Online Articles

NEW ARTICLE! When I got ready to do my step 8 list, of those to whom I needed to make amends, my sponsor said I should put myself on my

I have recently been introduced to the practice of 2-way prayer. For those who are unfamiliar, this is a practice in which one writes out a question to Higher Power,

My case against french fries: potatoes, of themselves, are a fine food. However, if they are deep fried, eating them can affect my health, my weight, lay the groundwork for

I recently attended an OA workshop in my area, and the format had a writing exercise on the Step 9 promises from the AA Big Book on pages 83-84.  The

“When all is said and done, all we can do is surrender to God and accept the situation. Any other route will keep us in bondage. God wants me to

I once heard that if you aren’t dead you need to learn how to use it! This was referring to technology like Zoom, Smart phones, computer skills and Apps. What

When I came into program originally, I resided in the Northeast Portion of Pennsylvania, in a small town that had only one OA meeting. The closest meeting outside of my

Make amends if you found any….how about yourself??? Principal of step 9 is LOVE. I suggest this month to look at 1. Have I always loved myself 2. When did

I have been told that prayer and meditation will help my recovery.  I believe that.  I pray often, throughout the day, but struggle with meditation.  But why? With this mind racing here and

This past Spring, April 2023, I attended my very first Overeaters Anonymous World Service Business Assembly in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  I was what was called a “Green Dot”, the name given

As I sit here in Edinburgh, IN while attending the Region 5 Assembly, I reflect on the year 2023. This year has been particularly difficult for me. The year began

According to the Bylaws the duties of the Chair are as follows: Chairperson: Executive Officer of the Intergroup, having general supervision of its property and affairs, shall; a. Preside at

As an elected Board Member of a great Intergroup, I have been asked to share my “A Day in the Life” with you all. I have been abstinent for 7

A day in my life is boring except for a few days a month. I go to the PO box a few times a month. Then I open the mail

“Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive overeaters and to practice these principles in all our affairs.” Step

I have to tell you that I get a small thrill when I receive a message from Dorothy at our ccioa@onebox.com that there is a request to be added to

I arrived to Fall Assembly without my suitcase. I left the darn thing at my house. HP put an outlet mall across the street! I did not need to admit

In 1997 I attended the World Convention of OA held in New York, NY. I was fortunate enough at the time to have been invited to speak at a workshop

“. . . when I’m abstinent, I feel good; when I’m into the food, my life is unmanageable” With over seventeen years in program, I have seen and done it

Region 5 uses the guidance of the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts of Overeaters Anonymous to manage contributions from groups and individuals. The Bylaws and Policies and Procedures

The ultimate responsibility and authority for OA world services reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship. As I read this and the explanation in “The Twelve Concepts of

I am grateful for the opportunity to attend the 2023 WSBC Conference representing Region 5 as a Delegate. I was considered a Green Dot (first time attendee), even though I

To say that the Conference was exhilarating and exhausting, intense and informative, stressful and satisfying all at once, along with fun and fellowship doesn’t seem to cover it all! Yet,

It was my privilege to attend this conference as a delegate representing the Chicago West Intergroup Farout (CHI-WIF) and Region 5. Much work was accomplished by and for the members

“What’s in my head?” Disappointment, desire, wistfulness, resentment, restriction Wondering Believing, trusting, honoring, resting, stepping, leaning Arriving I am in God’s arms for today! – Yvonne C

Hello Fellow Food Addicts! I’m so grateful to be able to say that and know I am talking to people who understand that staying out of the food is about

Early on I really struggled with a concept of a Higher Power. Not having a religious background, I came in as a total spiritual novice. Nothing felt familiar. I had

I was a little anxious about how the Spring Region 5 assembly would go. I had my agenda and all my other papers but I felt new and inexperienced. I

I lived several years of my life in bondage to food. I felt I had no choice. I had to eat. I had to hide my eating and lie about

My sponsor always asks “Are you better off in OA or our of OA?” And my answer to this question is I am definitely better in OA. God willing, I

I have changed since I first came to OA. From hopeless and depressed to feeling I was able to meet the challenges that life presents. I avoided making decisions, just

I have my recovery A gift I ask for each day It will not still be mine Less I give it away Life can be painful Losing our “treats”, our

I had the great gift of attending the OA 63rd Birthday Party in Los Angeles, CA this past January. The theme was The Age of Miracles and there were over

YES! We can now post personal and/or non-licensed graphics to the R5 website.

Did you ever hear someone say “and a wonderful time was had by all”?  Well that was the Region 5 Fall Assembly in Chesterton, IN this last Halloween weekend! I am

I am extremely grateful for virtual meetings. I love virtual meetings and I’ve been slow to return to face to face. I was all ready to give it a try

When the COVID pandemic began in early to mid-March 2020 Louisville Metro Intergroup (LMI) responded to the shut down by purchasing a virtual account that would be used for all

In the silence of a December morning, I sat with a cup of coffee reading OA literature. What I was reading did not register with me. Instead I abruptly put

Here are voices from Central Indiana Intergroup (CII) in Region 5 expressing the benefits they’ve received due to being involved at the intergroup level. Intergroup has been a pivotal part of my recovery.

When something is eating away at me, I can discuss it with program friends. When there’s too much on my plate, and I’ve bitten off more than I can chew,

This eve I got a welcome, and kind of funny, example of HP doing for me what I could not do for myself. My dear friend who calls from time to time

“Ow,” I shouted in my head and into the cold, dark night. I was lying on my back, my left leg tucked under me in an odd position. There was

I often repeat the phrase, “You can only plant the seed, you don’t know how much BS (manure) it will need before it grows.” I’m sitting here crying tonight as

A fellowship friend was supposed to meet me at an OA meeting, but her car broke down en route. She sent me a message later that night that read, “By

“The Past is littered with resentments.Fear haunts the Future.The Present is a Gift, safe and joyful!The Road to Humility is paved with Surrender mixed with Acceptance.The Destination is Sacred Awe.”—

NEW ARTICLE! “Tradition 5:  Each group has but one primary purpose — to carry its message to the compulsive overeater who still suffers.” Since February of 2020, tradition five seems like

Before OA: Confused Alienated Resentful Offended Lonely After OA: Compassionate Amazed Recovering Optimistic Loving — Carol D.    

Have you had a time where you were lost in program?  How did you find your way? I’m lost right now.  I have been in OA 14 months.  This is my 1st in-person meeting.  I

Have you had a time where you were lost in program?  How did you find your way? I’m only in program 2-1/2 months.  I started on the OA.org website and listened and

Have you had a time where you were lost in program?  How did you find your way? First year and a half, I knew I was in the right place but

Have you had a time where you were lost in program?  How did you find your way? It seems so basic, but when I felt lost I was going to meetings,

Have you had a time where you were lost in program?  How did you find your way? When I started program, I had committed to stick with it since it was

Have you had a time where you were lost in program? How did you find your way? I’ve been in major relapse twice in the 21 years I’ve been in

My recovery is visible in many ways. I have lost 100 pounds and gone from a Size 20 to a Size 10.  People say I look younger, but I don’t think

I wrote a poem of gratitude for the miracles that I have received for persistently “coming back” these last 38 years in OA: The Past is littered with resentments.Fear haunts

I used to run in circles all the time. I had to get this done and that done; be here and take someone there; and all-in-all I never caught the tail,

We all have hopes, dreams, fears, and insecurities. I would look at thin women and believe they had the perfect life. Years into my life, I understood everyone had issues.

“You need to develop your own concept of God” my first sponsor said to me. That was quite a 180 for me. I grew up in a fundamentalist Christian community.

I came to OA because I was sick and tired of compulsive overeating and I was grossly obese. Nothing had worked for the long haul and here I was told

I grew up believing God was all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever-present. However, it wasn’t until midlife, with the removal of the food barrier, that I felt loved by Creator God. Through

When I read the topic for our newsletter this month, I automatically thought of page 55 in the Big Book. In the chapter We Agnostics it explains that God (my Higher Power)

How do you best use your sponsor: To discuss the Steps and Traditions. To use as a “soundboard” for certain actions before the action is taken. To check with about

I have a couple of sponsors and that is because I do different things with each of them. One sponsor I send daily food and my gratitudes to as well

I best make use of my sponsor by talking to her about how she works the program regarding things that I am struggling with i.ee., relationships, emotional disturbances, and how

When I first started, I called my sponsor three days a week to commit my food and read my writing from the assignments given; after about a month we talked

I share what has worked for me with sponsees. I do not ask them to do anything I have not already done. The minimum is simple: have OA contact every

I talk to my “main”  sponsor once a week and I bring to her what has been issues for the week as well as high points. We continue to grow

I use my sponsor for any serious problems regarding food/emotional situations that happen. Also, for any/all Step writing/reading assignments as my sponsor can guide me how it worked for him.

I utilize a food sponsor and share meals and snacks I’ve eaten during the day. While I have choices regarding the food I eat, my sponsor makes comments regarding the

When I first came into program, I called my sponsor every morning, Monday – Friday at the same time. It was an important step in establishing discipline and helping me

Last night I gave a lead in which I talked about learning to say “no” to people. I feel this was one of the hardest lessons I have ever learned.

I woke this morning afraid and anxious about an upcoming meeting. Before OA, I would have felt stuffed from overeating and totally stressed-out from over-working to prepare. And/or I would

“For today, let me remember to keep it simple.” Voices of Recovery, p.351 All I have to do to keep my life simple is turn my will and my life over

A foot of snow is on the ground. I am abstinent. These two statements don’t make much sense side-by-side, but they are linked. When I was starving as a buffer

The topic of a meeting I attended yesterday, was the Serenity Prayer. All of us had something of deep personal meaning to share. What proved fascinating was the differences, and

We sponsor because as it says in The Big Book, to keep our recovery, we have to give it away or pass it on. Step 12 says, “Having had a spiritual

Tradition 1 – UnityUnity is especially important at my job in property management work.  It is important that staff and contractors are united about what our organization goals are for

Recovery is full of paradoxes. You know what I mean, things that seem to be contradictory, but when practiced, turn out to be true. The biggest paradox in program is

When I first heard the term recovered, I bristled, saying to myself we are never recovered, always recovering. Well, I found that the Big Book of Alcoholics says the word recovered several times, beginning with the

On May 9, 2020, terrified by the pandemic and seeing the news say repeatedly that obesity was a comorbidity contributing to deaths from COVID-19, I was frightened into action. I

I was once where you are. Emotionally spent. I had been struggling alone with food and weight since puberty. Then I bumped into the Twelve Steps. It was in Overeaters

Our Intergroup had two members step-up and set-up Zoom/phone meetings at the beginning of 2020, in order to be prepared for bad roads and winter storms. We had used Facetime

Yeah, we all received that gift this year. No hugs good-bye or hello to family or friends. Instead, we Zoom and send posts in Instagram. We have memories of those

The holidays are hard for all us OAers, I feel.  Our family and friends all associate this time with different foods and events held around food.  A lot of that

Step Principle 1 – HonestyI believe in Love, Good, Beauty Truth (and all my highest values) as my Higher Power.  So, truth involves honesty.  This is what I will seek out every day. 

Who would have thought that being shut in the house due to a pandemic would allow me to get out of myself, around the world, and into a new way

How important is that connection with another fellow? I didn’t realize how important it was to interact with those we would normally see at face to face meetings. It’s been

There were 88 people who participated with me in the 2020 annual Milwaukee area OA Labor Day event. Thirty people usually is a great turnout! It was done for the

As a part of making amends to myself, which was suggested by my sponsor, I created the following prayer. The prayer lists positive characteristics that oppose my character defects, which I discovered when working my Fourth and Fifth Steps. By saying this

From the 2020 Spring Issue of Freedom From Bondage Print/PDF Newsletter Region 5 has budgeted to provide video conference service to facilitate online committee and intergroup meetings between assemblies.  This service provides

From the 2020 Spring Issue of Freedom From Bondage Print/PDF Newsletter 60 years of OA.  I feel blessed to have had OA in my life for nearly the last 2 years.  I

From the 2020 Spring Issue of Freedom From Bondage Print/PDF Newsletter I came into OA in 1986 suffering from panic attacks and nightmares. That year my oldest daughter got married and moved

From the 2020 Spring Issue of Freedom From Bondage Print/PDF Newsletter Old timers say that in the early days, “We only had the Alcoholic Anonymous Big Book.” It seems hard to imagine

From previous Issue of Freedom From Bondage Print/PDF Newsletter In today’s ever more complicated digital world it is becoming challenging to maintain one’s anonymity in the public. It is important to consider