OUR RECOVERY STORIES

 

Thank God I Ate the Cookies


Just thought I would tell you a little about the history of RFA. 

I had been a member of OA for 17 years. One Thursday, back in the summer of 1993, I ate a whole box of cookies. That night at the Thursday night OA meeting I shared this. I'm surprised I even shared it. After all, 17 years in OA, I should have known better. Anyway, after the meeting, a person (who only came to that meeting occasionally) came up to me and told me about the book, "The Body Knows" by Kay Sheppard. He said that some people were having success with the food plan in the book. I immediately went to buy the book and told two of my good OA buddies about it. We all started reading it and talking about it.

On September 25 Aliene started following the food plan. A week later, on Oct. 3, 1993, I started after asking her if I would be hungry. She assured me I would not, and that the craving would disappear.

In December of 1993 with six people, we had our first planning meeting and joined Food Addicts Anonymous. After staying with them for about six months, we realized we desperately missed the wisdom in the Big Book and the 12 and 12. We thought about going back to OA, but just that week the "Lifeline" came out and said, "Any group that promotes a food plan cannot call itself an OA meeting."

Well, the food plan was a vital part of our program and we weren't willing to hide it under the table so we we started RFA. This was in September of 1994.

It seems like a miracle. We have the answer for our problem; a livable food plan and the Twelve Steps to live by.

I have been abstinent ever since, maintaining a normal weight, and I still can't believe it. Everyday I wake up without the craving, the shame, and the guilt that I lived with all of my life. I never have to go on a diet again.

I hope all suffering food addicts will find our program.

Mary Rose, TX