Food Matters

If hunger isn't the problem...food isn't the answer!  Join us for a healthy evening of sharing thoughts and encouragement and recipes! A great group and an awesome way to learn that "Food Matters"!

This recovery group’s purpose is to learn a new way of living. We have learned that our tendency is to compulsively try to control food or to be out of control with food. At your own pace, you will learn to trust, to ask for your needs to be met, to say “no” when it is appropriate, to express your feelings, and to hang around when all you want to do is run.

Sobriety definition:

Sobriety means I have not overeaten compulsively, binged or purged, starved myself, over exercised, or engaged in any ritualistic eating patterns. Rather, I have released the control of my food and way of eating to the control of God and sought to eat in a sane and healthy manner.

The Women’s Food Addiction Group will provide support to any and all women who struggle with food issues and will focus on strengthening the individual’s relationship with God. This will provide freedom from the ongoing internal battle with food. You can expect to become closer to God through His Word, the Recovery Principles and the love and support of other women.

The Problem

• Throughout our lives many of us have turned to food to ease our pain or fear.

• We felt comfort in eating and found ourselves turning to food whenever we were hurt, angry or frustrated.

• Food became our comforter, our friend.

• Some of us may have one specific food that we have trouble eating in healthy amounts, and that once we start eating it, we cannot stop.

• Some of us may have been emotionally, physically or sexually abused and use food to cope with the emotions of those events.

• Some of us may have had healthy eating habits as children or young adults, but at some point in our lives we chose to overeat and lost the ability to discern when we were physically hungry or when we were physically full.

• Some of us may have turned to food after obtaining sobriety in other areas.

• We thought food was “safe,” not realizing it could become our “drug of choice.”

• We have focused on our body image instead of our health.

• Many of us have tried various diet programs, exercising, medications or many other ways of trying to control our eating habits.

• We have failed over and over and are left feeling guilty, incapable and unlovable.

• We have given in to the idea that there is one perfect diet or pill out there that can save us if only we could find it.

• Some of us believe that thin people do not struggle with food addiction. We have also failed to recognize food as our “drug of choice.”

• As a result of our food addiction, we feel out of control and may struggle with many other areas of our lives.

• Some of us have low self-esteem which may affect our motivation, and our relationship with God and others.

Together…

• We come to realize that we are powerless and could not control our addiction to food.

• We understand that our problems are emotional and spiritual.

• We are ready to face our denial and accept the truth about our lives and our food addiction.

• We are ready to accept responsibility for our actions and make Jesus the Lord of our lives.

• We are dedicated to learning about healthy eating.

• We are committed to learning the difference between physical and emotional hunger.

• We are willing to turn to God when we are not physically hungry.

• We will begin to view food as fuel for our body so that we will not eat unless we are physically hungry and stop when we are physically full.

• We are willing to begin the process of recovery and working through the 12 steps to heal ourselves, and start living the life God has planned for us.

• We are willing to find a Sponsor and Accountability Partners.

• We realize our group provides a safe place to share our fears, hurt or anger and is also a place to rejoice in victories.

• We are willing to face our character defects and work through these feelings in our group.

• We are willing to take the focus off of food and focus on God.

• We recognize that recovery from food addiction is not about our body image or what foods we eat, but it is about trusting God and having an intimate relationship with Him.

• We are willing to believe and trust in God’s love for us, and to see ourselves as He sees us.

• We are willing to seek a closer relationship with God.

• By facing our fears, we have realized that we need Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in our life to overcome those fears.

• As we surrender our food addiction to God, we will come to know that He is all we need.

• We will continue to seek a daily quiet time with God and will rely on the Holy Spirit as our source of comfort. We will be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

• We will use the tools of recovery: calling our accountability partners, journaling and reading the Bible.