A sponsor in the program of Food Addicts Anonymous is a longtime member who has been abstinent and can help guide individuals on how to follow the food plan. With attendance of meetings and reading the literature, finding a sponsor in the program to help work the steps is another key factor to successfully recovering from their addiction. Members are asked to find a higher power other than themselves to help them in their recovery process to abstain from specific foods and reduce cravings.
The foods recommended to abstain from include sugar, flour, wheat, and limited dietary fats, although members are still encouraged to eat a variety of foods, as long as what is eaten is kept track of. Instead of trying to cure the addiction, members can focus on abstinence from foods. The program works by asking members to “admit their powerlessness over food addiction and that their lives have become unmanageable,” as stated in the first step of the 12-step program. The fellowship’s abundance of literature for newcomers includes “The FAA Green Book,” “Abstinent Cooking for Food Addicts,” “FAA Steps to Recovery,” and more.
The fellowship of Food Addicts Anonymous is for men and women of all ages who may feel like they have no other options and gives them the chance to recover from their food addiction problems. The disease of food addiction will only get worse and bring feelings of isolation, sadness, low self esteem and dissatisfaction. Many of the problems can include the intake of large quantities of sweets or starches. Many members are individuals who have other comorbidities, including excessive exercising, vomiting or taking too many laxatives. It is for people who struggle maintaining a healthy weight or struggle eating healthy foods and want to recover from the disease. As of 2007, there were over 150 weekly meetings worldwide and the group could be found in six countries.įood Addicts Anonymous is a 12 step program for individuals who have problems with food addiction, a disorder that occurs neurologically and cannot be cured solely by willpower or therapy. The group was started in Florida in 1987 by a woman named Judith C.