134. Wired Differently

I grew up with a young, single mom, and the early years at home were tumultuous. Finances were tight, and things often felt unstable. From a very young age, I could eat as much as my grandfather. There was no real connection between feeling full and stopping. I was a chubby kid, taller than my classmates, and became very aware of how I ate in front of others. I tried dieting, but I couldn’t stick to anything. I remember thinking, " Why lose weight if I’m just going to gain it back?”  Even as a teenager, I sensed something deeper -- that I was dealing with a real condition. I attended my first Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) meeting as a senior in high school. I heard food addiction described as a medical issue rather than a failure of willpower, like I had read in fashion magazines. That changed everything. When I began following the FA food plan with clear boundaries and structured meals, life started to shift. I experienced mental clarity, my anxiety began to ease, and I felt a sense of peace. After twenty-eight years in FA, the obsession is gone. Removing sugar and flour, along with using the tools of the program, has taken away that constant need to eat -- something no diet ever did. I felt supported through every stage of life, from weighing and measuring food in my college dorm to dating, marriage, and raising three children.  The daily routine of recovery in FA is second nature now, and it has created space for me to grow into who I am. Today, I have a Higher Power, a beautiful community, and a full life. This is a “we” program. I don’t have to do this alone, and I no longer live in the struggle