Dan1888

I am binge drinker but recently I have managed to control the strong urge to drink. Unfortunately I have replaced my drinking binges with some severe over-eating binges that I cant seem to stop. I think it helps me cope with the empty feeling I have without alcohol.

At the moment over eating is far better for me than binge drinking for days, due the horrendous effect drinking has had on my life. However I know I have to stop the over eating soon or I am going to get absolutely huge.

Anyone else had this problem?

FreeOwl

I know a number of people that have shared this struggle. The body craves sugars and additional calories and the mind craves another outlet for addiction and those two things can easily lead to a 'replacement strategy' that is just right for weight gain.

See my other post "A plug for running".... a great way to see yourself lose weight in sobriety is to add running into your sober plans.

Anna

I gained weight, for sure, but I wanted to and needed to. I had lost weight during the last months of drinking.

seahorse661

Yip, I have put on about 10 kg in a year. Two reasons- I didn't eat when I was drinking and I now eat far too much sugary food. I also think the antidepressants I was taking made it worse.
Initially, I didn't worry about it much, staying sober was more important, but I am now exercising regularly, have drastically reduced my sugar intake too. My weight has been stable for about 6 weeks and I am sure it will start reducing soon

littlefish

I switched from a zero sugar/gallons of alcohol diet to zero alcohol/tons of sugar. Ben and Jerrys, chocolate, etc.
But, I didn't worry about it. I wanted a little reward for not drinking, I decided it would be sugar. I gained but now in long term sobriety, I have lost a lot of weight and no longer eat sugar.
There's a time for everything: be easy on yourself and cherish your sobriety. When you are ready you can tackle the next summit - at least that is how I approached it and it seems to have worked out that way!

Ruby2

I put on weight but I needed to. I drank most of my calories and most nights substituted alcohol for food at dinner. Right now I am trying to eat better because I was eating too much sugar. Still do and my doctor told me that I am prediabetic so I have to watch out. It took me a bit of time before I could eat more food, then went a little overboard and now am evening out. Stick with it and things will come into balance.

toddle118

I have and I honestly dont know why! Am more active, eat ok, dont sink 6+ litres of cider a day, am flummoxed!!

LBrain

After 3 months I was weighed in docs office. 206! Up a few since I stopped drinking. I was hitting the sweets. A couple weeks ago I stopped "this nonsense". Starting to get back to my old eating habits of fresh veggies and healthy foods. I need to drop ten for sure. Twenty would nice - at 185 I would be a rail. Then regain muscle I lost from lying around for about a month. Fortunately I still have old jeans that I can grow back into(down to).
As much as I absolutely know it to be true - diet and exercise - I have been slacking for over a month. Join me in getting off my a$$.

Tamerua

Yes. Yuck. I actually struggled with my weight for longer, got thin and picked up drinking. Stopped drinking and expected to get thin again. Not so much.

At the moment, I'm working down to my weight from when I stopped drinking. I have gone vegetarian, no wheat or sugar (for health reasons, not weight) and I started running again about a month ago. I guess it will always be a struggle but at least I am sober. Writing that I sound mature and logical but of course when I look at the scale or my pants size, I raise my fist and curse the universe. Lol

flutter

I gained a little too, because I was finally eating! All leveled out eventually

ontherightpath

I have lost a few pounds due to the lack of empty calories, and no need for hangover food the next day! It was always the saltier the better! Now I eat when I am hungry and drink more water. It's amazing how much drinking effected my eating habits.