MavisTheFairy13

Hi everyone
I know that sugar/carb cravings are normal in the early days but wondered if anyone had found that food became a problem? I had a stressful day yesterday and comfort-ate all day. I'm already significantly overweight and need to lose around 50lb. Don't want to use food to deal with stress or to stuff down my emotions.

Briar

It sure did for my dad. He was a very heavy drinker for 20 years, and when he quit he immediately replaced it with half a gallon of ice cream every day. When he quit that, it was six Snickers bars a day. Then eight cups of coffee a day. It was always something. I guess some people might call it an addictive personality, or we are just always looking for something to help us deal with emotion. The last time I was sober for a few months, I drank tons of coffee and realized I was doing exactly what my dad did. It freaked me out.

MelindaFlowers

In some ways my appetite lessened in sobriety. I no longer craved "hangover food" like hamburgers, biscuits, macaroni and cheese, fries, etc. I binged quite frequently because I thought that eating tons of food would help with the hangover. It didn't. I also felt like my body was craving nutrients and thought that it would get them from two Big Macs in one sitting.

Since I stopped drinking, the sugar cravings have been immense and I indulge almost every time with no guilt. As long as I am not drinking, bring on the food, for now. At three months I made a conscious decision to scale back.

Don't forget that you are saving a lot of calories each day by not drinking. I was drinking about 1,500-2,000 calories a day. Even though I've been treating myself a lot to sweet treats I am still losing weight, although more slowly than I would like.

I feel strongly that if some indulgence in food helps us stay sober, than use it as a tool in our toolbox. Worry about the calories later. Rome wasn't built in a day.

XIIIXXIXXVI

I deal with this every day, and it's tough because I'm on a diet... So I do little things like earlier for instance when I was craving lemon meringue pie, I bought Lemon Drop candies instead. 3 of those and my craving was gone. Buying "healthier" treats to sike your taste buds out really helps.

-B

Stayingsober72

I'm eating more. Somehow vodka suppressed my appetite. My jeans are already tighter, and that is unacceptable to me, so not eating chocolate is next weeks challenge. One thing at a time. I am, however, drinking tons of coffee and I will work on moderating that. But coffee is an absolute must in my life.

Soberwolf

Mavis First off hugs and congratulations on your sobriety i know this isnt easy and your pulling through which is amazing to witness

As for weight loss me and my gf had a strict diet of basically chicken, lamb and veges and not much else we cut all junk food out i mean anything from a crisp, takeaway, fried foods, anything we knew was high in fat or junk and we were like that for months and i lost weight it was gradual took a while,

now i have a all round diet where i mix it up a little as part of a balanced lifestyle and diet


you will do it Mavis just like the alcohol if you want to diet just go for it soon enough you wont be tempted to eat junk youl be more tempted to cook rosemary lemon chicken, oven baked butternut squash, oven roasted chips


i can help with healthy recipes have a great day Mavis big hugs

owington

Hi Mavis, I can relate to what you're saying. I can easily sit an eat an entire tub of ice cream, something I wouldn't even touch before. At the same time though, I workout most days, have a physical job and walk my dog several miles every day so I guess that kinds of balances things out. I guess the major issue is you're not drinking which is why we are all here in the first place. There's some good advice from other people here but whatever works for you initially to stay alcohol free, I'd say go with and worry about the other things after. Just my opinion. Good luck.

SereneEdition

Hi Mavis -

Congrats on Day 4. I have issues with weight and alcohol too. For me, they are 2 heads of the same beast.

Yes, when I quit my other cravings increased for a few months - caffeine, sugar, etc. In a few months things normalized again. Like you I knew to expect it, and I chose not to let it bother me b/c alcohol was my #1 priority.

Turns out recovery is all about learning how to work with your emotions in a healthy way.
Long term, what's good for staying sober is also good for weight, as things come back into balance.

Please keep up the great work - quitting alcohol will bring you much happiness.

goose333

Mavis,
I'm struggling with night feeding also. Bring on the chips, ice cream, peanut butter. The way I see it, one addiction at a time. After a while, I'll get serious about cutting back on the junk food. The only thing that helps me not to eat is to stay busy. So stay busy!

sickofthiscrap

I eat very little. I have digestive problems which preceded the booze, hence they won't go away now I'm stopped. Hangovers gave me more of an appetite and I ate greasy junk in that state. I'm kind of jealous of all these posts about people scarfing down tubs of ice cream because I just can't do that, i would throw up or be peeing out of my butt. I've lost a little weight but not as much as I thought I would have given that, without wine, my average calorie intake must have dropped by around a third.

I do have more of a sweet tooth than I used to. Been enjoying the odd chuppa-chup. Tastes sweet but nothing solid to digest.

trachemys

Sugar-free freezer pops.