FOOD FOR THOUGHT - OA OCTOBER

[MajestyJo]

Thursday, October 9, 2014

You are reading from the book Food for Thought

Abstinence, Not Punishment

By abstaining from compulsive overeating, we are doing ourselves the biggest favor imaginable. We are literally saving our lives, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We should never think of abstinence as punishment. Eating too much food and the wrong kind of food was the real punishment.

Each day we plan three attractive meals consisting of foods, which we enjoy. We do not exaggerate our efforts to make the meals enjoyable, since we do not want to reactivate our former obsession with food. At the same time, we choose foods, which appeal to us and do not punish ourselves with boring, unappetizing menus.

The refined sugars and carbohydrates with which we rewarded ourselves in the past are no longer a reward but poison to our systems. Overeating any food punishes us through loss of both control and peace of mind. We maintain abstinence from compulsive overeating in order to take care of ourselves and feel good.

By Your grace, may I maintain abstinence.

So much of recovery is about changing our attitude. When we look at not eating our favourite foods as a healthy choice instead of punishment and a way of getting back at us or an act of revenge, we can heal.

This morning is a good example. I was hurting and I realized I was back playing the martyr, I had to do these darn readings, so I did all the greetings to everyone, instead of going right to what is important. The reading are a backbone of many people's daily recovery, and I was being a smuck! For that I am sorry, yet what goes around comes around. I got a head ache, I realized I hadn't had breakfast, I hadn't taken morning medication which has my Metformin for my Diabetis and my Ramipril which I think is for my blood pressure. So I had to take a time out and eat and now I have to wait for my head to clear, and hopefully what comes off my fingers is God's Will not mine. I am going on faith because I said the Serenity Prayer.