quitin2020

I have something in my brain that makes me prone to addiction.
Don't know what it is, or why I have it, but I have known that I am this way for a very long time.

I started drinking as a teenager, and continued drinking heavily into my 20's. By the time I got into my early thirties, I was getting fat from all the beer, and decided to do something about it. This is when I learned something new about my addictive trait: It can be channeled to something positive. I started running, and running, and running. I got consumed with running races (and triathlons later on).
Over a several year period, I competed in 7 marathons, two half Ironmans, and one full Ironman.

This got my into fantastic shape, dropped a huge amount of weight, and I was really happy with myself. I still drank some, but not much all since I was consumed with races.

So what happened? I got burned out. I pushed it too far with the Ironman. I was training about 18 hours a week and just got sick of it. Instead of just dialing it back, I just totally quit.

So now, 6 or 7 years later, here I am again. Fat, out of shape. Alcoholism is far worse.

Once I get over the flu completely, I plan to start running again. That seems to be the easiest way for me to stay off the beer. This time is different because last time, I never completely abstained from alcohol. That is exactly what I am doing now.

Is exercise a big part of abstaining and recovery for others?

Anna

I think this is the all-or-nothing attitude that addicts often seem to have. Moderation in anything can be hard for us. It sounds like you enjoy exercising and it makes you feel good so if you could come up with a reasonable exercise program it would probably be great for you. And, I hope you decide to stop drinking completely.

Robbie64

I've had times when I've swapped drinking for exercising. The problem is I ended up going for long walks every day and ended up with swollen feet (plantar fasciitis) and could hardly walk for weeks. It's a common problem with people who exercise too much. It's also very painful. It took me a few years to sort it out properly.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/plantar-fasciitis/

I've read about how exercising can take over someone's life. Madonna said she became addicted to it and if she didn't exercise every day she would have a strange feeling, almost like withdrawal. She's said to have an addictive nature but again she's paying the price for exercising to much and is having problems with her feet and legs.

I still love walking but I try to moderate how much I do walk but I could do with getting back to the gym as my overall fitness levels aren't that good at the moment. I couldn't go jogging though - I think if I did I'd probably collapse!

quitin2020

I have had plantar fasciitis before. Ouch!!!

Surrendered19

Us addicts love our deprivations and our excesses, don't we? Exercise is definitely one of the things that I use to stay sober and live a healthy life but I always make sure I look at my toolbox all of the time. Exercise. Relationships attended to. Daily gratitude. Reading. Cooking. This site (SR rocks!!). My in-real-life group. Some therapy. Lunches made and kids homework done every single night. I try to make sure everything is right-sized so that there is room for me to work on all of those things.

I'm totally with you Quitin. I'd love nothing more than to become some sort of exercise freak or do nothing but cook 24/7/365. But such maniacal endeavors are not good for people like you and me.

Robbie64

Yup, it wasn't a pleasant experience! And my foot kept inflaming every so often for about 5 years until I was referred to the podiatry services at the local hospital.

Strangely it cleared up virtually overnight once I started to wear proper orthotic support and (touch wood) I haven't had any problems for over 11 years. It was a nightmare at the time because for weeks on end I wasn't able to do anything as simple as going for a walk without having the most excruciating pain.

Cityboy

Didn't work in my case. I could go to the gym or not and still have the same urge to drink. In application I would end up just going to the gym once or twice a week with a hangover.

Cityboy

I get outside exercise with work but not always. It's intermittent. If I go for a while getting consistent excercise and then get stuck doing office work a couple of days I get downright depressed or even sick feeling.

TacoDude

Regular exercise is a daily part of my recovery program. I used to do a lot of heavy lifting at the gym, but the past few years I have moved towards a more whole body approach utilizing a functional movement exercises utilizing body weight only and kettle bells. That plus 30-60 minutes of power walking each day really helps, on so many levels.

You'll notice I emphasized the word "part" in my first sentence, as for me, there are a number of components to recovery, and there's a big difference between recovery and abstinence, or quitting.

Those other "parts" include a diligent and rigorous honesty about the nature of my addiction and where it will lead if I relapse, daily reading and participation here on SR, close connections with those who have decades of sobriety that I check in with regularly, prayer/meditation, breathwork, eating well and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels etc.

I think it's great that you want to get back into shape and re-engage with running again, I'm just wondering if you've thought of some of the other things I've mentioned as a more complete plan to keep you on the sober path?

quitin2020

No, I really haven't to be honest. I probably need to. I am still pretty new to making a serious effort to quit drinking. Still learning. Thanks for the feedback, TacoDude.

Dee74

Like others have said exercise is certainly a part of my life but it's not exercise that keeps me sober.

I tried to make it that way tho - I had this huge void in me that I tried to fill with stuff - food, exercise, religion,shopping etc etc - but nothing worked until I started to work on healing the void - looking squarely at my addiction and what I could do to change my life to beat it.

D

PhoenixJ

I exercise to relieve anxiety- so I exercise a lot. BUT- I also know it is not good to be dependent on any one activity/event to deal with my anxiety or depression or whatever.

D122y

I intentionally leave the gym when I am done.

Sometimes I have tons of energy and can easily go longer.

I found that when I push too hard, I start to hate working out.

I sometimes take 4 days off to heal up all the way.

That is when I find my gains.

Like Dee said, other things in life are important to staying content.

Family is big, work helps, projects are amazing.

Doing nice things is something I look for all day. Yesterday this guy blasted me with his horn because he thought I should yield. I disagreed of course and gave him the hand.

Not the finger, the hand.

Long story, but it took me several minutes to except I may have been wrong or whatever, but at least I didn't shoot the bird.

Yay! Baby steps.

Understanding, in my own sick way, my addiction is the moral of this blurb.

Booze is poison. A relapse will destroy me.

Thanks.

Delilah1

I walk every day after work, I find being in the park, or hiking helps me decompress from the day. It is a piece of my recovery, but it is more to let go of any stresses from the day that I used alcohol to deal with in the past.