Many people in OA say they could overeat anything, even if it isn’t a binge food, so we also look at eating patterns that normal eaters would find abnormal—whether we eat all the time, eat at specific times even though we aren’t really hungry, or have specific habits or excuses that give us “permission” to overeat or under-eat. Although sometimes those behaviors are linked to certain foods, we may also sometimes have those behaviors even with foods we don’t especially like. Here are some examples:

• eating until we’re completely stuffed
• rigidly restricting calories until we are weak
• having to finish whatever is on our plate (or even someone else’s plate!)
• devouring our food rapidly, often finishing before everyone else
• hiding our eating, or hoarding or hiding food, in order to eat extra amounts
• searching magazines and online for the latest weight-loss scheme or following unrealistic diets or regimens
• eating because it’s free or we don’t want to waste food
• eating because we feel obligated or don’t want to displease someone
• eating to celebrate or for comfort during times of stress or unhappiness
• needing to keep our mouths busy by
• chewing
• eating at particular times or in particular situations, whether we need to eat or not
• purging excess food with restrictive dieting, laxatives, vomiting, or extra exercise
• obsessively weighing ourselves daily or several times a day
• eating out of containers or while standing up
• eating while driving, watching television, or reading
• having distorted thinking that leads us to believe more and more foods will cause us problems—this can lead to dangerous under-eating
• grazing mindlessly throughout the day

When we identify the behaviors that apply to us, we surrender them to our Higher Power and discuss them with our sponsor. 

Dealing with Quantities

Most of us have a hard time recognizing how much food to eat, so we use some objective means to tell us when we have had enough. Some of us eat only one plate’s worth and don’t go back for seconds. Some of us leave something on our plates or stop when we feel full. Others of us find it important to weigh and measure our food.

Weighing and measuring food at home, either on occasion or at all times, may help us honestly assess our needs and progress. If we find it difficult to determine appropriate serving sizes, we may choose to weigh and measure for a period of time or when we make changes to our plan of eating, just to be sure we are eating the right amounts. Some of us choose to weigh and measure to free ourselves from having to struggle with daily decisions about how much food to eat. OA takes no position on weighing and measuring; we find it more helpful to discuss these matters individually with our sponsors or health care professionals.

Please note:

OA takes no position on specific food plans. It is between you and your health care professional to determine whether your plan of eating provides the nutrition your body requires. We urge OA members with diagnosed medical problems—for example, obesity, bulimia, anorexia, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, kidney disease, or thyroid disease—to seek and follow the advice of a health care professional before adopting any plan of eating.

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