Weight Gain/Loss When Quitting?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 21
Weight Gain/Loss When Quitting?
Greetings!
Hi all, today is Day 7 and I am a little confused. While I was drinking, I did actually eat. When I binged (Not often, 2 binges in a short space of time put me on this road cos they frightened me) I didnt eat much at all.
Anyway, I can say hand on heart that I am eating exactly the same as when I was in my 'functioning alcoholic' stage of 2 bottles of wine a day. So why havent I lost weight seeing as I have dropped around 1000 calories a day ( I just looked up the calories now!!) from taking the wine out of my diet?
I know one thing at a time and all that, but weight is a very important issue for me. I gained a lot of weight from prescribed steroid medication in 2008/9 and worked really hard to lose around 50 pounds (4 stone Brits) on a meal replacement diet at the start of last year and besides the alcohol, have worked for ages at keeping it off. I dont want to end up gaining weight as I am afraid that is going to send me to somewhere I dont want to be.
I expected to gain a pound or 2 after my binge stopped which I did as had lost weight then, but why the heck have I creeped up 2 more pounds this week?
Wii Fit, Im coming back I think!
Hi all, today is Day 7 and I am a little confused. While I was drinking, I did actually eat. When I binged (Not often, 2 binges in a short space of time put me on this road cos they frightened me) I didnt eat much at all.
Anyway, I can say hand on heart that I am eating exactly the same as when I was in my 'functioning alcoholic' stage of 2 bottles of wine a day. So why havent I lost weight seeing as I have dropped around 1000 calories a day ( I just looked up the calories now!!) from taking the wine out of my diet?
I know one thing at a time and all that, but weight is a very important issue for me. I gained a lot of weight from prescribed steroid medication in 2008/9 and worked really hard to lose around 50 pounds (4 stone Brits) on a meal replacement diet at the start of last year and besides the alcohol, have worked for ages at keeping it off. I dont want to end up gaining weight as I am afraid that is going to send me to somewhere I dont want to be.
I expected to gain a pound or 2 after my binge stopped which I did as had lost weight then, but why the heck have I creeped up 2 more pounds this week? Wii Fit, Im coming back I think!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 24
Hi Kitty 
I'm pretty sure dropping 1000 kcal / day will result in loss in time.
What I have found, during the course of last year when I decided to start getting fit again, is that it takes me about a week later to realise the benefits.
i.e if I go excercise crazy this week, the weight wont come off during next week, it would be the week after if u catch my drift.
So if you gained weight at the end of this week, its not what youve done during the course of this week, but the week prior.
Im finding it so difficult to explain the simplest of things at the moment lmao.
Dont cut yourself up, see where you are end of next week, if my theory is correct, the way my body works anyway, you should have lost that 2 pound or even more by then
btw, congrats on day 7, I'm right there with u
Stay Strong
I'm pretty sure dropping 1000 kcal / day will result in loss in time.
What I have found, during the course of last year when I decided to start getting fit again, is that it takes me about a week later to realise the benefits.
i.e if I go excercise crazy this week, the weight wont come off during next week, it would be the week after if u catch my drift.
So if you gained weight at the end of this week, its not what youve done during the course of this week, but the week prior.
Im finding it so difficult to explain the simplest of things at the moment lmao.
Dont cut yourself up, see where you are end of next week, if my theory is correct, the way my body works anyway, you should have lost that 2 pound or even more by then
btw, congrats on day 7, I'm right there with u
Stay Strong
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Roxboro, NC
Posts: 544
I feel you kitty. When I stopped drinking(which was mostly beer) I cut out about 1500 empty calories a day. I figured the weight would fall off me, but it didn't.
Along with not drinking I started making small changes. I eat a lot more fruit during the day. No more than one banana a day though. But lot's of apples and kiwi and berries.
I also eat every 2 hours. Mind you these are small meals like a large apple or about 23 almonds. I have lost 31lbs over the holidays but I think it had more to do with changes in diet than cutting out the alcohol.
Along with not drinking I started making small changes. I eat a lot more fruit during the day. No more than one banana a day though. But lot's of apples and kiwi and berries.
I also eat every 2 hours. Mind you these are small meals like a large apple or about 23 almonds. I have lost 31lbs over the holidays but I think it had more to do with changes in diet than cutting out the alcohol.
Ethanol Intolerant
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Cascadia
Posts: 665
Kitty give your body some time to adjust. You are putting your body under a lot of stress in the first few weeks, and a body under stress hoards. It took a month or so for me, then the weight just fell off me.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,460
7 days isn't very long, and I suspect that your body will respond as time goes by.
I had lost weight while drinking, so I happily gained back about 10 pounds in the first month of recovery. I think I was under a lot of stress when I was drinking, and when I became sober, and the stress level dropped, I gained weight more easily.
I had lost weight while drinking, so I happily gained back about 10 pounds in the first month of recovery. I think I was under a lot of stress when I was drinking, and when I became sober, and the stress level dropped, I gained weight more easily.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 92
I totally relate to the weight issues. I've been sober 15 days and thought the weight would drop off like crazy. I gained 25 lbs over the past 2 years when I relapsed. Drinking 2 bottles of wine a night and then eating the 'garbage' food that I craved before I went to bed had to be well over 1000 calories a day. Yuck!! I have exercised 12 of the past 15 days, have had a healthly diet and drink tons of water .... the scales only show a weight loss of 2 lbs. SO discouraging ... On the good side, my skin, eyes and hair look so much better. Goodbye PUFFY face!!! Have a wonderful day, friends.
Mary
Mary
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 48
The weight that is lost in the beginning is water weight but if you were dehydrated then I guess you wouldn't have alot of water to lose; also fat has to be flushed out so without giving advice, I'd recommend that if you haven't changed your eating habits that you increase your water intake. I'm sure there must be a nutritionist or health expert on the site so hopefully they can give you more insight. Well Done on Day 7!!!!!!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 24
I agree with Recycle that the body hoards under stress, as it does when you starve yourself. The body goes in to self defence mode to try to protect itself and is very good at it. Its early days for me too so I do not know what the next month or so of recovery will bring weight wise.. So like my 1st suggestion, if you do not next week, don't worry, its just a matter of time.
As Tinman suggested, eating little and often, gives your metabolism the best chances of working from morning and right the way throught the night. Sports science books I read encourage eating 6 times a day, I tried this and found it very tough though!
Keep Strong
As Tinman suggested, eating little and often, gives your metabolism the best chances of working from morning and right the way throught the night. Sports science books I read encourage eating 6 times a day, I tried this and found it very tough though!
Keep Strong
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 75
I am right there with you! I have put on about 30 lbs from excess drinking and night binging (while drunk). I have not had wine for 12 days and have worked out 9 of the last 12 days and have not lost a single pound. It's frustrating but everyone keeps telling me it will come off eventually if I just keep at it so I am trying to have faith and not give up.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Glen Allen, Va
Posts: 2,589
Day 7 for me. Luckily for me, I have dropped something like four pounds. I think I owe most of that to my appetite having dropped to almost nothing for the last week. I'm hoping when my appetite finally returns, I'll be ready to start working out once again. For now it's one day at a time.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 22
I think it's water weight that you gain back after quitting drinking. I know a little about weight since I am in the military and have to get weighed every 6 months to pass a physical test. I also know about alcohol
If I drink a lot the night before being weighed, and you know that you **** it all out during the night and in the morning, I would weigh at least 5 pounds LESS the next day than if I didn't drink anything before being weighed. It's dehydration. It's even more weight lost if you drink several days in a row, beer especially I think.
If I stopped drinking alcohol for a week and drank a lot of water and ate normally I'd actually be 10+ pounds heavier than the day after getting drunk. The body is probably trying to make up for the dehydration and malnutrition by overcompensating and keeping it all. Also I'd be constipated for a while too.
After a few weeks of exercise and drinking LOTS of water the body will start to lose weight very quickly because it's not hoarding nutrients and water but don't forget to exercise, take good vitamins and eat fruit and lots of it to replace the carbs from the beer.
I think the fruit being available actually really helps me not drink because maybe my addiction is to the carbs as much as it is to the alcohol. I know this because I've had to go cold turkey dozens of times when my ship leaves town and I am just finishing up a 3-4 day bender. I eat fruit all day, plums, cantelope, honeydew, strawberries, etc. seem to help with the withdrawals.
If I drink a lot the night before being weighed, and you know that you **** it all out during the night and in the morning, I would weigh at least 5 pounds LESS the next day than if I didn't drink anything before being weighed. It's dehydration. It's even more weight lost if you drink several days in a row, beer especially I think.
If I stopped drinking alcohol for a week and drank a lot of water and ate normally I'd actually be 10+ pounds heavier than the day after getting drunk. The body is probably trying to make up for the dehydration and malnutrition by overcompensating and keeping it all. Also I'd be constipated for a while too.
After a few weeks of exercise and drinking LOTS of water the body will start to lose weight very quickly because it's not hoarding nutrients and water but don't forget to exercise, take good vitamins and eat fruit and lots of it to replace the carbs from the beer.
I think the fruit being available actually really helps me not drink because maybe my addiction is to the carbs as much as it is to the alcohol. I know this because I've had to go cold turkey dozens of times when my ship leaves town and I am just finishing up a 3-4 day bender. I eat fruit all day, plums, cantelope, honeydew, strawberries, etc. seem to help with the withdrawals.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 75
Originally Posted by No2 
after a few weeks of exercise and drinking LOTS of water the body will start to lose weight very quickly because it's not hoarding nutrients and water but don't forget to exercise, take good vitamins and eat fruit and lots of it to replace the carbs from the beer.
Not waving, but drowning
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 423
I would try not to worry about numbers on the scale and just be kind to yourself for now.
Even if you haven't lost weight yet, for whatever reason, your face will likely look better and less bloated. If you are working out, you may be building muscle which will make you look and feel better.
I too ate more when I was drinking. I've been frustrated that I haven't lost more weight since I quit, but I'm working out and eating well, (ok, with occasional ice cream) and know that I'm healthier than before which is a reward all its own. People are telling me I look better, so there must be something visible to the naked eye
Even if you haven't lost weight yet, for whatever reason, your face will likely look better and less bloated. If you are working out, you may be building muscle which will make you look and feel better.
I too ate more when I was drinking. I've been frustrated that I haven't lost more weight since I quit, but I'm working out and eating well, (ok, with occasional ice cream) and know that I'm healthier than before which is a reward all its own. People are telling me I look better, so there must be something visible to the naked eye
Groovy Dancer
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: The States
Posts: 4,751
I know...it sucks. People don't always lose the weight you'd think they would from stopping drinking. Some people do though, and 7 days is way too early to tell.
Still...there are a lot of healthy reasons to quit. You will also be able to exercise more. You will have benefits even if it isn't directly seen on the scale. You may have to make some other adjustments.
Congrats on 7 days! You're doin great.
Still...there are a lot of healthy reasons to quit. You will also be able to exercise more. You will have benefits even if it isn't directly seen on the scale. You may have to make some other adjustments.
Congrats on 7 days!
You're doin great.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Posts: 21
Thanks all for the very useful replies! I'll just keep on eating healthy and working on the Wii Fit and hope for the best! I suppose cos I deprived myself so badly during last weeks binge, my body has been working on a bit of repair this week.
I suppose cos I deprived myself so badly during last weeks binge, my body has been working on a bit of repair this week.
the illogical vulcan
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: In front of my computer.
Posts: 242
Over the last couple weeks since I really started trying to cut down/stop drinking I've put on about 10 pounds. It's weird I'm not eating any more than normal. I thought if anything I'd drop a couple lbs just from not drinking so much beer. I'm 6' tall and weigh 190 which ain't so bad but I think I'm gonna start hitting the weights and treadmill again.
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