Sobriety and weight gain...

[Otis]

Since I quit drinking 6 months ago, I have gained 25 pounds. Has any one else substituted food when cravings hit? Did the cravings and weight gain seem to go away after a while, or am I going to be a sober sumo wrestler?

[tkdan]

Hey Otis. It was the opposite for me when I quit before. Do you excercise regularly? I do eat more when not drinking that's because I hardly ate anything when I was drinking. It stands to reason if a person has a control problem that problem could apply to food or drink. If I'm working hard in the gym I try to eat healthier. I don't want all that hard work to go to waste. Look on the bright side in the east a sumo wrestler is like a celebrity. Good luck.

[lostmdboy]

I kinda went on a health kick. trying to eat right and exercise. I have ostg 9lbs. since, but I figure by stopping drinking Icut about a 1000 colories a day out.

[Doug]

It will balance out eventually. One thing at a time, and don't give up.

[cane]

I had the same problem....

[Time2Surrender]

Quit drinking in '95. Got off dope in '05. I am now pushing 200lbs. Never weighed that much in my life. 175-185 was my average. When I was using I dropped to 140. The good news is..........Still not an ounce of fat on me yet. Well, maybe a couple.

[Brookie]

Hey Otis - I'm at 4 months. Haven't gained much, but I haven't lost anything really either. I kind of expected cutting out 1,000 calories in alcohol per day would have a bigger positive impact. Guess the ice cream hasn't helped.

[Lost Sailor]

I lost a ton of weight for the same reason as tkdan: when I was drinking, not only was I consuming a CRAZY amount of empty calories daily while sitting around on my butt, I ate at weird hours, like right before I'd pass out at midnight, and eat crap, and a lot of it, like an entire large pizza(I'm not a big guy) or enough spaghetti for 6 people.

It didn't take long at all after I got sober to drop weight, since I was consuming a relatively normal amount of calories, eating very healthily, at normal hours, and was extremely active...I guess making up for all the years of being a piece of crap...but was building stuff, working in the yard, working on the car, working on the house, whatever.

One thing I have noticed is I have a huge sweet tooth now, so I eat a lot of chocolate and ice cream or whatever, but I try to keep it moderate and burn it off.

[Cjohnson202]

I turned to exercise when I quit drinking. I've actually lost twenty pounds in the past six months of my soberness

[chris k]

ive put it on and took it off several times in sobriety.

[ru4outoo]

When I quit drinking I gained about 40 pounds, and I needed too because I didnt eat when I was drinking.

[topetah]

well its been only ten days for me and i do notice the ole tum rumbling alot more than usual. plus im smoking more cigs than i used to. but like they say one thing at a time. or is that one day at a time? maybe both.. works for me both ways right now im sober thats whats important. thinking of joining a gym. but that costs as much as a drug habbit these days. im thinking alil more healther tho..

[Leon01]

yea i find myself eating more, but like the guy above said, 1 thing at a time.....

[WPat]

As I accepted recovery (6/10/99) I began studying the disease of addiction. I realized early on that I would trade one addiciton for another. That is not going to happen to me! I took the same time, money and my obsessive personality that I used to develop my addiction to alcohol, nicotine, gambling and unhealthy eating habits to putting myself in a new life (opposite of the one I was living) and I can now say that I am in the finest mental, emotional, spritual and physical health of my life. Thank you God!

It took me about three years of hard work to put myself in this position but I am born again and a new life was given to me. I am humbled by this experience and undeserved gift.

[chicago]

i came in at 130 pounds. 14+ months later in pushing 170....

[SaTiT]

yes substitution...did the sex and shoping thing.

I had to forced myself to eat..habits of running on meth and not eating
came in at 110 average is 130-145
currently at 140

Ran on AA , NA caffeen at first, not too healthy.
lacked energy and was tired all the time.
excersize to regain muscle tone and be more energetic. Also reduce
depression

I currently have low blood suger level problems or hypoglycemia
I have to reduces suger consumtion tea/coffee and eat healhty foods to prevent being diabetic

[jozran]

I personaly have lost 50 pounds in the 18 months I've been sober, I believe without the alocohol in my sysytem my body is now better able to know what it is doing. I wouldn't worry about a few pounds here and there, I think in time your body will know where it needs to be.

Yes, I think the cravings do deminish after awhile. Don't know if they ever go away completely, I'm not there yet.

jozran

[LeftBehind]

Regular exercise (try the gym) helps control appetite (try a mug of green tea or even a cup of coffee if you don't suffer from anxiety to perk you up and help get you into the gym before each workout). Use Stevia instead of sugar and artificial sweetners. Change your diet to a healthy one (try Sugar Free Vines [made by the American Licorice Co] as they have 0 fat, low calories, and 0 sugar] and the healthy types of Beef Jerky, etc.. for snacks. Drink lots of water and incorporate ice teas, use Stevia if you have a sweet tooth, instead of sodas. Educate yourself and get into a healthy routine. Works for me.

[LeftBehind]

Easier to say "I think in time your body will know where it needs to be" when you are under 40... lol.

But you're right about alcohol adds empty calories, messes with the blood glucose levels, and depresses metabolism. I also lost weight when I started eating right, working out, and not drinking. (Unfortunately I hurt my foot about a week ago and am on my way to the doctor in a couple of days. Haven't been able to work out since then. Hobbling around and whatnot).

About the cravings, I was talking to this Vietnam Veteran who ran the big .50 caliber in those Huey helicopters about that recently. He is a full blooded Indian who quit drinking 30 years ago. Hasn't had a drop of alcohol in 30 years after his intervention. He told me a day doesn't go by that he doesn't think about alcohol. What a trip. Now he actually gained weight because he traded chocolate for alcohol... lol.

I have to admire him for staying sober for 30 years. That's really something.

Originally Posted by jozran

I personaly have lost 50 pounds in the 18 months I've been sober, I believe without the alocohol in my sysytem my body is now better able to know what it is doing. I wouldn't worry about a few pounds here and there, I think in time your body will know where it needs to be.

Yes, I think the cravings do deminish after awhile. Don't know if they ever go away completely, I'm not there yet.

jozran

[GlassPrisoner]

I weighed 140 when I graduated HS (1982), and stayed there for years. (Male, 42, 5'10")

At the end of my drinking, I was 120-125. Maybe less.

I'm back to 140, and weigh myself daily. (sudden loss or gain is a symptom of liver problems) It never goes up or down more than a lb. *whew*

If I'm lucky, I might crack 145 some day

SaTit, good points on excersise and diet. We alkies are all borderline hypoglycemic, and a lot of us end up with Type II diabetes.

[Sunlight81]

Ah, I get to look at what I'm eating and why. My weight stayed pretty steady 'till I quit smokin'. I never had a sweet tooth when I was out there but I sure do now. If it bugs you, get a big bag of red delicious apples and eat one when you are tempted to snack. I also work the 12 steps on it and therapy. The therapy I do (innerbonding) focuses on my self talk which can be quite negative at times.

[mrthirdeyeching]

I moved out to Georgia two years ago and weighed 170 lbs. I stayed clean for a year on my own, but eventually started using again. I have 4 months clean and sober now that I've been in program. I've gained a lot of weight. I'm up to 240 lbs now. Kinda funny actually, I always thought that bigger was better, but shoot, now it's just hard for me to move around at work.

I started going to OA because I realized that once I stopped drinking and drugging I started turning to food as a drug of sorts. But, hey, I've learned a lot and I make a lot of meetings lately and I just try to go easy on myself.

Anything can be used as a drug when it becomes excessive. I just try to recognize that in myself and be honest with myself about it.

[Time2Surrender]

I'm getting fat. Recovery weight. 5 or 6 different people made a comment tonight at the meeting. I've always been thin.

[applecider]

i replaced my drinking with exercise so i would keep busy and relieve stress and i think its really kept me on the path of not drinking

[Glasgow]

Hey Otis!
First of all I've really enjoyed reading everyones posts on this.
For my entire adult life I never once ate dessert or anything sweet, even birhtday cake which would often offend people. Now that I'm sober I'm eating every sweet thing in sight!
The kids are starting to hide their snacks from me!
My wife freaks when I eat some chocolate or some ice cream because she's never seen that before. I'm about 85kg and always have been but I've always had to eat a shitload to maintain that weight or it just falls off, even in sobriety