Meeting Resources

The Following pages provide basic sources for conducting a CEA HOW Meeting including (in order):

COMPULSIVE EATERS ANONYMOUS (CEA)-H.O.W. CONCEPT MEETING FORMAT

(Meeting to start promptly at ______ and closes at _______. The leader must have 30 days of continuous CEA-HOW abstinence.)

Welcome to the _____________________ meeting of Compulsive Eaters AnonymousHOW Concept. My name is _____________, and I am a compulsive eater and the leader for this meeting. Will you please join me in the Serenity Prayer?

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Are there any compulsive eaters here besides myself?

Is there anyone here for the first time? Please stand and give your first name only, so that we may get to know you.

If there anyone here who has returned to the CEA-HOW Program? Please stand and give your first name only, so we can welcome you back and celebrate your return.

Compulsive Eaters Anonymous-HOW is a Group of individuals who, through shared experience and mutual support, are recovering from compulsive eating. We welcome everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively. There are no dues or fees for members; we are self-supporting through our own contributions, neither soliciting nor accepting outside donations. CEA-HOW is not affiliated with any public or private organization, political movement, ideology, or religious doctrine; we take no position on outside issues. Our primary purpose is to abstain from compulsive eating and carry the message of recovery to those who still suffer.

Will someone please read “Chapter Five.” Will someone please read “The 12 Steps of Recovery.” Will someone please read “The 12 Traditions.” Will someone please read “The CEA-HOW Concept.”

This is the time the leader shares for 10-15 minutes. I am supposed to tell you what I was like, what happened to change me, and what I am like now.

Will someone please read “The Seven Tools.”

At this point in the meeting, we ask the group to join us as we celebrate another example of miracles that abound in CEA-HOW. This portion of the meeting is known as stepping up. The sponsor is asked to introduce a newcomer who has 30 days of continuous CEA-HOW abstinence. The newcomer has taken the first three steps of the program and is now ready to become a CEA-HOW sponsor. Are there any new sponsors?

Are there any birthdays?

Our Seventh Tradition tells us that every group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. The money collected goes to support this meeting and its expenses as well as reaching out to other meetings, members, and levels of the CEA HOW organization to help spread the message that there is recovery from compulsive eating. We ask that the newcomers refrain from contributing and purchase literature instead. As we pass the basket, please give generously.

May we have the Secretary’s report? Treasurer’s report? Intergroup Rep.’s report?

A pitch is an experience that has helped us grow or given us a new level of awareness. The floor is now open for three-minute POSITIVE pitches. Those members who have a least 30 days of continuous CEA-HOW abstinence may pitch. Those members who have at least seven days of continuous CEA-HOW abstinence may pitch if their pitching has been discussed with their sponsor.

I wish to thank those who shared today. Please remember our cherished tradition of anonymity. Who you see here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here.

Will someone please read their choice of “Just For Today”, “A Vision For You”, or “The Promises”.

The requirements of the CEA-HOW Concept are what this particular Group has found to be effective in working this program. The opinions expressed here today by those that shared are our own and not necessarily those of Compulsive Eaters Anonymous-HOW as a whole.

Newcomers don’t leave the meeting without getting a sponsor. Will all available sponsors please stand so that the newcomers will know who you are.

Thank you for allowing me to be your leader for this meeting.
After a moment of quiet meditation, will those of you who wish to, please join me in the (leader’s choice: “Lord’s Prayer” or “Serenity Prayer.”)

Chapter 5 “How It Works” from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to the simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest.
Our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. If you have decided you want what we have are willing to go any length to get it- then you are ready to take certain steps.
At some of these, we balked. We thought we could find an easier, softer way But we could not. With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.
Remember that we deal with alcohol- cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help, it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power-that One is God. May you find Him now!
Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon.

The Twelve Steps of CEA HOW

1. We admitted we were powerless over food-that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and, when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive eaters and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The Twelve Traditions of CEA HOW

1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon CEA-HOW unity.
2. For our group purpose, there is but one ultimate authority – a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
3. The only requirement for CEA-HOW membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively.
4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or CEA-HOW as a whole.
5. Each group has but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the compulsive eater who still suffers.
6. A CEA-HOW group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the CEA-HOW name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
7. Every CEA-HOW group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
8. Compulsive Eaters Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
9. CEA-HOW, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
10. Compulsive Eaters Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the CEA-HOW name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, television, and other public media of communication.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

The CEA HOW Concept

The Compulsive Eaters Anonymous-HOW Concept has been formed to offer the compulsive eater who accepts the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions as a program of recovery a disciplined and structured approach. The CEA-HOW Groups have been formed in the belief that our disease is absolute and therefore only absolute acceptance of the CEA-HOW Concept will offer any sustained abstinence to those of us whose compulsion has reached a critical level.
Therefore, the CEA-HOW plan of eating, steps, traditions, and tools of recovery are not suggested. Rather, we accept them as requirements for our recovery.
Meetings are dedicated to the concept of remaining Honest, Open-minded, and Willing to listen, this is the HOW of the program. We pray that the collective group conscience and love that these ideals offer us will promote a strong sense of security that will enable us to experience a new unity and wholeness with all those around us and that the CEA-HOW ideal will help us to progress in our program of recovery on a daily basis.
To be certain, much of our strength is found in the structure of meetings and in the daily adherence to the program as it is written in our literature.
Each Group also firmly understands that after our recovery has begun through abstinence and the taking of the first three steps, our further surrender to the additional steps of recovery offers us a promise of happiness, contentment, and achievement in all areas of our lives.
We ensure our continued and sustained abstinence from compulsive eating by being forever aware that God is doing for us what we have never been able to do for ourselves.
May God, as each of us understands Him, open our minds and hearts to the love which is manifest in this room. Amen

The Seven Tools of CEA

The primary purpose of Compulsive Eaters Anonymous-HOW is “…to abstain from compulsive eating and to carry the message of recovery to those who still suffer.” The tools help us to recover on all three levels – physical, emotional, and spiritual. The following tools are used to enhance our program of recovery through working the twelve steps of CEA-HOW.
1. CEA-HOW ABSTINENCE FOOD PLAN: Three meals daily, weighed and measured, with nothing in between except sugar-free soda, no-calorie beverages, and sugar-free gum. Food is written down, called in, and committed, so we can get on with our recovery and “out” of the food. It is recommended that you obtain your physician’s or healthcare professional’s approval before beginning your abstinence using the CEA-HOW food plan. Any recommendations your physician or health care professional makes will be accepted.

2. LITERATURE & WRITING: We use Alcoholics Anonymous’ “The Big Book” and A.A.’s “Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions” as tools of examination and release. Our writing assignments for the first 30 days are taken from them. When we substitute the words “compulsive eater” for “alcoholic” and “food” for “alcohol”, we feel we identify absolutely. We believe that negative thinking is a large part of our disease, so we are learning, one day at a time, to abstain from negative thinking. 3. ANONYMITY: Who you see here, what you hear

3. ANONYMITY: Who you see here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here. When we meet another member in the outside world, we do not mention that they are members of CEA-HOW.

4. TELEPHONE CALLS: We are required to make four calls a day-one to our sponsor and three to other CEAHOW members. The phone is like a lifeline; we need the contact; it can be like a mini-meeting.

5. MEETINGS: We must attend three meetings a week. Those members who have at least 30 days of continuous CEA-HOW abstinence may pitch. Those members who have at least seven days of continuous CEA-HOW abstinence may pitch if their pitching has been discussed with their sponsor.

6. SERVICE: Service is abstinence-the greatest service to ourselves. Service is coming to meetings on time; being a leader or speaker; volunteering to be a service person such as a program chairperson, coffee person, treasurer, secretary, literature person, intergroup representative, etc. Service is CEA-HOW. Service is putting away chairs when necessary, picking up after the meeting, being quiet when a member is sharing. Service is one way to get involved in the program. Service is needed at all levels and at every meeting. Service is giving of ourselves to help CEA-HOW continue to function. Let’s all get involved to help CEA-HOW because we all know that: Service is freedom from bondage of self.

7. SPONSORSHIP: A sponsor is a compulsive eater who–thank God– has 30 days of back-to-back CEA-HOW abstinence. A sponsor will help you work through the 12 Steps. Everyone in CEA-HOW is sponsored according to the same guidelines. Sponsors MUST have 30 days of abstinence, have completed 30 days of questions, and have taken the first three steps.
Will all sponsors please stand, introduce yourselves, qualify as to the length of your abstinence, weight loss, and kind of sponsor that you are (food, inventory, step and /or maintenance), and whether you are available. To save time, we ask that you please HOLD all applause until the last sponsor has qualified.

Suggested Guidelines for Secretary’s Announcements

1. “I am ______________________ a compulsive eater and the Secretary for this meeting.”

2. “Please join me in thanking ____________________ for leading today.”

3. “Please join me in thanking those members who give service at this meeting: Co-Secretary, Treasurer, Program Chair, Literature Person, Intergroup Representative, Greeter, Coffee Person, Chip Person, Phone List Person, Timer, Set-up Person, Clean-up Crew, Newcomer Chair, and/or Sponsorship Chair. If any of these positions are not filled you can request a volunteer to assume that responsibility for the coming week i.e.” May I have a volunteer to contact newcomers? May I have a volunteer to set up the meeting next week? May I have a volunteer to be a greeter next week?

4. “May I have a volunteer to help at the literature table?”

5. “Join me in welcoming the newcomers to the meeting: _________________________. Are there any additional newcomers or recommitments who have come in since the meeting started who have not yet been introduced? Please stand and give us your first name only so that we may get to know you.”

6. “Does anyone need a ride after the meeting?” (If someone is identified as needing a ride) “Is anyone able to assist in giving a ride? Please meet after the meeting.”

7. “The special announcements for this week are: _____________________.”

8. “Are there any CEA-HOW related announcements from the floor?”

9. “Please (whatever the cleanup instructions are)”

10. “Please avoid cross-talk which we define as making either positive or negative comments on what someone else has shared. If something is shared which a member feels the need to comment, it is appropriate to do so after the meeting to the person or persons involved.”

11. “Thank you for letting me be of service. I would like to turn the meeting back over to _______.”

12. Alternate announcements could address the following: Location of the bathrooms, Parking locations or restrictions, Place for fellowship after the meeting, Congratulating step-ups and birthdays celebrated. Ask if all have signed-in before the sign-in sheet is passed around again for those present to obtain phone numbers, email addresses and identify the type of sponsors. Direct members to literature table for literature and flyers

A Vision For You

Our book is meant to be suggestive only. We realize we know only a little. God will constantly disclose more to you and to us.

Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. The answers will come if your own house is in order. But obviously, you cannot transmit something you haven’t got. See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come to pass for you and countless others. This is the Great Fact for us.

Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.

May God bless you and keep you—until then.

Alcoholics Anonymous Chapter 11 – “A Vision For You” p. 164

The Promises

If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are halfway through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us – sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.

Alcoholics Anonymous Chapter 6 – “Into Action” pp. 82-83

Just For Today

Just for Today: I will try to live through this day only, and not tackle my whole life problem at once. I can do something for twelve hours that would appall me if I felt that I had to keep it up for a lifetime.
Just for Today: I will be happy. This assumes to be true what Abraham Lincoln said, that, “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
Just for Today: I will adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my “luck” as it comes, and fit myself to it.
Just for Today: I will try to strengthen my mind. I will study. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought, and concentration.
Just for Today: I will exercise my soul in three ways: I will do somebody a good turn, and not get found out; if anybody knows of it, it will not count. I will do at least two things I don’t want to do–just for exercise. I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt; they may be hurt, but today I will not show it.
Just for Today: I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress becomingly, talk low, act courteously, criticize not one bit, not find fault with anything, and not try to improve or regulate anybody except myself.
Just for Today: I will have a program. I may not follow it exactly but I will have it. I will save myself from two pests: hurry and indecision.
Just for Today: I will have a quiet half hour all by myself and relax. During this half hour, sometime, I will try to get a better perspective of my life.
Just for Today: I will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me.”

COMPLIANCE WITH CEA-HOW GUIDELINES

Only those meeting/groups which comply with this definition of a CEA-HOW meeting/group may be registered with the World Service Office.

As a meeting/group, they meet to practice the Twelve Steps and Twelve
Traditions of CEA-HOW. All who have a desire to stop the symptoms of food addiction are welcome in the meeting/group.
A meeting/group may be formed by two (2) or more persons meeting together to abstain from food addiction.
The person registering the meeting must have 30 days of CEA-HOW abstinence, be a qualified CEA-HOW Food sponsor, and be working with his/her own CEA HOW sponsor.
As a meeting/group, we have no affiliation other than CEA-HOW. This means that we do not pitch about 12-Step programs other than CEA-HOW.
To promote recovery from compulsive eating, CEA-HOW meetings employ a 30-day CEA-HOW abstinence requirement in order to share at a meeting or 7 days if a person has discussed their sharing with their CEA-HOW sponsor.
To be considered a CEA-HOW meeting, the meeting must meet the following requirements: The reading of the Twelve Steps of CEA-HOW, the Twelve Traditions of CEA-HOW, the CEA-HOW Concept, and the Seven Tools of CEA-HOW. These are to be read as written.
The leader must have a minimum of 30 days abstinence and maintain adherence to abstinence requirements to pitch, per the 7 Tools of CEA HOW
Only CEA-HOW or AA Conference-approved literature is used at the meeting. Outside literature is not read or quoted.