I’m 24 years old, and when I came into FA I weighed 333 pounds and was miserable. I could hardly do anything to take care of myself. My body was failing me, and I was in pain. My diabetes was out of control, and I didn’t even care. I have always been a happy person, but when I failed my last diet, I was starting to be sad for the first time. I tried to accept the fact that I was going to die at a young age and not see my son grow up. I just figured if something was that hard to do, then maybe I wasn’t meant to do it. I remember years before FA, when my husband, cousins, and I all went to Six Flags in Ohio. I was so excited. One of the first rides I went on was the Texas Twister, which is set... Continue Reading
After months of battling with my parents, trying to “case manage” their health and welfare needs, Adult Protective Services had to be called in. We had begun to notice that my father could not function on his own and my mother was starving because he was not feeding her and was denying her health care. My sick and depressed mother was removed from her home. My stress level was unimaginable, as I tried to work and take care of my parents. My program came first though, even when it seemed like an impossible burden to go to AOWLs and weigh, measure, and pack my food. But Program created a structure, which along with my husband’s help and support carried me through this experience. One day ten months later, after going to bed at 3 a.m., my husband and I were awakened by a 5 a.m. call to hear my sister... Continue Reading
For my whole life I lived in the fairy tale that if only I were thin, my life would be perfect. I have always battled 20 pounds, but those 20 pounds were enough to make me feel separated from the rest of the world. Eventually by my 40s, the battle increased to 40 pounds. After discovering the FA program, the weight came off quickly. Finally I was thin! But life wasn’t perfect. Yes, I was thin, but I still had the same job, the same house, the same husband, and quite frankly, I hated them all. Because I was using the program as a diet rather than a recovery program, I eventually picked up the food. Thus began a viciously chronic cycle of breaks that lasted over three years. Without a doubt, I proved to myself that this disease gets worse, never better. Then things that I always said hadn’t... Continue Reading
I was reminded that I am a food addict recently when my daughter was leaving for a five-hour driving trip. She asked if she could take something along to eat. I went to my cupboard and reached for sugar products and then went to the pantry for some flour items. Then someone else in the room said, “How about giving her a sandwich and fruit?” My daughter proceeded to pack a healthy lunch. Afterward, I wondered why the sugar was in my cupboard at all. I had bought it for her birthday the month before, but thought better of giving food as a gift. Then I thought I would keep it for another time when she would want it. The next day, I shared the experience in an outreach call and committed to throwing it away. When I went to get it, I realized there were several sweet items in... Continue Reading
The term, “Keep it simple,” mocked me as I felt the sizzle of heartburn announce that my latest concoction of herbs and spices was not agreeing with my stomach. My program encourages simplicity and neutrality around food. However, it seemed when I put down sugar, I picked up salt—the other “white stuff.” While my food was always abstinent, I made sure it looked and tasted good. So when I cooked, I would shake on the seasonings with a generous hand. After a visit to the doctor, he confirmed that I had acid reflux disease. It was probably an outcome of my years of binge eating that took me to 276 pounds. Now that I have come into FA, lost over 100 pounds, and am eating good food, I somehow did not expect to deal with the consequences of my past eating habits. My body seems happiest when my food is... Continue Reading
