A Story of Recovery:
Grandpa Gains From Losing
“Grandpa, you are fat!” my then-five year old granddaughter told me. “I know,” was my reply. A week later, she told me again. It hurt, and I asked her not to say that again, but that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Her grandmother, my wife for over 30 years, had never been quite that blunt with me, but she had told me at different times that I needed to cut back on my eating, and so had my skinny doctor. “Shoot for a pound a week” he would say; “two-hundred-fifty calories in less food, 250 calories in exercise. Five hundred calories a day, seven days a week, equals 3500 calories, which is one pound. It is slow and easy, not so hard to do.” Right, I thought.
A friend and I had been talking to each other about losing weight—but what to do? He had been in another program. I told him, “Tell me what to do and I will do it.” I started to follow what he was doing, and started to lose some weight. It was slow, but I thought I was doing okay.
My friend heard about FA, and he was on board. I said that it was not for me, but I watched and asked some questions. He was losing weight at a quicker rate than I was. I visited an FA meeting with him. The next day, I told him that I did not have time for all the things that I had heard needed to be done to make the program successful.
But I continued to watch and pray. I already felt that I was in contact with my Higher Power. He was working on me. My friend continued to lose, and I felt a tugging in my head and my heart. I knew that I needed this program.
My first abstinent day was not easy, but it was not difficult either. Since all I had to do was to deal with one day at a time, I was able to stick with the program. I liked the accountability that FA has. Over the years, I had said to my Higher Power that I would lose weight, but never did. Calling my food for the day to my sponsor helped me.
My FA meal plan helped me with my allergies as well. The doctor told me to rotate all the food items that I consumed; if I was to eat a particular food item on Monday, I could eat it again on Thursday, for example. I was able to plan my food following this rotation plan, and my allergies lessened. That was great.
During my first 90 days, my wife had to go out of state to help a family member with a medical issue. She warned me about falling back into my old habits. I told her that I was more worried about her gaining weight while she was gone than about my not staying abstinent.
She was gone for nine weeks. I was letting her know how much weight I was losing and asked her if she wanted a picture. She said, she would rather see for herself when she got home. She just about did not recognize me! It was the first time in many years that she was able to wrap her arms around me and lace her fingers together. That was a great feeling!
Today, I am 18 months into the program and have been abstinent from day one. I am at my goal weight of 180 pounds and have maintained it for about four months. My doctor, my wife, and my granddaughter are all pleased with the results, and so am I!
The program has brought more than just weight loss; it has brought me closer to my Higher Power. It has made me more aware of the things going on around me; some good things that I had been missing, as well as things that are not as good, that I need to deal with. I rarely overate because things bothered me, I just overate. But now, if something is bothering me, I talk to my Higher Power, my sponsor, and my FA fellows. This new “family” helps me when I struggle, not only with food issues, but with life issues as well. My hope is that all people around me have seen a change for the better, not only with my weight, but with my interactions with them.