The beauty of this program is that it’s always just one day at a time. We can re-evaluate and shift anytime. The road literally does get “narrower and steeper.” I must keep my ass in shape to climb that “narrow” path. One of my OA friends in her late 40’s, with over two decades of abstinence, asked her doctor why her weight kept creeping up. She had always maintained her ideal weight within ten pounds on either side. Now she seemed to be constantly struggling to stay below the high end of that range.
Her doctor replied, matter-of-factly, “You’re getting older. You have to exercise more and eat less.”
When I went in for my own annual exam, I asked my doctor a similar question and got the exact same answer. I had just turned 58, been abstinent for over 18 years, yet my weight had been creeping up too, especially around my belly.
I asked my doctor, “Is this related to menopause? Do all menopausal women have this?”
Her reply, “Yes. As we age our metabolism slows down and we have to [guess what?!?] eat less and exercise more.” [boo.]
We, who have been abstinent for a few years like our food plans. It’s what we do. Daily. And we don’t particularly like change.
To quote my OA friend, Phoenix, “Change bad.”
However, because we live a spiritual program, we can continue to evolve and change without (too much) fear.
I have found myself willing to make tiny changes with ease. For example, I love orange juice (I know, I know, many of you are frowning). I have consistently measured and consumed 12 ounces of OJ per day for years. One day this year I decided to cut back to 10 ounces of OJ per day. I took out a glass jar, filled it with 10 ounces of water, and with a permanent marker, drew a line at the 10 oz mark. I didn’t miss that 2 oz of liquid orange at all. Later I went down to 8 oz. That’s down almost one gallon per month! Saint Google says a gallon of OJ is 1792 calories! (I should be skinny any time now.)
My first sponsor (in this round of OA) told me, “What you weigh is not your business, it’s God’s business.”
I keep surrendering and utilizing the steps. I pray the same prayer I prayed daily when I first got abstinent:
I’m powerless over (fill-in the-blank) and that is making my life unmanageable.
I do believe that a Power greater than my self can and will restore me to sanity.
I am willing and able to turn my will and my life over to that Power.
Thank You for guiding me in what to eat, when to eat, where to eat, and how much to eat. Amen!
What tiny changes are you willing to make this year to your food plan? Your movement? Your life?
Brenda Preuss
OA HMI
OA HMI
