The 12 Steps
The Steps are the spiritual foundation of CEA-HOW recovery — a proven path from the obsession with food to a life of freedom and serenity.
The 12 Steps were adapted for compulsive eaters from the original 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, with permission. They are worked in order, with a sponsor, and are the heart of the CEA-HOW program. Many of us have found that working these Steps — thoroughly and honestly — has given us a freedom from compulsive eating we never thought possible.
“We admitted we were powerless over food—that our lives had become unmanageable.”
“Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”
“Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”
“Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.”
“Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.”
“Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.”
“Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.”
“Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.”
“Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.”
“Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.”
“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.”
“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.”