Alcohol vs. Metabolism
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 161
Alcohol vs. Metabolism
Hello all. I have been in and out of this forum for years. I have had some really bad "drunks" in my life. The longest I have been sober for since I was 16 is twenty days. Over the past four years my drinking has increased substantially. I used to drink 3 knob and diets and two beers and that would be my drinking night. Now, I can drink 3/4 of a fifth of Knob Creek and go to work the next day (100 proof whisky). The last time I tried to get sober was in March of this year. I started drinking again, and have controlled it much better than in prior years. Having said that, I feel that booze is killing me.
My typical pattern is to drink with dinner, drink several hours after dinner, then once I'm done drinking eat again. If I do not have this before bed meal my blood sugar is a mess the next day, my hangover is much worse, and I feel terribly sick. The problem here is due to my increased drinking, this has also increased night eating, and as a result I've gained about 50 lbs in the last four years.
I think more than anything, alcohol makes my life unmanageable. It takes control of everything else that affects my life and takes precedent over them. I know I have issues with alcohol and know I need to stop. I'm convinced I would be happier without it and much healthier. I have tried AA and have alway flaked out. I WANT TO BE HEALTHY AGAIN!!! I just have not been able to stick to anything. I know it's the disease convincing me that it's OK, but I need to stop it. I almost wish I could go to a 30 day treatment facility just to clear my head, but there is no way that is an option.
My question, is two fold. Has anyone else gone through significant weight gain while drinking? If so, how did you "stick with it"? Once I get my head cleared and become less bloated due to not drinking, my mind says "party time and I start the cycle all over again.
Any comments would be appreciated. Today is day 1 (again). I want, need, and must stop drinking and take control over my life. Lately, I have had such dark thoughts (which is very unusual for me, I'm a very optimistic person). Nothing suicidal, but more just a lack of caring about my future or really of even seeing a future...
My typical pattern is to drink with dinner, drink several hours after dinner, then once I'm done drinking eat again. If I do not have this before bed meal my blood sugar is a mess the next day, my hangover is much worse, and I feel terribly sick. The problem here is due to my increased drinking, this has also increased night eating, and as a result I've gained about 50 lbs in the last four years.
I think more than anything, alcohol makes my life unmanageable. It takes control of everything else that affects my life and takes precedent over them. I know I have issues with alcohol and know I need to stop. I'm convinced I would be happier without it and much healthier. I have tried AA and have alway flaked out. I WANT TO BE HEALTHY AGAIN!!! I just have not been able to stick to anything. I know it's the disease convincing me that it's OK, but I need to stop it. I almost wish I could go to a 30 day treatment facility just to clear my head, but there is no way that is an option.
My question, is two fold. Has anyone else gone through significant weight gain while drinking? If so, how did you "stick with it"? Once I get my head cleared and become less bloated due to not drinking, my mind says "party time and I start the cycle all over again.
Any comments would be appreciated. Today is day 1 (again). I want, need, and must stop drinking and take control over my life. Lately, I have had such dark thoughts (which is very unusual for me, I'm a very optimistic person). Nothing suicidal, but more just a lack of caring about my future or really of even seeing a future...
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
I strongly suggest you have an honest talk with your doctor.
De toxing is a medical issue and you mentioned blood sugar
swings .....so that is plenty to be concerned over.
Be safe and sober too.
AA is not the only program Here is a link to various options
for you to consider. Find something that works...get healthy.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...resources.html
Welcome back to SR...
De toxing is a medical issue and you mentioned blood sugar
swings .....so that is plenty to be concerned over.
Be safe and sober too.
AA is not the only program Here is a link to various options
for you to consider. Find something that works...get healthy.
http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...resources.html
Welcome back to SR...
Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Overseas... on the shore of an uncharted desert isle.
Posts: 254
I gained weight as a result of drinking, but not in the amount of extra fat that you indicated. My Body Mass Index (BMI Advanced bmi calculator of Body Mass Index ) indicated I was slightly "overweight" but not "obese". In fact, no one ever thought I was overweight as I could hide the excess love handles etc under a well-tailored suit 
I am now well in the "normal range" and dropped 13 lbs of body fat since I quit drinking in February. I not only look and feel much better, people whom have not seen for a while give me unexpected compliments (at first I was a little taken aback and self-conscious about it as I thought they were just being nice - but now I take it in stride 
)
However, I had a similar bad "drinking & eating habit" as you have. While I did not drink every day/night - in fact, as infrequently as once or twice a week - when I did, I would eat poorly while drinking (often fatty foods) and upon returning home, raid the fridge for leftovers to settle my stomach (very similar to the manner in which you described). Doing that even once a week helped to screw up my entire week. I have likened it to pouring liquid rust into an engine. Exercise would not get done and like you, sometimes when I had just gotten over a bad hangover, I'd be saying "yes" to another after-work meeting that was 95% just an excuse to drink & party.
I do not know how to answer the second part of your question, as I did not drink heavily enough to have an physical detox issues when I quit. The hurdles were almost all mental/psychological ones. As Carol and all medical authorities have suggested, if you are facing detox/withdrawal issues, you really need to consult a physician as doing it solo can be very dangerous - potentially fatal even.
Having at least one other person who understands what you may be going through is invaluable. These boards are good but nothing beats direct dialogue with another human being. Fortunately, there is a very good chance there is a local AA chapter near where you live.
Good luck!
I am now well in the "normal range" and dropped 13 lbs of body fat since I quit drinking in February. I not only look and feel much better, people whom have not seen for a while give me unexpected compliments (at first I was a little taken aback and self-conscious about it as I thought they were just being nice - but now I take it in stride )However, I had a similar bad "drinking & eating habit" as you have. While I did not drink every day/night - in fact, as infrequently as once or twice a week - when I did, I would eat poorly while drinking (often fatty foods) and upon returning home, raid the fridge for leftovers to settle my stomach (very similar to the manner in which you described). Doing that even once a week helped to screw up my entire week. I have likened it to pouring liquid rust into an engine. Exercise would not get done and like you, sometimes when I had just gotten over a bad hangover, I'd be saying "yes" to another after-work meeting that was 95% just an excuse to drink & party.
I do not know how to answer the second part of your question, as I did not drink heavily enough to have an physical detox issues when I quit. The hurdles were almost all mental/psychological ones. As Carol and all medical authorities have suggested, if you are facing detox/withdrawal issues, you really need to consult a physician as doing it solo can be very dangerous - potentially fatal even.
Having at least one other person who understands what you may be going through is invaluable. These boards are good but nothing beats direct dialogue with another human being. Fortunately, there is a very good chance there is a local AA chapter near where you live.
Good luck!
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Here, Now
Posts: 4,268
I don't think your body weight should be your top concern right now. You're life is out of control and you are killing yourself. Alcoholism is a primary, progresive, chronic, and 100% fatal if left untreated. As mentioned check with your MD and maybe a therapist. You may benefit from detox, in/out-patient,prescribed meds for craving etc. Get sober and stay sober, I watched my dad die from alcoholism and that memory will haunt me the rest of my life.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 818
Well Dad, You said the magic words - You are powerless over alcohol and your life is unmanageable. That's step 1 of Alcoholics Anonymous. If you want to get control of your life again and quit drinking, then I suggest AA. It's a highly successful program for those that stick with it and had saved millions of lives in the past 74 years. I'm one of them.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Boone, N.C.
Posts: 5
I also used to drink until late at night and then I had to have a huge breakfast before I passed out. Not only was it "not healthy". It was a fire hazard! lol. Half the time, I didn't even remember coming home the night before...little lone..COOKING!!! I did stop the binge eating when I got sober. I hope this helps you some.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 36
Medically speaking, I believe alcohol speeds up your metabolism.
So does pretty much anything you consume. Your body spends calories cooling down ice water for instance... protein, carbs, and dietary fat require your body to do some work to process them, too (protein by far speeds up your metabolism the most, by the way).
Alcohol, I'm told, actually has a more drastic effect than any of those since it makes your liver work so hard to process it. With that said, a lot of people gain weight when drinking because despite the metabolic effect, alcohol has a lot of calories in it, especially when consumed in large quantities.
Personally speaking, I could probably knock back 2000 calories in light beer pretty easily when I was drinking... if you're doing that and you eat even close to the same amount of food as you eat when not drinking, you're going to gain weight. Also, a lot of people (me included) tend to be lazy POSs when drunk/hungover and order more pizza, cook less meals, etc.
I think I was the exception to the rule... I actually LOST weight when drinking all the time... partially as a result of eating significantly less food and partially as a result of turning into a lazy POS, never going to the gym, and watching my muscles disappear.
But I agree with Mycoolfitz, any weight changes should be a secondary concern if you're still actively drinking. You can be healthy at 120 pounds or 250 pounds (or any number of weights, really), but you can't be a healthy alcoholic at any weight.
One piece of advice (one that works for me, at least, no guarantee it works for everyone else) I can give: the gym helps me stay off the bottle. I lift weights heavy three times per week. I do other physical activities, too... but the soreness in particular generated by lifting really helps. If I wake up at 5:30am, go to the gym for an hour, get ready for work, work from 7:30-5:30, then get home at 6... I promise you, "party time" is the furthest thing from my mind. I just want to lay down and try to stay awake until it's dark outside a lot of nights.
So does pretty much anything you consume. Your body spends calories cooling down ice water for instance... protein, carbs, and dietary fat require your body to do some work to process them, too (protein by far speeds up your metabolism the most, by the way).
Alcohol, I'm told, actually has a more drastic effect than any of those since it makes your liver work so hard to process it. With that said, a lot of people gain weight when drinking because despite the metabolic effect, alcohol has a lot of calories in it, especially when consumed in large quantities.
Personally speaking, I could probably knock back 2000 calories in light beer pretty easily when I was drinking... if you're doing that and you eat even close to the same amount of food as you eat when not drinking, you're going to gain weight. Also, a lot of people (me included) tend to be lazy POSs when drunk/hungover and order more pizza, cook less meals, etc.
I think I was the exception to the rule... I actually LOST weight when drinking all the time... partially as a result of eating significantly less food and partially as a result of turning into a lazy POS, never going to the gym, and watching my muscles disappear.
But I agree with Mycoolfitz, any weight changes should be a secondary concern if you're still actively drinking. You can be healthy at 120 pounds or 250 pounds (or any number of weights, really), but you can't be a healthy alcoholic at any weight.
One piece of advice (one that works for me, at least, no guarantee it works for everyone else) I can give: the gym helps me stay off the bottle. I lift weights heavy three times per week. I do other physical activities, too... but the soreness in particular generated by lifting really helps. If I wake up at 5:30am, go to the gym for an hour, get ready for work, work from 7:30-5:30, then get home at 6... I promise you, "party time" is the furthest thing from my mind. I just want to lay down and try to stay awake until it's dark outside a lot of nights.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 161
Very good advice guys. Today is day 4 and I feel much better. I think there is more to my problem that just booze. Like someone said hangover's lead to crappy eating the next day, crappy eating leads to more crappy eating, then my booze comes in again and it's a prepetual cycle. All I know is when I'm clean, I go to bed at 11pm and do not binge, when I'm boozing, I go to bed around 1am, and eat like ****. I'm no genius but something tells me the two might be related...
I am not going to drink today!!!
I am not going to drink today!!!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 68
Originally Posted by north 
I gained weight as a result of drinking, but not in the amount of extra fat that you indicated. My Body Mass Index (BMI Advanced bmi calculator of Body Mass Index ) indicated I was slightly "overweight" but not "obese". In fact, no one ever thought I was overweight as I could hide the excess love handles etc under a well-tailored suit I am now well in the "normal range" and dropped 13 lbs of body fat since I quit drinking in February. I not only look and feel much better, people whom have not seen for a while give me unexpected compliments (at first I was a little taken aback and self-conscious about it as I thought they were just being nice - but now I take it in stride )
However, I had a similar bad "drinking & eating habit" as you have. While I did not drink every day/night - in fact, as infrequently as once or twice a week - when I did, I would eat poorly while drinking (often fatty foods) and upon returning home, raid the fridge for leftovers to settle my stomach (very similar to the manner in which you described). Doing that even once a week helped to screw up my entire week. I have likened it to pouring liquid rust into an engine. Exercise would not get done and like you, sometimes when I had just gotten over a bad hangover, I'd be saying "yes" to another after-work meeting that was 95% just an excuse to drink & party.
I do not know how to answer the second part of your question, as I did not drink heavily enough to have an physical detox issues when I quit. The hurdles were almost all mental/psychological ones. As Carol and all medical authorities have suggested, if you are facing detox/withdrawal issues, you really need to consult a physician as doing it solo can be very dangerous - potentially fatal even.
Having at least one other person who understands what you may be going through is invaluable. These boards are good but nothing beats direct dialogue with another human being. Fortunately, there is a very good chance there is a local AA chapter near where you live.
Good luck!
I am now well in the "normal range" and dropped 13 lbs of body fat since I quit drinking in February. I not only look and feel much better, people whom have not seen for a while give me unexpected compliments (at first I was a little taken aback and self-conscious about it as I thought they were just being nice - but now I take it in stride )However, I had a similar bad "drinking & eating habit" as you have. While I did not drink every day/night - in fact, as infrequently as once or twice a week - when I did, I would eat poorly while drinking (often fatty foods) and upon returning home, raid the fridge for leftovers to settle my stomach (very similar to the manner in which you described). Doing that even once a week helped to screw up my entire week. I have likened it to pouring liquid rust into an engine. Exercise would not get done and like you, sometimes when I had just gotten over a bad hangover, I'd be saying "yes" to another after-work meeting that was 95% just an excuse to drink & party.
I do not know how to answer the second part of your question, as I did not drink heavily enough to have an physical detox issues when I quit. The hurdles were almost all mental/psychological ones. As Carol and all medical authorities have suggested, if you are facing detox/withdrawal issues, you really need to consult a physician as doing it solo can be very dangerous - potentially fatal even.
Having at least one other person who understands what you may be going through is invaluable. These boards are good but nothing beats direct dialogue with another human being. Fortunately, there is a very good chance there is a local AA chapter near where you live.
Good luck!
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