MissOverIt

I think it's a healthy vanity in these cases! Seems very positive after neglecting ourselves for so long.

bunnezjp

Agreed. To be fair, it is more than vanity, too. I've worked out all my life, but when my drinking got to its worst the last 3 years, I pretty much quit fitness of any kind. Then I had my major health issues a few months ago. So now, working out is also to show my gratitude to God for allowing me to still be able to do the things I never thought I'd do again....like

Walk...without a walker.
Not wake up so full of fluid that I couldn't sit up in bed without help.
Walk without losing my balance everytime I turn my head.
Fit into clothes without it hurting my liver.
Being able to win back my muscular physique at all...because it can be hard when your liver has been through so much trauma. Might have been impossible.
Being able to jump, bounce, push-up, bike, sprint, and all the rest of my favorite things.

LIVE.

Bunnez

MissOverIt

Wow! Thank you for sharing, Bunnez. So amazing to hear your accomplishments.

alphaomega

I was just thinking about this on my walk today.

When I was inactive alcoholism, I hated myself. Literally HATED myself. Oh, I would talk a good game like I was all that and a bag of chips. But the truth was the self loathing caused me to sit on my couch for the better part of two years and just drink myself into 40 gained lbs.

Since I got serious about sobriety, I have lost 29 of those. It's taken a LONG time. Over a year. But there is a shift not only with my weight, but my overall sense of well being. I genuinely enjoy my workouts now. I love eating healthy. And when I wake at 4:00 am to use the loo, I swear, not having a hangover makes everyday feel like Christmas morning.

For a long time, when I first got sober, I felt deprived because I "couldn't" drink.

Now, I'm grateful I no longer feel like I have to.

Sloth

When I'm not drinking, I get fit. I got to a great level of fitness last year and then jacked it all in when I started drinking more and more. Looking forward to getting back into working out and getting better results, as a glass of wine will no longer be my reward.

MissOverIt

Wine used to be my workout reward too, Sloth. I admit it was much more than a glass. I did some reading on alcohol and exercise and of course everyone is different but it really shreds up a lot of the work you just put it. All those wasted sweats and hours. Yikes.

Sloth

It was more than a glass for me too MissOverIt! Talk about undoing all that hard work in minutes!

Trying2bhappy

I love this discussion because it reinforces one of the reasons why I became sober in the first place...to get healthy!!! I was into health and fitness in college. Back in those days of being in my early 20's it was easier to go out, drink, and wake up the next day and workout with a hangover. Now, in my late 30's, one night of drinking would set me back 2 days! So, it was a vicious cycle of drink, 2 days recoup, workout, and the cycle would start again! I was never able to get into a good fitness routine while I was drinking and smoking. Now, I wake up every morning and get a little exercise in and while it's taking me longer to get back into shape from all of the damage that I've caused myself, I am feeling much better than when I was drinking.

Mark1014

On weekends my post workout drink was beer....generally before 8 in the morning! Seemed completely normal. So glad that's over. Now off to the gym, but I've now gone back to protein shakes.

Jupiters

I love love love my walks. And doing them Sans Hangover is sooooo much more pleasant! I figure I walk anywhere from about 3-4.5 hours a week and throw in a couple home kettleball workouts and 2 gym ones. I feel awesome for the most part.
when I think back to all the extra wine calories I was in-taking...ouch! No wonder I was a bloated mess. I'm coming up on 5 months soon. My energy levels are up and down but that's ok. I'd much rather be lethargic than hungover any day.

Mark1014

I second that jupiters, no more hangovers is great!

Jupiters

so nice to get up early on weekends and get a sweet workout in instead of
a) continuing drinking to make the hangover go away
b) laying on the couch feeling like I got hit by a few Mack trucks

MissOverIt

Ugh, I hate both of those Jupiters. Especially the continued drinking. I would fit into a "normal" box by having bloody mary's at brunch but instead of napping it off I would just keep going. It was like this train I couldn't get off of even if I wanted to…no stopping till passing out that night and oh my gawd, the next day…just horrible.

Jupiters

yup, that's basically it. The "one" drink I was having to "rid" myself of the wretched hangover would just turn into another binge. Rinse, wash, repeat.
BLAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

PurpleKnight

For me it was a benefit and greatly welcomed consequence of quitting, but it wasn't enough on it's own to keep me Sober.

After abusing my body for so long with alcohol, I wasn't too worried about what shape my body was in, drinking was more important.

But since quitting I've dropped weight, I'm now in a healthy BMI, I go for long walks every day, and have began to get back into running, I used to run half marathons in my younger days, and hope to do my first in years next year!!

downtown3

100% you can read my full story at this post, titled how cycling saved my life. This was posted a little while ago and i am still going strong. I personally feel its an essential part of the sobriety process.

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...d-my-life.html

NoJimmy

My physical activity hasn't changed much, I train MMA during the week, and ride dirt bikes often on the weekend. The difference now is that I am physically and mentally consistent, sobriety has had a huge impact on both pursuits. Seeing how much better I feel and perform now has been a major motivator to stay sober.
Few things make me feel as good or alive as a good hard workout, and few things give me more confidence than being fit.

nmd

I was using the "myplate" app from livestrong for a while to count calories both consumed and burned. It had a lot to do with me coming to SR. Myplate had a sobriety forum that caught my attention and I would read it though I never participated. It became painfully obvious over time how many calories I was drinking and I could only meet a macro calorie ratio (40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat for example) by choosing between booze and real carbs... I also found I was a drunken mess a lot and forgot to log my eating/drinking after the first couple beers, so I had to catch up the next day and guess what I drank the night before. ie. "count the bottles"

So, that let me to some drink counter apps and an attempt "cut back" and moderate. That led to the realization I was often going to bed having consumed enough alcohol that it was still in my system when I woke up... Just looking at the little graph and seeing I had booze in my system 50% of the time on some days was frightening.

So... I would say it was fitness goals that led to self awareness on my part that led me to sobriety. I have yet to get back to my fitness goals though.

Eshgham

It makes a huge difference. It gives me somewhere to direct my attention and keeps my mind busy. It gives me a high, and I become invested in improving my lifts. Alcohol gets in the way big time! If I had nothing to work on other than my day job I'd drink a lot more - that's how it was for me years ago.

purplegrapes

I found in early sobriety it helped me a lot, it helped me ween off alcohol and stay stopped. I have not slipped and have over two years clean but I didnt meet my fitness goals and haven't been exercising or doing meetings like I use to, I blame my two jobs, but I'm really just depressed. Hoping once I start school and work less I can make these changes soon, I am missing my gym time and my meetings like crazy, I do read recovery sites often and do yoga or go for a walk when I get the chance.