Weight Gain - 5 months sober and can't stop eating!
 

So, am really pleased with how my non-drinking has been coming along as I havent touched a drop since 1st Jan this year. Coming up for 5 months anniversay which is great, but I seem to be having trouble controlling my eating and have put on at least 1/2 a stone since I started.

Has anyone else experienced this?

My problem was very much binge drinking related, so I didnt have the calorie reduction that a daily drinker would experience.

I also find in social situations I use food rather than drink to focus on, and also as a treat. I don't think I can face a diet on top of giving up drink.

Plus I seem to have extra mad cravings for sugar, sugary treats and chocolate, which is very unlike me.

Can anyone relate? Any tips or advice for this much appreciated....

Five month sober is awesome!

If dieting is too much of a strain, just look at it as moderating your intake. Don't make weight lose your goal as much as making healthy choices and using portion control.

Observe how you approach food and when you find yourself overdoing it, back away. Drink more water to feel full. Add exercise to your routine. If you expend more calories than you take in, you will slowly lose weight.

The important thing...you are sober.

Hi toomuch

I ended up going to a dietitian - everyones going to be slightly different but Carl's advice is good - regular exercise, sensible portions, give some thought to the kind of foods you eat......less processed sugars, less carbs more protein worked for me.

D

I with you,Im currently in the same boat!Its like I need something and Inturn to food...and I've never been a big sweet eater also but now I'm drinking soda eating ice cream,candybars!

Yes! I am also experiencing this! I am only on day 14 and my sugar cravings have gone through the roof. I think it's common to substitute one addiction for another, which isn't really what I want to do. Now I have two weeks sober under my belt, I am going to cut down on the sugar as much as I can and try to bring back some regular exercise, eating more vegetables that sort of thing. I feel like I need to address the reason why I feel I "need something" to comfort myself also...it's definitely a mental thing that I need to try and work on.

I find it easier to quit drinking and diet at the same time. Makes my self esteem higher and makes me feel more positive that iam creating a new healthy body and mind..

Oh def I in same boat.
Same time sober and eating like a horse.
I doing a lot of exercise also so it giving me extra hunger.
But as others said at least we not drinking.
I read a good bit about it on this site and by others experience it should start to subside soon and should be leveled out about year mark, if we get there, but with the help of god we will.
take care

I would rather not disclose how much I gained, it was a lot! Lol I got a dietitian and have been following her plan, I am almost back to the weight I was when I quit. And then, I will lose more to be where I would rather be. Hit the gym, stay away from the sweets, whole foods, no whites (white flour, white potatoes, sugar).

I was a heavy binge drinker as well so I didn't lose the calorie intake like the daily drinkers did.
I binged on ice cream for the first two weeks when I quit. About a pint of ben and jerry's every night after dinner. We lose that sugar intake when we quit drinking so our body craves it. I now eat lollipops, hard candies and jelly belly jelly beans.
I am also very hungry as well so I eat 3 very solid meals and 2 snacks every day whether I am hungry or not just to keep my body's metabolism up. I don't have an exercise plan besides walking a couple times a week with my dogs and in between meetings when it's nice outside.
I have lost 12 pounds since I quit drinking 45 days ago. I don't know if I gained a bunch when I first quit and ate all that ice cream but I have started to lose some.
I eat an apple every night for dessert. Doing so has made me very 'regular' and seems to be helping with the weight loss.
I also take a green tea supplement. I take it because it has great antioxidents for your body and brain. My counselor in IOP showed us this movie about good brain foods and all the crap that alcohol does to your brain. I hate to drink green tea so I opted for a supplement. It's not a diet pill at all, it only contains green tea and a little caffine.
It seems to be working for me.

From my own experience, food addiction has caused me as much, if not more pain than my using or drinking. I have lost weight (which I don't need to, weigh about 52kg now and I'm tallish) since giving up benzos, alcohol and opiates but the underlying food issues are still causing me pain.

The only time I had any relief from it was my first pregnancy, over 13 years ago when I was working the 12 steps on both my drug and food addictions.

Best of luck. I so know what it's like to constantly swap one addiction for another.

I also eat an apple every night for dessert and that has made me very 'regular.' Which has helped a lot with cleansing my system in a healthy way.

Start on an exercise routine.

:)

Exercise, more then you think u need 2 do. Watch carbs. Eat protein. Cut all sugar out as much as possible. Use cayenne pepper. I do, its great for your whole body. Google it. Best of luck 2 you.