Depressed & Exhausted (day 11)
Soft & Silky & Manageable
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Radelaide
Posts: 148
Depressed & Exhausted (day 11)
Today is day 11 I think, I'm no longer counting the days, I've passed that point.
Last night and this morning I've been feeling a little depressed. My thoughts have been dwelling on my ex and my late friend. Therefore, these are normal reasons to feel this way and nothing is confusing. It feels fine - it's nice to dwell on thoughts that previously would have sent me running for the bottle. I'm thinking of them right now, but it's not clouding my head and not bringing me down.
I'm also exhausted. And I have good reason to be tired. I've been blasting myself over the past few days at the gym, forcing my body to adapt to a workout routine. It'll be great when I get over this initiation/break-in period, but for now, my energy is very focused and I need it to be.
In a way I think pumping iron can be related to recovery. You do so many reps/sets until you can handle it fine and you are used to it, then you increase the weight, the reps drop, you struggle for however long, then when you can do X amount of reps and X amount of sets again, you increase the weight again.
You set small goals for yourself in recovery - at least in the beginning. And once you've made it however far, you set more goals for yourself. You keep things flowing like that and you have a system that works for you and doesn't set unrealistic expectations for yourself. One of the things that brings many recovering addicts down and into the relapse danger zone.
I'm even too physically tired to read books and retain information at this stage. I can read a little, but anything that requires massive amounts of brain power is na na na not in the cards right now baby. Chillax is the word.
Last night and this morning I've been feeling a little depressed. My thoughts have been dwelling on my ex and my late friend. Therefore, these are normal reasons to feel this way and nothing is confusing. It feels fine - it's nice to dwell on thoughts that previously would have sent me running for the bottle. I'm thinking of them right now, but it's not clouding my head and not bringing me down.
I'm also exhausted. And I have good reason to be tired. I've been blasting myself over the past few days at the gym, forcing my body to adapt to a workout routine. It'll be great when I get over this initiation/break-in period, but for now, my energy is very focused and I need it to be.
In a way I think pumping iron can be related to recovery. You do so many reps/sets until you can handle it fine and you are used to it, then you increase the weight, the reps drop, you struggle for however long, then when you can do X amount of reps and X amount of sets again, you increase the weight again.
You set small goals for yourself in recovery - at least in the beginning. And once you've made it however far, you set more goals for yourself. You keep things flowing like that and you have a system that works for you and doesn't set unrealistic expectations for yourself. One of the things that brings many recovering addicts down and into the relapse danger zone.
I'm even too physically tired to read books and retain information at this stage. I can read a little, but anything that requires massive amounts of brain power is na na na not in the cards right now baby. Chillax is the word.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 257
SillyBilly, Thank you for your post.
I can totally relate to the weight training as a comparison to recovery.
What's really crazy was I was always at the gym sweating out the alcohol 5 days a week followed by alternating weight training as well. I thank God they never had to break out the defibulator for me!
Now that I have quit (class of June '09), I have had to reduce my cardio to 30 min and cut out the weights as I am just exhausted! I figure I just have to build it back up again. A little frustrating, but I know I need to listen to my body.
Small steps....
Chillax...... LOL
I can totally relate to the weight training as a comparison to recovery.
What's really crazy was I was always at the gym sweating out the alcohol 5 days a week followed by alternating weight training as well. I thank God they never had to break out the defibulator for me!
Now that I have quit (class of June '09), I have had to reduce my cardio to 30 min and cut out the weights as I am just exhausted! I figure I just have to build it back up again. A little frustrating, but I know I need to listen to my body.
Small steps....
Chillax...... LOL
13 May 2009
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 83
Hey Gym Bunnies
i just don't get it, when I was drinking I was running every day for at least 45 mins had a good body and was fit, since I have given up drinking in May I barely have the energy to swat a fly....what the heck is going on?
p.s. very much admire the exercise routine, you guys a doing what I imagined I was going to be doing before I found myself turning into a sugar pig couch potato!!
Good to hear you are doing well Sillybilly!
i just don't get it, when I was drinking I was running every day for at least 45 mins had a good body and was fit, since I have given up drinking in May I barely have the energy to swat a fly....what the heck is going on?
p.s. very much admire the exercise routine, you guys a doing what I imagined I was going to be doing before I found myself turning into a sugar pig couch potato!!
Good to hear you are doing well Sillybilly!
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,942
A few years ago when I was a beginning runner it was pure hell to finish the last mile of a run.
I used to say to myself, "Compared to this... not using drugs & alcohol is nothing..."
I feel the same way about a good weightroom workout.
Physical fitness has been a HUGE component of my own recovery.
I used to say to myself, "Compared to this... not using drugs & alcohol is nothing..."
I feel the same way about a good weightroom workout.
Physical fitness has been a HUGE component of my own recovery.
Soft & Silky & Manageable
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Radelaide
Posts: 148
Cheers for stopping by Dee 
Thanks for your post bjork. I never had the follow through, let alone the cash, to stick with weights training when I was drinking. Our body's a funny thing isn't it? It really does know what we need, we just need to listen to it. Keep up the training buddy.
Gym bunnies - LOL
That's just your body readjusting to not having the alcohol it's been depending on for so long. How are things in your world martha? Haven't spoken to you in a few days at least - it feels that anyway.
Wonderful to hear it classical! That gives hope to the rest of us struggling gym rats lol. You are dead on the money; after the first few days it really does get easier. My skin is also clearing up and my body is locked into full throttle 'eject-the-nasty-toxins' mode.
Damn straight tommyk. If more people incorporated fitness programs into their recovery, especially in the early stages, we'd have a lot more success stories out there.
I just got back from quadruple A or AAAA. I'm liking it more and more. It is actually good to sit and listen to peoples stories - whether they are sad, funny or just something interesting that happened to them that day. To be perfectly honest I still didn't feel all that welcome. I DEFINITELY didn't feel like I was the most important person in the room. But we have a large group and 90 mins isn't that long really. Back in a sec, gotta chuck my wedges in the oven..
Anyway, my point is I AM going to keep hitting up the AA/NA meetings wherever possible. I just spend so much on fuel getting to work 4-5 days a week there's very little left over to drive the same distance, or even further, for a meeting. But I will keep going. On the drive home I actually thought about some of the people I met through NA ages ago. I remember the new years eve party they held for all us soberites. It was kind of fun. Something nice to do besides going out and getting smashed, like I have every other year.
Thanks for your post bjork. I never had the follow through, let alone the cash, to stick with weights training when I was drinking. Our body's a funny thing isn't it? It really does know what we need, we just need to listen to it. Keep up the training buddy.
Gym bunnies - LOL
That's just your body readjusting to not having the alcohol it's been depending on for so long. How are things in your world martha? Haven't spoken to you in a few days at least - it feels that anyway.
Wonderful to hear it classical! That gives hope to the rest of us struggling gym rats lol. You are dead on the money; after the first few days it really does get easier. My skin is also clearing up and my body is locked into full throttle 'eject-the-nasty-toxins' mode.
Damn straight tommyk. If more people incorporated fitness programs into their recovery, especially in the early stages, we'd have a lot more success stories out there.
I just got back from quadruple A or AAAA. I'm liking it more and more. It is actually good to sit and listen to peoples stories - whether they are sad, funny or just something interesting that happened to them that day. To be perfectly honest I still didn't feel all that welcome. I DEFINITELY didn't feel like I was the most important person in the room. But we have a large group and 90 mins isn't that long really. Back in a sec, gotta chuck my wedges in the oven..
Anyway, my point is I AM going to keep hitting up the AA/NA meetings wherever possible. I just spend so much on fuel getting to work 4-5 days a week there's very little left over to drive the same distance, or even further, for a meeting. But I will keep going. On the drive home I actually thought about some of the people I met through NA ages ago. I remember the new years eve party they held for all us soberites. It was kind of fun. Something nice to do besides going out and getting smashed, like I have every other year.
Not all better, getting better
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: The Beautiful Inner Banks of NC
Posts: 1,702
Originally Posted by tommyk 
A few years ago when I was a beginning runner it was pure hell to finish the last mile of a run.
I'd be happy with just A mile of a run!! Seriously though, I have knee problems, so running isn't so good for me. I do knock out about 8 miles in under a half hour on the stationary bike every day and am starting to do some upper body work.
I'm trying to be careful with the weights though. In the past I'd overwork out, then be so sore for days after that I would have an excellent excuse not to do it again. This time, I push myself, just not as hard as before. I'm not trying to look like the Rock afterall!!
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