any overweight newly sober members?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 4
any overweight newly sober members?
HI
It's been a struggling hell of 4 days! let me tell ya, my hunger has been so out of control these past few days . I'm close to 70 pounds overweight and I find this sobriety double challenging because of the severe weightloss that holds ahead of me.
anybody here on the same boat?. or anybody that lost close to 50 pounds or so while starting with your sobriety?. please tell me how did you cope? how are you guys coping? I plan on exercising, eating healthier just a whole lifestyle change. but this past 4 days have been a double wamy challenge. Its a lot for me to process right now.
~laughter and smiles may hide the tears... but it does not make the pain anymore bearable~
It's been a struggling hell of 4 days! let me tell ya, my hunger has been so out of control these past few days . I'm close to 70 pounds overweight and I find this sobriety double challenging because of the severe weightloss that holds ahead of me.
anybody here on the same boat?. or anybody that lost close to 50 pounds or so while starting with your sobriety?. please tell me how did you cope? how are you guys coping? I plan on exercising, eating healthier just a whole lifestyle change. but this past 4 days have been a double wamy challenge. Its a lot for me to process right now.
~laughter and smiles may hide the tears... but it does not make the pain anymore bearable~
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,438
I've lost about 10 kgs - about 22 pounds - by using an exercise bike and changing my diet...but I waited about 3 years to do it, lonlygirl. It probably should have been, but it wasn't a burning issue for me.
be careful you're not taking too much on at once. Have you got medical advice?
I hope you'll find other members here to help - check out our eating disorders forum too
Eating Disorders - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
D
be careful you're not taking too much on at once. Have you got medical advice?
I hope you'll find other members here to help - check out our eating disorders forum too
Eating Disorders - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
D
Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,410
I was the same way when I was overweight but this was when I was younger. When I was not drinking. If you have a lot of trouble losing weight then you should first start eating less of the same foods. It's not much but starting to do that will really see some weight loss. If you don't exercise regular then start walk 20 minutes a day. Try to eat foods will high in fiber because the body does not process fiber well so it just goes through you. Remember to look at your calories when eating. Calories is what make people fat and not fats.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Wisco
Posts: 61
When I was in college, I lost weight without really trying by just walking from my apartment to classes. I lost about 20 lbs by walking about 2 to 5 miles each day...so if you can walk somewhere that you would normally drive just go for it and walk. You won't even realize you're losing the weight but you'll just start feeling better.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 29
Hi Lonlygrl
Congrats on Day 4!!
When I first quit (LOL - listen to me! I'm only on Day 10!!) I ate everything I could get my hands on. Mostly chocolate and salty junk. And bloated right up because I was drinking real liquids instead of dehydrating alcohol.
But it is starting to balance out now. And I think that's the key - balance. For me, my initial focus was on not drinking, so I gave myself permission to eat whatever it took to NOT DRINK. A piece of chocolate was my reward for making it through the day, not a bottle of wine.
Don't worry too much about your weight right now. Your focus must be on your sobriety. When things balance out (there I go again), there will be time to lose the weight.
Besides, by not drinking, you are not consuming all those liquid calories. Maybe go for a walk or take the stairs. But don't beat yourself up over your weight. :ghug3
Congrats on Day 4!!
When I first quit (LOL - listen to me! I'm only on Day 10!!) I ate everything I could get my hands on. Mostly chocolate and salty junk. And bloated right up because I was drinking real liquids instead of dehydrating alcohol.
But it is starting to balance out now. And I think that's the key - balance. For me, my initial focus was on not drinking, so I gave myself permission to eat whatever it took to NOT DRINK. A piece of chocolate was my reward for making it through the day, not a bottle of wine.
Don't worry too much about your weight right now. Your focus must be on your sobriety. When things balance out (there I go again), there will be time to lose the weight.
Besides, by not drinking, you are not consuming all those liquid calories. Maybe go for a walk or take the stairs. But don't beat yourself up over your weight. :ghug3
Last edited by peanuts; 01-06-2011 at 06:08 PM. Reason: spell check
Life the gift of recovery!
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Home is where the heart is
Posts: 7,061
Congrats on day 4.
When I got sober it was all I could do to stay sober, I could not deal with anything like weight issues. For me I had to put my focus into finding a way to maintain sobriety first and the weight fell into place after that.
I am nearly 10 years sober now and still work to maintain a healthy weight. At around 5 years sober I started working on my weight issues.
What worked for me was to to do some of the things that have already been suggested to you. Doing things like parking your car farther out in the parking lot when you go shopping. If you have a treadmill available use it, even 10 minutes a day is going to help. If you don't have a treadmill is there a safe place for you to spend time walking? Just walking around your neighborhood is an excellent way to exercise. Buy fresh fruits and veggies, instead of reaching for the candy bar grab an orange or tangerine. Yes, it is not the same thing but it provides the sugar your body is craving in early sobriety. You can also substitute lower calorie items for the higher calorie ones. I use weight watchers and skinny cow ice creams instead of buying the regular ice cream. It helps with my cravings, I love ice cream, and it is satisfying. I love chocolate but only buy dark chocolate candy bars and I only can eat a little bit of them at a time because they are so strong flavored. So much of eating right is a matter of substituting lower calorie, more natural foods in our diets. The less ingredients an item has the better for us it is. Processed foods are hard on our bodies and tend to contribute to weight gains. Don't be too hard on yourself right now. If all you can do is focus on staying sober then do that. You will find the strength to work on the weight issue when you are ready and there is nothing wrong with waiting till you have some strength in your sobriety.
I do hope you find something helpful in all my ramblings. Take care and again congrats on your new found sobriety.
When I got sober it was all I could do to stay sober, I could not deal with anything like weight issues. For me I had to put my focus into finding a way to maintain sobriety first and the weight fell into place after that.
I am nearly 10 years sober now and still work to maintain a healthy weight. At around 5 years sober I started working on my weight issues.
What worked for me was to to do some of the things that have already been suggested to you. Doing things like parking your car farther out in the parking lot when you go shopping. If you have a treadmill available use it, even 10 minutes a day is going to help. If you don't have a treadmill is there a safe place for you to spend time walking? Just walking around your neighborhood is an excellent way to exercise. Buy fresh fruits and veggies, instead of reaching for the candy bar grab an orange or tangerine. Yes, it is not the same thing but it provides the sugar your body is craving in early sobriety. You can also substitute lower calorie items for the higher calorie ones. I use weight watchers and skinny cow ice creams instead of buying the regular ice cream. It helps with my cravings, I love ice cream, and it is satisfying. I love chocolate but only buy dark chocolate candy bars and I only can eat a little bit of them at a time because they are so strong flavored. So much of eating right is a matter of substituting lower calorie, more natural foods in our diets. The less ingredients an item has the better for us it is. Processed foods are hard on our bodies and tend to contribute to weight gains. Don't be too hard on yourself right now. If all you can do is focus on staying sober then do that. You will find the strength to work on the weight issue when you are ready and there is nothing wrong with waiting till you have some strength in your sobriety.
I do hope you find something helpful in all my ramblings. Take care and again congrats on your new found sobriety.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 5,285
Hi and congrats on your 4 days.
When I first quit I expected everything to change almost overnight...guess what...it didn't...lol. I had to give my body a little time to adjust...I was suddenly sick all the time. I also needed to learn how to go about my day sober...that was what was important.
Soho Easton yourself and don't try to do it all at once. Listen to your body. That said...adding a walk and fruits and veggies to your life can't hurt.
Fyi...I need to loose about 50lbs and I am 6 months sober...I started exercising regularly 6 weeks agoand still need to green my diet more
When I first quit I expected everything to change almost overnight...guess what...it didn't...lol. I had to give my body a little time to adjust...I was suddenly sick all the time. I also needed to learn how to go about my day sober...that was what was important.
Soho Easton yourself and don't try to do it all at once. Listen to your body. That said...adding a walk and fruits and veggies to your life can't hurt.
Fyi...I need to loose about 50lbs and I am 6 months sober...I started exercising regularly 6 weeks agoand still need to green my diet more
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 861
I am so glad you posted about this.
I am 4 months sober and just started losing weight about a month ago. I probably have 35 to 45 pounds total to lose.
I tried to eat super healthy earlier in sobriety, but I was concerned that making so many changes at once was risking my sobriety. (Cutting out most sugary foods seemed to increase my cravings for alcohol but I could have been wrong about the cause.) So I let myself eat junk food. And yes, I was panicking about the amount of junk food I ate. After about three months sober, I was ready to eat differently and increase my exercise.
I know some people believe it is easier to maintain sobriety if you are eating well. I think either perspective has validity. Do what works for you.
I agree that small steps help. For me, it is easier to add something than take away something (so I focused on adding small amounts of exercise first and buying healthy foods that I like, instead of trying to get myself to stop eating junk food).
I find that writing down what I eat helps a lot, even if I write everything down with no intention of changing what I eat. I am more mindful of what I eat if I write it down.
After a few months of sobriety, I find that sobriety helps me eat healthier now. By staying sober, I know that I can resist temptations, and I have transferred that over to eating healthier. Not sure how to explain it any better. But it has been profound for me.
PS- I struggled a lot with cravings at first. Was jealous of people who seemed to have an easier time. It got so much easier for me. It will get easier for you too.
I am 4 months sober and just started losing weight about a month ago. I probably have 35 to 45 pounds total to lose.
I tried to eat super healthy earlier in sobriety, but I was concerned that making so many changes at once was risking my sobriety. (Cutting out most sugary foods seemed to increase my cravings for alcohol but I could have been wrong about the cause.) So I let myself eat junk food. And yes, I was panicking about the amount of junk food I ate. After about three months sober, I was ready to eat differently and increase my exercise.
I know some people believe it is easier to maintain sobriety if you are eating well. I think either perspective has validity. Do what works for you.
I agree that small steps help. For me, it is easier to add something than take away something (so I focused on adding small amounts of exercise first and buying healthy foods that I like, instead of trying to get myself to stop eating junk food).
I find that writing down what I eat helps a lot, even if I write everything down with no intention of changing what I eat. I am more mindful of what I eat if I write it down.
After a few months of sobriety, I find that sobriety helps me eat healthier now. By staying sober, I know that I can resist temptations, and I have transferred that over to eating healthier. Not sure how to explain it any better. But it has been profound for me.
PS- I struggled a lot with cravings at first. Was jealous of people who seemed to have an easier time. It got so much easier for me. It will get easier for you too.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: San Diego
Posts: 4,451
Great for you on 4 days! It gets easier; hang in there! I'd echo the note of caution in some of the other posts. Hunger is considered a trigger, and can make the urge to drink stronger. Exercise, healthy food, and abstinence from alcohol should make quite a difference. But if you're hungry, I think you should go ahead and eat something. You've earned it!
same planet...different world
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Butte, America
Posts: 10,946
I put on 70lbs the first year after quitting drinking -
couldn't figure it out
turned out -
my thyroid had stopped working.
Thyroid dysfunction and failure
is one of the MOST common physical effects
of stopping alcohol.
please consider going and getting your thyroid checked
if it doesn't balance out in a month or so.
I almost died of undiagnosed thyroid failure.
It's very serious stuff.
NOt intended to scare you
just don't want you to suffer what I did
through ignorance.
couldn't figure it out
turned out -
my thyroid had stopped working.
Thyroid dysfunction and failure
is one of the MOST common physical effects
of stopping alcohol.
please consider going and getting your thyroid checked
if it doesn't balance out in a month or so.
I almost died of undiagnosed thyroid failure.
It's very serious stuff.
NOt intended to scare you
just don't want you to suffer what I did
through ignorance.
not little, a stranger no more
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: in the crowd
Posts: 410
Hi lonlygrl22,
Congrats on 4 days! Don't worry to much about the weight, it's less harmful to possibly not lose weight in the beginnig, or even gain a few pounds than to continue to drink. Give it time, I think focusing on staying sober is already taking a lot of effort. Trying to start to lose weight now by dieting can put you under some more stress. Try to eat healthy so your body gets all the vitamins and nutrients drinking has depleted. also, Your metabolism will take some time to adjust to the changes, it just takes some time. Don't worry too much.
I was also overweight when I quit (alcohol, plus tons of unhealthy food, smoking and no exercise) , but losing the weight only became important for me roughly a year into sobriety. After the first few months, I started living more healthy though and began to eat better and exercise. I roughly lost 44 pounds in the last six to eight months, I'm average weight now and physically and mentally in a good shape. I ate pretty normally, and exercise regularly because it also helps me to have a calm mind. But even if I would weigh 10 pounds more- I'd rather have a strong, healthy body that can do great things than only a good-looking body.
Don't be too strict to yourself right now. Getting sober and staying sober is a major achievement and you should be proud of your 4 days! Give yourself some time, and especially in the early days, don't deny yourself too many things, except alcohol. Pamper
yourself too, if you feel like it, take a relaxing bubble bath, or a nice walk, or give yourself a manicure, light a scented candle, or whatever makes you feel good and relaxed. Be gentle to yourself, and try not to put yourself under pressure to lose weight quickly now. It will get easier over time.
Congrats on 4 days! Don't worry to much about the weight, it's less harmful to possibly not lose weight in the beginnig, or even gain a few pounds than to continue to drink. Give it time, I think focusing on staying sober is already taking a lot of effort. Trying to start to lose weight now by dieting can put you under some more stress. Try to eat healthy so your body gets all the vitamins and nutrients drinking has depleted. also, Your metabolism will take some time to adjust to the changes, it just takes some time. Don't worry too much.
I was also overweight when I quit (alcohol, plus tons of unhealthy food, smoking and no exercise) , but losing the weight only became important for me roughly a year into sobriety. After the first few months, I started living more healthy though and began to eat better and exercise. I roughly lost 44 pounds in the last six to eight months, I'm average weight now and physically and mentally in a good shape. I ate pretty normally, and exercise regularly because it also helps me to have a calm mind. But even if I would weigh 10 pounds more- I'd rather have a strong, healthy body that can do great things than only a good-looking body.
Don't be too strict to yourself right now. Getting sober and staying sober is a major achievement and you should be proud of your 4 days! Give yourself some time, and especially in the early days, don't deny yourself too many things, except alcohol. Pamper
yourself too, if you feel like it, take a relaxing bubble bath, or a nice walk, or give yourself a manicure, light a scented candle, or whatever makes you feel good and relaxed. Be gentle to yourself, and try not to put yourself under pressure to lose weight quickly now. It will get easier over time.
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