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‘Will I ever lose the extra pounds?’
You may have heard about people losing loads of weight when they quit drinking, and you’re asking yourself, why hasn’t this happened to me yet? But stop and think for a moment. You didn’t go alcohol-free just to lose weight, did you? I’m pretty sure you see it as an added bonus of the sober lifestyle you’ve chosen, rather than the main aim.
What’s the real reason you want to stop drinking?
With this in mind, have you thought about the reasons you don’t want alcohol in your life? If not, it’s worth exploring them now (or reminding yourself of them if you worked them out at the beginning). Why are you on this journey? Why are you reading this book? Why do you want to change?
Here are some of the answers I wrote down when I did this exercise before I quit drinking.
● I’m fed up of alcohol controlling my life; I hate thinking about drinking all the time and it being in charge of almost everything I do.
● I’ve had enough of hangovers, fuzzy heads, and not having energy or motivation because I’ve been drinking the night before.
● My anxiety is terrible and I’ve read that quitting alcohol might help.
● I hate the fact that I often put my drinking ahead of spending quality time with my teenage daughter; she should come first.
● I’m worried about the long-term health impact of my daily drinking, and am scared I’ll be dead before I reach 50.
A great exercise to do after you’ve made your list is to explore each answer in depth. You should also write an ‘opposite’ statement next to each answer and see if the new ‘opposite’ statement could be true for you.
For example, my first answer was:
‘I’m fed up of alcohol controlling my life. I hate thinking about drinking all the time and it being in charge of almost everything I do.’
An opposite statement that was true for me:
‘If alcohol wasn’t in my life, there’s a good chance I wouldn’t be thinking about it all the time, and it wouldn’t have control over the things I do. I would like to see how this feels for me and if it holds true.’
It’s important you believe the ‘opposite’ statement to be true – make sure it’s something you wholeheartedly stand by. This is why I stated there was a ‘good chance’ and ‘I would like to see how this feels for me’. Because in this case, I couldn’t say for an absolute fact whether it was true until I’d experienced it for real. Make your statement honest. By doing so you’ll see what your life could be like without alcohol in it; you’ll also take a close look at what you believe about sobriety and alcohol, and how correct your statements really are.
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The relationship between weight and alcohol
Okay, so maybe losing weight is one of the reasons you’re on this journey. Let’s talk a little about weight loss and alcohol.
It’s a fact that alcoholic drinks contain a huge amount of calories. A pint of beer has around 200 and a 750ml bottle of wine around 600. So over an average week of drinking, I was consuming at least 6,000 calories – that’s almost a third of a million a year! Take a minute to calculate your annual alcoholic drink calorie intake – it can be an eye-opener.
There are conflicting studies about how much alcohol consumption impacts on weight gain, but all reports agree to one degree or another that it definitely causes it to some extent. Put simply, the more often and heavily you drink, the more weight you’ll likely gain. Another study concluded that drinking alcohol either before or during meals can increase your intake of calories through the course of the meal, and recommended avoiding alcoholic drinks with food altogether. Of course, if your judgement is clouded from alcohol there’s also every chance you’ll find yourself eating more; we’ve all experienced those midnight burgers and kebabs on the way home after a night of drinking. Obviously, I recommend avoiding alcoholic drinks at all times, but it’s interesting that the study showed mealtimes to somehow boost the calorific properties of alcohol.
The obvious fact is that if we cut alcohol out of our lives we’re going to eliminate a lot of calories. When combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle, we’re set for success when it comes to staying in good shape, and I’ve spoken to hundreds of people who’ve quit drinking and almost all of them have lost weight.
But here’s the thing: it can take time, and it’s rarely a straight, downwards line when you stand on the scales. Please read that twice. It’s important to remember this so you don’t lose heart after a month of not drinking and possibly finding yourself slightly heavier.
One added element that can mess with your weight when you cut alcohol out of your life is that if you’re like many people, you might turn to sugary snacks and soda drinks to replace the booze. This can mean your weight stays the same, or you could even add on a few pounds in the short term. Don’t worry about it, because losing weight wasn’t why you quit in the first place.
A couple of months after I stopped drinking I had much more energy and motivation to do things. I got back into running, joined a fitness bootcamp, and found myself taking regular walks in nature. Despite that, it still took four to six months of sobriety before I lost weight because my body needed time to adjust. I’ve found the same story holds true with most people I speak to.
So stick with it and don’t beat yourself up if you don’t turn into a size six super-model two weeks after throwing your Chablis bottles away, because there’s so much more to gain from a sober life than weight loss alone. For me, gaining happiness and a sense of peace and calm in my life were far more important. It’s best to view losing weight as another gift of sobriety; when you cut such a large number of calories out of your life, the chances are you’ll see a measurable difference over the course of time. Just don’t expect instant results.
It’s worth taking a full body photo at the start of your alcohol-free journey and then comparing it to one taken after a couple of months without drinking. Continue to do this at regular intervals, as it will help you stay focused and give you a visual reminder of the rewards of sobriety.
‘Working out... this time last year I was 11st 8lbs, battling my weight and getting off the booze.
Now I'm 9st 1lb.
Alcohol-free for 5 months.
Loving my new sober life.’
Facebook group post by HT, Nottingham, UK
‘I’m so excited, and I just can’t hide it.
I spent some of my sober savings on new jeans. I’ve waited 100 days and FINALLY, I’m losing a little weight, so I got into a size 14 for the first time in several years.
I can’t breathe, let alone eat, but never mind!’
Facebook group post by AB, Bedfordshire, UK
‘Hi all... here is what's going on with me and I would relish your thoughts, experiences and input. I am on day 85. I am 59 years old. Not only have I not lost weight, but I've picked up about 8 lbs. I feel like I am going in the wrong direction.
I am learning about a Keto diet/lifestyle, have given up about 98% sugar and caffeine and 100% gluten, pasta, bread etc. If I have chocolate, it's the 80-95% cocoa dark chocolate. I do try to walk with my dog every day, anywhere from 1.5 – 3 miles. I also work full-time and am on my feet the entire time. My sober app says that it takes about 4 months for an alcohol-free person to begin to see changes in their weight.
For my own self-analysis, I still think that I am eating too many calories. And, while I do not need to reward myself as much now as when I first started this string of alcohol-free days, I do indulge in an Iced-Cloud Caramel Macchiato, and ice cream every once in a while, but not every day. While this all may seem a tad self-indulgent – and I am trying not to worry too much about this – I would like to lose a little bit of weight on this healthy journey!
Anyway, hope I don't sound like I'm whining. That wasn't my intent. Just looking to see if anyone can relate, or anything else you want to add. Happy Sober Sunday, ya'll!
P.S. Sober living is the best! Sending lots of sober and encouraging hugs to everyone!’
Facebook group post by MF, Little River, SC, USA