I am 71 years old, and for most of my life, I was thin. When I was in my forties, however, it seemed like all my clothing sizes suddenly started getting bigger and bigger, and I could not understand why. People told me that when you start getting older, your body changes, but I went from a size 10 to a size 22 and I didn’t think it had anything to do with my eating habits. I had been doing the same thing for so many years, and all of a sudden I started gaining weight, so I resigned myself to the idea that life just changes with age and I had better accept it.
I worked at a company that loved to give dinners and lunches as rewards for doing a great job. It was always greasy food or flour and sugar items that I couldn’t resist. I never realized that I was killing myself slowly the way I was eating. I was in so much pain that I was taking 800 mg of medication every three to six hours, or whenever I thought it would give me relief. Having high blood pressure and high cholesterol, I was unable to stand or walk any distance.
When I retired at 62, it seemed like I was going to have to spend all my time in pain. I had no idea that I had an eating problem. I had a thing for sugar and junk food, but I still did not see this as part of the problem with my weight. I had tried several programs with no luck.
I prayed for relief and I believe that God answered my prayer, because I had a friend that I had not seen for a while who had lost a lot of weight, and of course my question to her was, “What are you doing to lose your weight? I am game to try anything!” She told me about some Twelve-Step meeting that she went to, and it was free, so I invited myself to go with her. I went to a meeting that September in 2011, thinking I was going to get a diet plan.
When I arrived at the meeting, I was not about to accept the fact that I might be a food addict. My first thought was this was not for me; I was no food addict. I figured I would just get the food plan and do my own thing, but after hearing everyone share where they came from and seeing the results when they showed their pictures, it was really a spiritual awakening for me. It was then that I realized I needed to at least try this program. I did not want to miss the opportunity to see what could happen. I made up my mind that same night to try it.
To me, it was like jumping into an ocean of water and not knowing how to swim. I did not know what I would have to do, but I knew I needed guidance and help. After getting a sponsor, I found out that there were so many things I needed to do; getting up an ungodly hour to contact my sponsor, making outreach calls, reading FA and AA literature, doing 30 minutes of quiet time, and going to committed meetings.
I was not sure if I could continue this program. I was told it was free, but it did not feel free to me. Money-wise, yes, but time-wise, it was not so free with all the time I had to spend doing what I was told to do. During my first months in recovery, it came to me that I was having some of the problems that others got up and shared about in their lives. I realized that I did need help, and I was willing to accept the fact that I was a food addict. I also noticed that the pain I had been struggling with was slowing going away, and I was able to stop taking the pain medicine. Those first 90 days changed my life; not only was I pain-free, but I was losing the weight as well.
I am truly grateful for this program. I look forward to my committed meetings because they are like medicine for me. I am completely without pain and have been taken off my blood pressure and cholesterol medicines. I am able to walk without my cane, and I have gained all this by just following the suggestions of my sponsor. I started by weighing and measuring my food, and my life has turned around for the better. As I keep working the program, miracles are happening every day. So from where I am right now, I would say to anyone who is struggling with their weight, jump in. You will reap good results—all you have to do is want it. Thank God for FA.