sobersolstice

I've considered myself an athlete most of my life until drinking began affecting my motivation to take care of my health. I'm not a spring chicken anymore and wondering what those of you in your mid 30's and 40's are doing after you quit, and how you work back into a gym routine.

In my 20's I'd spend 2-4 hours training, go home, and eat a steak and drink a 12 pack. The first time I tried to quit, I joined a boxing gym and realized the intensity of training for a fight wasn't conducive to drinking, so I just didn't for 6 months until a holiday event came about and made the wrong choice.

I tried quitting on the new year, but feel I overdid my workouts, or maybe didn't wait long enough before working out. These were mellow calisthenic workouts, but intense enough to make me tired... Squat jumps, burpees, pullups, pushups, core, and a bit of cardio. My CNS felt super fried and made me shaky.

How do most of you work back into a routine, and how long do you wait after jumping off of the sauce?

SweatyHands

Definitely, wait until your health is rebounding before returning to the gym. I tried to do circuit training in November when my blood pressure was still high, and I literally thought I was going to die. But, one week later, my bp was back to normal and I was solid. For me the key was to start back with yoga and running to get my body ready to really do some work.

gettingsmarter

I sloooowly started back on an elliptical machine that shows good heart rate readings. I was so out of shape it was worthy of a prize. I work just hard enough to stay at a cardio HR. It keeps me from pushing it too hard.
9 months after starting back to the gym I'm a machine.


Im 37 coming up on 11 mo sober.

Talk to a doc. They'll let ya know when.

Zufrieden

I'm 47. I quit drinking for good last Fall.
I was overweight and hadn't exercise for many years with any real effort after spending my teens/twenties running trail marathons, playing rugby etc..
My first step was to get a physical that included a cardiac stress test. I learned my heart was fine other than high blood pressure.
Mere weeks after quitting alcohol my blood pressure dropped significantly as did my weight.
I started back just walking and have maintained that as my go-to exercise for months now. I want to get to a very healthy weight before launching into running and weights again. I may be taking it slowly but for me, jumping straight back into hard core exercise didn't correspond with my goal of "going gently" with myself in early days/months of sobriety.
I'm about ready to kick it into gear though.
Good luck.
Jonathan

Zebra1275

Being an alcoholic, I'm not so good at moderation.

I got back into tennis which I hadn't played since high school, some 30 years ago, after only a few weeks into sobriety. I didn't see a Doctor, I just went for it.

That was about 6 years ago. It worked out well for me. Despite being in my late 50's I'm a much better player than I ever was in high school, although not quite as quick. I play competitively 3 - 5 times a week. The legs are the first thing to go, and I'm usually sore most of the time. But it's a "good" sore, I'm not abusing my body with alcohol anymore.

ZenLifter

I may be the wrong person to ask, as I tend to punish myself in the gym after a bender....hell sometimes I've even been still slightly tipsy during a workout. I don't recommend the approach.

I'd probably start with every other day, maybe 30 mins to an hour. Definitely listen to your body, don't get injured. Don't make yourself so sore that you don't feel like moving for three days.
How long has it been since you've exercised regularly?

zlhzlh

I've been a competitive runner for the last 3 years running alongside my addiction, I have been in training runs when so dehydrated it really wasn't a good idea....what was a I thinking! When I stop drinking it only enhanced my performance, but typically now sober I am on the injury bench, think I possibly ran too hard! I too can not moderate, just listen to your body and rest when needed. Eat well and hydrate.

Hawkeye13

hiking and Crossfit
dropped 3 sizes and forty pounds of drinking fat
now I lift, do intervals, and hike
switched to Paleo diet--I figured I had enough carbs
for a lifetime drinking

Get checked out and start slowly. Don't compete,
Be careful and if you get hurt, let it heal and don't push through anyway.
That's the "age concessions" I make

Soberwolf

Give your body time work bk into working out gradually thats what I had to after I broke my leg

entropy1964

Hi SS
I consider myself pretty fit as well. I'm 50, so older than you, but working out, running and hot yoga are big part of my daily life.

I'm a bender drinker, going months even years between benders. I recently relapsed after 7 months sober and didn't work out for 3 weeks. This has been the hardest relapse ever to come back from and my workouts are returning slowly but I'm getting there. I generally start with my treadmill. Walking and jogging for 3 miles. I walk my dogs. I have very low blood pressure (kind of the opposite of most addicts) and my heart rate will scream to compensate for this so I just have to be careful. I add in a little more every couple of days depending on how I'M I'm feeling. I'm now running 3 miles and doing my yoga at home, walking the dogs. I'll return to the hot room this Saturday.

I take an electrolyte replacement tablet before I work out. I also take supplements that support my CNS...B's. But you should of course consult your dr before you add that stuff into your regimen.

sobersolstice

I had a bad month last month and only made it into the gym 4 times. I mainly rock-climb in the gym and outside. I should be going everyday to switch up between cardio, climbing, lifting and maybe back into boxing/mma. The first time I stopped, I went straight into boxing training, and though slow at first, I felt like I sweat out the toxins very quickly. My other endeavors involve less cardio, but more taxing on the CNS.

I knew someone who was a daily 2 bottle wine drinker who ran 20 miles a day on average, and was in great shape. Neither one of us noticed a difference in our running or climbing when we quit together, which is odd, but I guess it's because our bodies were used to it. I just haven't been being as active lately apart from work, so I guess I'll try to slowly work back into it. I'm built like a flat Conor McGregor (5'10, 155), so it shouldn't take too long to get back into shape. I just need to take it easy. I go at everything too hard, too soon.

amyrose

I started with the video I used to be able to get through, and realized I had to stop in the middle. If I was too tired for a proper workout, would still go for a fast walk to keep the fresh air flowing and allow for good circulation.

Now the video is easy :-) and I ran 2 miles straight at the gym this weekend. I'm 43 and on Day 16.
FYI - my father was a triathlete and marathon runner until his 50s and an out of control drunk. It's amazing what your body will sustain for a limited time, but I like to think about the long term plan. I may not be able to run 26.2 miles, but I can stay sober today.

OpenTuning

When I quit last Summer, age 50, I started going on daily walks in the hills near where I live. I have different circuits depending on how long I have, from 4-7 miles, at a good pace of about 14mins a mile. I found it great for clearing my head, listening to music. And I play football (soccer) once a week for a more full on workout. The key for me was making the walking a daily activity whether in the mood or not. And given how steep some of the hills are I'd usually get a decent sweat going without it being so full on that it would affect the rest of the day.

It's been a struggle keeping it going over the winter though, as there's been so much rain here it's turned the paths into thick mud, so feeling pretty unfit at the moment, which affects my mood a bit. Can't wait for Spring to finally show up. I've never been one for the gym, but I should try and find myself something else to do when the weather is this bad.