What I'm going to do to change my new addiction
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,410
What I'm going to do to change my new addiction
Since I stop drinking alcohol for 5 weeks now, I start up binge eating at night. I found this to be not funny at all. I'm a person that exercise 5 days a week and have a healthy diet. My cravings happens at night sometime around 1 am. I general don't fall asleep until 3 to 4 am. I'm not stress out in life even though, I have to go to court in April for my license and again for my DUI which will happen in summer time.
Since I can't switch binge eating to alcohol (, I need to learn how to control my thoughts. I know my cravings only happens at night, so I need to hit the bed before 1 am. Second, I also to find out why my binge eating is happening. Part of it is because I stop drinking alcohol but something else is going on that I'm not dealing that is still going on in my life and I'm just using food to avoid it. The last thing is I need to set short term and long term goals for myself to keep myself busy everyday.
My short term goals:
1. To loss 5 to 10 pounds in the next month.
2. Find a full time job.
3. Try to keep myself busy 50% of the day.
4. Finish my freelance work.
5. Quit playing Mafia Wars on Facebook!!!
My long term goals:
1. Stay off the alcohol for a few years since I'm going to be on probation for a few years because of my DUI.
2. Gain 10 pounds of muscle in 2 years.
3. Maintain a full time job for 2 years.
4. Keep everything under control with my life.
Since I can't switch binge eating to alcohol (, I need to learn how to control my thoughts. I know my cravings only happens at night, so I need to hit the bed before 1 am. Second, I also to find out why my binge eating is happening. Part of it is because I stop drinking alcohol but something else is going on that I'm not dealing that is still going on in my life and I'm just using food to avoid it. The last thing is I need to set short term and long term goals for myself to keep myself busy everyday.
My short term goals:
1. To loss 5 to 10 pounds in the next month.
2. Find a full time job.
3. Try to keep myself busy 50% of the day.
4. Finish my freelance work.
5. Quit playing Mafia Wars on Facebook!!!
My long term goals:
1. Stay off the alcohol for a few years since I'm going to be on probation for a few years because of my DUI.
2. Gain 10 pounds of muscle in 2 years.
3. Maintain a full time job for 2 years.
4. Keep everything under control with my life.
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,504
I agree with you completely that you have to figure out what's at the root of the problem and deal with those issues. That's how you will be able to recover from your addictions. And, yeah, going to be earlier could help you to get some balance in your life and accomplish the goals you're working on.
SoberOutlook
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,089
I hear ya. I've put on 8 lbs in the 19 days I've been sober, and it's not water weight, its the solid kind. Just finished working out to try to start a new habit.
Your goals sound solid, but I suspect the feedback you will hear is that you won't be any less of an alcoholic in a couple years...just 2 yrs sober, and a drink away from picking up where you leave off now. That's what I'm struggling with now as well. This site is helping me to understand and realize the positive changes sobriety can bring after a period of time, including the self disciplines for balance in other areas of life. I once quit for 1.5 yrs about 28 yrs ago, and I remember the struggle and the enhanced qualities of life. I think I'm ready for them again, but fear it will be like swimming upstream against the current of the life I've since built for myself. For me, its a matter of committing to permanent change of mindset or simply a break from my demise.
Good luck with the positive goals!
Your goals sound solid, but I suspect the feedback you will hear is that you won't be any less of an alcoholic in a couple years...just 2 yrs sober, and a drink away from picking up where you leave off now. That's what I'm struggling with now as well. This site is helping me to understand and realize the positive changes sobriety can bring after a period of time, including the self disciplines for balance in other areas of life. I once quit for 1.5 yrs about 28 yrs ago, and I remember the struggle and the enhanced qualities of life. I think I'm ready for them again, but fear it will be like swimming upstream against the current of the life I've since built for myself. For me, its a matter of committing to permanent change of mindset or simply a break from my demise.
Good luck with the positive goals!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: USA
Posts: 1,178
Weight loss/management is my forte. 
Going to bed earlier is a GREAT strategy! And, people who are well-rested tend to move their bodies more during the day (and therefore burn more calories) and make better eating choices, as they feel more energetic and in control.
What feeling are you going for when you binge eat? Is it a reward for good behavior? Celebration? A cure for loneliness? Boredom? It's important to understand that whatever the need, it's valid. You're going for a positive. However, eating when you're not hungry probably isn't really going to address the need, and the results may be ones you're less than pleased with (or even might be exactly opposite what you're trying to achieve!). So, once you've identified the need, the trick is to brainstorm other ways of achieving what it is you're looking for.
If you can figure out what you're looking for, post it here and I'll bet people can help you with the brainstorming part!
Going to bed earlier is a GREAT strategy! And, people who are well-rested tend to move their bodies more during the day (and therefore burn more calories) and make better eating choices, as they feel more energetic and in control.
What feeling are you going for when you binge eat? Is it a reward for good behavior? Celebration? A cure for loneliness? Boredom? It's important to understand that whatever the need, it's valid. You're going for a positive. However, eating when you're not hungry probably isn't really going to address the need, and the results may be ones you're less than pleased with (or even might be exactly opposite what you're trying to achieve!). So, once you've identified the need, the trick is to brainstorm other ways of achieving what it is you're looking for.
If you can figure out what you're looking for, post it here and I'll bet people can help you with the brainstorming part!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,410
Originally Posted by LoftyIdeals 
Your goals sound solid, but I suspect the feedback you will hear is that you won't be any less of an alcoholic in a couple years...just 2 yrs sober, and a drink away from picking up where you leave off now. That's what I'm struggling with now as well.
I see too many people fail at setting a lifetime goal of staying sober when just going through detox/quitting drink after many years of drunken days/nights. Makes it less scary and give me time to think about staying sober.
I hope that makes sense.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 4,682
I think you are quite lucky to have be shown that you have just swapped addiction/obsession...most alcoholics, when they just stop drinking, end up manipulating daily life so they end up living like the boy in the bubble...clearly you have to tackle what's going on inside and you can do that in a recovery program and live a full life:-)
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