Hey everyone. I hope y’all are having a great day. I’m now 27 days without the drink and I’m feeling great. I’m sleeping much better. I know not to get cocky because I’ve been here before and feel off the wagon. But now that I’m here again and since I won’t be having the extra calories I really want to get into shape. I’ve been fat all my life. even before 10 I was obese. We grew up in a low income household with a single mom with 5 kids. hamburger helper was considered a “healthy” home cooked meal.
Much later on I learned a lot more about nutrition. I attempted many diets but I kept failing because of drinking. As soon as my will power failed on one part either nutrition or drink the other would laps soon after.
I really want to get fit. I want to become the person I never thought was possible.
Yesterday was my 39th birthday and I am going to evolve myself into who I want to be before I turn 40.
I’d love suggestions. Tips tricks and anything you may have done to get yourself to where you wanted to be.
Hello Brandon.
Congratulations on your 27 days. That is big.
I’m afraid I don’t have a magic bullet for the weight loss, although I will say that if you manage to not drink alcohol for the next 12 months, your weight will almost certainly go in the right direction.
It isn’t only that you will consume fewer calories from the actual alcohol, which really mount up over time - but you will do a lot less comfort eating the day after, too.
Of course, you already know this.
The thing that surprised me was the gradual return of my self respect, which I just didn’t see coming. This meant that I was much more motivated to eat well and to exercise more. I’ve heard giving up alcohol described as a ‘gateway drug’ to personal well-being - and I have certainly found this to be true.
You have taken a huge step in becoming the person you want to become.
Good luck.
I’d been an obese kid and lost a bunch in high school. The late days of my drinking had brought me back there again, getting some 50 lbs over a remotely healthy weight.
Now back in my longest stretch of sobriety, I found my weight much more naturally came back to normal within just the first year of recovery. First lost 25 lbs almost immediately as my diet naturally improved and energy started returning. Then, like you, I took more interest in actual exercise and gradually dropped another 25. It wasn’t even so much about the weight as it was just being tired of feeling like garbage!
I did some of the 30 day challenges with people here. A fun and productive way to pass the sober time and helped me build what I think is the most important thing of all: Consistency and patience.
I’m no fitness expert, but I’ve always found the best results came when I focused on those two things. Just like having a strong and steady recovery mindset, it applies to fitness too, in my experience. Not necessarily making grand efforts as finding little things I could keep up on a daily basis, even just taking regular walks for a start.
It’s funny now. When I feel lethargic or am gaining weight, I usually notice it’s me letting up on my routines. Surprise surprise, I’m usually also not keeping up on my recovery as well as I could either!
Yeah. Everyone’s different, but when I was really drinking a lot, I’d eat more junk while drinking, then not eat well the next day either. Once that was everyday, it really got out of control. As I got sober, that change alone improved my health.
Of course others mileage may vary. Some folks take to eating a bit more at first as they adjust. Maybe that’s okay for a minute (like the “have a bite of chocolate” advice in early recovery), but something to keep an eye on that it doesn’t get outta control!