Addicted...to physical fitness!
Beat Opiates on my OWN!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Rochester, New York
Posts: 246
Addicted...to physical fitness!
So, yes I admit, I am an addict. I am addicted to eating healthy and working out. lol.
Honestly, it is what kept me on my journey early in my recovery (per all my posts about exercise). It helped so much early, but now I do it because I love it. If anyone has any questions on cardio workouts, weight training, boot camps, or any type of training, please feel free to contact me. When I quit in November of 2010 I was 210lbs, 20% bodyfat, and wasnt very strong and could barely run a mile. Yet before my addiction I was athletic, lean and strong. So I got back on the horse and got after it.
NOW...I am 180 lbs, 9% bodyfat, bench press 350 and can run a 5k in under 21 minutes! I look and feel great and it rubs off in my personal and professional aspects of life too.
I strongly recommend working out to all recovering addicts.
Honestly, it is what kept me on my journey early in my recovery (per all my posts about exercise). It helped so much early, but now I do it because I love it. If anyone has any questions on cardio workouts, weight training, boot camps, or any type of training, please feel free to contact me. When I quit in November of 2010 I was 210lbs, 20% bodyfat, and wasnt very strong and could barely run a mile. Yet before my addiction I was athletic, lean and strong. So I got back on the horse and got after it.
NOW...I am 180 lbs, 9% bodyfat, bench press 350 and can run a 5k in under 21 minutes! I look and feel great and it rubs off in my personal and professional aspects of life too.
I strongly recommend working out to all recovering addicts.
dude in recovery
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Gulf Coast, TX
Posts: 1,504
Very cool. I really need to get back to some sort of exercise plan (and stick to it). I want to start again with walking\jogging, ab work, aerobics\cardio and some light bag training, gotta get off my butt first, 'Just do it' and keep doing it. 
Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 2,391
Definitely. I started running recently when my resentments became almost too much to deal with alone (even with AA/NA). I was doing well up to that point fitness wise but the running really helped me focus and deal with the things I could change (me!). I've run a 5K and looking at more this coming year. The endorphins are amazing.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 82
Juiceman, what kind of workout plan did you do?.. and how long did it take you to lose the 30lbs, that's exactly how much weight I need to lose to get in the Marines...
Please let me know, anything would be greatly appreciated.
Please let me know, anything would be greatly appreciated.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,677
Hey, Juiceman.
Along with deconditioning from being a LAZY AZZ while using, the opiates puffed me up and made me look like the Michelin man.
It took til summer for me, but I finally started working out again. I do mountain biking since my artificial titanium wonder woman knees have a "life" and I'm not supposed to do power walking or anything else silly looking like that to work out.
So, my swelling is down, my joints feel better, and I've lost a bunch of weight -- on purpose. Ha!
It feels great to be getting back to normal, even though it's taken me a year.
But, hey, I'd be a YEAR OLDER ANYWAY, so why not do it opiate free and with a little muscle tone.
Good on ya, Juiceman. And thanks for spreading the word and helping your friend.
FT
Along with deconditioning from being a LAZY AZZ while using, the opiates puffed me up and made me look like the Michelin man.
It took til summer for me, but I finally started working out again. I do mountain biking since my artificial titanium wonder woman knees have a "life" and I'm not supposed to do power walking or anything else silly looking like that to work out.
So, my swelling is down, my joints feel better, and I've lost a bunch of weight -- on purpose. Ha!
It feels great to be getting back to normal, even though it's taken me a year.
But, hey, I'd be a YEAR OLDER ANYWAY, so why not do it opiate free and with a little muscle tone.
Good on ya, Juiceman. And thanks for spreading the word and helping your friend.
FT
Beat Opiates on my OWN!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Rochester, New York
Posts: 246
Tlh, I do cardio 4 days a week and strenght training 3 days (2 of the cardio days, so 5 day plan all together). My cardio will be anything from a boot camp, cross fit, spinning or simply running. My weights change all the time. It really is all about HARD cardio and eating right. Cut out sugar, friend foods, calorie dense sauces, etc.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 12
great post Juiceman....I couldn't agree with you more about exercising. Some days when you're just not feeling it, you have to dig up the motivation to force yourself to go to the gym & then afterwards you're glad because you feel so much better.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Bridgeport, CT
Posts: 14
Bump to this thread - great advice to all newcomers and longtimers alike. One of the benefits of having an addictive personality is being able to do things addictively. I hit the weights 4 days per week (squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press -- currently using Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 powerlifting routine), mix in Crossfit, Sealfit, and Strongman workouts, and do 5-6 90 minute sessions of Bikram yoga per week. At 6'2", I used to weight 230 lbs with 20%+ bodyfat. I now weigh 215 lbs with 7% bodyfat (tested with calipers a couple weeks ago). I feel better than I ever have in my life, and am much stronger than I ever have been. I recently competed in a Strongman competition and placed 5th in my weight class. It feels so good to be able to do anything, anytime, whether it be playing pickup basketball, going for a 10 mile run with a friend, flag football, snowboarding, you name it.
Diet is an important factor too. Because I have struggled with binge eating my entire life, I found that by following an intermittent fasting protocol (see LeanGains dot com for details), I am able to very easily control my eating and weight. I eat a strict Paleo diet, and the results have been nothing short of spectacular. When I look in the mirror now, I hardly recognize the person I've become. I even get asked for backup ID in a lot of places, because the person on my driver's license doesn't even remotely resemble who I am now.
What most amazed me about finally fully taking care of my body is how as my confidence grew, the reactions and responses of people around me warmed. As I became comfortable in my skin, I was able to be more outgoing and confident....my interactions with people became much friendlier. People can sense when you have a negative image of your self, low self-esteem, and lack confidence. By investing in yourself through exercise and proper eating, the benefits will carry over into every aspect of your life.
Books/Resources That I Recommend:
1) Reddit dot com forward slash R forward slash Fitness --- great forum for newcomers to fitness with comprehensive FAQ
2) Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 EBook -- Just released 2nd edition, great resource for long time lifters who want to break through lifting plateaus (was able to recently hit a 525lb deadlift following his protocol after being stuck at 500 for a year)
3) Crossfit dot com, Sealfit dot com, CrossfitFootball dot com, CrossfitEndurance dot com -- workouts posted daily
4) The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf
5) MarksDailyApple dot com
Diet is an important factor too. Because I have struggled with binge eating my entire life, I found that by following an intermittent fasting protocol (see LeanGains dot com for details), I am able to very easily control my eating and weight. I eat a strict Paleo diet, and the results have been nothing short of spectacular. When I look in the mirror now, I hardly recognize the person I've become. I even get asked for backup ID in a lot of places, because the person on my driver's license doesn't even remotely resemble who I am now.
What most amazed me about finally fully taking care of my body is how as my confidence grew, the reactions and responses of people around me warmed. As I became comfortable in my skin, I was able to be more outgoing and confident....my interactions with people became much friendlier. People can sense when you have a negative image of your self, low self-esteem, and lack confidence. By investing in yourself through exercise and proper eating, the benefits will carry over into every aspect of your life.
Books/Resources That I Recommend:
1) Reddit dot com forward slash R forward slash Fitness --- great forum for newcomers to fitness with comprehensive FAQ
2) Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 EBook -- Just released 2nd edition, great resource for long time lifters who want to break through lifting plateaus (was able to recently hit a 525lb deadlift following his protocol after being stuck at 500 for a year)
3) Crossfit dot com, Sealfit dot com, CrossfitFootball dot com, CrossfitEndurance dot com -- workouts posted daily
4) The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf
5) MarksDailyApple dot com
Beat Opiates on my OWN!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Rochester, New York
Posts: 246
ClimbingBack, IF is a great way to take control of your eating habits. It allows the larger meals, and thats where many struggle.
bodybuilding dot com has a lot of info on the IF (intermittent fasting) to anyone who wants to learn more about it.
The low carb paleo diet is awesome too. Eat like the origin of men ate!
bodybuilding dot com has a lot of info on the IF (intermittent fasting) to anyone who wants to learn more about it.
The low carb paleo diet is awesome too. Eat like the origin of men ate!
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