I'm tempted to go, but I don't know if it will help. I remember going to my dad's AA meetings when I was younger, (yeah, rough childhood) and how incredibly and painfully boring they were and I assume they are like AA. Does anyone have any experience with OA and what they talk about?

If you go, perhaps you could let us know what you think about it.

I will, but that is if I go--if only I didn't have severe social anxiety : (

I went to OA in the Baltimore area about 15 years ago and I have to say that was the ONLY time I lost any weight in my entire life. It models itself after the AA meetings and you definitely don't need to say anything if you don't want to. What I remember is that I picked a "sponsor" from the people who were there (when I was ready) and I would call her every day and tell her what I was going to east the next day, so you have accountability to someone. They don't offer a meal plan, you can talk to a sponsor about what worked for them. I ended up just counting calories (and it probably wasn't that healthy of a diet). I cut out all my trigger foods and stopped eating after dinner. I lost 35 pounds in 3 months but as always, life got in the way, I stopped going to meetings, and the pounds came back, hence the reason that I finally pursued WLS .

I tried different OA meetings in my area a few years ago. They were actually quite different from each other. One had a very large group, many different people participating & telling their stories. In another, there were 3 of us, including me. I didn't like the whole sponser thing, personnally. I found it more annoying than accountable- the first sponser I had I thought was crazy. (If I decided to eat a peach instead of a plum, I was supposed to call her and then she would give me a hard time.) I tried another one, but I still felt uncomfortable. There is a website for Overeaters anonymous where you can get an idea of their philosophy and you can read their online magazine sample and buy books. I am pretty sure it is www.OA.org (or just google overeaters anonymous). For me, OA helped me think about different ideas, but some people at these meetings have major issues. (One lady was telling us about how her alcoholic husband hit her and she thought her weight was the problem. I truly felt like speaking to her separately- but I am not a professional, but I felt she needed professional therapy. ) There is no professional in charge- but I did order some of their literature on line, which I found useful. They also have on-line meetings. It may work for you- its costs nothing to give it a try, so you should give it a try.

I went to food Addicts once, which is kind of similar. The religious part of the program really didn't jive with me. I told them I was an atheist and therefore could never make it to the step where you admit that you are controlled by some sort of higher power. My sponsor was like, "The higher power could be anything! You could say a doorknob in your house is your higher power!"

"What a doorknob," was my first thought.

I have tried OA three different times. I think the program is very sound, I don't know if I wasn't ready for it, or what, but I generally found it kind of depressing. I also went to another money relaetd 12 step program for over a year, and found it helpful, but again didn't stick with it, it was better, I'd say try a few different types of meetings, try the online meetings for a feel of it. I personally am doing better with a homegrown WLS accountability group through mytinytank.net that is very positive, focused, and has great people beginning to attend. It fits my schedule better to call in for a brief monday morning meeting to get focused for the week and it gives me the accountability I need.

I do think reading the OA program materials is very valuable. I read from "For Today" every night and regularly refer back to the books.