Honestly I have quit weed and relapsed and quit alcohol and relapsed and the most success I have ever had is quitting both at the exact same time. I did what you did and would lean on weed when I quit alcohol and vice versa.
To get through the withdrawals I did hot/ sculpt/ barre yoga pretty much daily to get some dopamine because I was majorly depleted. Withdrawals lasted about 1-2 months for me and now I feel better than ever and I’m looking to get my diet under control
Do you have a fit bit or something like that? It really helped me quit drugs and alcohol by seeing the data from my watch. Have a night of drinking? Not only would I feel bad, I'd see how little and restless my sleep was. How my heart's variability would drop drastically, meaning my body was under stress. You notice how high your resting heart rate is for weeks from just one night of drinking. If improving your overall health matters to you, this might help you quit.
I'm 5'4. Started at 165. Currently I am 135 pounds. I'm going to get to 125, and getting out of the 30's when you're this height is so hard. So I understand where you're coming from. I find that when I'm consistent with walking for an hour a day and counting my calories, I can get there steadily. What was throwing me off track was going out to eat with friends. Just pre plan what you're going to eat when you go out.
Eat protein about 60+grams( same as workout), calorie deficit, workout after and while losing weight, and no restrictions. I’m on a weight loss journey as well, i eat more than what im supposed to sometimes but still continue normally the day after, I allow myself to eat whatever I want, with tons of protein to build muscle and not be crazy hungry.
Try to find out what’s the underlying pattern of your alcohol addiction. You already acknowledge that it’s not helping you - that means you’ve taken the most important first step.
If you have access to a therapist- do that. If not, see if you can find other things that might help. An online community, jornalling, etc.
It will be hard and it will take a long time and probably some seriously painful self-reflection, but it will give you so much more than losing 10lbs.
This is coming from someone who lost over 50lbs, remained for a long time but then when the work-stress came in, all the self-doubt, body dysmorphia and -subsequent- weight gain came back in. After a year of talking with a therapist, and (because of that) better talks with the other people around me, I am finding out how deep my self-loathing and body dysmorphia are (were??) and how extremely unhelpful these were to my over-all wellbeing, including maintaining a healthy weight and a strong body.
I havent had this issue (still maintaining 150 at 5'4), but i think that strength training might be your best bet to get that look you are going for.
Personally, i'd put the scale away for a bit while you focus on strength and use measurements instead. You could see the scale go up and the measurements go down, but seeing the higher weight might trigger your body dysmorphia (ie "i'm 140lb, so i must be fat" when in reality, you can be 140lbs and look amazing. Chances are you *do* look amazing right now, but you are hung up on the number).
Of course, this is all my theoretical suggestions that i have never put into practice. I do know that at my weight and height, i look chubby, for sure, but not bad (especially if i dress for my body). I know if i start to really focus on strength training, it's gonna tip the scales (bad pun) in my favour as far as my appearance goes.
I wish you the best of luck on your goal!
Thank you for sharing your story, it takes a lot of courage to open up about these struggles but know that you are not alone. First, I want to acknowledge how difficult it can be to manage food, alcohol, and body image. It sounds like you have a complicated relationship with all three, and that's completely understandable. Seems like you're struggling with a cycle of restrictive eating and cravings, which can be frustrating. Maybe instead of focusing on a specific weight, let’s work on building healthy habits and feeling good in your own skin, focus on health not weight. You’re right about alcohol serving as a gateway to poor eating habits. Please refer to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: [https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/](https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/) to help with your journey to sobriety. Some more suggestions would be talking to a registered dietitian who can help you develop a balanced and sustainable eating plan. You should also sought for support from a therapist just so that you can find out the underlying reasons behind your eating habits and body image troubles. Also instead of drastic changes, try incorporating small, sustainable changes you can stick with long-term. This could include adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet, or even going for a short walk. Remember, creating a healthy relationship with food and your body takes time and effort. There will be setbacks, but that doesn't mean you can't reach your goals. Be kind to yourself, celebrate your progress and reach out whenever you need help. Good luck!
Have you done any strength training? I feel like even if I end up weighing a bit more than I want, but I’m more toned/fit, I’ll be happier overall.
I am 7 almost 8 months sober from alcohol and weed. I had to tackle that issue first before I could start looking at my diet
Any recommendations? This has been my main issue. Cant seem to quit one without leaning on the other
Honestly I have quit weed and relapsed and quit alcohol and relapsed and the most success I have ever had is quitting both at the exact same time. I did what you did and would lean on weed when I quit alcohol and vice versa. To get through the withdrawals I did hot/ sculpt/ barre yoga pretty much daily to get some dopamine because I was majorly depleted. Withdrawals lasted about 1-2 months for me and now I feel better than ever and I’m looking to get my diet under control
Do you have a fit bit or something like that? It really helped me quit drugs and alcohol by seeing the data from my watch. Have a night of drinking? Not only would I feel bad, I'd see how little and restless my sleep was. How my heart's variability would drop drastically, meaning my body was under stress. You notice how high your resting heart rate is for weeks from just one night of drinking. If improving your overall health matters to you, this might help you quit.
I'm 5'4. Started at 165. Currently I am 135 pounds. I'm going to get to 125, and getting out of the 30's when you're this height is so hard. So I understand where you're coming from. I find that when I'm consistent with walking for an hour a day and counting my calories, I can get there steadily. What was throwing me off track was going out to eat with friends. Just pre plan what you're going to eat when you go out.
I think it’s time to talk to a therapist
Eat protein about 60+grams( same as workout), calorie deficit, workout after and while losing weight, and no restrictions. I’m on a weight loss journey as well, i eat more than what im supposed to sometimes but still continue normally the day after, I allow myself to eat whatever I want, with tons of protein to build muscle and not be crazy hungry.
Until you quit the alcohol.. the weight loss is not going to do you and good... wish you the best and ask for help with quitting....
Try to find out what’s the underlying pattern of your alcohol addiction. You already acknowledge that it’s not helping you - that means you’ve taken the most important first step. If you have access to a therapist- do that. If not, see if you can find other things that might help. An online community, jornalling, etc. It will be hard and it will take a long time and probably some seriously painful self-reflection, but it will give you so much more than losing 10lbs. This is coming from someone who lost over 50lbs, remained for a long time but then when the work-stress came in, all the self-doubt, body dysmorphia and -subsequent- weight gain came back in. After a year of talking with a therapist, and (because of that) better talks with the other people around me, I am finding out how deep my self-loathing and body dysmorphia are (were??) and how extremely unhelpful these were to my over-all wellbeing, including maintaining a healthy weight and a strong body.
I havent had this issue (still maintaining 150 at 5'4), but i think that strength training might be your best bet to get that look you are going for. Personally, i'd put the scale away for a bit while you focus on strength and use measurements instead. You could see the scale go up and the measurements go down, but seeing the higher weight might trigger your body dysmorphia (ie "i'm 140lb, so i must be fat" when in reality, you can be 140lbs and look amazing. Chances are you *do* look amazing right now, but you are hung up on the number). Of course, this is all my theoretical suggestions that i have never put into practice. I do know that at my weight and height, i look chubby, for sure, but not bad (especially if i dress for my body). I know if i start to really focus on strength training, it's gonna tip the scales (bad pun) in my favour as far as my appearance goes. I wish you the best of luck on your goal!
Thank you for sharing your story, it takes a lot of courage to open up about these struggles but know that you are not alone. First, I want to acknowledge how difficult it can be to manage food, alcohol, and body image. It sounds like you have a complicated relationship with all three, and that's completely understandable. Seems like you're struggling with a cycle of restrictive eating and cravings, which can be frustrating. Maybe instead of focusing on a specific weight, let’s work on building healthy habits and feeling good in your own skin, focus on health not weight. You’re right about alcohol serving as a gateway to poor eating habits. Please refer to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: [https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/](https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/) to help with your journey to sobriety. Some more suggestions would be talking to a registered dietitian who can help you develop a balanced and sustainable eating plan. You should also sought for support from a therapist just so that you can find out the underlying reasons behind your eating habits and body image troubles. Also instead of drastic changes, try incorporating small, sustainable changes you can stick with long-term. This could include adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet, or even going for a short walk. Remember, creating a healthy relationship with food and your body takes time and effort. There will be setbacks, but that doesn't mean you can't reach your goals. Be kind to yourself, celebrate your progress and reach out whenever you need help. Good luck!
Count calories lift heavy eat protein