Fubarcdn

I have been back to the gym for 3 weeks now after being away for 2 months and am frustrated that I can lift way less weight than I could before. I am in the habit of going 5 days a week and carried this out off and on while I was drinking. I would miss a day or two every other week or so for hangovers but i was still quite steady doubling up if I missed a day.

Anyways I have drawn a parallel to faltering. We may have to go back a couple steps but if we start again we will be back to where we started and can go from there. Don't put too much power in that start date and amount of time sober as these are just numbers and in the long run are somewhat insignificant. Someone with 10 years is no better a person than someone with 3 days.

tommyk

If you got up this morning before I did, then you have more clean time than I do.

It is all just for today... every day.

(I hate taking a layoff from the gym because I feel like such a puss when I go back. But sometimes the layoffs are necessary, it seems I always end up further ahead in the long run.)

TryingSoHard

Oh.

My.

God.

In another thread, Mariposa said it seemed like I was inside her head. Well now you're inside my head!! I swear to you I was just about to post almost this exact same thing!!!

I went back to the gym today for the first time in two months. Prior to that, I had been working with a personal trainer for over 18 months. I was in the best shape of my life, even not being at my best weight. I was doing some pretty hardcore stuff in my workouts, and I was quite proud of myself.

My, oh my, how things can change in 2 short months. I've gained a little bit of weight back, but more than that I've lost A LOT of tone. I LOOK like I've gained more weight than I have because I'm getting FLABBY again and I HATE IT.

But you know what? It felt really good to be back in there today. It honestly did. And if I worked my tail off while I was drinking an insane amount of vodka and managed to lose weight, just imagine what I can do now that I don't have all those empty calories to deal with! I just need to DO IT.

Using your parallel, missing the past 2 months at the gym is like having a relapse: it doesn't mean I've lost the benefits, it just means I need to pick myself up and start again.

Katie09

Well, good for you for going back to the gym!

I went a couple of months around year plus ago without drinking or smoking, got down to a weight I had not seen since I was 22, picked up, gained 45 lbs, starting smoking. Ugh.

Oh well, wine has calories. And cigs aren't conducive to working out.

At any rate, with work you will be where you were in no time!

Octoman

Thats a good post Fubarcdn. I find I am a lot more disciplined with my gym training when I am drinking. Reckon its a guilt thing though.

Still, if you are filling your body with bad things every day its hard to make any progress. I find when I am dry for a decent period of time, even if I dont stick to my routine quite so well I still get better results.

Anna

That's a good point.

I think it's all about living the best life we can, every day. I used to compare myself with other people all the time and it was miserable. It makes life so much more simple and joyful to move at your own pace.

Darylord

All I know about the gym is I don't think I would have gotten clean. It replaced my addiction something to sort of channel it thru!

I started in Nov of 2006 and as of 2009 still go 4 to 6 days a week for almost 2 hours a day!! Love it!!

But mainly its whatevers works to stay clean!

gonzo9730

I need to get back to the gym. In a sense, it is relaxing at the same time as expending energy.

CarolD

I found working for my successful recovery required drastic changes...
Am I a better person because I've recovered?
Yes...absolutely.

However... I've not been to a gym
since it was mandatory in High Scool.
I detest sweating.

Forward we go..side by side

BKP

No one is asking you to be the next Iron Man or woman. It takes guts and b***s to enter a gym, step one. I started a routine 4 years ago when I lost weight and fell in love with the gym 4 times a week. Going steady is the key, if you break a sweat you accomplished your task with this, move on and on with this. It is a great mental and physical addiction. Proud of you!

Gym Rat!!!

BKP

I watched a bio-story of Bernard Hopkins who was an excellent boxer who overcame, drugs, drinking and crime by boxing. He actually started boxing in Prison in 1986. He became the "jail house champ". He mentions he could feel the toxins- refer and the booze pour out of his body through boxing. It is a great feeling, don't quit what you have started- this you can keep with!

Fubarcdn

I was boxing yesterday if eating a box of chocolates counts as boxing.

I like to make myself laugh even if nobody else thinks it is funny.

jh1

Wow i totally can relate to that parallel. Yea for me the gym has always been there but ive been so inconsistent because of my drinking-and usually would go 2-4 times a week totally depending on when i would drink and be hungover. It was more of a maintenance type thing to not let myself looking fat because my drinking. Always kept my outside look fine-although the insides is where the alcohol does its real damage, which made me think i was all good for a long time. Anyways now haven't been on a binger for like 4o+ days or so now and I can honestly say I've gone 5/6 times a week-i prob go too much cuz my body needs a rest for all the muscles to grow! But now its like my addiction, if i dont go one day i feel restless and sometimes i just think about going to the gym all day,ha. I guess part of the reason is in just that short time of true training i've seen all my lifts go up, my physique is already better than it was and I'm bulking which is trying to put on pounds. Its amazing how alcohol kept me back from my true potential in the gym and im just realizing that. I might post some progress pictures up just to show the differences ive made unfortunately i didnt take any pics before I stopped drinking. Anyways, if people are somewhat interested in going to the gym i highly recommend it as a good motivator to not drink, because you WILL see differences with hard work, and you can release frustrations,energy,anxiety, etc. Also, getting ur diet in check along with the no drinking is HUGE, because I know when i drank i'd eat pretty bad food and take in tons and tons of empty cals. Well good luck to all and again nice comparison.

prettypoison

I had to jump in on this one, I'm a gym rat, I used to be hardcore -- now I'm just trying to get back where I was. I'm not able to lift the same amounts as I was before either. But I put a check mark on my calendar for every day I work out. Without alcohol I have gone 4 out of 7 days for 2 weeks. That is progress for me. I gained 10 pounds just from alchohol and the junk food I would eat trying to feel better (salt and sugar cravings). I had so many days I was just too hungover to get to the gym. When I did, I struggled. I almost passed out once because I was sweating and too dehydrated to afford it.

I just feel better being in control. I feel accomplishment just for making it there instead of shame knowing I threw another day to exercise out the window. I'd rather battle the challenge of getting my sets back up to where they were instead of battling the bottle every day. No pain, no gain -- I think that applies to working out and sobriety.