for this meeting.
Before we continue, please silence your cell phone. [Pause.] Thank you.
After a moment of silence, please join me in the SERENITY PRAYER.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
PREAMBLE
Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous is a fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience and mutual support, are recovering from food addiction.
We welcome all who want to stop eating addictively. There are no dues or fees for members; we are self-supporting through our own contributions, neither soliciting nor accepting outside donations. FA is not affiliated with any public or private organization, political movement, ideology, or religious doctrine. We take no position on outside issues. Our primary purpose is to abstain from addictive eating and to carry this message of recovery to those who still suffer.
We encourage those who do not have 90 days of continuous abstinence to come to the front of the room to read. Those with more than 90 days, please refrain from reading unless there are no volunteers.
Would someone please read the DEFINITION OF FOOD ADDICTION?
[Call on a volunteer.]
DEFINITION OF FOOD ADDICTION
Food addiction is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit for which there is no cure, but it can be arrested a day at a time by our adapting to a disciplined way of eating and the Twelve Step program of FA. When we abuse food by using it as a drug, our lives become unmanageable.
Food addicts have an allergy to flour, sugar, and quantities that sets up an uncontrollable craving. The problem can be arrested a day at a time by the action of weighing and measuring our food and abstaining completely from all flour and sugar.
FA defines abstinence as weighed and measured meals with nothing in between, no flour, no sugar, and the avoidance of any individual binge foods.
GUIDELINES
We encourage people to arrive early to help set up the room and greet newcomers.
Please don’t name or describe specific foods.
We avoid crosstalk – like giving direct advice or praise – by focusing on our own experiences and using “I” statements. We can, however, thank a person for their service or reference their sharing as long as we are not seeking to interpret or evaluate it.
The following readings are taken directly from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.), the program on which FA is based. While the focus of the Big Book is alcohol, rather than food, the disease of addiction is the same regardless of the substance.
A.A. requires content from the Big Book to be read as originally written, so you will hear gendered language and the words “alcohol” and “alcoholic.” However, A.A. permits FA to change the wording of the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions to include food-related terms.
We encourage anyone without 90 days of continuous abstinence to read. Would someone please read HOW IT WORKS? [Call on a volunteer.]
HOW IT WORKS
Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest.
Our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. If you have decided you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it—then you are ready to take certain steps.
At some of these we balked. We thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not. With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.
Remember we deal with alcohol—cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power—that One is God. May you find Him now!
Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon. Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as a program of recovery.
Would someone please read the TWELVE STEPS as adapted by FA? [Call on a volunteer.]
THE TWELVE STEPS
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We admitted we were powerless over food—that our lives had become unmanageable.
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Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
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Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
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Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
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Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
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Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
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Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
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Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
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Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
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Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
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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.
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Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to food addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs
The following passage is also from the Big Book:
Many of us exclaimed, “What an order! I can’t go through with it.” Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints. The point is that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.
Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas:
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought.
THE TWELVE TRADITIONS
The Twelve Traditions of FA guide individuals, meetings, intergroups, chapters and the FA World Service Board as they consider specific issues and concerns.
The following is the Tradition of the month.
[Leader reads the month’s Tradition, i.e., in July, read the Seventh Tradition.]
[THE TWELVE TRADITIONS listed here for reference.]
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Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on FA unity.
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For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
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The only requirement for FA membership is a desire to stop eating addictively.
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Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or FA as a whole.
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Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the food addict who still suffers.
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An FA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the FA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
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Every FA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
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Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
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FA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
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Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues, hence the FA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
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Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion. We need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.
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Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
PROCEED TO THE FORMAT THAT WAS CHOSEN PRIOR TO THE MEETING. MEETING FORMAT OPTIONS
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QUALIFICATION MEETING
Today is a qualification meeting. I’ve been asked to share my experience, strength, and hope regarding recovery in FA.
[Qualifications are approximately 20 minutes long.]
[After the qualification, proceed to the WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS.]
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AUDIO QUALIFICATION MEETING
[You can access audio recordings available only to FA members with an FA profile at foodaddicts.org/audio-recordings. You can also access public-facing recordings without a profile at foodaddicts.org/podcast or using a podcast platform.]
Today we will listen to a recorded qualification of an FA member sharing their experience, strength, and hope regarding recovery in FA. Please raise your hand to share if you relate to something said in the podcast.
Use no more than 20 minutes for the podcast. Inform the meeting participants of the number of the podcast.
[After the recording, proceed to the WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS.]
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SHARING MEETING
In FA meetings, sharing is open to those with 90 days or more of continuous abstinence who are working with an FA sponsor.
Raise your hand if you would like to share and please keep your sharing to about three minutes.
[Call on volunteers.]
[Approximately 20 minutes after the meeting start time, proceed to the WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS.]
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TOOLS MEETING - Living Abstinently
[Many meetings go through the tools in order, one per month.]
Today we will read from Living Abstinently: A Guide to the FA Tools.
We’ll start with the Introduction and then move on to this week’s tool, ______. Please take turns reading. Those who do not wish to read, say “Pass.”
[Read and share on one tool weekly. Bookmark the pamphlet for the next leader so it can be read consecutively.]
[After the reading:]
In FA meetings, sharing is open to those with 90 days or more of continuous abstinence who are working with an FA sponsor.
Raise your hand if you would like to share and please keep your sharing to about three minutes.
[Approximately 20 minutes after the meeting start time, proceed to the WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS.]
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LITERATURE MEETINGS
5.1 BIG BOOK
[When choosing a selection from the Big Book, please avoid passages from Steps Four through Twelve.]
Today we will read from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. While the focus of the Big Book is alcohol, rather than food, the disease of addiction is the same regardless of the substance. Anyone can read.
However, sharing is open to those with 90 days or more of continuous abstinence who are working with an FA sponsor.
Please take turns reading one [paragraph/page] at a time. Those who do not wish to read, say “Pass.” Please start reading from page ____.
Please raise your hand if you wish to stop the reading and share.
[Approximately 20 minutes after meeting start time, proceed to the WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS.]
5.2 FA BOOK
[When choosing a selection from the FA Book, please avoid passages from Steps Four through Twelve.]
Today we will read from the FA Book – Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous [share chapter name and/or page number]. Typically, we don’t mention food by name, but we will read these stories as written.
Please take turns reading one [paragraph/page] at a time. Those who do not wish to read, say “Pass.”
[If there is time before the break:]
In FA meetings, sharing is open to those with 90 days or more of continuous abstinence who are working with an FA sponsor.
Raise your hand if you would like to share and please keep your sharing to about three minutes.
[Approximately 20 minutes after the meeting start time, proceed to the WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS.]
5.3 Connection
Today we will read from Connection magazine. Please take turns reading one [paragraph/page] at a time. Anyone can read Those who do not wish to read, say “Pass. Please raise your hand if you would like to share.”
In FA sharing is open to those with 90 days or more of continuous abstinence who are working with an FA sponsor.
Please keep your sharing to about three minutes.
[If time permits, select another story, followed by sharing.]
[Approximately 20 minutes after the meeting start time, proceed to the WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS.]
5.4 Other FA Conference-Approved Pamphlets
[The leader selects a Conference-Approved FA pamphlet. Some groups read half the pamphlet before the break and the remainder after the break.]
Today we will read from [ ]. Please take turns reading one [paragraph/page] at a time. Those who do not wish to read, say “Pass.” Anyone may read
If any part of the pamphlet speaks to you, raise your hand and share Please keep your sharing to about three minutes.
In FA meetings, sharing is open to those with 90 days or more of continuous abstinence who are working with an FA sponsor.
[Approximately 20 minutes after the meeting start time, proceed to the WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS.]
NEWCOMER & VISITOR WELCOME:
We would like to welcome any newcomers or visitors. If you are at this meeting for the first time, would you stand, if you are able, and give us your first name so that we may welcome you? [Pause.] Is there anyone here for the second or third time or anyone who has not been to this meeting recently? [Pause.] Welcome to you all.
GREETERS: If you are new or have questions, greeters will be available during the break and after the meeting. Would the greeters for this meeting please introduce themselves? [Pause.] Everyone is encouraged to welcome newcomers.
ANNOUNCEMENTS [Leader reads]
SPONSOR ANNOUNCEMENT: Sponsors are FA members – working with an FA sponsor and living the Twelve Steps – who have been continuously abstinent for at least six months.
Sponsors start us in the program and guide us in our recovery. If you are ready to begin the FA program, please reach out to a sponsor. All sponsors with time available, please identify yourselves.
LITERATURE: On the literature table there are free newcomer packets, books, and other FA Conference-approved materials, including the Connection magazine and a phone list, to which you can add your name, if you wish. There are also reports and announcements from the Intergroup and World Service. There are many opportunities for you to do service, and services available for you, including IT assistance.
The literature chair will be at the table to answer questions and offer help.
TOOLS: The FA Tools of Recovery are: Abstinence, Sponsor, Meetings, Telephone, Anonymity, Literature, Writing, Quiet Time, Gratitude, and Service. Every tool is essential. Used together each day, they help us to live the Twelve Steps of recovery — to live abstinently — so that we can attain and maintain continuous, contented abstinence from addictive eating one day at a time.
FA's Living Abstinently: A Guide to the FA Tools pamphlet, represents the collective wisdom of FA members with decades of unbroken abstinence, describes these Tools and how members apply them in practice. The pamphlet is available on the FA website and at the literature table.
BUSINESS MEETINGS: Please attend the monthly business meeting, held after the _____meeting of every month. FA members with 90 days or more of continuous abstinence, committed to this meeting, have a voice and a vote and service positions open to them.
Are there any other announcements? We will now take a 10-minute break.
SHARING
Welcome back. In FA meetings, sharing is open to those with 90 days or more of continuous abstinence who are working with an FA sponsor.
We invite anyone who recently reached 90 days and visitors with 90 days to share first.
Please keep your sharing to about three minutes to allow more members time to share.
**The sharing will end at approximately [three minutes before the meeting insert end time].
We invite someone who does not yet have 90 days of continuous abstinence to read THE PROMISES from chapter 12 in the Big Book. [Call on a volunteer.]
THE PROMISES
If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are halfway through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook on life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us—sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.
If you have any questions, need to connect with an available sponsor, or want to enjoy some fellowship, we invite you to stay after the meeting.
Thank you, everyone, for your service.
Please remain in your seat, and after a moment of silence, join me in the SERENITY PRAYER.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
