Tony talks about and names specific foods so he will not forget the compulsion he had for those foods for so many years.  At age 7 he started to gain weight very rapidly.   His parents created an abstinent household but when they would go out he would steal their money and go to the local market.  When he didn’t have money he would go to the same market to steal whatever he fancied.  Whatever it took to get his fix!  He liked sweets because of the effect the sugar produced, even though it only lasted a few minutes.  In those few minutes he felt as though all of his troubles were gone.    At age 11 he went to his first OA meeting but felt uncomfortable around all of the adults.  He didn’t return to meetings until he was 21. When he began to sponsor other people he found that the people he sponsored gave him exactly what he needed to look at in himself.  Today, going to meetings, the tools, prayer, meditation and sponsorship are a very big part of his life. He realized that through the years he has been able to get through so much and has been given so much thanks to the OA program.  He is a very grateful, and very happy recovering compulsive overeater.