Your story sounds so similar to mine own, except for having children. I also binge eat and know that when I do that it is entirely emotional eating. Right now, I am once again trying to reign in my eating and lose the 30 pounds! that I gained. I've lost about 6, so I am on a downward trend. It's tough and personally, I find keeping to a healthy eating pattern much HARDER than not drinking. Why? Because you have to eat, but you don't have to drink.

I also cannot moderate alcohol at all and I would bet my life savings that 99 percent of the people on this forum cannot do it either. There is the dream that we can moderate and have a drink here and there, but that's all it is. A dream and one that will always turn into a nightmare.

So for me, I took alcohol off the table completely. No if's, ands or buts. No wiggle room. How did I do that? I made a promise to myself that I would never drink alcohol again, and I would never change my mind, no matter what. The key to my success was the "no matter what". No excuses, no saying - Oh, I've had a hard day. I just need one to steady my nerves. Someone died. I'm depressed. I'm on vacation. No one loves me. I'm an alcoholic so I might as well dinrk. The excuses are endless.

Once you take alcohol off the table - you close the door. Don't leave it open one crack. Make ONE decision - I do not drink alcohol - EVER.

I'm now 6 years sober. There has certainly been times when the thought of having a drink has crossed my mind but I repeat my promise. The thought goes away.

I wish you much success in your journey.
CF

I drank seltzer like it was going out of style in my early sobriety. Committing to a progressive workout plan was extremely helpful too - I had/have the ambition to be in peak physical condition (as far as a busy professional and father of 3 kids can) that could only be achieved by never drinking again. I also committed to a mediation practice. Both the workout and meditation practices, I knew/know, would provide actual improvement, things I could see and experience. The time you are given as a sober person also allows you to be present for reading, movie watching, spending time with family/friends - things that in my drinking days were just pitstops between my next buzz. Acknowledging the presence I could/can have in those moments makes sobriety something worth fighting for as well.

And it is a fight, at least in the early days. You have to work for it. You have to suffer pain and discomfort - you are literally changing your life. But the life you then get to have is worth all of that immeasurably. Thank you for posting. Keep posting, stay strong.

I realized that most of my cravings were due to either thirst or sugar cravings. Just like lessgravity I have now substituted beer with Seltzer water. Many a times when cravings hit really hard, I just sit very quickly for a huge meal (with lot of carbs). After that I feel a zillion times better and AV is totally gone out of sight.

I bought some pineapple juice and lime mineral water.
3 parts mineral water and 1 part pineapple. Very delicious and refreshing. I think it will be my new drink for Spring!
Im starting to think of all the different types of drinks one could make..... Its fun!

How's it going, Seabreezess?

Did you make it past the Friday dinner hour?