Love-Hate Carbs (LHCA)

Love-Hate Carbs (LHCA)

12 steps

1. We admitted we were powerless over carbs — that our love-hate relationship had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a power greater than our cravings could restore us to balance.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our eating habits over to that higher power, however we understand it.

4. Made a searching and fearless inventory of our triggers — from pizza menus to late-night pretzel cravings.

5. Admitted to ourselves, to another human being, and to our higher power the exact nature of our carb chaos.

6. Became entirely ready to let go of the guilt and shame that fuels our secret snacking.

7. Humbly asked our higher power to help us quiet the part of us that justifies "just one more slice."

8. Made a list of people we affected with our carb-related mood swings, lethargy, or broken promises, and became willing to make amends.

9. Made direct amends wherever possible, except when to do so would cause harm (including to ourselves).

10. Continued to monitor our thoughts and actions, and when we indulged out of self-hate instead of self-care, promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through mindfulness and reflection to improve our conscious contact with our higher power, seeking guidance to quiet cravings and embrace self-acceptance.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others struggling with carb confusion and to practice these principles in all areas of our lives.

13th Step Safeguard

Beware of using food, meetings, or fellowship as a substitute for doing the real work.

 In LHCA, we remind ourselves that jumping into new friendships, relationships, or distractions — without truly addressing our carb relationship — is just swapping one unmanageable craving for another.

12 Traditions

1. Our common welfare comes first; personal satisfaction depends on group unity.

2. For our group purpose, there is but one ultimate authority — a loving higher power — our leaders are trusted servants; they do not govern.

3. The only requirement for LHCA membership is a desire to quiet the love-hate cycle with carbs.

4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or LHCA as a whole.

5. Each group has but one primary purpose — to carry its message to those still caught in the carb cycle.

6. LHCA groups ought never endorse, finance, or lend the LHCA name to any outside enterprise, to avoid distractions from our purpose.

7. Every LHCA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

8. LHCA should remain forever non-professional, though we may cooperate with dietitians or counselors when helpful.

9. LHCA ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

10. LHCA has no opinion on outside issues; hence, the LHCA 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.

12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, reminding us to place principles before personalities.

12 Promises

1. We will know peace around the foods we once obsessed over.

2. We will no longer be controlled by cravings disguised as love.

3. We will intuitively know when we’re hungry and when we’re soothing emotions.

4. We will experience self-respect, even when pizza is present.

5. We will lose the guilt and gain perspective.

6. We will stop using carbs to fill spiritual hunger.

7. Our confidence will grow as we make conscious choices.

8. The obsession with "all or nothing" eating will fade.

9. We will discover the joy of balance.

10. Fear of gatherings, menus, or buffets will diminish.

11. We will learn to enjoy food without it owning us.

12. We will realize we are enough, whether we eat the pretzel bun or not.

Slogans

• "It’s a pretzel, not a promise."

• "One slice doesn’t have to mean surrender."

• "Progress, not perfection — especially on pizza night."

• "Pause before the pretzel."

• "Love the taste, hate the aftermath? There’s a better way."

• "Quiet the carbs, not your cravings for life."

• "Hot dog buns aren’t worth the regret."

Acronyms

CARB — Cravings Are Really Based (in emotions)

 PIZZA — Pause, Inspect, Zoom out, Zone in, Act mindfully

 BUN — Breathe, Understand, Navigate

 PRETZEL — Pause, Reflect, Eat? Think, Zone Emotions, Listen

Serenity Prayer

Higher Power, grant me the serenity to accept the cravings I cannot control,

 The courage to quiet the ones I can,

 And the wisdom to know when it’s just a pretzel — and when it’s self-sabotage.

PRAY

• "Help me see food as fuel, not a battlefield."

• "Let me love myself more than the carb rush."

• "Remind me that one choice doesn’t define me."

What Needs to Be Talked About

 ✅ How self-acceptance quiets the food fight in our heads

 ✅ Forgiving ourselves for years of emotional eating

 ✅ Leading by example without judging those still in the carb cycle

 ✅ Recognizing that pretzels, pizza, burgers — they’re not danger — but ignoring our emotions is

 ✅ Remembering that sometimes, we’re safe now — we’re not starving, we’re not hiding, we just saw a pizza commercial

How This Program Can Help

Daily Life Tools:

• Teaches mindful eating, not punishment

• Offers community support without food shaming

• Builds awareness of emotional triggers

• Provides structure for navigating social food situations

• Encourages balance, not restriction

• Reminds us that self-worth isn’t measured in buns or burgers

Categorized

This program fits into these categories:

 ✅ Food Addiction Recovery — directly addresses emotional eating and carb dependency

 ✅ Emotional Balance Programs — focuses on the love-hate dynamic, not just the food

 ✅ Self-Acceptance Groups — because the real problem isn’t carbs; it’s how we beat ourselves up about them

 ✅ Humor-Based Recovery — lightens the process with slogans and relatable language

 ✅ Mindfulness/Behavioral Awareness — teaches how to pause, reflect, and choose

step work

Step 1: Admission of Powerlessness

• What are your go-to carb "weak spots"? (Pizza, pretzel buns, hot dogs, etc.)

• How has your relationship with carbs become unmanageable?

• List situations where your cravings led to regret.

• How has this affected your health, confidence, or self-respect?

• Are you ready to admit that you can't "out-willpower" your carb cravings alone?

Step 2: Believing in Something Greater

• What would "restoring you to balance" look like?

• Do you believe you can find peace around food? Why or why not?

• How has trying to fix this on your own worked so far?

• What does the idea of a Higher Power mean to you in this context?

• Could community support or spiritual guidance help quiet your cravings?

Step 3: Turning It Over

• What does "turning your will and your eating habits over" mean to you?

• How does self-will show up when you give in to emotional eating?

• Are you willing to try a new way, even if it feels unfamiliar?

• How would your daily choices change if you leaned on a Higher Power or support group?

Step 4: Inventory of Triggers

• Make a list of your biggest food-related triggers (people, places, emotions, times of day).

• When do you feel the most powerless over carbs?

• How do your moods, stress, or self-talk play a role?

• Are there specific memories or events tied to your carb obsession?

• What patterns do you notice?

Step 5: Sharing the Truth

• Who do you trust to share your food struggles with?

• How would it feel to admit the "exact nature" of your carb chaos?

• What fears come up around being honest?

• How could sharing your struggles bring relief?

Step 6: Readiness for Change

• Are you entirely ready to let go of the justifications for unhealthy eating?

• What's holding you back from releasing the guilt, shame, or patterns?

• Do you believe a healthier relationship with food is possible for you?

• What would "being ready" look like today?

Step 7: Asking for Help

• Are you willing to ask your Higher Power for help quieting cravings?

• How does humility play a role in your recovery?

• Can you accept that it's okay to not have all the answers?

• What would it look like to ask for guidance daily — not just when you're struggling?

Step 8: Making Amends List

• Who has been affected by your carb cycle? (Family, partners, coworkers, yourself)

• How have your moods, health, or self-esteem affected your relationships?

• Are you willing to repair the damage, where possible?

• How have you been affected by your own behaviors?

Step 9: Making Amends

• Are there people you can directly make amends to?

• How can you show up differently — through actions, not just words?

• What amends can you make to yourself? (Self-care, forgiveness, better choices)

• How do you balance making amends without causing more harm?

Step 10: Daily Accountability

• How can you regularly check your behavior around food and cravings?

• What are signs you’re slipping back into old patterns?

• How can you quickly course-correct without self-judgment?

• Do you have a routine to reflect daily — even when things are going well?

Step 11: Conscious Contact

• How can you strengthen your connection to your Higher Power or support system?

• What daily practices (prayer, mindfulness, group connection) help quiet cravings?

• How do you listen for guidance instead of relying on self-will?

• How does improving your spiritual or emotional awareness help your relationship with food?

Step 12: Carrying the Message

• How can you share your experience with others in the carb cycle?

• What does practicing these principles in "all areas of life" mean to you?

• How has your perspective shifted since starting this process?

• Are you willing to be of service — even if you're still working on yourself?