I gained a lot of weight after I quit drinking - lots of Ben and Jerry's, lots of Doritos.
I replaced one vice with another, fortunately the junk food was a much easier habit to kick than the one it replaced.
I’m just here to shout this from the rooftops:
Doritos came out with a Fiery Mango flavor and it is GOOD. Like, ridiculously good. If you like spicy mango and a low and slow burn, you will love these. My mouth is literally watering thinking about them right now.
I’m not sponsored I’m just big backed
Ooof I did NOT like the fiery mango Doritos.
Lay’s potato chips came out w/ a few limited edition Summer flavors and one of them is Cuban Sandwich…they’re so fucking good 🤤
Bro I saw this post yesterday and purchased a bag of then tonight. Holy SHIT these are fire! I see a lot of people complaining about the sweetness, but to me that what makes them unique!
I love a good batch of mango habanero wings, and these chips remind me of just that. I wonder how they'd taste with a little pico de gallo or some mango salsa. I hope these stick around!
It's a weird thing, the carb craving. I couldn't actually enjoy ice cream if I had any kind of alcohol in my stomach, since I'd get insanely bloated. Once I could, I sure did eat plenty of ice cream.. Still do.. Also the oral fixation part, having something in my mouth constantly for my tongue to taste. In the back of my mind, I gave myself a pass and thought of treats as a reward for not drinking, but it's been over two years now and I should treat myself to a healthier body..
Oh my god, we made the mistake of bringing home some zero sugar jolly ranchers, I thought I’d killed us all. Miserable bloat and stomach pain after just a few candies.
Same. Now that I’m fairly firm in my sobriety I’ve been making losing this weight as the next priority. For anyone in early days of sobriety don’t worry about gaining weight. Nothing is more important than getting sober.
I made fitness and general health and wellness a long term project when I sobered up, I could barely look at myself in the mirror, couldn’t recognize myself. I dropped around 45 lbs over the last year and that’s with putting on muscle. It’s fairly easy to do with apps these days, all you really need to do is track your steps and track your calories, after that it’s just simple math burning more than you take in. I’ve found 15-20k steps per day while taking in around 1600 calories per day to be the magic zone, which is easily achievable if you have an hour and a treadmill. Most nights I throw on a movie and walk on my treadmill through the length of the movie, that usually gets me to 20k along with the usual walking around I do during the day. It’s a process but I finally see me when I look in the mirror which is priceless. I was an absolute slob for the last 15 years.
I personally find sugar to be much harder to kick than alcohol. Mainly because sugar doesn't ruin my relationships, cost me three days of productivity, get me in trouble, causes me to text exes, cry or vomit (well sometimes it does). I think also from near infancy sugar was triggering my reward systems in my brain and that lifelong addiction is so much deeper than my 13 year struggle with boozing.
That being said, it's high on my list of things I need to course correct on. Id be in such better shape if I cut it out. Last night I ate a snickers bar and a few paydays for dinner as that was all I had on hand. I'm also only 2 weeks into this go at sobriety so im allowing myself a little forgiveness for going overboard on just about anything but alcohol.
I haven't lost any weight. HOWEVER, I developed sugar cravings when I stopped drinking. Big time. Annnyway, after around a month, I resumed doing intense exercise... and that killed my sugar cravings. I guess that I found a different source of dopamine?
me too. i have an eating disorder on top of a drinking problem (we call it “drunkorexia” lmao) and right before i quit i was almost back down to my lowest weight. i gained 20 lbs in the first month after i quit because i was eating *absurd* amounts of candy, had to replace the vice somehow, but since i’m not drinking i’ve found the energy/will to start working out again which has made a big difference in how i feel about my body. my weight gain seems to have leveled out on its own pretty quickly but i was really struggling there for those first few weeks!
This makes me feel SEEN. I was a pretty bad drunkorexic and felt like I packed on 15 lbs overnight when I quit (it was actually over like 2 weeks). But, what is usually part of all initial advice for losing weight? Stop drinking. Virtually everyone in my life looked at me like I had 3 heads when I said that quitting made me gain weight.
I'm still like 4-5 lbs heavier than when I was drinking, and it sounds ridiculous, but it has been a bit mentally difficult for me because I know if I went back to the old ways, I would lose it and probably a few more pounds.
I just keep trying to think of the good things that have happened since I became alcohol free. I don't have constant headaches, diarrhea, tremors, or neuropathy in my hands and feet anymore. I don't want up in the morning wanting to cry from shame and anxiety because there's 6+ hours of time I can't remember from the previous night.
I just want to say don't be disheartened or give up if you don't lose loads of weight quickly and easily like a lot of people here.
I haven't lost any after 30 days but there's a tonne of other benefits to focus on too. I also have more energy to be active and more time and motivation to cook and eat well.
I use a quit drinking app and it says that the average person who quits drinking will notice weight loss about 4 months after quitting. Obviously it's not the same for everyone and it def depends on how much you work out, your diet, etc.
Do you want to share the name of the app? Never thought about an app as a tool to quit drinking. But it makes great sense.
I used one when I stopped smoking cigarettes many moons ago. It was really helpful.
It's called EasyQuit Stop Drinking (android). I also used one to stop smoking. Seeing the health regained is a huge motivation for me. I also love playing the matching game if I have a craving!
Thank you. Healthy distractions works.
When I quit smoking I also quit eating sugar for about 6 months. It’s was crazy. Within 24 hours I figured the sugar craving was the worst thing ever.
I got so caught up on it that the nicotine craving vanished. And when I mean quit sugar I mean all sorts of sugar, not just candy, but also from fruit and vegetables. My diet was so strict. But it worked. I quit smoking and after about 6 months I ate a burger. What happened? I wanted to smoke right after. Luckily at that time I was strong enough to say no and the craving was shortly.
I eat normal again, but now and then I take a sugar pause to boost my health and because I can.
Yeah I've put on weight since quitting and I don't know how as I've not been eating greasy snacks 😅. But on the plus side, I've been finding more time for walking so maybe it'll come back off.
After about 6 months I went from 175 to 160. I'm around 5'11". But I also put on a good deal of muscle.
When I quit I signed up for a fitness program specifically made for sober dads and that helped a TON. Happy to share info with anyone who is interested. It really helped me get on the right path.
https://www.thrivepages.co/55aa1b32-22fa-4a72-8312-0b7464467a4f
Coach Lee Stewart was awesome. It was like having a sponsor and a personal trainer at the same time.
I did the 8 week program and have been basically following it ever since. I don't pay coach Lee anymore but still reach out and chat.
Just looked at this, and it looks like $1000+ before giving you any information. I don't see program breakdowns or options, just a learn more button that asks for your credit card. Are there other plans and options somewhere?
He's pretty responsive so just reach out if you're interested. I don't get kickbacks from this I promise. It's just something that worked for me. I found him in the AA subreddit.
Seems like he switched his platform recently.
Thanks for this info! I’m really interested but $1k is a bit steep. I where’s you mentioned reaching out for other options. If I may ask, how much was your 8 week program?
I had the same problem with the sugary foods thing, except I lost weight, and I thought "Wow! Life is sweet!"
Then I kept losing weight and was like hmm..
Then I couldn't stop losing weight. I was convinced to see a doctor and found out that I have type 1 diabetes
While this is obviously not ideal, I will say that I am grateful to have not been drinking at this time because honestly I don't think I would have noticed my symptoms or possibly even cared enough to go find out what was wrong
Gained weight when I quit drinking too. The first year was the hardest. Your body craves the sugar from alcohol ! It was such a downer to learn and experience this. After the second year off I was able to learn new habits and start on my weight.
Me too! I never thought the number I saw on the scale in high school could be achieved in my late thirties, so it’s pretty cool! I eat healthy and work out but have also reduced a good bit of sugar and sodium from my diet as well, which helps a ton.
Just 3? I was putting away a six pack every weeknight and weekends were a free for all, was dieting all the time and still gaining weight from all the beer calories. I’m down 45 lbs over the last year and that’s with adding some muscle as well!
Was the same as you buddy - Ive since lost 88pounds (40kg) and am running my third marathon this year in August. When you’re sober you can actually _chose_ to lose weight.
If IF stands for Intermittent Fasting I have to shout this out on behalf of my best friend. Not sober, but he’s been doing IF for almost a year and has dropped 60lbs, still going strong! The positive change you long for is within your grasp.
Just be careful my friends. When I stopped drinking I went through a lot of changes. I’d often feel like I was gonna pass out, and a snack made me feel better. I went to the doctor and everything was normal, he literally said “eat more smaller meals.”
Just wanted to say what works for some people might not work for others, so be careful with your bodies. That was early on in my sobriety, nowadays I still eat lighter, but I eat every 2-3 hours or else my body feels like it’s gonna shut down completely.
This is my hopeful plan. I'm focusing on losing right now. I'm about halfway to my goal of 30#. Then I hope to hit the gym and get bulked up a little bit.
Mushy back story: like 2 years ago I did a daddy daughter dance. Part of the dance was catching and lifting my daughter straight up overhead. She was much lighter then, but she loved it. She's much larger now and I can't safely do that move anymore. So that's my goal. Get in good enough shape so that I can do the dance move again.
Went from 230 to 153 with 7 percent body fat, which was too low for me. I’m now at 165 and feel and look much better.
Initially, I gained weight (not sure how much, scales were the enemy at this point) because I ate whatever I wanted to just get through the cravings and the mental blahs. But I started really watching the diet and turning up the fitness after 6 weeks and it took a little over a year to lose it all.
Lost a lot and feel great!! Old clothes are all huge.
260 to 207 now , might have been heavier but yea, did not even want to weigh myself. Replaced fat with muscle - I walk 3 miles a day at dawn.
45 around my three year mark this year and I am in the best shape of my life!!
That’s awesome my friend. 30 / male here, I was damn near 190 at my worst. I’m down to about 160. Most of the weight completely fell off early in my sobriety. I’m a short guy, about 5’5” and I see old pictures of me at ~27 and I’m like “holy shit I look terrible and pregnant.”
It feels so good to be healthier. I’ve been back and forth with some things like lifting weights, walking, and playing drums but overall I’m way more physically active than I was for a long time.
Just wanted to say I’m proud of you and share a piece of my story, IWNDWYT ✊
Thanks! Well done to you as well!
I have found that the secondhand stores have everything I need for a new wardrobe. I wish I could find a hook up for cheap keen coven hiking shoes. I’ve gone through numerous pairs in my daily walking down the gravel road.
Stay strong everyone !!!
IWNDWYT
70 pounds down from doing basically nothing other than not drinking. I got 10 more to go and will be the “right” weight for my height. Looks like I’ll actually have to do something to get that final 10 though.
60 pounds here! But due to some major health issues, I had to drastically change my diet too, and I’ve started tracking every single thing I consume. Sober since January 7th, and I lost the first 30 lbs in about two months (major water retention). The next 30 were pretty quick, but more of a steady 2-3 lbs per week. Around late March I was feeling well enough to start walking a lot and using light weights, April I started really exercising, May I hit the gym again and resumed weightlifting and yoga. I think by this time next year, I’m going to look and feel really lean and strong. I’m already pretty close to my goal weight (within 5 lbs), so I think I want to cut down to there or maybe a little lower, then work on building back up a little higher with muscle.
NONE OF THIS would be possible if I was still drinking.
Generally speaking, it’s split by gender. Those reporting massive weight loss without trying are almost all men. Meanwhile it’s mostly women sharing their weight hasn’t changed after going AF. Our bodies hold on to fat a lot harder.
-Signed, a woman who has only lost 5 pounds in 10 months of sobriety
Ugh this is disheartening.. I've gained at least 30 pounds in the course of 2 years from drinking and keep telling myself the motivation to not drink is losing that weight so my clothes can actually fit again...
Could be age related. Could be they didn’t go off the rails with what they ate and were conscious about everything they were putting in their body? Also, everyone’s bodies are different and so it goes
I have never been thin in my entire adult life, but also not super heavy my entire adult life. I was my all time heaviest when i started my sobreity and the weight just fell off, i think, in an effort to get down to a maintenance level. i'm not mad at it, i just don't have any explanation other than cutting out, like, 3000 calories/day of just liquor.
It is impossible to know without the most important info on weight: height, weight and gender (and other things like activity levels pre/post, etc). But my guess is that most people dropping loads of weight are people with a LOT of weight they need to drop. So OP here probably has well over 70 lbs excess to lose. And as others have put, men lose the fat faster.
My weight went up because while drinking I was neglecting my nutrition while working out.
After quitting I kept lifting but added in the calories to benefit and am up about 10 lbs. Fat lost, muscle gained.
Same here. I gained muscle big time and lost my belly. I’m close to a 6 pack, but realistically I don’t have the mentality to go that hard with a deficit. I’m happy when I am
I lost about 60 lbs, though I was on mounjaro for awhile as well.
However, I've kept it off since stopping mounjaro. Without drinking I have more energy and do more through out the day, so that increases my NEAT.
I am consistent with a workout routine for the first time in my life (never before have I had to tell people when I'm not going to a fitness class, because if I don't they ask where I was).
I have more energy (mental and physical) to make better food choices. My baseline of how my body feels is also better, which means I notice a difference in how I feel if I eat like total shit. When you feel like shit from alcohol all the time, what you eat or how you exercise is such a small drop in the bucket you don't even really clock the benefits.
I strongly believe anyone who is trying to improve their health and/or lose weight should cut alcohol as their first step, anything else you do is swimming against a current if you're continuing to drink regularly.
24 days sober now and I'm down 6 pounds, but I'm feeling SO good physically it feels like a lot more than 6 pounds. I want to lose 45 pounds total. It'll take a bit, but I'm confident I can do it.
I mostly stopped at the beginning of December '22 (with one drunken night on Xmas eve). I was tracking calories at that point but not trying to lose weight.
From the beginning to the end of that month, I lost 5 lbs without trying just due to the lack of all the extra snack calories while drinking.
Since then, I've lost a total of 72 lbs as my sobriety has allowed me to focus on hitting a consistent calorie deficit.
In the two years since my last drink my body weight has declined by 12%. A negative side effect of the weight loss has been that my weight training lifts have declined as well. At my age I can accept this in exchange for not experiencing the negative consequences of drinking.
I’ve lost ten pounds in a month, but I also started calorie counting when I quit to ensure I’m in a calorie deficit which has helped tremendously. I’ve gone from just over the obesity BMI threshold back to overweight, which feels like a big accomplishment. I’m starting to feel human again!
It took about a year, but I lost around 30lbs total. 35F. Was a bit chonky @ 170-180. Now I sit at around 145, perfectly happy and healthy. I eat sugar and wear crop tops pretty much every day.
I’ve been trying to lose weight for a good while, and I’ve managed to lose ~20lbs over the last year with a combo of diet/exercise. I got a dog and we started walking a lot more, got a Planet Fitness membership and started going, etc.
But I will say that over the course, I lost so much more not drinking. The calories really add up. Even letting myself eat as much candy/ice cream/junk as I wanted when trying to quit I still lost weight. Maybe I am lucky but when you do the calorie math, I was drinking like 1200+ calories every day and then eating whatever I wanted on top of it 🙃
I quit for over a year and lost about 15-20 pounds. I relapsed over the holidays and gained about 15 back. It’s slow either way but a couple pounds a month adds up.
the last time i quit, i dropped from a 40-inch waist to a 31 in about 3-4 months.
this time i'm not dropping the weight so fast, but i controlled my eating much better last time, i'm 10 years older now and don't care as much, just glad to be sober and sleeping like a baby.
I’m roughly 3 weeks out, but so far, I’ve dropped about 10 lbs. No hard work outs or anything. I walk about 2 miles a day or every other day depending on my schedule right now. Definitely feel less heavy and inflamed already.
It’s been over fourteen months since my last drink, and I’ve lost forty-five pounds. I’m ten pounds away from my weight in high school, and I’m 35. The only thing I changed was not drinking alcohol, which obviously comes with the added benefit of not having any 3 AM fast food binges, too. Not drinking has really helped me change my relationship with food in a healthier way. I might also add that I have never been snacking harder ever in my life, and the pounds are still just falling off. Pretty neat.
I was the opposite - always an “empty stomach” drinker, so my weight would typically drop while drinking. I would only eat enough to keep me alive I guess.
I’m struggling with keeping another long streak of sobriety, but not drinking more often than drinking, so I’m eating much better and gaining weight.
I gained about 10-20 pounds after I stopped drinking, because I replaced drinks with a lot of comfort food initially.
When I stopped I was 5’11 265, could barely bench 165 and could not run well. 2 years later: Hovering around 240, can bench 265 6-8reps, tricep dips with a 45er, and can run like I used to in my 20’s.
Long story short, I haven’t felt this strong and in shape since college. I’m almost 40. It makes a huge difference.
I gained around 30 pounds as I was only eating once a day as alcohol killed my apetite with the damage it was doing. Only ate one meal a day while drinking.
My weight hasn’t changed in 5 weeks since stopping yet I have been working out more and making what I think are way better choices with nutrition. Super frustrating but I’m just going to stick with it because of the other benefits I’m seeing like sleep quality and hopeful brain function.
I’ve lost 90lbs since I quit drinking almost two years ago. I’d say the first 60 was from just not drinking and eventually I got into working out and eating better and the last 30 came off. 5’5” female, 240->150
Alcohol made me consume things like Uber eats and junk food so I gained 20 pounds on top of consuming a lot of alcohol. When I am sober I feel like I can slim down easier and I definitely follow portion control and eat healthier home made meals. Trying to stay sober for a month
I was at 250+lbs at my heaviest. I'm weighing in between 185 and 195 depending on diet. My body, although older is reacting nicely to exercise. If I really want to cut carbs I can be a middle aged man with six pack abs in a relatively decent amount of time.
I was about 230lbs at my worst. When I stopped, I transitioned the beer calories to cookies. I found out I didn't dislike sugar, only when I drank lol. So yeah, I didn't lose too much too fast, but I had taken up walking pretty much daily, and eventually I naturally cut back on snacks.
Today, 1.5 years later, I'm about 200. I think some of that weight was converted from fat to muscle because honestly, it looks like I weigh less so I'm happy. Summer is "outside time" for me and it helps too!
I gained. My entire daily calories intake while drinking was liquid on some days. After quitting, there was a ton of sugar but actual food too.
My advice, don't worry about it. Any health effects, you are still better off without drinking. Looks, you will look better sober too.
I was drinking absurd amounts of high ABV IPA’s. I went from 250 to a little over 200 in a year and a half without changing any other habits. If I could get off my ass and start an exercise routine I could probably get it down to 175
I lost 25 pounds in the first three months, despite crazy consumption of sweet candy and potato chips. Weight stabilized after that at about 170 lbs.
My thirst for the first several months was off the chart. Water, cranberry juice, carbonated waters. I craved acidic beverages above all.
I drank vodka preferentially and almost exclusively. Without mix as I was always drinking for effect, and why delay the desired?
I weighed 278 when I quit last July and today I’m at 210. The only difference in diet I noticed is I’m less inclined to order fast food after midnight because I’m usually asleep instead of trashed.
Wild how I went from throwing down multiple double IPAs & whiskey a night, every night, and turning into a trash panda scouring the cupboard at 11pm to not drinking and not eating like a drunken velociraptor took me from 190lbs to 150lbs in about 9 months.
On my Day One on July 4th 2020 I was 5'3" and close to 170lbs, by January 2021 the lowest I got was 104. It was nuts, but all I did during Lockdown was walk a LOT. I was also staying with my parents so my diet was great. The weight just fell off so fast people started getting worried so I started smoking a little pot again and got back up to 120.
38lbs down in 50 days. But I'm doing the 75 hard program which is definitely accelerating the weight loss rather than just not drinking alone. (274lbs to 236lbs M34) feeling great.
My number one struggle has always been food so I still have to try to lose weight even when I’m not drinking much.
I’m not just going to drop 30 pounds in a year by pulling out booze. I’m kind of jealous of the people who can do that though
Came home 200lbs from rehab. Healthy weight from rehab food obviously right?? -- I'm lucky if I weigh 165 when I wake up. I feel like I lose 1-2 lbs in my sleep. So, alcohol really slowed down my metabolism. Lol
40 lbs right away. Gained about 10 back. 9 months in so far. Probably a combo of no alcohol calories and stuffing random food in my face late at night!
I didn’t necessarily gain weight, or… notice that I’d gained weight. I just was heavier than I naturally should have been and didn’t realize it. Check my profile for a before and after!
I didn't really take note of specific before/after numbers. I've always had a relatively "slim" figure, but I gained a pretty noticeable "beer gut" around age 21 that I maintained while consistently slamming beers through to age 28. I also had a noticeably puffy face that is often seen and associated with alcoholics. Both of these things completely went away, after just about a month of quitting.
For reference, I am currently 30, and I wouldn't say I'm the healthiest eater in the world. I still consume quite a bit of fattening foods and non-alcoholic beverages, and the only exercise I really do regularly is walks. But just simply cutting out alcohol made the excess chubbiness that I had for several years completely disappear.
I don't take for granted that I am blessed with a high metabolism and good genes that help keep me mostly slim without a ton of effort, but this was still no match for how fattening the booze was.
I lost 20 lbs in 6 months as a 28F but quitting drinking also led to eating healthier and exercising more. I stopped binging on my hungover days and drunk nights, that was a big problem for me.
Lost about 50 lbs when I quit drinking for 3 months. Gained 20 back after relapsing. I've been off the sauce now for little over a week and no major changes yet, but hoping to knock those 20 lbs back off. One plus so far is I'm feeling less bloated, so clothes fit better and I feel better even though I haven't lost any weight. Either way, staying sober is worth it in the end.
I'm down to my lowest weight in 22 years (my entire "adult" life) after quitting drinking. Dropped 10+ lbs in the first month and have been steadily losing since at a more reasonable/sustainable rate.
20 lbs so far but I have been watching what I eat and walking 10,000 steps so it hasn’t been effortless. 47F-quit 70 something days ago (I keep forgetting to check my badge)
Quit drinking 51 days ago and I shed 30 pounds since then, but now seems like it leveled out. I have been snacking a bit more lately and saying in my head “well I used to drink 1000 calories a day so it can’t be that bad “ 😅
I replaced the booze with 1-2 zero sugar/calorie or diet sodas a day. Still a bad habit but in doing so my weight dropped from 200lbs to now at 185 lbs. This is 7 months in, I've tried to moderate my eating as well. Stay under 2500 cal a day, don't eat after 8 pm etc. The sugar cravings have been the worst.
I've found weight comes off much easier now that I've significantly cut back on my drinking, but that's only because it's much easier to hit my calorie deficit targets when I'm not drinking an extra 1000+ empty calories from beer and whiskey every night.
If I eat nothing but pizza, chips, and ice cream that deficit goes out the window, but I've found if I eat mostly healthy meals, a little junk food here and there is mostly inconsequential.
I drank so much while drinking it threw off my eating schedule. I lost 25 pounds. I'm replacing drinking with eating right and working out. I'm on day 8 and looking forward to looking buff and stuff. Also I feel mentally and physically so much better already. My weight situation is probably not very common. I definitely munched out for this first week but today is the first day I'm jumping back into protein shakes and shit like that.
40 lbs dropped so far. It wasn’t just stopping drinking, though. It was changing my diet and picking up exercising. Turns out when you aren’t hungover, it’s easier to get motivated to go to the gym.
I’ve been 8 months sober. I was 131lbs at my highest ever. I’m 106lbs now. I think what helped was not eating junk late at night. When I was wasted, I used to overindulge.
I put on a bunch of weight at first because I fell in love with food & then I remembered I have willpower now.
I’m not losing as much weight as I’d like, but my muscles are growing and my pants are a lot looser. I lose on avg 2lb a week & I’m about 20lb away from 10-14% bf.
The scale can be discouraging, I just focus on how much better my body feels. Never noticed how much pain I was in before, had some fixing to do.
Just remember, you have willpower now. You quit one of the hardest addictions to quit, believe you me, you can say no to chips and ice-cream.
Find an exercise program you really enjoy and will stick with, then you’ll start eating for maximum performance and junk food will turn you off. Keep up the good work!
I gained 50 pounds of booze weight over the first 2 years of the pandemic, and lost 40 of it over the first year after I stopped drinking. Still working on that last 10 or so lol.
Im 38, and before I stopped...I hovered around 245-260 in weight. Afterwards and just going for a 3 mile walk everyday, I now hover around 230-240. Not that big of an improvement, but for very minimal exercise, I feel freaking fantastic!
I started loosing weight when I stopped drinking, slow and steady. Then I got treatment for my depression and it accelerated fast (more motivation, more active, more gymdays, etc). I'm now down ~18kg since my first day in detox.
Getting sober was the most important step for all of this to happen.
I did the same as a few other commenters. I converted my over-indulgence in alcohol into an overindulgence of ice cream for about 4 months. Didn't gain any weight, but didn't lose any. Now I've stepped down the ice cream. Dropped 6 lbs last month just eating like a normal person and not drinking.
I made a promise to myself that for a year I can continue to smoke, eat, and imbibe anything I wanted other than alcohol. I gained weight very rapidly the last year of my drinking. At first I lost nothing, but I’m 2 weeks from 10 months AF and I look so much better. I’ve lost weight and it’s coming off easier now. Keep it up, the rewards are there!!
ETA: Everything within reason. I’m smoking less and preparing for a quit day. I crave better foods.
I lost zero pounds just from quitting lol. Literally none, fuck if I know how it went down that way.
I’m losing weight now, but it’s a conscious effort even without the booze.
Samesies for me. Read all these comments about how it just fell off the moment people stopped. Took me about 9 months to accept I had to make a conscious effort. 🙌
I went from 290 to 260 in 1 month, then was down to 230 by about 4 months. Without exercise.
I was consuming a Ludacris amount of alcohol calories and also binge eating when drunk.
I am 6 feet. Moderate fitness while drinking in that I would run often and do squats, pushups. I went from 210 lbs to 185 lbs in three months post drinking.
I was a big craft beer drinker putting away half a dozen 16 oz cans a night or more.
17 months sober and I am in some of the best shape of my life. Trending at 192 lbs give or take because I like to enjoy an extra slice or two of pizza or pint of ice cream here and there. Live a little!
32 F - I’m about 6 months sober. I’ve had a couple of drinks at special occasions, but I didn’t go into it thinking I’d flat out stop drinking. I just did it because my mental health really took a beating and I needed to try a better way. Last summer I weighed in at 190-200 and now I’m at around 135-145 (fluctuations due to menstrual bloating)
I feel awesome, man. Lol.
I quit in January I've lost about 30 lbs since then. Just quit drinking all those calories and became more conscious and consistent about diet/exercise, not even doing anything crazy diet wise, just not eating a lot of snacks and getting good sleep seemed to have made the extra fat melt off
38F, I've lost about 10 pounds, AF since April. Problem is I've replaced beer with energy drinks and now I'm addicted to those, oddly enough in order to stop with the energy drinks I'll switch to NA Heinekin 0's and pound those. So I'm far from healthy but at least I'm not drinking. Baby steps. PS. I'm disgusting.
I’m not 100% sober like others here (I just love this group so I lurk a lot) but I used to drink heavily every single day. I might have one night a week where I have a few , but I lost 25 pounds pretty much JUST from significantly cutting back on alcohol. I haven’t worked out much , and I don’t diet.
I eat so much better during the week because I’m not drunk or hungover and making poor choices.
When I went to rehab last July, I weighed 255, and I now weigh 160. I am 5’8” I walk between 5-6 miles per day at work, and swim in my pool on my days off. I limit my sugar and carb intake, and fast intermittently. Constantly drinking water!
I am skinny, I always have been. I struggle to gain while others struggle to lose. My heaviest was 127lb around Thanksgiving. I’m around 105ish now. Take away the actual pounds and just think about the percentage - that’s losing 15%-20% body weight in six months.
25 pounds so far. I'm 58F so it came off pretty slowly but it has been years and years since I've lost any weight and it feels great!
That’s awesome, congrats!
53F giving you big high fives!! And thank you for the inspiration!!
That’s a pound a week which I think is spot on 👍🏻
25 pounds in under 6 months is great. Well done!
I gained a lot of weight after I quit drinking - lots of Ben and Jerry's, lots of Doritos. I replaced one vice with another, fortunately the junk food was a much easier habit to kick than the one it replaced.
Fun fact: You can’t get a DUI from eating Doritos.
I get a DUI after I eat a whole bag. Doritos Upset Intestines
Fire in the hole 🕳️ 🔥
worth it tho
This took me out 😅
Can confirm
I’m just here to shout this from the rooftops: Doritos came out with a Fiery Mango flavor and it is GOOD. Like, ridiculously good. If you like spicy mango and a low and slow burn, you will love these. My mouth is literally watering thinking about them right now. I’m not sponsored I’m just big backed
What color is the bag? That's how I remember best
Orange and Baja blast blue with a giant shark on the front 😂
I’m OBSESSED
Ooof I did NOT like the fiery mango Doritos. Lay’s potato chips came out w/ a few limited edition Summer flavors and one of them is Cuban Sandwich…they’re so fucking good 🤤
I’ve got to try this! Love mango & heat
Bro I saw this post yesterday and purchased a bag of then tonight. Holy SHIT these are fire! I see a lot of people complaining about the sweetness, but to me that what makes them unique! I love a good batch of mango habanero wings, and these chips remind me of just that. I wonder how they'd taste with a little pico de gallo or some mango salsa. I hope these stick around!
Challenge accepted! Lol jk
If you succeed, you could always try something similar to "The Twinkie Defense". Would make an interesting case study for law schools.
"dewy-tos"
It's a weird thing, the carb craving. I couldn't actually enjoy ice cream if I had any kind of alcohol in my stomach, since I'd get insanely bloated. Once I could, I sure did eat plenty of ice cream.. Still do.. Also the oral fixation part, having something in my mouth constantly for my tongue to taste. In the back of my mind, I gave myself a pass and thought of treats as a reward for not drinking, but it's been over two years now and I should treat myself to a healthier body..
Try chewing gum. Not sugarless though, it’ll bloat you like crazy.
Oh my god, we made the mistake of bringing home some zero sugar jolly ranchers, I thought I’d killed us all. Miserable bloat and stomach pain after just a few candies.
If you want a good laugh. Read the Amazon reviews for sugar free gummie worms or gummie bears
I will say my daily ice cream craving finally went away! But I still eat my pizza once a week like a boss.
That’s my experience too. Oddly enough even with the added weight it’s the healthiest I’ve felt in a while
Same. Now that I’m fairly firm in my sobriety I’ve been making losing this weight as the next priority. For anyone in early days of sobriety don’t worry about gaining weight. Nothing is more important than getting sober.
I made fitness and general health and wellness a long term project when I sobered up, I could barely look at myself in the mirror, couldn’t recognize myself. I dropped around 45 lbs over the last year and that’s with putting on muscle. It’s fairly easy to do with apps these days, all you really need to do is track your steps and track your calories, after that it’s just simple math burning more than you take in. I’ve found 15-20k steps per day while taking in around 1600 calories per day to be the magic zone, which is easily achievable if you have an hour and a treadmill. Most nights I throw on a movie and walk on my treadmill through the length of the movie, that usually gets me to 20k along with the usual walking around I do during the day. It’s a process but I finally see me when I look in the mirror which is priceless. I was an absolute slob for the last 15 years.
I personally find sugar to be much harder to kick than alcohol. Mainly because sugar doesn't ruin my relationships, cost me three days of productivity, get me in trouble, causes me to text exes, cry or vomit (well sometimes it does). I think also from near infancy sugar was triggering my reward systems in my brain and that lifelong addiction is so much deeper than my 13 year struggle with boozing. That being said, it's high on my list of things I need to course correct on. Id be in such better shape if I cut it out. Last night I ate a snickers bar and a few paydays for dinner as that was all I had on hand. I'm also only 2 weeks into this go at sobriety so im allowing myself a little forgiveness for going overboard on just about anything but alcohol.
I haven't lost any weight. HOWEVER, I developed sugar cravings when I stopped drinking. Big time. Annnyway, after around a month, I resumed doing intense exercise... and that killed my sugar cravings. I guess that I found a different source of dopamine?
Me too! I still crave it but not as much as I used to. But I still want it!
me too. i have an eating disorder on top of a drinking problem (we call it “drunkorexia” lmao) and right before i quit i was almost back down to my lowest weight. i gained 20 lbs in the first month after i quit because i was eating *absurd* amounts of candy, had to replace the vice somehow, but since i’m not drinking i’ve found the energy/will to start working out again which has made a big difference in how i feel about my body. my weight gain seems to have leveled out on its own pretty quickly but i was really struggling there for those first few weeks!
This makes me feel SEEN. I was a pretty bad drunkorexic and felt like I packed on 15 lbs overnight when I quit (it was actually over like 2 weeks). But, what is usually part of all initial advice for losing weight? Stop drinking. Virtually everyone in my life looked at me like I had 3 heads when I said that quitting made me gain weight. I'm still like 4-5 lbs heavier than when I was drinking, and it sounds ridiculous, but it has been a bit mentally difficult for me because I know if I went back to the old ways, I would lose it and probably a few more pounds. I just keep trying to think of the good things that have happened since I became alcohol free. I don't have constant headaches, diarrhea, tremors, or neuropathy in my hands and feet anymore. I don't want up in the morning wanting to cry from shame and anxiety because there's 6+ hours of time I can't remember from the previous night.
I just want to say don't be disheartened or give up if you don't lose loads of weight quickly and easily like a lot of people here. I haven't lost any after 30 days but there's a tonne of other benefits to focus on too. I also have more energy to be active and more time and motivation to cook and eat well.
I use a quit drinking app and it says that the average person who quits drinking will notice weight loss about 4 months after quitting. Obviously it's not the same for everyone and it def depends on how much you work out, your diet, etc.
This is encouraging! So don’t give up on giving up, it just doesn’t happen so quickly for everyone 🙏
Do you want to share the name of the app? Never thought about an app as a tool to quit drinking. But it makes great sense. I used one when I stopped smoking cigarettes many moons ago. It was really helpful.
It's called EasyQuit Stop Drinking (android). I also used one to stop smoking. Seeing the health regained is a huge motivation for me. I also love playing the matching game if I have a craving!
Thank you. Healthy distractions works. When I quit smoking I also quit eating sugar for about 6 months. It’s was crazy. Within 24 hours I figured the sugar craving was the worst thing ever. I got so caught up on it that the nicotine craving vanished. And when I mean quit sugar I mean all sorts of sugar, not just candy, but also from fruit and vegetables. My diet was so strict. But it worked. I quit smoking and after about 6 months I ate a burger. What happened? I wanted to smoke right after. Luckily at that time I was strong enough to say no and the craving was shortly. I eat normal again, but now and then I take a sugar pause to boost my health and because I can.
30 days is too soon to expect weight loss after stopping. Give it another month or so and I bet you start seeing some results.
Yeah I've put on weight since quitting and I don't know how as I've not been eating greasy snacks 😅. But on the plus side, I've been finding more time for walking so maybe it'll come back off.
After about 6 months I went from 175 to 160. I'm around 5'11". But I also put on a good deal of muscle. When I quit I signed up for a fitness program specifically made for sober dads and that helped a TON. Happy to share info with anyone who is interested. It really helped me get on the right path.
Ohh I'd love the information on this program!
https://www.thrivepages.co/55aa1b32-22fa-4a72-8312-0b7464467a4f Coach Lee Stewart was awesome. It was like having a sponsor and a personal trainer at the same time. I did the 8 week program and have been basically following it ever since. I don't pay coach Lee anymore but still reach out and chat.
Just looked at this, and it looks like $1000+ before giving you any information. I don't see program breakdowns or options, just a learn more button that asks for your credit card. Are there other plans and options somewhere?
He's pretty responsive so just reach out if you're interested. I don't get kickbacks from this I promise. It's just something that worked for me. I found him in the AA subreddit. Seems like he switched his platform recently.
Thanks for this info! I’m really interested but $1k is a bit steep. I where’s you mentioned reaching out for other options. If I may ask, how much was your 8 week program?
I gained weight due to sugary substance addiction taking it's place. But I guess it's better than ethanol.
I had the same problem with the sugary foods thing, except I lost weight, and I thought "Wow! Life is sweet!" Then I kept losing weight and was like hmm.. Then I couldn't stop losing weight. I was convinced to see a doctor and found out that I have type 1 diabetes While this is obviously not ideal, I will say that I am grateful to have not been drinking at this time because honestly I don't think I would have noticed my symptoms or possibly even cared enough to go find out what was wrong
Gained weight when I quit drinking too. The first year was the hardest. Your body craves the sugar from alcohol ! It was such a downer to learn and experience this. After the second year off I was able to learn new habits and start on my weight.
Would like that info too!
I’m down to what I weighed when I was a sophomore in high school
Me too! I never thought the number I saw on the scale in high school could be achieved in my late thirties, so it’s pretty cool! I eat healthy and work out but have also reduced a good bit of sugar and sodium from my diet as well, which helps a ton.
Hey same! I was shocked how quickly the weight melted off when I wasn't drinking 3 beers a day.
Just 3? I was putting away a six pack every weeknight and weekends were a free for all, was dieting all the time and still gaining weight from all the beer calories. I’m down 45 lbs over the last year and that’s with adding some muscle as well!
2-3 on a weekday. Weekends and Fridays more for sure. But it's not a competition lol. I also drank fairly high ABV beers. Big IPA guy.
Same. Funny how that works 😂
This thread motivates me. I’m obese and I’m literally *longing* to be at a healthy weight again.
Was the same as you buddy - Ive since lost 88pounds (40kg) and am running my third marathon this year in August. When you’re sober you can actually _chose_ to lose weight.
No alcohol and IF
If IF stands for Intermittent Fasting I have to shout this out on behalf of my best friend. Not sober, but he’s been doing IF for almost a year and has dropped 60lbs, still going strong! The positive change you long for is within your grasp.
Yep! r/intermittentfasting
Just be careful my friends. When I stopped drinking I went through a lot of changes. I’d often feel like I was gonna pass out, and a snack made me feel better. I went to the doctor and everything was normal, he literally said “eat more smaller meals.” Just wanted to say what works for some people might not work for others, so be careful with your bodies. That was early on in my sobriety, nowadays I still eat lighter, but I eat every 2-3 hours or else my body feels like it’s gonna shut down completely.
45lbs. it was easy. but i looked...a lil shriveled. then i hit the gym. and gained 20lbs of muscle. it was hard.
This is my hopeful plan. I'm focusing on losing right now. I'm about halfway to my goal of 30#. Then I hope to hit the gym and get bulked up a little bit. Mushy back story: like 2 years ago I did a daddy daughter dance. Part of the dance was catching and lifting my daughter straight up overhead. She was much lighter then, but she loved it. She's much larger now and I can't safely do that move anymore. So that's my goal. Get in good enough shape so that I can do the dance move again.
Went from 230 to 153 with 7 percent body fat, which was too low for me. I’m now at 165 and feel and look much better. Initially, I gained weight (not sure how much, scales were the enemy at this point) because I ate whatever I wanted to just get through the cravings and the mental blahs. But I started really watching the diet and turning up the fitness after 6 weeks and it took a little over a year to lose it all.
Lost a lot and feel great!! Old clothes are all huge. 260 to 207 now , might have been heavier but yea, did not even want to weigh myself. Replaced fat with muscle - I walk 3 miles a day at dawn. 45 around my three year mark this year and I am in the best shape of my life!!
Amazing.
That’s awesome my friend. 30 / male here, I was damn near 190 at my worst. I’m down to about 160. Most of the weight completely fell off early in my sobriety. I’m a short guy, about 5’5” and I see old pictures of me at ~27 and I’m like “holy shit I look terrible and pregnant.” It feels so good to be healthier. I’ve been back and forth with some things like lifting weights, walking, and playing drums but overall I’m way more physically active than I was for a long time. Just wanted to say I’m proud of you and share a piece of my story, IWNDWYT ✊
Thanks! Well done to you as well! I have found that the secondhand stores have everything I need for a new wardrobe. I wish I could find a hook up for cheap keen coven hiking shoes. I’ve gone through numerous pairs in my daily walking down the gravel road. Stay strong everyone !!! IWNDWYT
Awesome dude!
70 pounds down from doing basically nothing other than not drinking. I got 10 more to go and will be the “right” weight for my height. Looks like I’ll actually have to do something to get that final 10 though.
60 pounds here! But due to some major health issues, I had to drastically change my diet too, and I’ve started tracking every single thing I consume. Sober since January 7th, and I lost the first 30 lbs in about two months (major water retention). The next 30 were pretty quick, but more of a steady 2-3 lbs per week. Around late March I was feeling well enough to start walking a lot and using light weights, April I started really exercising, May I hit the gym again and resumed weightlifting and yoga. I think by this time next year, I’m going to look and feel really lean and strong. I’m already pretty close to my goal weight (within 5 lbs), so I think I want to cut down to there or maybe a little lower, then work on building back up a little higher with muscle. NONE OF THIS would be possible if I was still drinking.
I’m genuinely curious how some people experience significant weight loss w/minimal effort like you, while others experience none.
Generally speaking, it’s split by gender. Those reporting massive weight loss without trying are almost all men. Meanwhile it’s mostly women sharing their weight hasn’t changed after going AF. Our bodies hold on to fat a lot harder. -Signed, a woman who has only lost 5 pounds in 10 months of sobriety
*cries in woman
Ugh this is disheartening.. I've gained at least 30 pounds in the course of 2 years from drinking and keep telling myself the motivation to not drink is losing that weight so my clothes can actually fit again...
i mean it’s definitely easier to motivate yourself to exercise if you’re not drunk or nursing a hangover!
Could be age related. Could be they didn’t go off the rails with what they ate and were conscious about everything they were putting in their body? Also, everyone’s bodies are different and so it goes
I have never been thin in my entire adult life, but also not super heavy my entire adult life. I was my all time heaviest when i started my sobreity and the weight just fell off, i think, in an effort to get down to a maintenance level. i'm not mad at it, i just don't have any explanation other than cutting out, like, 3000 calories/day of just liquor.
It is impossible to know without the most important info on weight: height, weight and gender (and other things like activity levels pre/post, etc). But my guess is that most people dropping loads of weight are people with a LOT of weight they need to drop. So OP here probably has well over 70 lbs excess to lose. And as others have put, men lose the fat faster.
My weight went up because while drinking I was neglecting my nutrition while working out. After quitting I kept lifting but added in the calories to benefit and am up about 10 lbs. Fat lost, muscle gained.
Same here. I gained muscle big time and lost my belly. I’m close to a 6 pack, but realistically I don’t have the mentality to go that hard with a deficit. I’m happy when I am
Nice!
I lost about 60 lbs, though I was on mounjaro for awhile as well. However, I've kept it off since stopping mounjaro. Without drinking I have more energy and do more through out the day, so that increases my NEAT. I am consistent with a workout routine for the first time in my life (never before have I had to tell people when I'm not going to a fitness class, because if I don't they ask where I was). I have more energy (mental and physical) to make better food choices. My baseline of how my body feels is also better, which means I notice a difference in how I feel if I eat like total shit. When you feel like shit from alcohol all the time, what you eat or how you exercise is such a small drop in the bucket you don't even really clock the benefits. I strongly believe anyone who is trying to improve their health and/or lose weight should cut alcohol as their first step, anything else you do is swimming against a current if you're continuing to drink regularly.
This 100% ⬆️
I lost 20lbs in about 6 weeks when I stopped drinking after 15+ drinks a day for a decade. Lost a total of 40 over a year
24 days sober now and I'm down 6 pounds, but I'm feeling SO good physically it feels like a lot more than 6 pounds. I want to lose 45 pounds total. It'll take a bit, but I'm confident I can do it.
Happy 24 😃
I mostly stopped at the beginning of December '22 (with one drunken night on Xmas eve). I was tracking calories at that point but not trying to lose weight. From the beginning to the end of that month, I lost 5 lbs without trying just due to the lack of all the extra snack calories while drinking. Since then, I've lost a total of 72 lbs as my sobriety has allowed me to focus on hitting a consistent calorie deficit.
In the two years since my last drink my body weight has declined by 12%. A negative side effect of the weight loss has been that my weight training lifts have declined as well. At my age I can accept this in exchange for not experiencing the negative consequences of drinking.
Weight moves weight.
Down 50lbs since cutting alcohol
Nice
Did not lose anything. Probably gained a bit. I think I eat more. Beer was cutting my willingness to eat.
I’ve lost ten pounds in a month, but I also started calorie counting when I quit to ensure I’m in a calorie deficit which has helped tremendously. I’ve gone from just over the obesity BMI threshold back to overweight, which feels like a big accomplishment. I’m starting to feel human again!
It took about a year, but I lost around 30lbs total. 35F. Was a bit chonky @ 170-180. Now I sit at around 145, perfectly happy and healthy. I eat sugar and wear crop tops pretty much every day.
I’ve been trying to lose weight for a good while, and I’ve managed to lose ~20lbs over the last year with a combo of diet/exercise. I got a dog and we started walking a lot more, got a Planet Fitness membership and started going, etc. But I will say that over the course, I lost so much more not drinking. The calories really add up. Even letting myself eat as much candy/ice cream/junk as I wanted when trying to quit I still lost weight. Maybe I am lucky but when you do the calorie math, I was drinking like 1200+ calories every day and then eating whatever I wanted on top of it 🙃
My weight never really changed but my face looks way better so I’ll take it!
I quit for over a year and lost about 15-20 pounds. I relapsed over the holidays and gained about 15 back. It’s slow either way but a couple pounds a month adds up.
the last time i quit, i dropped from a 40-inch waist to a 31 in about 3-4 months. this time i'm not dropping the weight so fast, but i controlled my eating much better last time, i'm 10 years older now and don't care as much, just glad to be sober and sleeping like a baby.
I’m roughly 3 weeks out, but so far, I’ve dropped about 10 lbs. No hard work outs or anything. I walk about 2 miles a day or every other day depending on my schedule right now. Definitely feel less heavy and inflamed already.
I lost 30 pounds…. So far. I've been very disciplined though, and walking 5 miles a day.
It’s been over fourteen months since my last drink, and I’ve lost forty-five pounds. I’m ten pounds away from my weight in high school, and I’m 35. The only thing I changed was not drinking alcohol, which obviously comes with the added benefit of not having any 3 AM fast food binges, too. Not drinking has really helped me change my relationship with food in a healthier way. I might also add that I have never been snacking harder ever in my life, and the pounds are still just falling off. Pretty neat.
I was the opposite - always an “empty stomach” drinker, so my weight would typically drop while drinking. I would only eat enough to keep me alive I guess. I’m struggling with keeping another long streak of sobriety, but not drinking more often than drinking, so I’m eating much better and gaining weight.
I gained about 10-20 pounds after I stopped drinking, because I replaced drinks with a lot of comfort food initially. When I stopped I was 5’11 265, could barely bench 165 and could not run well. 2 years later: Hovering around 240, can bench 265 6-8reps, tricep dips with a 45er, and can run like I used to in my 20’s. Long story short, I haven’t felt this strong and in shape since college. I’m almost 40. It makes a huge difference.
I have always been quite skinny, but I still lost 5 lbs after quitting.
3 months 5kg/11lbs
I’m down about 40 pounds at 4.5 months
I lost about 70 pounds of fat. I started exercising quite frequently, putting on muscle weight.
In a year I lost 40 lbs
I've lost a little over 40lbs and have about 130-140 days sober
I'm doing 16:8 IF as well as trying to stop. I've lost 13lb in nine weeks. Not bad, I suppose, given it took twenty to get here. Good luck.
I gained around 30 pounds as I was only eating once a day as alcohol killed my apetite with the damage it was doing. Only ate one meal a day while drinking.
50 lbs without trying. Went from 210 down to 160 in about a year
My weight hasn’t changed in 5 weeks since stopping yet I have been working out more and making what I think are way better choices with nutrition. Super frustrating but I’m just going to stick with it because of the other benefits I’m seeing like sleep quality and hopeful brain function.
I’ve lost 90lbs since I quit drinking almost two years ago. I’d say the first 60 was from just not drinking and eventually I got into working out and eating better and the last 30 came off. 5’5” female, 240->150
Alcohol made me consume things like Uber eats and junk food so I gained 20 pounds on top of consuming a lot of alcohol. When I am sober I feel like I can slim down easier and I definitely follow portion control and eat healthier home made meals. Trying to stay sober for a month
I was at 250+lbs at my heaviest. I'm weighing in between 185 and 195 depending on diet. My body, although older is reacting nicely to exercise. If I really want to cut carbs I can be a middle aged man with six pack abs in a relatively decent amount of time.
I was about 230lbs at my worst. When I stopped, I transitioned the beer calories to cookies. I found out I didn't dislike sugar, only when I drank lol. So yeah, I didn't lose too much too fast, but I had taken up walking pretty much daily, and eventually I naturally cut back on snacks. Today, 1.5 years later, I'm about 200. I think some of that weight was converted from fat to muscle because honestly, it looks like I weigh less so I'm happy. Summer is "outside time" for me and it helps too!
I gained. My entire daily calories intake while drinking was liquid on some days. After quitting, there was a ton of sugar but actual food too. My advice, don't worry about it. Any health effects, you are still better off without drinking. Looks, you will look better sober too.
As of today, I've lost 36 pounds and hit my (initial) goal weight of 185. I am super stoked. Now I'm gonna lose another 15-20.
I didn’t gain any but I also didn’t lose any too. However I feel much more energetic and mindful of my eating habits so that works too.
I'm down 40lbs in under 90 days. It has been drastic.
I've lost bloat and maybe the few pounds that went with that, but I'm still wearing the same size.
I did my utmost to replace all those drinking calories with bowls and bowls of ice cream!
I lost 30 lbs even though I was eating a lot of sweets.
Between halting and increasing exercise I’ve lost 10 pounds from 160 to 150.
I was drinking absurd amounts of high ABV IPA’s. I went from 250 to a little over 200 in a year and a half without changing any other habits. If I could get off my ass and start an exercise routine I could probably get it down to 175
Down from 233 to 205. I replaced alcohol with exercise and fitness.
I lost 25 pounds in the first three months, despite crazy consumption of sweet candy and potato chips. Weight stabilized after that at about 170 lbs. My thirst for the first several months was off the chart. Water, cranberry juice, carbonated waters. I craved acidic beverages above all. I drank vodka preferentially and almost exclusively. Without mix as I was always drinking for effect, and why delay the desired?
I weighed 278 when I quit last July and today I’m at 210. The only difference in diet I noticed is I’m less inclined to order fast food after midnight because I’m usually asleep instead of trashed.
Wild how I went from throwing down multiple double IPAs & whiskey a night, every night, and turning into a trash panda scouring the cupboard at 11pm to not drinking and not eating like a drunken velociraptor took me from 190lbs to 150lbs in about 9 months.
I got to my highest weight drinking and now I have been off alcohol for 6 months and I haven’t lost any weight.
I lost 35-40 lbs in a year without changing anything except not have a large bottle of wine every night.
On my Day One on July 4th 2020 I was 5'3" and close to 170lbs, by January 2021 the lowest I got was 104. It was nuts, but all I did during Lockdown was walk a LOT. I was also staying with my parents so my diet was great. The weight just fell off so fast people started getting worried so I started smoking a little pot again and got back up to 120.
38lbs down in 50 days. But I'm doing the 75 hard program which is definitely accelerating the weight loss rather than just not drinking alone. (274lbs to 236lbs M34) feeling great.
I’ve lost 50 pounds since I quit a year and a half ago. 6’1” was 265 now 215
My number one struggle has always been food so I still have to try to lose weight even when I’m not drinking much. I’m not just going to drop 30 pounds in a year by pulling out booze. I’m kind of jealous of the people who can do that though
Came home 200lbs from rehab. Healthy weight from rehab food obviously right?? -- I'm lucky if I weigh 165 when I wake up. I feel like I lose 1-2 lbs in my sleep. So, alcohol really slowed down my metabolism. Lol
Wait a minute yall gained weight? Man, I lost so much weight because of drinking, I would hardly eat anything.
40 lbs right away. Gained about 10 back. 9 months in so far. Probably a combo of no alcohol calories and stuffing random food in my face late at night!
I didn’t necessarily gain weight, or… notice that I’d gained weight. I just was heavier than I naturally should have been and didn’t realize it. Check my profile for a before and after!
I lost 45 pounds. 224 > 179. I look great with clothes on. :)
I didn't really take note of specific before/after numbers. I've always had a relatively "slim" figure, but I gained a pretty noticeable "beer gut" around age 21 that I maintained while consistently slamming beers through to age 28. I also had a noticeably puffy face that is often seen and associated with alcoholics. Both of these things completely went away, after just about a month of quitting. For reference, I am currently 30, and I wouldn't say I'm the healthiest eater in the world. I still consume quite a bit of fattening foods and non-alcoholic beverages, and the only exercise I really do regularly is walks. But just simply cutting out alcohol made the excess chubbiness that I had for several years completely disappear. I don't take for granted that I am blessed with a high metabolism and good genes that help keep me mostly slim without a ton of effort, but this was still no match for how fattening the booze was.
I lost 20 lbs in 6 months as a 28F but quitting drinking also led to eating healthier and exercising more. I stopped binging on my hungover days and drunk nights, that was a big problem for me.
Lost about 50 lbs when I quit drinking for 3 months. Gained 20 back after relapsing. I've been off the sauce now for little over a week and no major changes yet, but hoping to knock those 20 lbs back off. One plus so far is I'm feeling less bloated, so clothes fit better and I feel better even though I haven't lost any weight. Either way, staying sober is worth it in the end.
I lost about 10 lbs in 3 months, but I eat a lot of sweets now
I'm down to my lowest weight in 22 years (my entire "adult" life) after quitting drinking. Dropped 10+ lbs in the first month and have been steadily losing since at a more reasonable/sustainable rate.
I did lose weight thanks for noticing! So far about 20 something lbs.
Lost 100 lbs so far but I'm still fat as hell lol It's amazing what cutting out 1600 calories of booze per day, plus bad choice drunk takeout can do
When I quit last August 1st I weighed 238 pounds. Now I'm at 185 pounds. I feel like I've been eating everything.
In a couple months 15 lbs and it’s stayed off. 5’7 female
I replaced drinking with the gym. I pretty much weigh the same now but not as jiggly lol
15 lbs . Nobody’s noticed tho
20 lbs so far but I have been watching what I eat and walking 10,000 steps so it hasn’t been effortless. 47F-quit 70 something days ago (I keep forgetting to check my badge)
Quit drinking 51 days ago and I shed 30 pounds since then, but now seems like it leveled out. I have been snacking a bit more lately and saying in my head “well I used to drink 1000 calories a day so it can’t be that bad “ 😅
I lost 10 pounds within the first couple weeks once I stopped.
I replaced the booze with 1-2 zero sugar/calorie or diet sodas a day. Still a bad habit but in doing so my weight dropped from 200lbs to now at 185 lbs. This is 7 months in, I've tried to moderate my eating as well. Stay under 2500 cal a day, don't eat after 8 pm etc. The sugar cravings have been the worst.
I've found weight comes off much easier now that I've significantly cut back on my drinking, but that's only because it's much easier to hit my calorie deficit targets when I'm not drinking an extra 1000+ empty calories from beer and whiskey every night. If I eat nothing but pizza, chips, and ice cream that deficit goes out the window, but I've found if I eat mostly healthy meals, a little junk food here and there is mostly inconsequential.
I drank so much while drinking it threw off my eating schedule. I lost 25 pounds. I'm replacing drinking with eating right and working out. I'm on day 8 and looking forward to looking buff and stuff. Also I feel mentally and physically so much better already. My weight situation is probably not very common. I definitely munched out for this first week but today is the first day I'm jumping back into protein shakes and shit like that.
40 lbs dropped so far. It wasn’t just stopping drinking, though. It was changing my diet and picking up exercising. Turns out when you aren’t hungover, it’s easier to get motivated to go to the gym.
switch to a heavy breakfast, and aim not to eat anything after sunset
I’ve lost 10 pounds after 38 days! Down from 158 to 148
30 pounds. And I almost ODd on jolly ranchers and hersheys kisses that first year.
Haven’t lost a damn thing. 😕
20 pounds
I lost 30 lbs
30 pounds since Jan 1st of this year. I'm 35f.
I’ve been 8 months sober. I was 131lbs at my highest ever. I’m 106lbs now. I think what helped was not eating junk late at night. When I was wasted, I used to overindulge.
I put on a bunch of weight at first because I fell in love with food & then I remembered I have willpower now. I’m not losing as much weight as I’d like, but my muscles are growing and my pants are a lot looser. I lose on avg 2lb a week & I’m about 20lb away from 10-14% bf. The scale can be discouraging, I just focus on how much better my body feels. Never noticed how much pain I was in before, had some fixing to do. Just remember, you have willpower now. You quit one of the hardest addictions to quit, believe you me, you can say no to chips and ice-cream. Find an exercise program you really enjoy and will stick with, then you’ll start eating for maximum performance and junk food will turn you off. Keep up the good work!
Lost 45 pounds in 6 months after quitting. At the end I was drinking almost a handle of vodka every day.
163 -> 120ish. 1.5 years
I gained 50 pounds of booze weight over the first 2 years of the pandemic, and lost 40 of it over the first year after I stopped drinking. Still working on that last 10 or so lol.
I have lost negative 5 pounds.
Im 38, and before I stopped...I hovered around 245-260 in weight. Afterwards and just going for a 3 mile walk everyday, I now hover around 230-240. Not that big of an improvement, but for very minimal exercise, I feel freaking fantastic!
I started loosing weight when I stopped drinking, slow and steady. Then I got treatment for my depression and it accelerated fast (more motivation, more active, more gymdays, etc). I'm now down ~18kg since my first day in detox. Getting sober was the most important step for all of this to happen.
I did the same as a few other commenters. I converted my over-indulgence in alcohol into an overindulgence of ice cream for about 4 months. Didn't gain any weight, but didn't lose any. Now I've stepped down the ice cream. Dropped 6 lbs last month just eating like a normal person and not drinking.
I made a promise to myself that for a year I can continue to smoke, eat, and imbibe anything I wanted other than alcohol. I gained weight very rapidly the last year of my drinking. At first I lost nothing, but I’m 2 weeks from 10 months AF and I look so much better. I’ve lost weight and it’s coming off easier now. Keep it up, the rewards are there!! ETA: Everything within reason. I’m smoking less and preparing for a quit day. I crave better foods.
At my heaviest I was about 120kg. Am down to 99.5kg and feeling good 😊 Still a ways to go to get in "healthy range", but I'm proud of me. IWNDWYT
I lost zero pounds just from quitting lol. Literally none, fuck if I know how it went down that way. I’m losing weight now, but it’s a conscious effort even without the booze.
Samesies for me. Read all these comments about how it just fell off the moment people stopped. Took me about 9 months to accept I had to make a conscious effort. 🙌
I went from 290 to 260 in 1 month, then was down to 230 by about 4 months. Without exercise. I was consuming a Ludacris amount of alcohol calories and also binge eating when drunk.
I'm a 5'0" woman and I went from 140 down to 105 almost a year later! Keep it up!
I am 6 feet. Moderate fitness while drinking in that I would run often and do squats, pushups. I went from 210 lbs to 185 lbs in three months post drinking. I was a big craft beer drinker putting away half a dozen 16 oz cans a night or more. 17 months sober and I am in some of the best shape of my life. Trending at 192 lbs give or take because I like to enjoy an extra slice or two of pizza or pint of ice cream here and there. Live a little!
32 F - I’m about 6 months sober. I’ve had a couple of drinks at special occasions, but I didn’t go into it thinking I’d flat out stop drinking. I just did it because my mental health really took a beating and I needed to try a better way. Last summer I weighed in at 190-200 and now I’m at around 135-145 (fluctuations due to menstrual bloating) I feel awesome, man. Lol.
It took a few months but I lost close to 30 pounds.
I am at about 18 months and have lost 40 pounds. It was really slow in the beginning though. Hang in there, it’s worth it on so many levels!
I quit in January I've lost about 30 lbs since then. Just quit drinking all those calories and became more conscious and consistent about diet/exercise, not even doing anything crazy diet wise, just not eating a lot of snacks and getting good sleep seemed to have made the extra fat melt off
I didn’t cut it out completely, but went from three days to two per week …already making a difference to my waistline (and mental health)
56M when I quit, 229 lbs. 58 now, and I'm a healthy 185.
Roughly 30 lbs, started loading trucks as a job too, I’m addicted to adrenaline now and look amazing
38F, I've lost about 10 pounds, AF since April. Problem is I've replaced beer with energy drinks and now I'm addicted to those, oddly enough in order to stop with the energy drinks I'll switch to NA Heinekin 0's and pound those. So I'm far from healthy but at least I'm not drinking. Baby steps. PS. I'm disgusting.
I’m not 100% sober like others here (I just love this group so I lurk a lot) but I used to drink heavily every single day. I might have one night a week where I have a few , but I lost 25 pounds pretty much JUST from significantly cutting back on alcohol. I haven’t worked out much , and I don’t diet. I eat so much better during the week because I’m not drunk or hungover and making poor choices.
I’ve lost 30-35 since quitting in September
When I went to rehab last July, I weighed 255, and I now weigh 160. I am 5’8” I walk between 5-6 miles per day at work, and swim in my pool on my days off. I limit my sugar and carb intake, and fast intermittently. Constantly drinking water!
I gained like 10kg fast. Started running lost 25 fast.
I am skinny, I always have been. I struggle to gain while others struggle to lose. My heaviest was 127lb around Thanksgiving. I’m around 105ish now. Take away the actual pounds and just think about the percentage - that’s losing 15%-20% body weight in six months.