witchy

I thought the weight I've accrued over the years due to binge drinking, then binge eating, would melt away like snow in the summer. I assumed that dropping a ton of calories daily from my lifestyle would mean I'd drop pounds. I'm not. I'm gaining weight. This seems unduly mean of biology, and up fathomable as well. Anyone else struggling with this? Any help? I'm currently obese, and don't want to be. I want to be healthy and lithe and springy. I'm not. I'm fat and tired and sludgy. Like a big sober slug slithering through my days...

SDH73

How long have you been sober, witchy? It doesn't happen overnight, at least not for me. I had to work hard through exercise and diet to lose weight. Now I maintain it by continuing exercise and reasonable eating.

witchy

3 weeks now.

SDH73

Great job on 3 weeks sober! Very cool!

zerothehero

That's not a lot of time. I gained weight at first, too. I craved sugar more than ever when I quit drinking. Remember, it's not about how much you eat, but about what you eat. I lost pounds by eating mostly salads (with no store bought dressing - olive oil and vinegar only), lean meats, and limited fresh fruit. All grains and processed foods out of the picture. Then I have to move more. Keep moving. You're sober. That will help your willpower.

ScottFromWI

Some good advice here witchy. It takes time for our bodies to adjust, and while 3 weeks sober is a great accomplishment, it's very early in the overall process.

Another thing to consider is your diet and exercise as mentioned. Simply "not drinking" is not in itself a cure for obesity or a guarantee that you will lose weight. You could also consider seeing your doctor about healthy ways to lose weight that fit your health specifically.

jessie65

Congrats on 3 weeks, that's awesome!
I laughed at your post sorry, but the way you describe yourself is hilarious.

I gained weight also after quitting (more than once), not sure why that happens because I'm pretty careful about what I eat, so maybe it's just the body reacting to no alcohol? I wish I knew, it's very frustrating.

I actually went back to drinking once because I thought quitting was making me fat, how silly is that.

Hang in there, I'm sure the weight will start to fall off if you stay quit.
Oh, and exercise can work wonders, it's an essential part of recovery!

doggonecarl

And quitting drinking is a great start. Staying quit should be your priority. But it would be okay, I think, to start adding a little exercise, such as walking, to your daily routine.

Hawkeye13

Get checked out w/ doctor, and join a gym
That's what I did.

I also started eating low carb, quality non-processed food like organic veggies
and grassfed meat, wild seafood.

I eat plenty of "good fats" like coconut oil and grassfed butter.

I hike, swim, lift weights and have gotten increasingly involved in yoga and meditation
which has helped me enjoy Nature and become more reflective and in touch with my body and mind.

I lost about 40 pounds in my first year of sobriety and dropped four sizes.

It took work, but it got my mind off drinking and really helped me learn to love
and forgive myself and increased my self-esteem quite a bit.

I see this kind of effort as part of my "recovery" as opposed to simply stopping drinking.

Don't overdo it at first, however. . . a gradual increase in exercise and in eating "cleaner" makes it less stressful.

I feel better than I have in thirty years and really am enjoying this new way of living.
Don't miss drinking at all now, which is something I never expected when I quit.

Great job on your three weeks !

jaynie04

Hi witchy and congrats on 3 weeks. I feel your pain. Feeling uncomfortable in my body was a constant reminder of how out of control my drinking had become. It will get better I promise. Something hit me when I was sweating in a dressing room because I had to buy bigger pants to go to rehab…but guess what, that was it.

I was an adult figure skater, my coach passed away and Ibroke 2 ribs about 2 years before I got sober. I piled on 35 pounds. I couldn't look in the mirror and getting dressed was a very difficult and dreaded experience each day.

When I first got sober I knew that was my job, come hell or high water I was determined to stick to that goal, I trusted that if I could get comfortable with that then everything else would gradually come around. There were a lot of posters who immediately began eating healthy and exercising, I was not one of them. I babied myself, ate a lot more sweets than I have ever eaten, and didn't do much physically.

My body was healing. After years of abuse, under eating, overeating, no exercise, too much exercise, drinking, taking pills…..I was shellshocked for a while. But I was determined to be in it for the long haul.

And the weight came off, not dramatically, but gradually. And today it is gone. Clothes that I have simply visited in my closet for years fit again. I joined the fitbit group here and started walking. I now crave walking like I used to crave alcohol. I did 11 miles yesterday……

I am back to being fit and feeling unencumbered by my body again, like I did when I was skating. And the best part witchy is that this is sustainable, not because of a quick fix diet but because I gradually changed pieces of my life that weren't healthy.

Feeling good physically is a 24/7 reminder of the benefits of sobriety. Stick with it, try to make choices that support your sobriety and move a little every day. Your life is changing simply because you quit drinking, an entire process has been set in motion, promise yourself that you will stay the course and wait for the many benefits to arrive!!

Soberwolf

Congrats on 3 weeks Witchy i too put on weight first thing that came back was a healthy appetite around month 8-9 i went on a diet i would only eat lean meats and vegtables no junk foods or hi fat foods

Now i have a really varied balanced diet diffrent meals most nights helps

Your doing great Witchy