In working Overeaters Anonymous' 12-Step program of recovery from compulsive overeating, we have found a number of tools to assist us. We use these tools regularly to help us achieve and maintain abstinence.

In Overeaters Anonymous, abstinence is "the action of refraining from compulsive eating." Many of us have found that we cannot abstain from compulsive eating unless we use some or all of OA's eight tools of recovery.
 

A Plan of Eating

As a tool, a plan of eating helps us to abstain from eating compulsively. Having a personal plan of eating guides us in our dietary decisions, as well as defines what, when, how, where and why we eat. It is our experience that sharing this plan with a sponsor or another OA member is important.

Sponsorship

Sponsors are OA members who are living the 12 Steps to the best of their ability. They are willing to share their recovery with other members of the Fellowship and are committed to abstinence.

Meetings

Meetings are gatherings of two or more compulsive overeaters who come together to share their personal experience, and the strength and hope OA has given them.

Telephone

The telephone helps us share one-to-one and avoid the isolation which is so common among us. Many members call other OA members and their own sponsors daily.

Writing

Most of us have found that writing has been an indispensable tool for working the Steps.  Further, putting our thoughts and feelings down on paper, or describing a troubling incident, helps us to better understand our actions and reactions in a way that is often not revealed to us by simply thinking or talking about them.

Literature

 We study and read OA-approved pamphlets; OA-approved books.  We also study the book Alcoholics Anonymous, referred to as the "Big Book," to understand and reinforce our program.  Many OA members find that when read daily, the literature further reinforces how to live the 12 Steps.

Anonymity

Anonymity means that whatever we share with another OA member will be held in respect and confidence. What we hear at meetings should remain there.  The protection anonymity provides offers each of us freedom of expression and safeguards us from gossip.

Service

Carrying the message to the compulsive overeater who still suffers is the basic purpose of our Fellowship.  Any form of service—no matter how small—which helps reach a fellow sufferer adds to the quality of our own recovery.  As OA's responsibility pledge states:

"Always to extend the hand and heart of OA
to all who share my compulsion; for this I am responsible."