Greater Omaha Intergroup of Overeaters Anonymous

After years of struggling with your weight and obsessing about food, you have decided to give
Overeaters Anonymous a try. You find an OA meeting in your area by checking OA's online meeting
locator or by calling or e-mailing the World Service Office (WSO). You've called the contact person to
confirm the day, time and location of the meeting to make sure the information hasn't changed.

When you arrive at the meeting, you will find men and women who share a common malady-
compulsive eating-and have found a common solution: the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of
Overeaters Anonymous. You will see anywhere from three to 30 people at the meeting. An average
meeting has about 10. You will be warmly welcomed.

The meeting usually opens with the Serenity Prayer, and you may hear a reading called "Our Invitation
to You," which describes the disease of compulsive overeating and the Twelve-Step solution. Meeting
formats may vary, but all OA groups are the same in that they seek recovery on three levels-physical,
emotional and spiritual-through the Twelve Steps, and the only requirement for membership is a
desire to stop eating compulsively.

You may hear a speaker open the meeting and speak for 10 to 15 minutes about what life was like
before OA, what happened, and what he or she is like now; or someone might read from OA or AA
(Alcoholics Anonymous) literature. Other members will share their experience, strength and hope. You
will have an opportunity to introduce yourself as a newcomer, if you like. You will find that you are not
alone, that there is a way out of your desperation. Because anonymity is a critical principle of the OA
program, you are assured that what you share will be held in confidence. This provides the safety you
need to share your experiences honestly.

You may recognize your own story when you listen to others share. Listening will help you find others
who have what you want, whether it be weight loss, clarity, joy or recovery from the obsession. You may
want to ask someone to be your sponsor. A sponsor will help you work the Steps of the program to
achieve the recovery you seek.

When members share, you may hear them refer to a Higher Power or to God. OA is not a religious
program and does not subscribe to any specific religious ideology. It is a program that practices
spiritual principles, and members individually approach these principles with a Higher Power of their
understanding.

A list may be passed around for all to sign their names and phone numbers, so people can offer each
other support between meetings. Someone from the meeting you attend may call you to answer any
questions you may have about the program, and you will also have an opportunity to get phone
numbers yourself to reach out for help. The telephone is an important tool in OA for getting and giving
support and reminding you that you are not alone.

Meetings usually last between one and two hours, and they often include a break. During the break,
feel free to ask questions and pick up some OA literature to help you learn about the program. By
asking for help, you are taking an important step toward recovery.

Because OA is self-supporting through member contributions, a basket will be passed for donations.

You will notice that some members volunteer to help keep the meeting going, such as the group
secretary, the treasurer and greeters. Members find that doing service in OA helps keep them from
eating compulsively. Service is important to their recovery and allows them to give back to the
Fellowship that has saved their lives. Service opportunities exist in all levels of the Fellowship, from
making coffee and setting up chairs at a meeting to being on the Board of Trustees.

The meeting usually closes with a reading like the OA Promise, "I Put My Hand in Yours". If you find that
the meeting you attended does not feel right, try a different group at another time and location. It is a
good idea to attend at least six meetings before deciding on a meeting that is right for you.

What you WON'T find at OA meetings are weigh-ins, packaged meals, dues, fees, "shoulds," "musts"
or judgment.

What you WILL find at meetings is:

Acceptance of you - as you are now, as you were, as you will be.
Understanding of the problems you now face - problems almost certainly shared by others in
the group.
Communication that comes as the natural result of our mutual understanding and acceptance.
Recovery from your illness.
Power to enter a new way of life through the acceptance and understanding of yourself, the
practice of the Twelve-Step recovery program, the belief in a power greater than yourself, and
the support and companionship of the group.

If you decide that you are one of us, we welcome you with open arms. Whatever your circumstances,
we offer you the gift of acceptance. You are not alone anymore. Welcome to Overeaters Anonymous.
Welcome home!

What can you expect from Overeaters Anonymous?

Greater Omaha Intergroup

Overeaters Anonymous