ALCOHOLICS: RECOVERY & FITNESS (Serious Only Please)

[ckern1]

Yep. I just gotta man up and do what's best for me

[fropleyqk]

Hi all! New to the forum and the first thread I look out for is the recovery one.
I am fast approaching 2 years off the booze and ***s. Took up running to fill the gap and become hooked on ultras. Now want to build a bit of muscle. Is this possible when I regulary run 60 miles a week?

Congrats on 2 years and finding something constructive to fill the gap. Theres nothing saying you cant build some muscle and run at the same time. Running 60 miles a week is a LOT. Impressive. You'll have to adjust your diet and your run times may suffer a little. It's all what you want with a little give and take.

I run regularly (not 60 miles though) and have been making gains in the gym. Personally, I prefer to lift over running now but still do both.

[BackwoodsGa]

Happy holidays friends!Hope we all stay safe and sober.

[209vaughn]

Happy holidays friends!Hope we all stay safe and sober.

You too!

[stevie88]

First sober Xmas for 20 years...Merry Xmas to all.....

[BackwoodsGa]

First sober Xmas for 20 years...Merry Xmas to all.....

Merry christmas and congrats!

[LAWLER89]

I'm struggling right now. My friends that don't really know how bad I got started to try to convince me I didn't have a problem. After going through withdrawals, rehab, and aa there is no doubt in my mind that I'm a full blown alcoholic. An alcoholic is an alcoholic. I'm going back to school in a few weeks and these are the friends I will be dealing with. Maybe they are dumb and maybe alcoholic themselves but they are my true friends. How do you guys deal with your pride telling you to defend your decision to people? I just wanna hear some wisdom before I go to bed because I am seriously shaken up after this discussion

Been there. Any time you're under the age of ~25 or so, no one can believe you're an alcoholic. And when you explain it to young people you get idiotic replies like, "I think you just got bad hangovers and don't know how to handle them."

I stopped trying to justify my alcoholism as legitimate and just started either ignoring their stupid questions, or simply saying, "I'm not drinking." When the inevitable "Why?" question comes, I just tell them because I don't want to and they don't need to worry about what I'm doing.

If they can't respect your decision not to drink, leave 'em be. But most people will leave it alone after you look them dead in the eye and say it's not happening; period.

[BackwoodsGa]

I'm struggling right now. My friends that don't really know how bad I got started to try to convince me I didn't have a problem. After going through withdrawals, rehab, and aa there is no doubt in my mind that I'm a full blown alcoholic. An alcoholic is an alcoholic. I'm going back to school in a few weeks and these are the friends I will be dealing with. Maybe they are dumb and maybe alcoholic themselves but they are my true friends. How do you guys deal with your pride telling you to defend your decision to people? I just wanna hear some wisdom before I go to bed because I am seriously shaken up after this discussion

Bro, I had to realise...people,places and things are the key to sobriety.You cant hang with the same people,cant go to the same places...and you cant do the same things.Or..you go back to the same ways.It takes drastic life changes but,you can win.stay strong.

[chodan9]

I was 24 when I got clean and sober, I didn't really have a problem with friends saying I didn't have a problem. I stopped hanging with them and they no longer wanted to hang with someone who didn't drink or use so it was mutual.
My bigger challenge was some of the short timer AA's at the time who could not conceive of someone getting sober at 24.
I actually was told by some "I probably spilled more than you drank!" to which I replied "maybe if you had drank more of it you would have gotten to AA sooner"
Those people eventually went on there way like the vast majority of those who enter into AA, a few stayed though and changed there tune.
Eventually it becomes not about what got you there, but what it takes to stay there.

[209vaughn]

Feels good to be in a meeting tonight. My thoughts and feelings were getting a little sideways and i needed to be calm an still and sit and listen.

Hope everyone is having a good night/week.

[BackwoodsGa]

Keeping you all in my thoughts.Have a great and sober weekend.

[BackwoodsGa]

Wishing everyone a happy and sober new year.Ill greet 2013 sipping coffee as usual.Have a great one.

[EjnarKolinkar]

Wishing everyone a happy and sober new year.Ill greet 2013 sipping coffee as usual.Have a great one.

Thanks, safe and sober to all. I'll be sippin tea and watching Netflix.

Feels good to be in a meeting tonight. My thoughts and feelings were getting a little sideways and i needed to be calm an still and sit and listen.

Hope everyone is having a good night/week.

I used to wait to talk first two times I put together a year. Now I just like to listen, there are always things I need to hear.

[Spen1971]

Heres to another sober year!

[BackwoodsGa]

Heres to another sober year!

Amen!

[germanyt]

16 days without a drop.


Never posted in the 35 misc before but I'm growing weary of the dumb shiit in the misc so I came to check it out. Saw this thread. I drank a fifth of bourbon 16 days ago after promising my wife I wouldn't drink anymore. I sorta talked her into picking it up for me while she was at the store. Even asked her not to buy the half gallon because 'I don't need that much'. So I killed the fifth and woke up after 4 hours of sleep and felt awful. Not from the alcohol but the shame of having broken my promise and then going way overboard. So I went to an AA meeting that morning but couldn't stay becasue I felt sick. I haven't been back to one yet but I have been doing okay I guess without drinking. Bored a lot and semi depressed but getting by. AA is tough for me being atheist. I don't have a problem with the program itself but half the steps involve a 'higher power' and I just don't have one.

[oldred]

As an atheist I felt a bit out of place at AA. They said it was okay and they were supportive but I still was uncomfortable and didn't go regularly. I think that annoyed some of the AA members more than my lack of belief. After a few bumps in the road I've not had a drink in well over a year.

[EjnarKolinkar]

16 days without a drop.


Never posted in the 35 misc before but I'm growing weary of the dumb shiit in the misc so I came to check it out. Saw this thread. I drank a fifth of bourbon 16 days ago after promising my wife I wouldn't drink anymore. I sorta talked her into picking it up for me while she was at the store. Even asked her not to buy the half gallon because 'I don't need that much'. So I killed the fifth and woke up after 4 hours of sleep and felt awful. Not from the alcohol but the shame of having broken my promise and then going way overboard. So I went to an AA meeting that morning but couldn't stay becasue I felt sick. I haven't been back to one yet but I have been doing okay I guess without drinking. Bored a lot and semi depressed but getting by. AA is tough for me being atheist. I don't have a problem with the program itself but half the steps involve a 'higher power' and I just don't have one.

Plenty of agnostics, as well as non standard religious types in AA. There are all kinds and types in meetings, some straight nuts wackos too. A few different views aren't going to stop me from making progress. I don't get along with or agree with everybody in every meeting, ever. Not going to let that stop me from getting the good stuff out of it.

Chapter 4 in the AA book is help and explanation for the agnostic. Might help to breeze through that. The AA book is free to read on lots of sites, google it, and agnostics in AA. Be safe, good luck.

[Quietmarc]

Hey all....I'm still sober (tomorrow will be 15 months).

I was just wondering how or if anyone here has talked to their families about their drinking after getting sober? I finally told my mom over Christmas and she was pretty understanding (well, she did the thing non-drinkers do where they talk about "a time" when they drank "too much" but they eventually stopped, which I don't think is the same thing at all). I wanted her to know, if only so she'd have an explanation as to why her son hasn't been a great success, and she admitted that she'd had an idea that I had a problem for a while (so much for keeping my drinking secret).

I'd like to tell my dad, too, but we have a different kind of relationship where there isn't so much talking, and also, I'm pretty convinced that my step-mom, his wife, has a drinking problem herself (they make their own wine, and she finishes a big bottle most nights, more on weekends). I don't really want this to be a big "thing" at all, and my dad has never pressured me to drink at family events, so I'm not worried about that. I was just wondering whether others have told their loved ones about their drinking, and what happened when they did.

[BackwoodsGa]

Morning and happy saturday.Hope everyone is safe and sober.

[PappaBear76]

You can do this. You have the higher power within yourself.

[PappaBear76]

Hey all....I'm still sober (tomorrow will be 15 months).

I was just wondering how or if anyone here has talked to their families about their drinking after getting sober? I finally told my mom over Christmas and she was pretty understanding (well, she did the thing non-drinkers do where they talk about "a time" when they drank "too much" but they eventually stopped, which I don't think is the same thing at all). I wanted her to know, if only so she'd have an explanation as to why her son hasn't been a great success, and she admitted that she'd had an idea that I had a problem for a while (so much for keeping my drinking secret).

I'd like to tell my dad, too, but we have a different kind of relationship where there isn't so much talking, and also, I'm pretty convinced that my step-mom, his wife, has a drinking problem herself (they make their own wine, and she finishes a big bottle most nights, more on weekends). I don't really want this to be a big "thing" at all, and my dad has never pressured me to drink at family events, so I'm not worried about that. I was just wondering whether others have told their loved ones about their drinking, and what happened when they did.

Quietmarc~
Through my experiences I have found that discussing this with friends or family sometimes requires a different approach with each person. It was no secret in my circle that we all drank, but I drank like a fish. It was always around, and sometimes free or the only thing to drink in any given situation. Anyway, to make a very long story short. I had to let everyone know I was serious about a lifestyle change and eventually had to distance myself from people I care about. Fast forward to today, no one offers to buy me a drink when we go out, people now know I will not show up to a place where cigarette smoke and alcohol fill the air "unless I can play guitar and leave". And I got rid of many old "pals" and replaced them with true friends. It doesn't have to play out like an episode of Family Ties when you discuss this with them. Just let them know that you successfully kicked a bad habit and are now that much closer to some personal goals you set for yourself. You should be very proud of yourself for the 15 months and so should the people that care about you. If they knew what it was that you have achieved then it becomes something that should be celebrated with your friends and family over your favorite Protein Smoothie or Amino Energy!

[germanyt]

19 days so far. Yesterday was really tough. I've begun to lose my train of though every so often thinking about a drink. Yesterday my wife was talking to me in the car for probably a full minute without me hearing a word. I was starring at the light we were sitting at thinking about how I'm going to have any fun over the weekend without anything to drink. I feel like I live the same ole boring life now. Wake up and take my wife to work, get dressed and take my daughter to day care, go to work, pick up daughter, pick up wife, go home, cook dinner, watch TV, go to bed, repeat. I get so bored in the evenings. It's weird that when I have nothing to do but watch TV and surf the web I get very bored. But if I have nothing to do but watch TV and surf the web with a 6 or 12 pack it's all better. No more boredom.

[PappaBear76]

19 days so far. Yesterday was really tough. I've begun to lose my train of though every so often thinking about a drink. Yesterday my wife was talking to me in the car for probably a full minute without me hearing a word. I was starring at the light we were sitting at thinking about how I'm going to have any fun over the weekend without anything to drink. I feel like I live the same ole boring life now. Wake up and take my wife to work, get dressed and take my daughter to day care, go to work, pick up daughter, pick up wife, go home, cook dinner, watch TV, go to bed, repeat. I get so bored in the evenings. It's weird that when I have nothing to do but watch TV and surf the web I get very bored. But if I have nothing to do but watch TV and surf the web with a 6 or 12 pack it's all better. No more boredom.

Being Sober is the best Buzz eventually. When all the endorphin's get back in check you can then reflect on the fact that you no longer have to wake up in the mornings with the feelings of regret from a previous day/night of drinking. I felt the same way for a while but had a lot riding on my sobriety at a time where drinking felt like the only escape from what was going on. Very very tough but worth it.

[209vaughn]

19 days so far. Yesterday was really tough. I've begun to lose my train of though every so often thinking about a drink. Yesterday my wife was talking to me in the car for probably a full minute without me hearing a word. I was starring at the light we were sitting at thinking about how I'm going to have any fun over the weekend without anything to drink. I feel like I live the same ole boring life now. Wake up and take my wife to work, get dressed and take my daughter to day care, go to work, pick up daughter, pick up wife, go home, cook dinner, watch TV, go to bed, repeat. I get so bored in the evenings. It's weird that when I have nothing to do but watch TV and surf the web I get very bored. But if I have nothing to do but watch TV and surf the web with a 6 or 12 pack it's all better. No more boredom.

This all passes. Just focus on building a new life and work on making yourself better in areas that you struggle with. Focus on being a better father, husband etc. Be grateful for what alcohol hasen't yet taken from you and focus on the blessings you have.

[Quietmarc]

19 days so far. Yesterday was really tough. I've begun to lose my train of though every so often thinking about a drink. Yesterday my wife was talking to me in the car for probably a full minute without me hearing a word. I was starring at the light we were sitting at thinking about how I'm going to have any fun over the weekend without anything to drink. I feel like I live the same ole boring life now. Wake up and take my wife to work, get dressed and take my daughter to day care, go to work, pick up daughter, pick up wife, go home, cook dinner, watch TV, go to bed, repeat. I get so bored in the evenings. It's weird that when I have nothing to do but watch TV and surf the web I get very bored. But if I have nothing to do but watch TV and surf the web with a 6 or 12 pack it's all better. No more boredom.

I've been there...and I still get there now and again. One thing about not drinking is that you realise just how many hours there are in a day. But after a while, you start filling up those hours with things other than drinking. You'll get more quality time with your family, you'll discover new hobbies, you'll get a lot more done and feel more energy. Right now bordedom is just the addiction talking, you can beat it.

[Slider59]

19 days so far. Yesterday was really tough. I've begun to lose my train of though every so often thinking about a drink. Yesterday my wife was talking to me in the car for probably a full minute without me hearing a word. I was starring at the light we were sitting at thinking about how I'm going to have any fun over the weekend without anything to drink. I feel like I live the same ole boring life now. Wake up and take my wife to work, get dressed and take my daughter to day care, go to work, pick up daughter, pick up wife, go home, cook dinner, watch TV, go to bed, repeat. I get so bored in the evenings. It's weird that when I have nothing to do but watch TV and surf the web I get very bored. But if I have nothing to do but watch TV and surf the web with a 6 or 12 pack it's all better. No more boredom.

I'll second what everyone has said. The only thing I'll add is go to a meeting and except the fellowship.

[BackwoodsGa]

Wishing everyone a great and sober weekend.

[PappaBear76]

Wishing everyone a great and sober weekend.

Back at ya!
A young local lady had a fatal accident last night and the news said alcohol was involved. This is always a terrible reminder.

[cowboybiker]

Went to a meeting tonight and shared with about 40 newcomers.
It felt great being able to share with newcomers that haven't heard all my old stories yet

The best part was when about 10 of them came forward after the meeting to either get my number or shake my hand.

Happy cowboy is happy