10 – Step 1 Overview

Step 1 – Admitted we were powerless over food – that our lives had become unmanageable

Christina’s version – Admitted we could not refrain from abusing food – food made our lives (or parts of it) unmanageable.

Personalize it – Once I start abusing food, I can’t stop.  If I stop, I can’t stop myself from starting again.

Step 1 Words to Live By – I need to smash the idea that somehow, someday I will control and enjoy my eating.  Experience has shown me when I am enjoying food, I am not in control.  When I am in control (dieting) I am not enjoying it.

Step 1 Concepts

  • I have a two-fold illness:
    • Physical allergy – My body reacts physically to certain foods and eating behaviors causing me to want more and being unable to know when I will stop  
    • Mental obsession – The real problem is how my brain keeps telling me I do not have an intense physical reaction despite countless attempts to stop or change my eating/eating behaviors.
  • I have not been acting rationally where food is concerned. 
  • I can recover from this seemingly hopeless illness if I am willing to entirely abstain from abusing food and go to any lengths to get through the steps abstinently.

Compulsive eating is an illness of isolation.  I encourage you to find a meeting so you can hear other people’s stories and not feel alone.  I hope that when you hear our stories you see recovery, feel hopeful, and want what we have.

 

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