Cuckoo

Day 5.
Whilst I realise that the most important part of my recovery is gaining a healthy mind and body I would like to indulge in a little vanity as well.

I would love to hear your stories of improvements on the outside.
My skin and figure have taken a real bashing......when did you notice real changes ?
C

Dee74

I'm not really one for how I look - I have a face like a dropped pie at the best of times lol - but I undeniably look better than I did

you will too


D

Cuckoo

Aahh Dee.
I am sure your face is much more appealing than a dropped pie but thanks for sharing 😂
I am keeping busy today, errands to run etc. Then a nice tossed salad and chicken this evening. Trying to be healthy as well as sober.
C

MantaLady

Thanks Dee for the first actual belly laugh I have had in a few weeks!

Cuckoo, I am on Day 2 and are wondering the exact same thing as you. Appreciate I may have a little while to go before I regain an actual waistline and start to see changes.

Dustitoffman

Hi I have good news🤗🤗🤗🤗

After the initial period after stoping alcohol fo me approximately two weeks where I had bloating raised blood pressure/ flushing of the skin etc.

Things take a turn in a better direction.
Positive direction!
Drink plenty of water to assist the process.
Exercise where possible (sweat exercise)

Between month 1 an month 2 I noticed improvements in skin and around late month 1 to 2 and 3 some weight started to drop off in fact by month three I had lost 1 stone or 14 pounds in weight and I did not diet at all🤣😂🤣😂🤣
Skin and eyes are now bright and sharp weight loss levelled off still 1 stone less than start point. Body tone/ trimming from all over the body continuing at month 4.
There is no magic pill and nothing about recovering from the abuse of alcohol is quick.

The above improvements I feel are very good improvements over 4 months and I am looking forward to seing the improvements that can be achieved by month 5 and 6.

Staying away from the poison is the prime objective and that in itself is a bumpy road but with persistence you can look forward to some significant healthy improvements.
It's all possible and readily achievable.
🤩🤩🤩🤩👍best wishes. Dusty😎

I do not train like a superhero by the way.
Healthy food, balanced diet is soooo important for us at this time!

Dustitoffman

D
You Made me laugh and then feel bad about having laughed, you are funny!

Renvate

Id love to say i look great, but iam still in very early days.

6 months ago when i was drinking very heavy i actually started to go bald.

this scared the crap outta me and i stopped drinking for 3 weeks - and my hair came back! thicker then ever.

its still quite thick but i can start to see the balding coming back again.

but this time iam quitting for much bigger reasons.

5upersonic

With sobriety comes that positive glow of self respect.

Kejun

OP - I went crazy. Running, crossfit, swimming, intermittent fasting, drink water only (green tea during feeding window), surfing... I saw changes quickly but as I say, I went bleeding crazy.

Needed to stay active and occupied due to so much free time and heartbreak, wanted the natural highs as was down a LOT. Still get down days but not so severe (mostly) and much less frequent.

I noticed changes within a matter of weeks. Others shortly after.

Dustitoffman

I'm with you on that!👍

Cuckoo

Thank you everyone. All great responses. I suppose the bottom line is that things can only get better if we stay away from the booze.
I have really woken up to the fact that it literally wrecks us in every way.
Have a good day everyone
C

Primativo

My day 5 also. I have also woken up to the fact it's poison and it effects us in every way possible in such a bad way.

I really am positive about reclaiming myself. Free from the shackles of such a horrible drug.

Renvate

Amazing how much of an impact alcohol has on a persons face.

Snufkin

I think I was at my best during my longest stretch of sobriety (90 days). I lost a lot of weight without even dieting, stopped covering myself with copious layers of makeup and I think it was visible that I'm genuinely happy. I'm back to fat & sad now, but at 3 weeks sober my skin is a lot clearer at least.

Cuckoo

It just goes to show then doesnt it....
Thanks snufkin
C

Eaglelizard

There was this British magazine that ran a piece a few years back about how peoples' appearances improved after they stopped drinking. The "before" photos were all of pale, bloated faces and expressions that looked involuntarily sad or panicked or just blank. The "after" photos were always of relatively ruddy, fit people, about half of whom seemed to have taken a liking to triathlon unitards, etc. I thought, well, this is obviously misrepresentative to the point of being staged, clearly not everyone will improve by this much. Well, I think you have to give it about a year to 1) have the cumulative changes associated with a clean lifestyle really take hold; and 2) forget how completely jacked your appearance used to be -- but lo and behold, it is, in fact true. You will probably find yourself at least contemplating wearing something made of lycra and wondering how the hell you let your appearance go so far when on the sauce. Looking at photos from two years ago, kinda like Jeff Goldblum in The Fly. Ok, enough detail...

lessgravity

As a man in his 40s, skin, eyes, belly - all incredibly clearer and tighter. Even just a few weeks into my sober stretches.

apollo986

It's important to know that the healing process is happening 24/7 once you stop ingesting the poison. Eating right, exercising, reading, meditating, staying hydrated helps tremendously.

Congrats on day 5!

Cuckoo

Eaglelizard....I embrace all you say but I draw the line at lycra 🤣
C

Verdantia

Hi, Cuckoo. At the end of my drinking career I looked (and felt) like hell. I was bloated and overweight, my eyes were dead and empty, my skin waxy and cadaverous and I had horrible rosacea, the type that affects eyes as well as skin.
Within two months of quitting my skin and eyes cleared without scarring, the light had come back into my eyes and through healthy eating, cycling and yoga I've lost 60 lbs in 2 years. My self-respect and dignity made a comeback as well and it was reflected in my physical appearance. I now have 28 wonderful months of sobriety and it utterly rocks! You can do this, and I wish you all the best on your sober journey.