GreySheet
THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXACT COPY OF THE ORIGINAL GREY SHEET DISTRIBUTED BY
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS. Nothing has been removed or added to the sheet and it is
as it appeared in 1972. OA no longer endorses this Grey Sheet Food Plan and it is now
considered to be an outside issue. 12-Step Programs should be worked with a sponsor.
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS
World Service Office
3730 Motor Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90034
PAGE ONE OF OA PAMPHLET
PLAN "A" -- LOW-CARBOHYDRATE
(Suggested for losing weight)
SAMPLE MENU
BREAKFAST
1 Protein
1 Fruit
Coffee
LUNCH
1 Protein
1 Vegetable
Finger Salad
(no dressing)
DINNER
1 Protein
1 Vegetable
Salad
For carbohydrate sensitive people, man-made sugars and starches create a craving for more of the same. Therefore these foods cannot be eater at all! This plan provides for complete abstinence from man-made sugars and starches and from any foods with more than 10% carbohydrate content.
We suggest three measured meals a day with nothing in between but black coffee, tea or no-calorie soft drinks.
Overeaters Anonymous offers a choice of three disciplined eating plans:
For losing weight ... Plan "A", low-car-bohydrate (this pamphlet) or Plan "B", basic-four food groups. For maintaining normal weight ... low-carbohydrate maintenance plan.
Before you choose any plan, see your doctor. If you have a medical problem, follow your doctor's plan. You will still be abstaining from compulsive overeating.
REMEMBER .... OURS IS A THREE-FOLD ILLNESS. THESE SUGGESTED EATING PLANS CAN GUIDE US ON THE PHYSICAL LEVEL BUT WE NEED THE 12 STEPS TO REMEMBER OUR RECOVERY ON THE SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL LEVEL AS WELL.
PAGE TWO OF OA PAMPHLET
SUGGESTED GUIDES FOR PLAN "A" ABSTINENCE
Proteins may be mixed (i.e., chef's salad). Vegetables may be mixed. If a ½ cup vegetable is included, the whole portion may not exceed ½ cup.
Sugar must be listed 5th or below on ingredient labels: not among the first 4 items (Ex. Veg Oil, water, salt, spices, sugar.)
Check labels for sugar content: packaged meats, low-cal and regular dressings, mixed spices, vegetables in cans and jars.
Dextrose, lactose and corn syrup are forms of sugar. Must be listed 5th or below on labels.
Mix family salads, then measure two 8 ounce cups for your own, using up to 2 tbs dressing without sugar.
A finger salad is three small, raw vegetables or green salad without dressing.
When eating out, if cooked vegetable in not available have a 4th raw vegetable.
If fresh fruits are unavailable, use fresh frozen not packed in sugar or syrup, fruits packed in water, or their own juice, not sugar added. Mixing of fruits except the ½ cup fruits to total 1 cup.
Use real mayonnaise only, not whipped dressing.
Watch out for high carbohydrate artificial sweeteners. If you are concerned about artificial sweeteners, see your doctor.
1, Use diet catsup and regular mustards on your meats and fish.
2. 3-tsp. lemon juice daily may be used in tea or finger salad. If milk is used as a protein, some of that milk may be used ...
PAGE THREE OF OA PAMPHLET
FOOD PORTIONS SHEET
PROTEIN
Beef - 4 oz.
Cheese - 2 oz.
Chicken - 2 pieces
Clams - 4 oz.
Crab - ½ cup.
Cold Cuts - 2 slices.
Cottage Cheese - ½ cup.
Eggs - 2.
Fish - 4 oz.
Frankfurters - 2
Ham - 4 oz.
Heart - 4 oz.
Kidney - 4 oz.
Lamb - 4 oz.
Liver - 4 oz.
Lobster - 4 oz.
Oysters - 4 oz.
Pork - 4 oz.
Salmon - ½ cup
Sardines - ½ cup
Shrimp - 4 oz.
Soyburger - 4 oz.
(soy proteins, ham & sausage links)
Steak - 4 oz.
Tongue - 4 oz.
Tuna - ½ cup
Turkey - 4 oz.
Veal - 4 oz.
Milk - 8 oz = ½ protein
Buttermilk, 1 cup = ½ protein
Yogurt, low fat plain 1 cup = 1 protein
COOKED VEG. - 1 CUP
Artichoke
Asparagus
Bean Sprouts
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Chard
Cucumber
Eggplant
Greens : Mustard, Collard,Beet, Spinach, Turnip
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Okra
Peppers - green, red
Radishes
Parsley
Pickles - sour, dill
Sauerkraut
String Beans
Summer Squash
Tomatoes
Turnip
Zucchini
COOKED VEG. 1/2 C.
Beets
Carrots
Onions
Pumpkin
Rutabagas
Winter Squash
Wheat Germ - 1/8 cup
THE FOLLOWING MAY BE USED FOR COOKING ONLY
All spices, Onion Soup, Horseradish, Soy Sauce and Paste, Worcestershire Sauce.
PAGE FOUR OF OA PAMPHLET
FRESH FRUITS
Apricots - 3 medium
Apple - 1 medium
Blackberries - ½ cup
Blueberries - ½ cup
Boysenberries - 1 cup
Cantaloupe - ½
Casaba Melon - ¼
Cranberries - 1 cup
Gooseberries - 1 cup
Grapefruit - ½
Honeydew Melon - ¼
Lemons & Limes - 2
Orange - 1 (3" diam.)
Pineapple - 1 cup
Peach - 1 medium
Plum - 2 medium
Raspberries - ½ cup
Rhubarb - 1 cup
Strawberries - 1 cup
Tangerine - 2 large
This is the food plan. It will get rid of the outer manifestation, fat. It is only a part of our program. The 12 Steps will take care of our living problems.
You may ask, "Can I do it?"
Yes, the key is within yourself. All you need is honesty, willingness and an open mind.
Many of the things you hear will sound strange at first. Just listen to the new ideas. Let them flow over you. Give these concepts time to settle.
A choice is open to you. You can choose to become responsible to yourself, for yourself. Learn, one day at a time, to like and love yourself.
Recovery begins here. The choice is yours.
Keep coming back!
PAGE FIVE OF OA PAMPHLET
THE TWELVE STEPS
Here are the steps which are suggested as a program of recovery.
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 the 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 overeaters and practice these principles in all our affairs.
PAGE 6 AND FINAL PAGE OF THE PAMPHLET
GENERAL SUGGESTIONS
WEIGHING AND MEASURING FOOD
We use an 8-ounce measuring cup (level) and a postal or kitchen scale. Foods are measured and weighed after cooking.
FOOD PREPARATION
Meats may be broiled, baked, boiled, roasted, pan-fried, or grilled. Eggs may be fried. Salad dressing without sugar once a day; a pat of butter or margarine may be used in cooking vegetables.
FOODS WE AVOID
Cake, candy, candy coated gum, catsup, cookies, honey, jam, jelly, nuts, pastries, peanut butter, pie, sugar, sugared soft drinks, syrups, Creamed, fried or scalloped foods. Cereals, noodles and spaghetti, Beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages. Condensed milk, cream cheese, sour cream and whipped cream. Crackers and all bread products.
WE ALSO SUGGEST . . .
1. Write your food plan daily; call it in to your food sponsor for one month.
2. Eat slowly, taking small bites.
3. Eat your meals sitting down.
4. No second helpings at meals.
5. Do not skip any meals.
6. Weigh yourself only once a month.
7. Avoid your individual binge foods.
8. Call before you take that first bite.
DO NOT EAT DIET SWEETS OR FOODS NOT ON THE FOOD PORTIONS SHEET
WHEN IN DOUBT, LEAVE IT OUT.
