Weight Gain at nearly 90 day mark
 

I am now the largest I have ever been, and am feeling really depressed. I thought quitting the bottle of wine every evening would translate to weight loss - my diet has not changed and I really don't eat all that much. What the heck?!

Might not be a bad idea to check with your doc on that one Madgirl, lots of possiblities. Your diet may not have changed but it may also not be a healthy one, have you ever kept track of how many calories you eat each day? Exercise is also important, do you do any regular exercise of any kind?

Ive been physically active for 17 years and to give you an idea - it is nearly 4:30 pm where Im at and so far the only thing Ive eaten is a banana and a few La Croix

Ive gone up four (!!!!) sizes in three months and look more bloated now than when I was drinking. A new wardrobe is not an option.. Grrrrrrr

If its 4:30 and you've only had a banana and St.Croix you're not getting enough calories and your body is probably in starvation mode holding on to every fat cell in your body,eat some protein😊

Scott & Winslow have valid points I agree with also congratulations on your upcoming 90 days

Eat more, eat clean, keep moving. Drink more (water).



~Bunnez

Congratulations on your 90 days!!!!!!!!!!

Same here. I am approaching 60 days. Look prego :(

First, great job on the 90 days!!! Re your weight gain, I think you should see your doctor. Something doesn't add up here. Initially I lost weight but have gained some back because I'm eating every carton of ice cream within 100 miles. But if your diet has remained the same and you've gained 4 sizes, there's something going on.

Have your thyroid checked...alcohol can wreak significant havoc on those hormones.

Well firstly congratulations on 90 days! That's so fantastic and you should be very proud of yourself. Secondly I agree you should see your dr just to rule out any thyroid issues or other common causes of weight gain.
I'd also try a 'clean' diet. You're body is in repair mode and needs excellent nutrition to help each and every little cell rebuild and recover. Only one banana and some la croix by 4:30 pm will put your body in starvation mode and slow the metabolism. Eat vegetables, fruits and good sources of protein. Avoid packaged, processed foods. You can google the clean diet for recipes and ideas.
And yes, stay active even if it's just walking. I gained weight too when I first quit drinking. It was so frustrating because I was active and thought I had a good diet, wasn't getting all those empty alcohol calories anymore.
After the first few months my weight started to shift for the better and at a year my metabolism seemed to normalize and I had lost the weight. Our bodies are all different though in how they handle recovery.
Don't give up, eat healthy nutritious food, and stay active. I'd rather be overweight than go back to waking up bloated, red faced and hungover yet again ever again.

Im not going to drink. I am just frustrated to feel and look like this at 90 days - had hoped for something else.

I can only imagine how discouraging this must be for you! Definitely get it checked out. :(

For sure get your thyroid and hormones checked out, often times if those are out of whack, they can cause sudden weight gain. Also like mentioned, starving yourself can cause some quick weight loss, but over time your body switches over to holding onto everything. Make sure you are getting a proper diet and that should help as well.

Expectations are a bitch. I've only been sober 42 (?) days and I've gained 6 lbs...well I've now lost two but I had gained that. I know I don't have any underlying physical issues so its simply that I've been eating too much. I exercise like a mad woman, but for me its all about what I eat. The exercise supports healthy weight but does nothing for weight loss for this 50+ woman.

Under eating is really bad for the metabolism. I suggest looking into different ways of eating (Ketogenic, Paleo, etc) and maybe cut out some foods that can cause sluggish digestion like dairy and processed food (all processed food). Use an app like my fitnesspal to track everything that goes into your mouth. I'm known for 'unconscious' eating....eating while I'm cooking and while I'm cleaning up...pre and post eating. Eat as many leafy greens as you can....that should be the bulk of your diet. Good sources of proteins and fats.

Like others have said, get the blood workup to check the thyroid and hormones. But don't have expectations that you'll have any issues. I've been there too :) Be kind to yourself and certainly don't starve. I have noticed, by using my fitnesspal, that when I don't enough, I make up for it the next day. Figure out how many calories you need to loose the weight you've gained. For me its 1200 calories a day and I burn about 600...so yeah, its tough. Hang in there.

Nutrition is SO important for us, like everyone has said. It took me awhile to really get this.

I needed to gain about 10-12 lbs when I quit (113 days ago) and have gained abt 15 (I don't weigh myself but I know from how my clothes fit). Don't like it at all but am trying to push through - I am also going to get an update on my thyroid; we have changed my synthroid level over the 4-5 yrs since I was dx and I have been both hypo and hyper. This indeed is a condition that can effect our weight. I also need to kick my ice cream habit- that jumped in about 60 days or a little earlier.

You don't mention sleep - that is another huge factor in our weight and overall health.

Regarding diet- I am trying really hard to "listen and follow" what my body wants. If I want a turkey burger instead of a salad for lunch, I follow through; if I want a larger breakfast of greek yogurt with berries and cereal mixed in, I do it; if I really don't want anything, I still eat some fruit or a couple slices of turkey. One other thing I do is try to get at least "one color" at each meal, and avoid eating all white (bread, simple carbs and such) - meaning strawberries with that yogurt, greens and another color with a salad, a side of sauteed vegs with whatever my dinner protein is....feel like it helps me cover my nutritional bases.

Have you had all bloodwork done? Many of us were anemic when we stopped drinking, low on potassium or magnesium, lots of stuff that impacts health and weight.

Hang in there! You got 90 days and can keep going! Tweaks, my friend, as you keep going.

I hope you make appointment with your Doctor.
This is best way to start out.
This way you have knowledge to make right decisions.

As other's have said... a healthy diet with proper calorie intake and lots of water can be a good start. Do a google search... tons of info on eating right.

Also, take a nice 30-45 min walk every day or every other day (if you are not doing exercise) already.

Thanks so much for the good responses. I have clothes hanging in my closet ranging from (US) size 4 - size 10, with the 10 being my absolute max and Im in those 10s. Not going to buy new wardrobe so my rule diet wise is "if I cant read it (ingredients) I don't eat it"
Only liquid I drink is plain water, unsweetened tea or La Croix. Today Ive had a banana and a handful of grapes - may hit the salad bar at publix for lettuce and veggies, no dressing.
It's just - UGH. I miss pleasure. I don't miss hangovers/drama/insanity, but I do miss pleasure

And exercise feels good and can reshape the "look" of your body (tone) and help with weight loss, but it is mostly diet

Were you underweight when you quit? I'm also concerned about weight and a huge reason I'm quitting is because I've gotten too big for my liking. I'm just now outside my BMI healthy range and the last time I was there was two weeks after I gave birth.

I do know healthy eating and not starving yourself is better in the long run. What was your diet like when you quit? Was it pretty sparse except for the wine?

For me, I have always eaten regularly so I never received alcohol calories for food calories. Hence, I ate a lot more calories so mine will be a deficit. Plus I just took myself off some medication that made me gain 10 lbs. in a few months with a ravenous appetite, so that is where a lot of mine came from.

The adage seems to be those that overindulged (especially with junk food) and drank lose weight while those that used alcohol instead of food gain weight. Do you see this as true in your case?

I feel ya madgirl. I have done no carb for 5 weeks now, and drink tons of water, have lost some, but not as fast I guess as I wanted.
Low carb works for me, because I can eat a lot of the things I really enjoy, minus the carbs, but there is are low carb options for that.
I think once you find out what works for you, it will all fall in to place.

Did you gain when you quit? I'm in the early days and want to hear people's experiences. Are you male/female? Active/non-active? Fit before quitting? Drink instead of eating? Drink how much/how long? I'm trying to figure out which way this is going to go for me, I'm a bit obsessive.:headbange

I wasnt underweight while drinking, but I wasnt eating much. Many days I was hungover and working like a dog at my stressful position at the time in super corporate world, so in terms of calories it was less. The first thirty days of sobriety were largely spent awake (very little sleep at night) and I did eat sugar (ice cream, chocolate) to stave off cravings.
The last few months my diet has been restrictive again but still Ive gotten puffier.
Hoping my new super clean diet works.
Cant deal with feeling uncomfortable in my clothes and in my skin AND fend off alcohol cravings (although those have subsided thank God)

I gained when I quit, but only because I was eating crappy. And when I drank, it was getting bad. Lots of vodka, and lots of fast food. ( Some days I wasn't even sure how I drove to get it, but that is another story)
I was probably at my heaviest when my drinking got the worse it ever was, so to tack on an extra tonnage when drinking and eating poorly didn't help.
I have never been a real exercise fan, wouldn't consider myself "unfit" before I started drinking, but now, since I am heavy, I am not as active as I once was. Mostly because of my weight, but I also developed some health issues as a result of heavy drinking, low vitamins, dehydration, etc.

You mentioned Publix, my fave! I love their salad bar. Can you also get ready to eat things to have on hand? I haven't cooked except once (scrambled eggs so not that much cooking involved) since I stopped drinking; I rely on little or no assembly required foods. For me, having healthy things on hand makes it easier to eat consistently and make good choices. If you like chicken salad, Publix has a great one they make with Boar's Head rotisserie chicken, dried red and yellow cran and just a little cucumber and mayo. I love it with Stacy's pita strips. I also like their simple turkey and Swiss sandwiches (I can cut into half or thirds if I just have to eat something but don't really feel like it) or their half Caesar with chicken, also things in their prepared section in the deli.

Sounds like you keep fruit on hand which is a staple in my house too; I also try to buy avocado to do on toasted Eng muffins and have that or a piece of string cheese with my fruit. Lower sodium soups could be a good idea. I still find that all of this is the kind of stuff I need to have around to "make" myself eat (and snack, once or twice a day!!) every 4-6 hrs.

Hang in there - I feel like the unhealthy stuff is moving out of my body through all its parts as time goes by, and the waves of good stuff are continuing to come in place. You can do this!!

Cant deal with feeling uncomfortable in my clothes and in my skin AND fend off alcohol cravings (although those have subsided thank God)

Ya gotta. When I'm feeling low about myself, which can be often if I let myself, I try to remember that no one else is as focused on me as much as I am. In hot yoga I have to stare in ceiling to floor, all around, mirrors wearing almost nothing. Talk about a practice in acceptance. Gut just sticking out there for all to see. And guess what? No one cares. But I do understand believe me. I was put on my first diet at 8 years old by my 95 lb mother (who still weighs 95 lbs). A few times I wasn't allowed to join my parents and 4 brothers for dinner. Pretty awful. So bad body image? I has it.

I know what works for me is a higher fat, low carb, moderate protein, no sugar approach. I love fruit and am eating a lot of it right now (probably why I've gained weight) but it should be a treat when losing weight. Its still sugar, even if its healthy. The high fat approach keeps me full (so I put dressings on my salads, always. Not a boat load but some....otherwise, pretty boring). The trick is, LOW carb, no sugar. I'm working on it!

Hang in there.

So is it kind of a toss-up if you gain or not? What if someone honestly does the right things (eats better, and never deprived themselves of food while drinking), works out, and just doesn't drink? Does it seem to matter the length of time someone drank or how often? During my heaviest I drank (binged) about three nights a week. I'm currently on a thyroid med for depression (not thyroid related problems at all, it augments it), and scared of what will happen. Weight to me is a big trigger for my depression and a huge reason (though definitely not the only reason) I'm trying to stay quit. I can't afford for it to go up without seriously flipping out. I can be disciplined with my food/exercise, but at least want to see results for that, NOT the other way around. Like I said, OBSESSION.

This too shall pass.

At 90 days I was still pretty crazy (most people are). Everything was in a state of flux, and everything was a big deal. Weight, smoking, employment, my failing marriage, and god knows what else.

Every day the priority was don't use & go to a meeting.

Believe it or not, we stabilize over time.

Have some cake, (but share, because I like cake and so does my girlfriend).

Wow you are right IvanMike. That is exactly how I feel! state of flux - yes.

Babescake I had hoped my jeans would all be loose and that by 90 days Id be strutting around a lean, bright and healthy version of myself - eh - not so lean per se but certainly healthier, most certainly more stable and definitely more confident with people. All hugely positive - I just want my clothes to be comfortable again. As far as what will happen to you, I think you just have to stay sober and find out - tweak things as you go