I grew up in El Salvador during a time of economic hardship and civil war. My family immigrated to the U.S. when I was young, and my early years were filled with separation and constant upheaval. My father was an alcoholic, and his drinking left deep scars. What I didn’t realize for a long time was that I had become just like him, not with alcohol, but with food addiction. I was pregnant at 14, a mother of three sons by my early twenties, and stuck in a cycle of diets, pills, and despair. I terrorized my boys the same way my father had terrorized me – through rage-filled outbursts, "the silent treatment," and a lot of chaos. Believing I could never change, I felt utterly hopeless and full of shame. But when I hit rock bottom, Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) became the lifeline I didn't know I needed. With the help of a higher power, a sponsor, and a food plan, I slowly began to let go of my anger, food cravings, and the weight that had weighed me down for so long. In FA, I’ve faced my life’s toughest moments – my son’s motorcycle accident and another son’s early-onset Parkinson’s – without turning to food. Today, I’m 60 years old, celebrating 25 years of marriage and 25 years in recovery. FA didn't just help me lose weight; it is helping me learn how to heal, how to love, and how to rebuild relationships. Something as simple as dancing in the kitchen with my husband is one of so many gifts I never imagined would be mine, and I am forever grateful

This story is about a woman who spent years chasing control, yet felt lost in her own life. Despite a loving upbringing, she struggled with feeling like she was “not enough.” Many of her childhood memories were centered around food, but she was able to maintain a normal weight until college. There, her food addiction took off, and she picked up cigarettes and alcohol. As she kept eating and growing bigger, she found her life shrinking. She made choices based on fear, such as working at the family business and settling into a life she didn’t love. After having a baby and not losing the weight, she joined a commercial weight loss program and lost 100 pounds (45 kilos). This kicked her disease into a whole new gear, throwing her into complete obsession with weight loss, exercise, therapy, and medication. Finally, she found Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA). At her first meeting, she heard members reading stories from the FA magazine, Connection, and related to every single story. She realized she was not alone. After one final binge that involved stealing food from her children, she found willingness to surrender control and become abstinent. Now remarried with two stepchildren in addition to her two sons, she has learned to face the challenges of life. But more than that, she describes a spiritual experience of joy and living with a lighter mind, free from food obsession.

After 25 years in the Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) program, life looks vastly different. My wife and I are about to celebrate our 20th anniversary, and we have a 17-year-old daughter. I now serve as the dean of students at a religious seminary—an unexpected outcome from working the FA program, considering that I neither liked deans nor religion in my earlier years. My journey with food addiction started when I was a young girl, using food – particularly sugar – as a coping mechanism or a reward. Despite growing up in a stable household, I wrestled with self-doubt, insecurity, and body dysmorphia. I believed I was overweight my whole life, but childhood photos proved otherwise. The turning point came when a friend introduced me to FA, and though skeptical of 12-step programs, I decided to give it a try. The program helped me recognize my addictive relationship with food and allowed me to build a spiritual connection with my higher power. My sponsor's loving guidance provided structure, helped me with my food choices, and encouraged me to practice daily meditation. This simple, yet transformative, practice has helped me stay abstinent through many of life's challenges. Today, I live with gratitude for the gifts of FA, knowing that my life—once filled with fear and shame—has been completely rearranged from the inside out.