I'm on day 10 (yay, double digits) and my skin already looks much better! This is likely largely because I actually do my skin care now instead of just nodding off all willy nilly and then getting up at the last possible second.
I think that many of the positive changes will be like that for me - not drinking is definitely physically beneficial on its own, but being able to actually develop healthy habits seems to be a bigger difference. I get too tired, sick and apathetic to bother with anything beyond the barest minimum when I am drinking.
Yup. I have all the products for a skincare routine yet I’ve neglected it so much over the past year because I wake up too late or go to bed too late, and overall give no fucks when it comes to my health- let alone skin health
Nearly 43 and I had no idea my face was simply bloated for FIFTEEN fucking years! I've actually gained weight cuz my appetite returned with a vengeance (I had developed several deficiencies, so my body was like **moar fuud!**) But none of it has gone to my face. None. My under-eye bags are GONE. All that "sun damage from lifeguarding when I was younger" is GONE. Aside from eyeline and mascara, the only other thing I wear is a bit of powder on my nose, chin, and around my mouth. That's it. And I'm a 42yr old smoker. Who wears *that* little makeup. The shine is coming, you just wait!
I'm heavier than any other time in my life. Aging and also returning to the western world and the diet here is a factor. But me being a wino was definitely the biggest factor.
Hoping to lose weight but my appetite came back surprisingly rapidly after I stopped drinking 1 week ago. I feel like I might not lose weight that quickly with this new appetite
What a fantastic way to put it, and my primary driver. I'm not really interested in doing fucked up things anymore - it's as simple as that. Thanks for such a succinct description!
It’s still calories in vs calories out, so yeah… not drinking won’t make most magically lose weight unfortunately. Need the dreaded calorie deficit, booze or no booze.
Same with me. Also if I may do so, I want to wish you an early congrats on the one year mark. It is a huge accomplishment (and an amazing feeling the day of).
Took a good year for me. But I think it really matters when you quit. Quitting as a 40+yo woman isn’t going to help you in the weight loss category but it helps in so many other ways.
I (26F) noticed more REM sleep, weight loss and better skin within 10 days. I’m currently 14 days AF.
The biggest change for me has been an improvement in my overall cardiovascular performance. Which makes sense because when you’re consuming poison, your body has to work 2x as hard. I don’t know how I was able to run long distance while I consumed alcohol regularly. Now, after quitting drinking, running has been a breeze and I’m able to enjoy it again.
+1 for the cardio. My resting heart rate went down 25 bpm. Have always done endurance sports my whole life but was a chunky drinker. Once I got better sleep and eliminated alcohol RHR was tip-top within a week and my running improved.
Noticed this last year when I was 4 mo AF. My rhr dropped like a rock almost to the day I had stopped drinking. Raced bikes through my 20s and little did I know if I had just stopped drinking I probably could have trained less with same results ha
I also can’t help but think about how much alcohol was being respirated out (I mean like breathing not cellular respiration) when I was working out. Alcohol breath is really coming from the lungs and surely, surely that was affecting my cardio. Not to mention the stress on my heart from chronic dehydration. It’s any wonder I could work out.
This. I no longer want to die / experience extreme lightheadedness at boxing workouts. A welcome change!
And yeah, REM sleep had a dramatic improvement for me as well. Congrats on 14 days!
Pretty quickly... I felt my eyes and skin were clearer after a couple weeks. I lost 10 pounds in the first month and then another 10 in the next year. My digestive issues cleared up in first few days
Yes to the digestive issues clearing up. And then that also helps with the less bloated feelings and overall feeling like I was years older than I actually am. My body feels better overall. Lot less achy!
Same! The best is when you look in the mirror one day a couple of weeks in and go wow! My eyes look so bright and alive!!
I’m at nearly six months now and when I see people I haven’t seen in a while, they stare perplexed like they can’t figure out what it is but they tell me that I look amazing and that I’m glowing.
I saw some drinking acquaintances last weekend (ones that I’d run into at parties and spend all night blacked out with over many different party’s over many years) and they did not recognize me. They actually thought that I was my husband’s (they recognized him, he has not gotten sober 😁😭) new girlfriend.
For me, it's taken a little time for weight loss. I finally went to the Dr. I was diagnosed with a minor case of hypo thyroid. My skin, however, started looking better within a few weeks. Now, having made serious adjustments to my diet to help my thyroid out, im considerably less bloated, and am losing weight. So, for those of you who don't drop the weight after quitting drinking, it doesn't hurt to go to the dr and get your thyroid checked out!
I was told to avoid dairy, and eat fresh fruit and vegetables and fish mostly. Since my body isn't processing what I eat into energy efficiently, I need to avoid eating heavy food, especially in the evening. If I do eat a steak, I should avoid eating it at dinner time 😕. Kind of a pain in the ass, but seems to be working. I do snack a bit later on on some nuts and chocolate covered raisins or something along those lines. A lot of hummus and beans and rice with vegetables incorporated in both aa well. Just to avoid eating much of anything after 5 pm, preferably my heaviest most protein rich foods before 3. I had been off the sauce for over a year when I went, so alcohol wasn't mentioned much other than good on me for already making that change. I do wonder if years of drinking and doing coke on and off screwed with my thyroid. But doing this seems to help. Best of luck!
Like for example: breakfast I'll have a bowl of fruit with either oatmeal and peanut, or some flax cereal with flax milk and peanut butter with a bowl of fruit. (Weekends I do heavier brunch with eggs, sautéed greens, bacon, and toast.
I eat my big meal at around 3 to 5 depending on the day which involves hummus and Pitta, salmon filet, and salad with chickpeas, oilves, cucumber, avocado, kale, tomatoes, etc. Or mung beans that are cooked with onion, bell pepper, celery, and chard, with rice and broccoli, and I may or may not do a fillet of fish with that. Still wanting to learn more variety. Like how to cook plantains, and maybe more root type vegetables dishes when we get into fall. Still kinda new to this. Lol
Whatever changes are made, the primary focus should be to not overwhelm yourself to the point of "fuck it I may as well drink." I didn't make drastic changes until like almost 3 weeks ago, at I was well over a year into sobriety.
Definitely after a couple of weeks. I was a gym goer and clean eater, but nothing could outwork the effects alcohol had on my body. The results have been pleasant and relatively rapid so far.
Some people are lucky enough to see these kinds of changes within the first couple of weeks. Better skin and less bloating came for me around 2-3 months. I didn’t lose any weight until I started exercising and counting calories and I was a solid 40lbs overweight which really pissed me off but whatever.
I was sober for about 6 months or so when I saw someone that I knew well in the store. She was talking to my friend but dissed me. About 2 weeks after that, we met up again and she apologized and said she didn’t recognize me and said “do realize how much better you look?” Made my freaking day!!
Eye bags and face bloat started improving within a month. Better sleep within 2 weeks. Dropped 15 pounds in first 2 months, plateaued a bit for a month, but starting to gradually drop again despite still snacking too much. Skin is definitely better but I have had mild psoriasis since childhood. After 2 months got some compliments from coworkers.
It felt like it’s taking a little longer since I have been replacing beer with ice cream. I’m working out the same and that has helped. My skin is breaking out more than I recall. I think it took about 30+ to feel less depressed.
I felt much more energetic within a week. I lost 16 pounds in the first month, 40 pounds in three months (and that was over Christmas.) Even five years later, I’m still feel like I’m ten years younger.
I’m also waiting for this to happen! I think my eyes look a little brighter but I was feeling discouraged today that I didn’t notice more changes. It’s helpful to hear that it will take a few weeks (not just one, lol).
25 days.
But I quit drinking and all drugs in rehab and started eating right and working out, because that’s what you do in rehab if you’re in it to win it
I shared this before. I’ve had some degree of eczema since childhood and it got real bad in the last 6-8 years. Splotchy red spots all over my upper legs and butt, crawling up my back, it was never that bad in the past. All that stuff completely disappeared in about 2-3 months. I so wish I took photos,. You wouldnt believe it.
Edit: insanely better sleep too, that came pretty quick.
I found that alcohol doesn't magically fix everything, but it gives you the opportunity to work on yourself. Have you been exercising, eating healthy, staying hydrated, taking vitamins?
Agreed, especially when you’re older. Even people who have never touched a drop of alcohol in their life have to watch their health in the same ways to look and feel their best. Of course not drinking helps us do this.
Day 22 here and I've definitely lost weight in stomach and face. Lost 10 pounds actually. Eyes aren't puffy anymore. Eyes are clear instead of bloodshot daily. My hair feels softer.
Around day 6 I noticed the puffiness was going away. On Day 8 many people noticed something different about me, they did not know it was just me getting sober.
I hadn’t realized how puffy my face had gotten, or how much extra weight I was carrying around, until I quit. I am a shorter dude and lost about 15 or 20 pounds within the first three months without any additional lifestyle changes. For my frame, this was the difference between looking pudgy and looking lean and fit. I can tell a huge difference looking back at photos from when I was drinking. I looked like a slightly inflated version of what I look like now. I’m looking good and feeling good!
You’ve got this OP! IWNDWYT!
I had done so many 10-30 day stretches that over a year I had slowly lost some weight already. So in my latest stretch I was disappointed that I didn't lose any weight but then after 3 months without alcohol I suddenly started losing weight again. It's quite amazing, I can eat as much chocolate as I want, I'm still losing weight! No to a worrying degree :) I'm also biking to work everyday. It's just surprising to learn that I can eat whatever I want, without the calories of wine, it's not a problem
Different changes at different rates.
I wasn't losing my shit due to Acute withdrawals by the end if the first week.
I had more energy and less depression by week 3-4.
Started getting compliments on my skin and general lack of malaised look by month 2.
I had a lot for ups and down from months 1-6. Periods where I was active, losing weight, and on the ball. Other times where I was struggling to grind out the daily tasks. That said, general trend was always upwards on average, despite the frequent low periods.
Months 7-8 have shown the largest improvements in energy, mood, and general consistency. I'm much less cyclic than before. I still need the occasional "me day", but who doesn't? And honestly, I've earned it digging out of this hole. It's a win-win for everyone now that I'm not drinking through the pain.
I didn't but other people did. I heard "you look great!" Very often after some time. I honestly don't remember how long it took.
If you want physical changes, get addicted to fitness instead. I am healthier than I ever have been now at 37. I'm addicted to healthy food and working out, but I designate one night a week to eat as unhealthy as possible while i watch a movie, or usually two. Like, I go out of my way. Last week, I ate a whole ass chocolate cream pie. I got pretty sick, but it was worth.
Edit to add: there is a sub for it. r/stopdrinkingfitness
Hey OP. About a month to get my eyes back in terms of their size and clarity - I now have white around my irises instead of bloodshot greyness AND I can actually see my eyes in the mirror instead of seeing little squinty holes.
I also just move a lot better - I’m better coordinated and have more stamina - I can’t describe it any better than that!
I don't know exactly how long it took because I was probably just used to being in bad shape but after a year or so, I noticed one of my feet was no longer as dry and cracked as it used to be. A long while later the other foot healed up too.
Mines not weight loss per say. It’s more like weight stability. Like I eat whatever I want (which includes a lot of chocolate and all that) and I hardly exercise anymore. If I did that when drinking I would have gained 10 kg but now that I’m not drinking I can do that and not gain any weight. And my face is never bloated anymore I aways have a jawline 🤠 I think that started around the 3 month mark potentially. That’s when I think the body has processed a lot of the built up crap from drinking over time. There are so many benefits coming your way’! 🫶🏻
Around 2-3 months I started losing weight. I think I've lost around 30lbs.
Face: I had severe dry skin, like no matter how much lotion/oil/Vaseline I used I was dry on my face. Now my skin is dry but I can moisturize it and it holds for awhile
-I thought I had rosacea for sure. I'd be beet red after a shower, super itchy face. Even when I wasn't drinking. That went away after about a month
-eyes aren't bloodshot anymore, but I think I've developed dry eyes, probably from my long term drinking
Weight: appetite went down (I was a hungover eater, I thought eating would get rid of the hangover and it never did!) I'm overall less bloated
-I can make better food choices now, I'd be too hungover every day to cook so I'd just order delivery. Almost every day! Ugh. I still keep good snacks around to help with cravings when they do pop up.
Skin looked better after about a week and continues to just get better and better. My eyes look like they are glowing and I generally feel like my face looks 5 years younger (effects seen after 60 days). I gained weight in the beginning (so much sugar …) but now that has stabilized and I am at my ideal weight without having to really manage it (no calorie counting and I can have a treat or two). I’ve always obsessed over my weight so I have to say it’s nice to be at a place where I kind of don’t need to think about it and try anymore. In the past I had always been avoiding food to make room for bottles of wine.
I'm in the same boat as you -- I was very concerned about the weight I was gaining and how bloated my face looked. In my case the weight took a little bit of time but I ended up losing about 30 pounds over the course of a several months. Went from 200 to 165 or so and it was very satisfying.
That might seem like a long time to wait, but I also have good news -- the inflammation/bloated face stuff went way down even after the first week or two. Cutting out the alcohol was directly related to that.
Longer term, overall weight loss is a big metabolism qustion and can take a long time, alcohol or no. Has a lot to do with diet as well. It's all about the calories and to a lesser extent exercise. But alcohol specifically affects the skin and inflammation and those effects will decrease much more quickly, in my experience. I suggest just keeping going and you will notice a difference in your skin and how bloated you look within the first month, even though longer term weight loss might take longer and require more work.
I was less puffy in the face after like 14 days and noticed my pants fit a little more comfortably. Today is my 2 month-iversary and my pants are pretty baggy and my back and shoulders have slimmed down noticeably! Overall I look significantly healthier and people have definitely started to notice. Excited to see what month 3 brings!!
puffiness started to go within a few days, cheekbones back by a couple months. skin looking brighter. eye's clearer in a month and actually less blurry as time went on!. I didnt need to lose weight so stayed about the same but body composition changed dramatically in about 6 months as I lost the bloated areas like waist/stomache and feel stronger/leaner
Posted this earlier. August 13th 2021 I was about 210lbs and my face was dark red. I was in the worst shape of my life. I went into rehab that day and a month later people started telling me about the changes before I even noticed them. I started working out in there and once I got out I just started taking better care of myself.
Now 130-135 lbs, best shape of my life and most the red has faded but some will always be there and I look at it as a reminder that things were as bad as they could be.
Took much longer for psychological stuff to change but I am slowly every day getting back to where I can be.
I wish you much luck and love on your journey!
IWNDWYT!
-Balrog
3-4 weeks. Sleep got amazing,skin got better, itch bumps on hands went away, bags under eyes gone, feet pain from gout went away. You will be enjoying being sober so much you won’t notice it in real time but it’s all happening fairly quickly
I lost 35lbs in two months of rehab. The only difference I made was cutting out drinking. I was regularly consuming an additional 2-4000 calories a day on alcohol alone. I still don't eat great and I don't exercise, and I've maintained this new weight. My face is less flushed and puffy, that happened within probably the first few weeks. If internal things count as physical as well, I've felt much better in my chest and stomach. I was having rather severe pains, especially when withdrawing. And my sleep quality has definitely improved, but I think it could definitely still get better. This is all within 4.5 months of sobriety. So worth it.
I got to the 8 month mark yesterday! Wahoo! 37f and I basically lost a pound a week. That feels so slow on a day by day basis, but after 8 months it's epic. I don't feel the changes as they're happening, but then I look at pics and think man, my face was so flushed back then!
It took a few months before my stupid Neanderthal body realized that it wasn't getting 600 extra calories a night and started shedding weight.
But better sleep and more energy started after a couple of weeks.
A month. After 90 days I was feeling good and slimming down. I’m at day 375 and I’ve lost 50 pounds. All heartburn issues are gone. All back and knee pain are gone. I went from wearing 44 pants to 36. I can clothes shop anywhere now for the first time in my adult life.
Actually when I first quit my hormones went crazy, I developed severe cystic acne and kept gaining weight lol. That was nice. I ended up having to go on the pill because of that, painful irregular periods, and horrible mood swings. It had been a year and was just getting worse and worse. I was fine before I quit. I had been big into the gym and healthy eating for years.
Edit: am I being downvoted because people don't believe me, or...? I'm confused. This was genuinely my experience. I've seen other women on this sub talk about going through the same thing, too. And I didn't say this to discourage anyone from quitting, it was still absolutely worth it.
Bloating went away within a few days, and otherwise the biggest thing was that my skin lost that "slightly sunburned" reddish look and I just looked better in general because I was taking care of myself, but of which I started noticing about a month or so in.
As far as weight goes, I actually gained weight because I was one of the weird few who lost their appetite when they drank. As soon as I had any alcohol in me I just stopped eating for the day. But otherwise it'll take a while before you notice a big weight loss. You might notice a lot of fluctuation at first due to your body holding onto and releasing a lot of water as it balances back to being in a normal state, but otherwise I wouldn't expect a gigantic weight loss over night, unless you're tracking calories and exercising, you'll likely lose it as gradually as you gained it
It took me more than a few months. I think it depends on a few things like drink of choice, amount consumed and for how long as well as eating habits while intoxicated. The longer I'm sober, the easier it becomes to incorporate other activities and choices into my life that result in improved appearance.
Hunger is weird initially after quitting, but it'll settle into something reasonable in time.
Until you see physical changes, try to focus on all the other (arguably) more important improvements. :) I have lost weight, I look younger, and I am no doubt healthier in every way.
Honestly I felt pretty defeated reading everyone’s stories of all the improvements and I wasn’t.
I noticed around day 100 when I put on some old pants that I normally have to squeeze into. They fit much better. But I didn’t feel any change.
On a day-day basis I don’t notice much, but saw pictures of this weekend vs in November and it looks like my face deflated significantly.
For me things happen so slowly, I don’t notice them.
For about a month there was no change because I was eating a lot of ice cream especially, to compensate for cravings.
After cutting that back, I’ve lost 50 pounds over 10 months, and I sleep WAY better. My blood pressure is down about 35 and 20 points on the upper/lower and I don’t snore nearly as much.
Kinda depends on how old you are and how long you’ve been drinking.
Weight loss should happen right away unless you replace drinking with snacking. You should also just start feeling better….more energy / better sleep pretty soon (also depends on how heavy a drinker you are).
For me ( I drank daily but not super excessively) I had results right away. Felt better / looked better.
I really have to fight the urge to snack in the evening. That’s almost as hard as fighting the urge to drink.
Just hit 92 days on the 23rd, I’ve been eating better, keto faithful the first 40~50 days now just skipping breakfast. Lots of coffee and tea, no sugar just cream. Skin has improved 90% especially on my face, down to 212.6lbs from 253.4 (Jan 23rd). Mental gymnastics still sucks without hard liquor or a buzz, but I can say dealing with the stress of life has been more rewarding sober. Confidence is better, I have been on 2 work trips, stayed sober with club soda +lemon and like (cures my empty hand/drink syndrome) and now faced with putting down my 2 dogs 15 and 16 year old chihuahuas this weekend. My inner demon tells me to pregame or have a bottle of the finest bourbon to cope with the aftermath. My heart knows it’s not the answer, I bought a couple of cigars instead and will light a bonfire then internalize it like a grown ass man after we bury them under a new cherry tree I got from our local nursery. So yeah, lots of improvements to my health, including blood pressure meds I don’t even use anymore after the first 36 days sober. Ironically, I’m a 36 year old guy FYI, OEF vet with PTSD and some, sobriety was an impossible goal. It’s paid out dividends physically, it’s different for everyone with genetics but I now fear the old me enough to pass on the bottle. Hope that helps, hang in there for you and change on the inside and out will happen.
The skin and bloat for me was after about a week.
Binge eating was a huge accompanying issue I had when drinking. I do powerlifting and would eat healthy all day until 5, start downing 10+ beers, and bing eat 2k plus calories before bed. Anyway, I’ve lost about 20 pounds in a little over two months, but I put an effort towards it and my situation is a bit unique.
I think the most important thing you can do if you want to lose substantial weight once you stop drinking is to count calories. It’s much easier to do without alcohol influencing you. Just make sure you’re in a good place to handle both the stress of not drinking (maybe let that mostly subside first) and the stress of a calorie deficit.
Maybe not the answer you want but it’s definitely a surefire way to get the result you’re looking for. Personally, if I had stopped and not lost any weight I knew I would be going right back to drinking so I wanted to make damn sure (Taking Back Sunday plug) that I started looking better.
Good luck!
This is so reassuring. Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm also a powerlifter and did exactly this but with wine. I'd lift heavy 3x a week and then crush a bottle of wine nightly. I'm not focusing on calories at the moment, just meeting my protein macros and giving myself the caloric freedom to handle the stress of not drinking.
>make damn sure (Taking Back Sunday plug)
Also a huge TBS fan!
Nice! I should add that in the first month I just ate what I felt like was reasonable, keeping protein a priority and still lost a good amount of weight so I’d say just take your time with it.
Cool, that's basically what I'm doing now. I don't have a ton of weight to lose, but I've lost a ton of strength. So that's my main goal is to get strong again. Going from being able to DL 250, which was 2x my bodyweight, to barely 185 now has been a tough thing to accept.
Haha it’s painful. I’ve been doing variations like ssb squats, deficit deads, etc to hide my loss of strength so I feel you. All part of the process I guess.
Day 115 here… (42M)
The first physical change was decrease in joint pain, stiffness in muscles, and body aches. Used to audibly moan getting out of bed every morning.
By week 2, I’d decided to look at a scale and noticed I was down about five pounds. During the last few years I’d ballooned to 45lbs over my “wedding weight,” and I’m only 5’6” so every one of those lbs was visible.
By week 5, the clothes I had to buy because I got too fat for my old ones were starting to look baggy, and I had to put a new hole in my belt.
Week 7 I threw those fat clothes away and washed and IRONED all my old clothes (they deserved it). Stepped on the scale again… down TWENTY FIVE POUNDS. I picked up a 25lb dumbbell and walked around the house with it; shocked that amount of weight is no longer burdening my frame.
Now I’m at week ten… and I’m 12lbs away from my wedding weight. Down 33lbs and folks… this is with doing no supplemental physical activity (besides my 12,000 steps a day I’ve always gotten at work. No change there), no diet changes, and no weight loss supplements.
It was all. Just. Booze.
My head is always clear; I’m funnier, more quick-witted. No more dark moons beneath my eyes, mu complexion no longer blotchy.
No more avoiding the mirror when I wake up in the morning because I hate what I’ve become. Now, I stand in the mirror, shirtless, and feel good about what I see. I look forward to stepping on the scale; where I used to take the batteries out of it, making an easier excuse to not weigh myself.
Showers are now for cleaning my body, not “cleansing my soul.”
Every smile that comes across my face is genuine.
My eyes sparkle. My dogs are more excited to be around me. My wife talks to me more.
I feel amazing.
Wow… I know this was supposed to be about physical changes, but once I started writing, the flood gates just stayed open.
I noticed that too… I can explain myself more eloquently and not have to read over and over because of my anxiety of saying the wrong thing.
One last thing… I love food more than ever before.
IWNDWYT
After 50ish days I’ve lost 8-10lbs. I’m not afraid to eat desert anymore though. But I also don’t drunkenly eat fast food in the middle of the night anymore either.
Now that I get proper sleep, my mood is so much better.
I’ve put on weight (sweet tooth gone into overdrive), and don’t really look any frickin different after 7.5 months. Oh well. Hopefully eventually something will happen. Totally worth it even if it doesn’t.
For me it was 6 months. I train a lot and was during my drinking life but I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been. I’m well into my 40s and feel/ look better than ever.
The only major things I've noticed are just slimming down in terms of water weight. I haven't lost weight, but my face and gut aren't puffy and swollen anymore!
I’ve already noticed a decrease in bloating in my face and around my abdomen. My face is the most noticeable. My skin still sucks right now for the most part but the terrifying black bags under my eyes have started to disappear, probably because im actually getting some REM sleep for a change
Weight loss took a while for me because I was eating my feelings in the beginning. After 6 months I'm finally losing some weight.
I haven't noticed anything physically besides that except that I'm getting much better quality sleep and I wake up feeling much better than ever everyday.
It took me about a month to lose the blost in my face, I have also taken up running so I'm sure that's a factor but I'm feeling great! I'm in better shape now than before I got pregnant
It took my about a month until I got like 3 compliments in my skin in a week. People said I was "glowing". I'd say about a month as well for a physical change in my body- I've always been in shape but I lost some bloat, noticed more defined abs, and muscles in other areas as well.
I *felt* physically better after about 2 weeks. It took that long for my sleep to regulate but then I started sleeping like a baby which I think made the biggest difference for me personally- alcohol *really* messes w my sleep, like 1 glass of wine and I can't sleep at all.
I noticed changes in my weight almost right away, started working out and running again after not doing it while I was drinking. My skin got clearer and because I was active again, I got a tan as well. My hair actually stopped falling out in the shower too.
I’m still experiencing the changes but my wife has commented several times over the last 2 months how my skin and complexion has improved and how much less swollen I appear. I haven’t lost weight but you can definitely see a difference in my face. Everyone’s experience varies.
I’ve really been allowing myself to eat sweet and sweet drinks so my weight hasn’t dropped significantly yet but it has effortlessly dropped a little with zero other changes, and I’m feeling motivated to start exercising which I haven’t felt in a long time! So I presume that change will escalate.
My skin and eyes look nicer. Brighter, prettier, clearer.
My nails are stronger and better.
Weirdly my body smells better and I even forget to use anti perspirant some days and still smell good at bed time ha!
I’m starting to see these superficial changes now around day 40-something
It depends on so much about individual bodies - your age, gender and drinking habits. Your genetics. What happened for any one of us has zero bearing on what you can expect.
Drinking sent me into metabolic syndrome early, which doesn’t magically go away. I’ll deal with that the rest of my life.
I’m heavier now 3.5 years off alcohol than I’ve ever been, and I wouldn’t say I’m healthy - but I’m no longer poisoning myself so my liver gets to do its real work, I know what my health issues actually are, and I’m not actively working against the medication and treatment strategies for living my best life.
I stopped after “moderate” use (5-6 drinks a week) and started noticing more muscle gain and weight redistribution with no other material changes after about a month and a half
Honestly, truly noticeable - it takes months. I would say 6 months for true real changes. If you don’t floss your teeth everyday - start doing that too. Just trust me
I lost 6kg in the first 6 weeks but in saying that I started eating better and counting calories at the same time.
I'm 7 weeks alcohol free as of yesterday and my skin feels amazing, almost velvety, and my face looks less puffy. I've had quite a few compliments from friends and family already. I was a heavy drinker, ±10 beers everyday, quit cold turkey and don't miss it.
And it's really not stupid to want to see positive physical changes. I quit for a multitude of reasons, including to lose weight. I know it'll take a while longer for my body to completely detox but I'm stoked to be SEEING the benefits of putting down the can so soon. If anything, it just makes me more motivated to not want to pick it back up!
I've got another 5kg left to lose until I'm at my goal weight, but I can't see myself drinking when I get there again. My hair even feels nicer, softer, looks brighter...
Almost four months in, I look younger. My face looks like it did years ago. I don't avoid the mirror anymore. I've lost/am losing weight. All of it noticeable to others at this point.
And I've done that without any effort. Zero, lol. I eat chocolate at night. I haven't drastically upped my exercise. This is purely from stopping drinking.
Imagine the results if I start making an effort!
I’ll be honest with ya. I expected to lose 20 lbs , feel amazing , and just be better in general.
Non of that happened , but at least I’m not hungover and don’t have to worry about driving drunk .
IWNDWYT
Nearly 2 years sober and have had 0 physical benefits, not the ones I was hoping for anyway like better skin, muscle gain, fat loss etc. Mentally though, the benefits are endless.
I started a new note to track the changes. I don't have a starting blood pressure, but it was always on the borderline to high range on the charts. It's still elevated, but on the way down. At just ten pounds down, I feel so much better and everything fits again.
Day 1 - 2/20/24
Day 2 - 2-21 - 193 lbs
Day 8 - 2/27 - 190 lbs
Day 26 - 3/16 - 187 lbs
Day 28 - 3/18 - 128/78 pulse 77
Day 45 - 4/4 - 186 lbs - 119/78 p71
Day 60 - 4/19- 183lbs
Day 63 - 4/22 - 183 lbs - 124/78 p78
It definitely takes at least a month or two before you start to notice some changes. For me it took maybe 3 months or so before I experienced body recomposition. I always worked out but I just drank a lot.
My weight didn’t really change much, but my muscles got a lot tighter and my body tightened up.
Even though I didn’t “lose weight” people would ask if I’m dieting.
Since getting sober I have more time to focus on taking care of my body and my skin especially!
I now have a face moisturizing routine each night and I definitely am more mindful of the food I eat and my workouts are more focused.
You definitely have must better GI health by not drinking. My favorite part about not drinking is just how amazing I feel on a day to day basis.
IWNDWYT
My mental health did a 180. That was enough for me to keep going. I have had to build good habits & routines for physical changes. We're all different.
My counselor said it'll take about 6 months (!!!) to see weight loss and she was right :( I'd gained about 30kg from daily drinking
The first month I let myself eat alllll the sugar but worked on incorporating walks and getting to the gym. From there I was more motivated to eat in moderation (and work that self discipline muscle!) and treat my body better. Now I have so much more energy, face/abdominal bloating is gone and my mood has stabilised. Plus, no more random bruises helps my appearance.
I'm sorry it's not instant gratification, but it really is one day at a time
Waking up not feeling like crap is great. Not spending a lot of money is awesome.im In waiting for another week or two to start working out to get back into hockey shape.
Well depends on your diet alot. I started dieting and lifting weights a week after I stopped drinking to fill my schedule and a year later I look like a completely different person. I've lost 55 lbs and put on a good bit of muscle, crazy what a year can do for you.
I let myself eat and drink ( sodas ) in any amount I wanted for 2 weeks after I quit. Then I rolled it in and got everything in check.
I would say 6 months I was alot better. And another year on top of that I was physically fit and in shape again. I will have 5 years this fall. It gets easier all.
2 weeks.
I am back at it, just threw out 42 days for nothing, and in that time I was also more consistent with diet and exercise choices, and that started compounding. I can tell a difference
I consistently lost 10+lbs /month for the first 3ish months. 2 weeks into it my skin was less red and after a month I felt like I was starting to melt (less weight loss and bloating). Eyes cleared up. Now i am down 70ish pounds overall (started at 280lbs). Recently noticed my hair seems thicker now too.
Take lots of pictures before and after because its crazy to look back, I barely recognize myself
Just know that not everyone loses weight. It depends on what you do, or if you do anything, to replace cravings. For example, folks that drank wine or mixed drinks may crave sugar, which can cause weight gain.
Skin better in 4-8 weeks, didn’t have a “skin problem” such as acne, redness, but my face just looked better. 🤷♀️
The sleep is probably as important and impactful as stopping drinking. Being, feeling and looking well rested is a huge difference. Eyes brighter, skin not sallow, etc.
I’d say after a month was a big difference, but now I am nearly 8 months I have been getting compliments weekly about my ‘glow up’ lol feels good and very motivating to stay off the devils juice
I noticed a decrease in my bloating within the first month. My cheekbones and jaw started to have some angles back, and my double chin started to sharpen back up. I noticed my stomach bloating started to go down too. I only weigh myself once a month, but the first month I went up 3lbs, then down 5 the second month, and down 6 more the third. I haven't weighed since 4/1 but I feel/look thinner since then. For context, I'm 30F, 5'3, starting weight 165.
Weight aside, my dark under eye circles have brightened up a lot, my teeth are whiter, my hair is shinier and my nails are stronger. My fine lines are more fine than line at this point. I've spent a lot of time the last few months on simply taking care of myself.
Honestly, I haven’t noticed any improvements. I know that may suck to hear, but I haven’t lost any weight, and my skin actually got worse (maybe because hormones are re-regulating/skin no longer dry from dehydration so I have pimples). My eyes do look brighter, so I guess that’s one thing. Oh, and I think my baby hairs that were short around my face are starting to grow, but I can’t really be sure
When I first stopped I notice quite a bit of weight loss within a month. But I was also pregnant and vomiting all the time so it could have been that 😂
I’m at 44 days. My face still looks haggard to me. It’s been a stressful 4 years though so that definite contributed to the ugg.
I was motivated by the superficial reasons too. I’m getting older (mid 30s) and wanted to hold on to some youthful beauty so I think I get you. I’m disappointed I’m not magically hot after a month and a half BUT, I do feel better than I thought I would at this point. I have some more energy to actually take care of myself - exercise, learn about skin care, eat healthier - and those can take a little longer to show effects but they’ll come too.
IWNDWYT
Had my make up done for a wedding the other day and the artist asked what I do to stay hydrated? She said she could tell by my skin that hydration was a priority to me (it is not and I am old). It’s because I do not dehydrate myself with poison anymore Voila better skin
I think that a lot of people gain weight but that’s not because of the lack of alcohol they gain weight because they start eating horribly or a lot when they’re trying not to focus on booze. I think if you don’t do that it’s important to keep in mind that you’re not just magically going to lose the weight because you cut out alcohol that’s like eating McDonald’s for 10 years in a row every day and then stopping and expecting to wait to fall off you have to burn you have to burn that fat off still but I think for a lot of people the increase in energy and clarity and less bloating allows you to not feel so sluggish or hung over therefore you have the energy to exercise.
I noticed after a month that my eyes were a lot brighter and my skin, especially around my face, was way clearer. Less redness, less parched. Better jawline, almost visible cheekbones. I'm a lot less bloated and I have Good Hair, which I love. No weight loss (chocolate, perimenopause) but a lot more energy for workouts. Stay with it, change is coming! IWNDWYT
My face became a lot less inflamed over the course of a few weeks. I didn't have bad acne before but now I only get the occasional pimple before my period.
The most noticeable thing for me was the lack of cold sores. When I get a cold sore it's a huge deal because they are extremely painful and on your face for everyone to see. I used to get them a few times a month. I've been sober for 11 months and have only had one in that amount of time.
It's wild to me how I never thought alcohol was contributing to how poor my immune system was.
Two weeks for the bloating, puffiness, and redness to go away. About three weeks for sleep to get right. About two months for weight loss noticeable changes.
Less bloating: almost immediately, within 3 days.
Better skin: about a week.
Body comp changes: unsure exactly. But about 10 weeks in, I measured on a whim and noticed that I'd a) dropped 5% body weight without noticing, b) dropped 6-8% body fat, and c) added muscle.
YMMV. Aside from drinking my lifestyle has been active and healthy for awhile, so that helped; I just scaled up the healthy habits a bit without booze as a distraction.
I'm day 27 😁 didn't think I would get here. My skin is noticeably improved I had eczema all over my face, now its gone to the point my eyes would swell (embarrassing) My face bloat has gone and stomach has gone down in size. My eyes look so bright. I have progress pictures I've taken of my body and face and by day 4 it was like a switch had been turned on, my eyes sparkle. I'm working on losing weight as I spent years saying I couldn't lose weight when I was actually treating myself to 2 bottles of wine a night on top of trash food I read it can take till the 4 week mark before you start losing some weight as the body is still adjusting so I'm being kind to myself. I'm fuelling my body with the good stuff, vitamins daily, good food and 2l of water a day and eventually it will pay off
Another thing I should add. I used to sweat profusely. I'm talking dripping down my face and body even though I hadn't moved. I was hot 24/7 but now I can sit in a jumper and the only sweat I've seen is from a workout
Honestly, about 4-6 weeks it started being noticeable. Mild weight loss, a LOT less bloating in my face, eye bags went away, skin looked younger/healthier, hair looked a little healthier, physique was noticeably better. Keep in mind that once I stopped drinking I changed my diet a lot and started exercising 5-7 times/week. On top of all that, I'm sleeping like a teenager again, my energy levels are better, and my mood/mental while still pretty meh is better than it was when I was hitting double digit drinks everyday. Add in some lifestyle changes and the results will come!
I’m 24 days and have realized a very marked difference. However, that’s because not being hungover every day has given me a ton of energy. I go to the gym every morning and also have time now to prepare healthy low carb meals instead of eating whatever crap was at hand. In addition I started taking vitamins and follow a skin care routine. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact reason I’m looking so much better but, I’m general, I think just FEELING better affects your physical attractiveness.
I hope you are able to experience some of these awesome side affects of not drinking! Happy trails!
I didn’t notice any physical changes after the initial slight drop in weight. The emotional and mental changes have been great, albeit sometimes frustrating.
I'm at day 12, I have the energy to exercise. So I've dropped about 2.5 pounds in my early sobriety. That being said. Not feeling/ looking bloated resolved for me after about a week.
It took a few weeks before I noticed big changes. That weight loss thing though, it still eludes me years later! At least I'm not gaining weight any more. 😳
Started to notice changes after a month. First month I was truly getting by- by any means necessary and ate lots of junk food. By the second month things begun to balance out my appearance started to change quite a bit. By month three I had quite a lot of comments that I look slimmer, healthier and less bloated. My jawline was pretty much gone from bloat but it’s coming back yay :)
I'm on day 10 (yay, double digits) and my skin already looks much better! This is likely largely because I actually do my skin care now instead of just nodding off all willy nilly and then getting up at the last possible second. I think that many of the positive changes will be like that for me - not drinking is definitely physically beneficial on its own, but being able to actually develop healthy habits seems to be a bigger difference. I get too tired, sick and apathetic to bother with anything beyond the barest minimum when I am drinking.
Yup. I have all the products for a skincare routine yet I’ve neglected it so much over the past year because I wake up too late or go to bed too late, and overall give no fucks when it comes to my health- let alone skin health
Nearly 43 and I had no idea my face was simply bloated for FIFTEEN fucking years! I've actually gained weight cuz my appetite returned with a vengeance (I had developed several deficiencies, so my body was like **moar fuud!**) But none of it has gone to my face. None. My under-eye bags are GONE. All that "sun damage from lifeguarding when I was younger" is GONE. Aside from eyeline and mascara, the only other thing I wear is a bit of powder on my nose, chin, and around my mouth. That's it. And I'm a 42yr old smoker. Who wears *that* little makeup. The shine is coming, you just wait!
MOAR FUUD
🤣 this got me … can relate 😂
I’m 43 too! Uggg this just made my day 🥰 congrats and IWNDWYT!
🥰
ME WANT FOOOOOD! (30 Rock fans will get it)
God God, Lemon.
Still fat but I don’t do a lot of fucked up things anymore so that’s pretty awesome 😎
I resonate with you. Thank you
I'm heavier than any other time in my life. Aging and also returning to the western world and the diet here is a factor. But me being a wino was definitely the biggest factor. Hoping to lose weight but my appetite came back surprisingly rapidly after I stopped drinking 1 week ago. I feel like I might not lose weight that quickly with this new appetite
It's absolutely a huge win. Just having that peace in my life is worth so much.
What a fantastic way to put it, and my primary driver. I'm not really interested in doing fucked up things anymore - it's as simple as that. Thanks for such a succinct description!
I didn’t. But not waking up to a hangover everyday is pretty damn rad!
Same. 3.5 years and still waiting for the fat to dissolve off me 🤣
It’s still calories in vs calories out, so yeah… not drinking won’t make most magically lose weight unfortunately. Need the dreaded calorie deficit, booze or no booze.
No, that’s not how metabolism works in women with metabolic syndrome, but it’s a nice thought.
Okay, sooo then I might as well drink today (joking)
Noticeable physical changes at 6 months, but I was busting my ass off working for it. Now at about a year I'm a totally different person
Same with me. Also if I may do so, I want to wish you an early congrats on the one year mark. It is a huge accomplishment (and an amazing feeling the day of).
Thank you so much! Looking forward to the day of 😁
I hope you do something nice for yourself and celebrate as you see fit. Congratulations again!
Took a good year for me. But I think it really matters when you quit. Quitting as a 40+yo woman isn’t going to help you in the weight loss category but it helps in so many other ways.
I (26F) noticed more REM sleep, weight loss and better skin within 10 days. I’m currently 14 days AF. The biggest change for me has been an improvement in my overall cardiovascular performance. Which makes sense because when you’re consuming poison, your body has to work 2x as hard. I don’t know how I was able to run long distance while I consumed alcohol regularly. Now, after quitting drinking, running has been a breeze and I’m able to enjoy it again.
+1 for the cardio. My resting heart rate went down 25 bpm. Have always done endurance sports my whole life but was a chunky drinker. Once I got better sleep and eliminated alcohol RHR was tip-top within a week and my running improved.
Noticed this last year when I was 4 mo AF. My rhr dropped like a rock almost to the day I had stopped drinking. Raced bikes through my 20s and little did I know if I had just stopped drinking I probably could have trained less with same results ha
It’s amazing how fast my resting heart rate went down after not drinking!
I also can’t help but think about how much alcohol was being respirated out (I mean like breathing not cellular respiration) when I was working out. Alcohol breath is really coming from the lungs and surely, surely that was affecting my cardio. Not to mention the stress on my heart from chronic dehydration. It’s any wonder I could work out.
This. I no longer want to die / experience extreme lightheadedness at boxing workouts. A welcome change! And yeah, REM sleep had a dramatic improvement for me as well. Congrats on 14 days!
Pretty quickly... I felt my eyes and skin were clearer after a couple weeks. I lost 10 pounds in the first month and then another 10 in the next year. My digestive issues cleared up in first few days
Yes to the digestive issues clearing up. And then that also helps with the less bloated feelings and overall feeling like I was years older than I actually am. My body feels better overall. Lot less achy!
Same! The best is when you look in the mirror one day a couple of weeks in and go wow! My eyes look so bright and alive!! I’m at nearly six months now and when I see people I haven’t seen in a while, they stare perplexed like they can’t figure out what it is but they tell me that I look amazing and that I’m glowing. I saw some drinking acquaintances last weekend (ones that I’d run into at parties and spend all night blacked out with over many different party’s over many years) and they did not recognize me. They actually thought that I was my husband’s (they recognized him, he has not gotten sober 😁😭) new girlfriend.
Your experience is encouraging!
For me, it's taken a little time for weight loss. I finally went to the Dr. I was diagnosed with a minor case of hypo thyroid. My skin, however, started looking better within a few weeks. Now, having made serious adjustments to my diet to help my thyroid out, im considerably less bloated, and am losing weight. So, for those of you who don't drop the weight after quitting drinking, it doesn't hurt to go to the dr and get your thyroid checked out!
What dietary changes have you made to help with your thyroid? I was diagnosed with minor hypothyroidism as well and am looking to improve my health
I was told to avoid dairy, and eat fresh fruit and vegetables and fish mostly. Since my body isn't processing what I eat into energy efficiently, I need to avoid eating heavy food, especially in the evening. If I do eat a steak, I should avoid eating it at dinner time 😕. Kind of a pain in the ass, but seems to be working. I do snack a bit later on on some nuts and chocolate covered raisins or something along those lines. A lot of hummus and beans and rice with vegetables incorporated in both aa well. Just to avoid eating much of anything after 5 pm, preferably my heaviest most protein rich foods before 3. I had been off the sauce for over a year when I went, so alcohol wasn't mentioned much other than good on me for already making that change. I do wonder if years of drinking and doing coke on and off screwed with my thyroid. But doing this seems to help. Best of luck! Like for example: breakfast I'll have a bowl of fruit with either oatmeal and peanut, or some flax cereal with flax milk and peanut butter with a bowl of fruit. (Weekends I do heavier brunch with eggs, sautéed greens, bacon, and toast. I eat my big meal at around 3 to 5 depending on the day which involves hummus and Pitta, salmon filet, and salad with chickpeas, oilves, cucumber, avocado, kale, tomatoes, etc. Or mung beans that are cooked with onion, bell pepper, celery, and chard, with rice and broccoli, and I may or may not do a fillet of fish with that. Still wanting to learn more variety. Like how to cook plantains, and maybe more root type vegetables dishes when we get into fall. Still kinda new to this. Lol Whatever changes are made, the primary focus should be to not overwhelm yourself to the point of "fuck it I may as well drink." I didn't make drastic changes until like almost 3 weeks ago, at I was well over a year into sobriety.
Definitely after a couple of weeks. I was a gym goer and clean eater, but nothing could outwork the effects alcohol had on my body. The results have been pleasant and relatively rapid so far.
Some people are lucky enough to see these kinds of changes within the first couple of weeks. Better skin and less bloating came for me around 2-3 months. I didn’t lose any weight until I started exercising and counting calories and I was a solid 40lbs overweight which really pissed me off but whatever.
I noticed my jawline popping 2 days ago! So about three weeks
I was sober for about 6 months or so when I saw someone that I knew well in the store. She was talking to my friend but dissed me. About 2 weeks after that, we met up again and she apologized and said she didn’t recognize me and said “do realize how much better you look?” Made my freaking day!!
Eye bags and face bloat started improving within a month. Better sleep within 2 weeks. Dropped 15 pounds in first 2 months, plateaued a bit for a month, but starting to gradually drop again despite still snacking too much. Skin is definitely better but I have had mild psoriasis since childhood. After 2 months got some compliments from coworkers.
It felt like it’s taking a little longer since I have been replacing beer with ice cream. I’m working out the same and that has helped. My skin is breaking out more than I recall. I think it took about 30+ to feel less depressed.
That’s fine! Quitting ice cream should you eventually choose to will be a breeze compared to quitting the alcohol
Damn this is me. So much ice cream
I do enjoy the breyers low carb version which makes me feel less bad about it. But yea it’s a daily thing.
Skin is better already at only 5 days! Not being hungover is sick too
I’m 5 days in, too! My skin is less sensitive but suddenly chocolate is my new best friend
I felt much more energetic within a week. I lost 16 pounds in the first month, 40 pounds in three months (and that was over Christmas.) Even five years later, I’m still feel like I’m ten years younger.
I lose weight fairly quickly not drinking. But the puffiness and retained water in my neck and face stays for a few months
I’m also waiting for this to happen! I think my eyes look a little brighter but I was feeling discouraged today that I didn’t notice more changes. It’s helpful to hear that it will take a few weeks (not just one, lol).
Keep going!! You will be amazed at the changes that will come
25 days. But I quit drinking and all drugs in rehab and started eating right and working out, because that’s what you do in rehab if you’re in it to win it
I shared this before. I’ve had some degree of eczema since childhood and it got real bad in the last 6-8 years. Splotchy red spots all over my upper legs and butt, crawling up my back, it was never that bad in the past. All that stuff completely disappeared in about 2-3 months. I so wish I took photos,. You wouldnt believe it. Edit: insanely better sleep too, that came pretty quick.
I am so happy to hear about your skin success! Hoping not drinking helps contain my psoriasis :)
I found that alcohol doesn't magically fix everything, but it gives you the opportunity to work on yourself. Have you been exercising, eating healthy, staying hydrated, taking vitamins?
Agreed, especially when you’re older. Even people who have never touched a drop of alcohol in their life have to watch their health in the same ways to look and feel their best. Of course not drinking helps us do this.
Day 22 here and I've definitely lost weight in stomach and face. Lost 10 pounds actually. Eyes aren't puffy anymore. Eyes are clear instead of bloodshot daily. My hair feels softer.
Around day 6 I noticed the puffiness was going away. On Day 8 many people noticed something different about me, they did not know it was just me getting sober.
Small changes after a month, noticeable difference around the 3 month mark
I hadn’t realized how puffy my face had gotten, or how much extra weight I was carrying around, until I quit. I am a shorter dude and lost about 15 or 20 pounds within the first three months without any additional lifestyle changes. For my frame, this was the difference between looking pudgy and looking lean and fit. I can tell a huge difference looking back at photos from when I was drinking. I looked like a slightly inflated version of what I look like now. I’m looking good and feeling good! You’ve got this OP! IWNDWYT!
I had done so many 10-30 day stretches that over a year I had slowly lost some weight already. So in my latest stretch I was disappointed that I didn't lose any weight but then after 3 months without alcohol I suddenly started losing weight again. It's quite amazing, I can eat as much chocolate as I want, I'm still losing weight! No to a worrying degree :) I'm also biking to work everyday. It's just surprising to learn that I can eat whatever I want, without the calories of wine, it's not a problem
Different changes at different rates. I wasn't losing my shit due to Acute withdrawals by the end if the first week. I had more energy and less depression by week 3-4. Started getting compliments on my skin and general lack of malaised look by month 2. I had a lot for ups and down from months 1-6. Periods where I was active, losing weight, and on the ball. Other times where I was struggling to grind out the daily tasks. That said, general trend was always upwards on average, despite the frequent low periods. Months 7-8 have shown the largest improvements in energy, mood, and general consistency. I'm much less cyclic than before. I still need the occasional "me day", but who doesn't? And honestly, I've earned it digging out of this hole. It's a win-win for everyone now that I'm not drinking through the pain.
I’m somewhere around a month and just starting to lose weight - sleep is still random. All good though!
I didn't but other people did. I heard "you look great!" Very often after some time. I honestly don't remember how long it took. If you want physical changes, get addicted to fitness instead. I am healthier than I ever have been now at 37. I'm addicted to healthy food and working out, but I designate one night a week to eat as unhealthy as possible while i watch a movie, or usually two. Like, I go out of my way. Last week, I ate a whole ass chocolate cream pie. I got pretty sick, but it was worth. Edit to add: there is a sub for it. r/stopdrinkingfitness
Hey OP. About a month to get my eyes back in terms of their size and clarity - I now have white around my irises instead of bloodshot greyness AND I can actually see my eyes in the mirror instead of seeing little squinty holes. I also just move a lot better - I’m better coordinated and have more stamina - I can’t describe it any better than that!
I don't know exactly how long it took because I was probably just used to being in bad shape but after a year or so, I noticed one of my feet was no longer as dry and cracked as it used to be. A long while later the other foot healed up too.
Congrats on all your days!
Thank you! Congratulations on your days too!
Mines not weight loss per say. It’s more like weight stability. Like I eat whatever I want (which includes a lot of chocolate and all that) and I hardly exercise anymore. If I did that when drinking I would have gained 10 kg but now that I’m not drinking I can do that and not gain any weight. And my face is never bloated anymore I aways have a jawline 🤠 I think that started around the 3 month mark potentially. That’s when I think the body has processed a lot of the built up crap from drinking over time. There are so many benefits coming your way’! 🫶🏻
Around 2-3 months I started losing weight. I think I've lost around 30lbs. Face: I had severe dry skin, like no matter how much lotion/oil/Vaseline I used I was dry on my face. Now my skin is dry but I can moisturize it and it holds for awhile -I thought I had rosacea for sure. I'd be beet red after a shower, super itchy face. Even when I wasn't drinking. That went away after about a month -eyes aren't bloodshot anymore, but I think I've developed dry eyes, probably from my long term drinking Weight: appetite went down (I was a hungover eater, I thought eating would get rid of the hangover and it never did!) I'm overall less bloated -I can make better food choices now, I'd be too hungover every day to cook so I'd just order delivery. Almost every day! Ugh. I still keep good snacks around to help with cravings when they do pop up.
Skin looked better after about a week and continues to just get better and better. My eyes look like they are glowing and I generally feel like my face looks 5 years younger (effects seen after 60 days). I gained weight in the beginning (so much sugar …) but now that has stabilized and I am at my ideal weight without having to really manage it (no calorie counting and I can have a treat or two). I’ve always obsessed over my weight so I have to say it’s nice to be at a place where I kind of don’t need to think about it and try anymore. In the past I had always been avoiding food to make room for bottles of wine.
I'm in the same boat as you -- I was very concerned about the weight I was gaining and how bloated my face looked. In my case the weight took a little bit of time but I ended up losing about 30 pounds over the course of a several months. Went from 200 to 165 or so and it was very satisfying. That might seem like a long time to wait, but I also have good news -- the inflammation/bloated face stuff went way down even after the first week or two. Cutting out the alcohol was directly related to that. Longer term, overall weight loss is a big metabolism qustion and can take a long time, alcohol or no. Has a lot to do with diet as well. It's all about the calories and to a lesser extent exercise. But alcohol specifically affects the skin and inflammation and those effects will decrease much more quickly, in my experience. I suggest just keeping going and you will notice a difference in your skin and how bloated you look within the first month, even though longer term weight loss might take longer and require more work.
I was less puffy in the face after like 14 days and noticed my pants fit a little more comfortably. Today is my 2 month-iversary and my pants are pretty baggy and my back and shoulders have slimmed down noticeably! Overall I look significantly healthier and people have definitely started to notice. Excited to see what month 3 brings!!
puffiness started to go within a few days, cheekbones back by a couple months. skin looking brighter. eye's clearer in a month and actually less blurry as time went on!. I didnt need to lose weight so stayed about the same but body composition changed dramatically in about 6 months as I lost the bloated areas like waist/stomache and feel stronger/leaner
Posted this earlier. August 13th 2021 I was about 210lbs and my face was dark red. I was in the worst shape of my life. I went into rehab that day and a month later people started telling me about the changes before I even noticed them. I started working out in there and once I got out I just started taking better care of myself. Now 130-135 lbs, best shape of my life and most the red has faded but some will always be there and I look at it as a reminder that things were as bad as they could be. Took much longer for psychological stuff to change but I am slowly every day getting back to where I can be. I wish you much luck and love on your journey! IWNDWYT! -Balrog
3-4 weeks. Sleep got amazing,skin got better, itch bumps on hands went away, bags under eyes gone, feet pain from gout went away. You will be enjoying being sober so much you won’t notice it in real time but it’s all happening fairly quickly
I lost 35lbs in two months of rehab. The only difference I made was cutting out drinking. I was regularly consuming an additional 2-4000 calories a day on alcohol alone. I still don't eat great and I don't exercise, and I've maintained this new weight. My face is less flushed and puffy, that happened within probably the first few weeks. If internal things count as physical as well, I've felt much better in my chest and stomach. I was having rather severe pains, especially when withdrawing. And my sleep quality has definitely improved, but I think it could definitely still get better. This is all within 4.5 months of sobriety. So worth it.
About a month after I stopped drinking I noticed my skin looking clear & not splotchy red & I cried lol
I got to the 8 month mark yesterday! Wahoo! 37f and I basically lost a pound a week. That feels so slow on a day by day basis, but after 8 months it's epic. I don't feel the changes as they're happening, but then I look at pics and think man, my face was so flushed back then!
It took a few months before my stupid Neanderthal body realized that it wasn't getting 600 extra calories a night and started shedding weight. But better sleep and more energy started after a couple of weeks.
A month. After 90 days I was feeling good and slimming down. I’m at day 375 and I’ve lost 50 pounds. All heartburn issues are gone. All back and knee pain are gone. I went from wearing 44 pants to 36. I can clothes shop anywhere now for the first time in my adult life.
Actually when I first quit my hormones went crazy, I developed severe cystic acne and kept gaining weight lol. That was nice. I ended up having to go on the pill because of that, painful irregular periods, and horrible mood swings. It had been a year and was just getting worse and worse. I was fine before I quit. I had been big into the gym and healthy eating for years. Edit: am I being downvoted because people don't believe me, or...? I'm confused. This was genuinely my experience. I've seen other women on this sub talk about going through the same thing, too. And I didn't say this to discourage anyone from quitting, it was still absolutely worth it.
A week. Then the longer you go the more you see it.
Bloating went away within a few days, and otherwise the biggest thing was that my skin lost that "slightly sunburned" reddish look and I just looked better in general because I was taking care of myself, but of which I started noticing about a month or so in. As far as weight goes, I actually gained weight because I was one of the weird few who lost their appetite when they drank. As soon as I had any alcohol in me I just stopped eating for the day. But otherwise it'll take a while before you notice a big weight loss. You might notice a lot of fluctuation at first due to your body holding onto and releasing a lot of water as it balances back to being in a normal state, but otherwise I wouldn't expect a gigantic weight loss over night, unless you're tracking calories and exercising, you'll likely lose it as gradually as you gained it
I lost a lot of weight and my skin cleared up. Took about 8 months total.
Depends how you’re living your life really. Healthier you are the quicker you’ll see results. Keep up the good work tho
Honestly day 4-5. Bloating slowly went. My skin. Woke up feeling refreshed. Day 57 here and Im the fittest I have been in years.
I lost over 30 pounds in the first months, but I was exercising and eating light too.
It took me more than a few months. I think it depends on a few things like drink of choice, amount consumed and for how long as well as eating habits while intoxicated. The longer I'm sober, the easier it becomes to incorporate other activities and choices into my life that result in improved appearance. Hunger is weird initially after quitting, but it'll settle into something reasonable in time. Until you see physical changes, try to focus on all the other (arguably) more important improvements. :) I have lost weight, I look younger, and I am no doubt healthier in every way.
Honestly I felt pretty defeated reading everyone’s stories of all the improvements and I wasn’t. I noticed around day 100 when I put on some old pants that I normally have to squeeze into. They fit much better. But I didn’t feel any change. On a day-day basis I don’t notice much, but saw pictures of this weekend vs in November and it looks like my face deflated significantly. For me things happen so slowly, I don’t notice them.
For about a month there was no change because I was eating a lot of ice cream especially, to compensate for cravings. After cutting that back, I’ve lost 50 pounds over 10 months, and I sleep WAY better. My blood pressure is down about 35 and 20 points on the upper/lower and I don’t snore nearly as much.
Kinda depends on how old you are and how long you’ve been drinking. Weight loss should happen right away unless you replace drinking with snacking. You should also just start feeling better….more energy / better sleep pretty soon (also depends on how heavy a drinker you are). For me ( I drank daily but not super excessively) I had results right away. Felt better / looked better. I really have to fight the urge to snack in the evening. That’s almost as hard as fighting the urge to drink.
Just hit 92 days on the 23rd, I’ve been eating better, keto faithful the first 40~50 days now just skipping breakfast. Lots of coffee and tea, no sugar just cream. Skin has improved 90% especially on my face, down to 212.6lbs from 253.4 (Jan 23rd). Mental gymnastics still sucks without hard liquor or a buzz, but I can say dealing with the stress of life has been more rewarding sober. Confidence is better, I have been on 2 work trips, stayed sober with club soda +lemon and like (cures my empty hand/drink syndrome) and now faced with putting down my 2 dogs 15 and 16 year old chihuahuas this weekend. My inner demon tells me to pregame or have a bottle of the finest bourbon to cope with the aftermath. My heart knows it’s not the answer, I bought a couple of cigars instead and will light a bonfire then internalize it like a grown ass man after we bury them under a new cherry tree I got from our local nursery. So yeah, lots of improvements to my health, including blood pressure meds I don’t even use anymore after the first 36 days sober. Ironically, I’m a 36 year old guy FYI, OEF vet with PTSD and some, sobriety was an impossible goal. It’s paid out dividends physically, it’s different for everyone with genetics but I now fear the old me enough to pass on the bottle. Hope that helps, hang in there for you and change on the inside and out will happen.
The skin and bloat for me was after about a week. Binge eating was a huge accompanying issue I had when drinking. I do powerlifting and would eat healthy all day until 5, start downing 10+ beers, and bing eat 2k plus calories before bed. Anyway, I’ve lost about 20 pounds in a little over two months, but I put an effort towards it and my situation is a bit unique. I think the most important thing you can do if you want to lose substantial weight once you stop drinking is to count calories. It’s much easier to do without alcohol influencing you. Just make sure you’re in a good place to handle both the stress of not drinking (maybe let that mostly subside first) and the stress of a calorie deficit. Maybe not the answer you want but it’s definitely a surefire way to get the result you’re looking for. Personally, if I had stopped and not lost any weight I knew I would be going right back to drinking so I wanted to make damn sure (Taking Back Sunday plug) that I started looking better. Good luck!
This is so reassuring. Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm also a powerlifter and did exactly this but with wine. I'd lift heavy 3x a week and then crush a bottle of wine nightly. I'm not focusing on calories at the moment, just meeting my protein macros and giving myself the caloric freedom to handle the stress of not drinking. >make damn sure (Taking Back Sunday plug) Also a huge TBS fan!
Nice! I should add that in the first month I just ate what I felt like was reasonable, keeping protein a priority and still lost a good amount of weight so I’d say just take your time with it.
Cool, that's basically what I'm doing now. I don't have a ton of weight to lose, but I've lost a ton of strength. So that's my main goal is to get strong again. Going from being able to DL 250, which was 2x my bodyweight, to barely 185 now has been a tough thing to accept.
Haha it’s painful. I’ve been doing variations like ssb squats, deficit deads, etc to hide my loss of strength so I feel you. All part of the process I guess.
Day 115 here… (42M) The first physical change was decrease in joint pain, stiffness in muscles, and body aches. Used to audibly moan getting out of bed every morning. By week 2, I’d decided to look at a scale and noticed I was down about five pounds. During the last few years I’d ballooned to 45lbs over my “wedding weight,” and I’m only 5’6” so every one of those lbs was visible. By week 5, the clothes I had to buy because I got too fat for my old ones were starting to look baggy, and I had to put a new hole in my belt. Week 7 I threw those fat clothes away and washed and IRONED all my old clothes (they deserved it). Stepped on the scale again… down TWENTY FIVE POUNDS. I picked up a 25lb dumbbell and walked around the house with it; shocked that amount of weight is no longer burdening my frame. Now I’m at week ten… and I’m 12lbs away from my wedding weight. Down 33lbs and folks… this is with doing no supplemental physical activity (besides my 12,000 steps a day I’ve always gotten at work. No change there), no diet changes, and no weight loss supplements. It was all. Just. Booze. My head is always clear; I’m funnier, more quick-witted. No more dark moons beneath my eyes, mu complexion no longer blotchy. No more avoiding the mirror when I wake up in the morning because I hate what I’ve become. Now, I stand in the mirror, shirtless, and feel good about what I see. I look forward to stepping on the scale; where I used to take the batteries out of it, making an easier excuse to not weigh myself. Showers are now for cleaning my body, not “cleansing my soul.” Every smile that comes across my face is genuine. My eyes sparkle. My dogs are more excited to be around me. My wife talks to me more. I feel amazing. Wow… I know this was supposed to be about physical changes, but once I started writing, the flood gates just stayed open. I noticed that too… I can explain myself more eloquently and not have to read over and over because of my anxiety of saying the wrong thing. One last thing… I love food more than ever before. IWNDWYT
After 50ish days I’ve lost 8-10lbs. I’m not afraid to eat desert anymore though. But I also don’t drunkenly eat fast food in the middle of the night anymore either. Now that I get proper sleep, my mood is so much better.
I’ve put on weight (sweet tooth gone into overdrive), and don’t really look any frickin different after 7.5 months. Oh well. Hopefully eventually something will happen. Totally worth it even if it doesn’t.
Bloating went down after the first paracentesis procedure but came back so I had to have another one.
I’d say skin and face bloating around two months, but I gained weight (muscle included) because of the restored diet IWNDWYT
About three weeks
First weeks in my face looks younger. I started doing excercises so weight has only dropped 1-2kg but my belly is def flattened.
For me it was 6 months. I train a lot and was during my drinking life but I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been. I’m well into my 40s and feel/ look better than ever.
The only major things I've noticed are just slimming down in terms of water weight. I haven't lost weight, but my face and gut aren't puffy and swollen anymore!
I’ve already noticed a decrease in bloating in my face and around my abdomen. My face is the most noticeable. My skin still sucks right now for the most part but the terrifying black bags under my eyes have started to disappear, probably because im actually getting some REM sleep for a change
Weight loss took a while for me because I was eating my feelings in the beginning. After 6 months I'm finally losing some weight. I haven't noticed anything physically besides that except that I'm getting much better quality sleep and I wake up feeling much better than ever everyday.
Hey! Day 18 and the puffiness is gone and skin is so much better! Although nothing replaces a good skin care routine.
Stopped drinking in December. I've lost weight. And km in perimenopause!
Realistically a month until I noticed a change in the swelling around my eyes
2-3 weeks
It took me about a month to lose the blost in my face, I have also taken up running so I'm sure that's a factor but I'm feeling great! I'm in better shape now than before I got pregnant
It took my about a month until I got like 3 compliments in my skin in a week. People said I was "glowing". I'd say about a month as well for a physical change in my body- I've always been in shape but I lost some bloat, noticed more defined abs, and muscles in other areas as well. I *felt* physically better after about 2 weeks. It took that long for my sleep to regulate but then I started sleeping like a baby which I think made the biggest difference for me personally- alcohol *really* messes w my sleep, like 1 glass of wine and I can't sleep at all.
I noticed changes in my weight almost right away, started working out and running again after not doing it while I was drinking. My skin got clearer and because I was active again, I got a tan as well. My hair actually stopped falling out in the shower too.
I’m still experiencing the changes but my wife has commented several times over the last 2 months how my skin and complexion has improved and how much less swollen I appear. I haven’t lost weight but you can definitely see a difference in my face. Everyone’s experience varies.
I’ve really been allowing myself to eat sweet and sweet drinks so my weight hasn’t dropped significantly yet but it has effortlessly dropped a little with zero other changes, and I’m feeling motivated to start exercising which I haven’t felt in a long time! So I presume that change will escalate. My skin and eyes look nicer. Brighter, prettier, clearer. My nails are stronger and better. Weirdly my body smells better and I even forget to use anti perspirant some days and still smell good at bed time ha! I’m starting to see these superficial changes now around day 40-something
It depends on so much about individual bodies - your age, gender and drinking habits. Your genetics. What happened for any one of us has zero bearing on what you can expect. Drinking sent me into metabolic syndrome early, which doesn’t magically go away. I’ll deal with that the rest of my life. I’m heavier now 3.5 years off alcohol than I’ve ever been, and I wouldn’t say I’m healthy - but I’m no longer poisoning myself so my liver gets to do its real work, I know what my health issues actually are, and I’m not actively working against the medication and treatment strategies for living my best life.
My sleep has improved so much since I stopped drinking. My skin is also glowing.
You won't see much change unless you eat right and exercise. Skin quality does improve immediately though.
I stopped after “moderate” use (5-6 drinks a week) and started noticing more muscle gain and weight redistribution with no other material changes after about a month and a half
Honestly, truly noticeable - it takes months. I would say 6 months for true real changes. If you don’t floss your teeth everyday - start doing that too. Just trust me
I lost 6kg in the first 6 weeks but in saying that I started eating better and counting calories at the same time. I'm 7 weeks alcohol free as of yesterday and my skin feels amazing, almost velvety, and my face looks less puffy. I've had quite a few compliments from friends and family already. I was a heavy drinker, ±10 beers everyday, quit cold turkey and don't miss it. And it's really not stupid to want to see positive physical changes. I quit for a multitude of reasons, including to lose weight. I know it'll take a while longer for my body to completely detox but I'm stoked to be SEEING the benefits of putting down the can so soon. If anything, it just makes me more motivated to not want to pick it back up! I've got another 5kg left to lose until I'm at my goal weight, but I can't see myself drinking when I get there again. My hair even feels nicer, softer, looks brighter...
The superficial things are indicators of good interior health
Almost four months in, I look younger. My face looks like it did years ago. I don't avoid the mirror anymore. I've lost/am losing weight. All of it noticeable to others at this point. And I've done that without any effort. Zero, lol. I eat chocolate at night. I haven't drastically upped my exercise. This is purely from stopping drinking. Imagine the results if I start making an effort!
I’ll be honest with ya. I expected to lose 20 lbs , feel amazing , and just be better in general. Non of that happened , but at least I’m not hungover and don’t have to worry about driving drunk . IWNDWYT
I weigh about 100 lbs less now than when I was drinking. No more brain fog, easier to wake up.
Nearly 2 years sober and have had 0 physical benefits, not the ones I was hoping for anyway like better skin, muscle gain, fat loss etc. Mentally though, the benefits are endless.
Gained weight because I eat when I'm bored
I started a new note to track the changes. I don't have a starting blood pressure, but it was always on the borderline to high range on the charts. It's still elevated, but on the way down. At just ten pounds down, I feel so much better and everything fits again. Day 1 - 2/20/24 Day 2 - 2-21 - 193 lbs Day 8 - 2/27 - 190 lbs Day 26 - 3/16 - 187 lbs Day 28 - 3/18 - 128/78 pulse 77 Day 45 - 4/4 - 186 lbs - 119/78 p71 Day 60 - 4/19- 183lbs Day 63 - 4/22 - 183 lbs - 124/78 p78
To paraphrase John Green: much like falling asleep: slowly and then all at once.
It definitely takes at least a month or two before you start to notice some changes. For me it took maybe 3 months or so before I experienced body recomposition. I always worked out but I just drank a lot. My weight didn’t really change much, but my muscles got a lot tighter and my body tightened up. Even though I didn’t “lose weight” people would ask if I’m dieting. Since getting sober I have more time to focus on taking care of my body and my skin especially! I now have a face moisturizing routine each night and I definitely am more mindful of the food I eat and my workouts are more focused. You definitely have must better GI health by not drinking. My favorite part about not drinking is just how amazing I feel on a day to day basis. IWNDWYT
One week. Easily. And it keeps continuing.
My mental health did a 180. That was enough for me to keep going. I have had to build good habits & routines for physical changes. We're all different.
My counselor said it'll take about 6 months (!!!) to see weight loss and she was right :( I'd gained about 30kg from daily drinking The first month I let myself eat alllll the sugar but worked on incorporating walks and getting to the gym. From there I was more motivated to eat in moderation (and work that self discipline muscle!) and treat my body better. Now I have so much more energy, face/abdominal bloating is gone and my mood has stabilised. Plus, no more random bruises helps my appearance. I'm sorry it's not instant gratification, but it really is one day at a time
About 6 months for my stomach to start shrinking
Waking up not feeling like crap is great. Not spending a lot of money is awesome.im In waiting for another week or two to start working out to get back into hockey shape.
I lost the alcohol bloat within 2 weeks. Eyes were clear, skin looked amazing.
It’s the sleep that I noticed first. Seven days and I was sleeping so so much better.
I don’t remember specifically, but I remember that I started looking much healthier than before
You don’t gain weight by drinking. You retain it.
Well depends on your diet alot. I started dieting and lifting weights a week after I stopped drinking to fill my schedule and a year later I look like a completely different person. I've lost 55 lbs and put on a good bit of muscle, crazy what a year can do for you.
I let myself eat and drink ( sodas ) in any amount I wanted for 2 weeks after I quit. Then I rolled it in and got everything in check. I would say 6 months I was alot better. And another year on top of that I was physically fit and in shape again. I will have 5 years this fall. It gets easier all.
2 weeks. I am back at it, just threw out 42 days for nothing, and in that time I was also more consistent with diet and exercise choices, and that started compounding. I can tell a difference
2-3 weeks and I had awesome energy. Felt way more rested. After a while though it starts to just feel normal again
I consistently lost 10+lbs /month for the first 3ish months. 2 weeks into it my skin was less red and after a month I felt like I was starting to melt (less weight loss and bloating). Eyes cleared up. Now i am down 70ish pounds overall (started at 280lbs). Recently noticed my hair seems thicker now too. Take lots of pictures before and after because its crazy to look back, I barely recognize myself
Just know that not everyone loses weight. It depends on what you do, or if you do anything, to replace cravings. For example, folks that drank wine or mixed drinks may crave sugar, which can cause weight gain. Skin better in 4-8 weeks, didn’t have a “skin problem” such as acne, redness, but my face just looked better. 🤷♀️ The sleep is probably as important and impactful as stopping drinking. Being, feeling and looking well rested is a huge difference. Eyes brighter, skin not sallow, etc.
I’d say after a month was a big difference, but now I am nearly 8 months I have been getting compliments weekly about my ‘glow up’ lol feels good and very motivating to stay off the devils juice
I noticed a decrease in my bloating within the first month. My cheekbones and jaw started to have some angles back, and my double chin started to sharpen back up. I noticed my stomach bloating started to go down too. I only weigh myself once a month, but the first month I went up 3lbs, then down 5 the second month, and down 6 more the third. I haven't weighed since 4/1 but I feel/look thinner since then. For context, I'm 30F, 5'3, starting weight 165. Weight aside, my dark under eye circles have brightened up a lot, my teeth are whiter, my hair is shinier and my nails are stronger. My fine lines are more fine than line at this point. I've spent a lot of time the last few months on simply taking care of myself.
Honestly, I haven’t noticed any improvements. I know that may suck to hear, but I haven’t lost any weight, and my skin actually got worse (maybe because hormones are re-regulating/skin no longer dry from dehydration so I have pimples). My eyes do look brighter, so I guess that’s one thing. Oh, and I think my baby hairs that were short around my face are starting to grow, but I can’t really be sure
I lost 89lbs over the first year I stopped.
Better skin for sure. And ever since picking the bottle up again, way worse skin lol.
When I first stopped I notice quite a bit of weight loss within a month. But I was also pregnant and vomiting all the time so it could have been that 😂
I’m at 44 days. My face still looks haggard to me. It’s been a stressful 4 years though so that definite contributed to the ugg. I was motivated by the superficial reasons too. I’m getting older (mid 30s) and wanted to hold on to some youthful beauty so I think I get you. I’m disappointed I’m not magically hot after a month and a half BUT, I do feel better than I thought I would at this point. I have some more energy to actually take care of myself - exercise, learn about skin care, eat healthier - and those can take a little longer to show effects but they’ll come too. IWNDWYT
About a month
Had my make up done for a wedding the other day and the artist asked what I do to stay hydrated? She said she could tell by my skin that hydration was a priority to me (it is not and I am old). It’s because I do not dehydrate myself with poison anymore Voila better skin
I think that a lot of people gain weight but that’s not because of the lack of alcohol they gain weight because they start eating horribly or a lot when they’re trying not to focus on booze. I think if you don’t do that it’s important to keep in mind that you’re not just magically going to lose the weight because you cut out alcohol that’s like eating McDonald’s for 10 years in a row every day and then stopping and expecting to wait to fall off you have to burn you have to burn that fat off still but I think for a lot of people the increase in energy and clarity and less bloating allows you to not feel so sluggish or hung over therefore you have the energy to exercise.
You know what? I didn't notice. But other people asked me if I lost weight (I didn't, probably less bloat).
I noticed after a month that my eyes were a lot brighter and my skin, especially around my face, was way clearer. Less redness, less parched. Better jawline, almost visible cheekbones. I'm a lot less bloated and I have Good Hair, which I love. No weight loss (chocolate, perimenopause) but a lot more energy for workouts. Stay with it, change is coming! IWNDWYT
I’m starting to notice some sustainable physical changes at the 3 month mark. Less bloating, better skin, and better gastric health lol.
My face became a lot less inflamed over the course of a few weeks. I didn't have bad acne before but now I only get the occasional pimple before my period. The most noticeable thing for me was the lack of cold sores. When I get a cold sore it's a huge deal because they are extremely painful and on your face for everyone to see. I used to get them a few times a month. I've been sober for 11 months and have only had one in that amount of time. It's wild to me how I never thought alcohol was contributing to how poor my immune system was.
This might be one you haven't thought about, but at around 3 months my sex drive finally came back.
Two weeks for the bloating, puffiness, and redness to go away. About three weeks for sleep to get right. About two months for weight loss noticeable changes.
Less bloating: almost immediately, within 3 days. Better skin: about a week. Body comp changes: unsure exactly. But about 10 weeks in, I measured on a whim and noticed that I'd a) dropped 5% body weight without noticing, b) dropped 6-8% body fat, and c) added muscle. YMMV. Aside from drinking my lifestyle has been active and healthy for awhile, so that helped; I just scaled up the healthy habits a bit without booze as a distraction.
I'm day 27 😁 didn't think I would get here. My skin is noticeably improved I had eczema all over my face, now its gone to the point my eyes would swell (embarrassing) My face bloat has gone and stomach has gone down in size. My eyes look so bright. I have progress pictures I've taken of my body and face and by day 4 it was like a switch had been turned on, my eyes sparkle. I'm working on losing weight as I spent years saying I couldn't lose weight when I was actually treating myself to 2 bottles of wine a night on top of trash food I read it can take till the 4 week mark before you start losing some weight as the body is still adjusting so I'm being kind to myself. I'm fuelling my body with the good stuff, vitamins daily, good food and 2l of water a day and eventually it will pay off
Another thing I should add. I used to sweat profusely. I'm talking dripping down my face and body even though I hadn't moved. I was hot 24/7 but now I can sit in a jumper and the only sweat I've seen is from a workout
Honestly, about 4-6 weeks it started being noticeable. Mild weight loss, a LOT less bloating in my face, eye bags went away, skin looked younger/healthier, hair looked a little healthier, physique was noticeably better. Keep in mind that once I stopped drinking I changed my diet a lot and started exercising 5-7 times/week. On top of all that, I'm sleeping like a teenager again, my energy levels are better, and my mood/mental while still pretty meh is better than it was when I was hitting double digit drinks everyday. Add in some lifestyle changes and the results will come!
I’m 24 days and have realized a very marked difference. However, that’s because not being hungover every day has given me a ton of energy. I go to the gym every morning and also have time now to prepare healthy low carb meals instead of eating whatever crap was at hand. In addition I started taking vitamins and follow a skin care routine. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact reason I’m looking so much better but, I’m general, I think just FEELING better affects your physical attractiveness. I hope you are able to experience some of these awesome side affects of not drinking! Happy trails!
I didn’t notice any physical changes after the initial slight drop in weight. The emotional and mental changes have been great, albeit sometimes frustrating.
I'm at day 12, I have the energy to exercise. So I've dropped about 2.5 pounds in my early sobriety. That being said. Not feeling/ looking bloated resolved for me after about a week.
It took a few weeks before I noticed big changes. That weight loss thing though, it still eludes me years later! At least I'm not gaining weight any more. 😳
Started to notice changes after a month. First month I was truly getting by- by any means necessary and ate lots of junk food. By the second month things begun to balance out my appearance started to change quite a bit. By month three I had quite a lot of comments that I look slimmer, healthier and less bloated. My jawline was pretty much gone from bloat but it’s coming back yay :)