Originally Posted by
August252015 
Yes, it can make you fat for the reasons mentioned above- ingesting a lot of calories and/or a lot of bad foods. Often in binge/starve cycles.
When you get to the point that most of your calories are from booze, you may not eat at all or do it sporadically; I did this and lost weight. When I quit I needed to gain 10-15lb and have gained about 18. Most of that in my stomach so your bloated or mid-heavy situation is common.
You also tend to be anemic and otherwise vitamin-deficient bc the alcoholic body (or the very heavy drinker's body) usually cannot absorb any good nutrients you do ingest.
Craving sugar is very common in early sobriety. I am just now really weaning myself off the ice cream (and I am nearing 5mo). Letting myself off the hook for that, knowing it will pass, AND having begun a running routine again are the ways I am handling it.
Your health will return in so many ways; I won't say all bc underlying medical conditions may remain. But you will get so much more healthy, overall, if you stay sober. Nothing in my physical life was better when I was drinking, from energy to sleep to cardio health and overall flexibility.
Keep going! Also read this - it will help explain what is going on with you - even if your symptoms aren't severe or extreme (mine were) this is an in-depth article on how and when our bodies heal:
https://digital-dharma.net/post-acut...r-immediately/ My story is the same.
When I read the stories of people who are drinking x amount of calories in booze and eating a bunch of food, I think, well, it hasn't hit rock bottom, yet. I don't mean that as encouragement and I know you can still get very sick at that point. But really, at the end stages--when your body is failing--you don't eat. I've read the science behind it. The organs are all busy with the alcohol (that's a simplistic explanation) and one doesn't feel hunger. Was also fighting with my husband and very anxious, so that contributed to not eating.