Hi there. I am so glad that you are making such an amazing change in your life! Are you drinking plenty of water? For me the first few months were abstinence. As I set the new behavior of daily abstaining it organically become sobriety. Taking care of the habit mindset in ,sometimes, minute by minute efforts blossoms into taking care of yourself as a whole being. Healthy diet, exercise and some spiritual growth is a great direction to take. Little steps in a consistent direction can bring you a long way. Because you are worth a better life, right? Nod your head YES:)

Thank you for your reply and kind words. I am trying to make a change, one that will last, hence joining this group. I am going to an AA meeting on Monday nights and will to go to others, but when I reach that point of drinking, I can't bring myself to call anyone like I should, I just do it! I am hoping that when those times hit that I will come to this site a talk my way out of the urge. I am worth a good and healthy life, one that doesn't include scaring and hurting my family. I am craving sugar too much to focus on eating a completely healthy diet, but it is my goal to slow way down on the sugar and eat right. I bought a stationary bike to get exercise. The Lord brought me to this site, of this I am sure. I pray many times a day, so my spiritual growth is a work in progress. Thank you to all who have and might respond to my post, it really helps a lot. I don't have anyone else I can talk to that understands the challenging behavior and thinking of addicts. Have a nice night all. =)

Welcome to the group and congratulations on two weeks of sobriety!

Alcohol made me gain alot of weight. While I was in outpatient treatment, I learned exactly how that works. When we drink, the liver has to stop processing fats so it can burn off the alcohol so it packages up the fats as triglycerides and sends them throughout the body.. So now that I have stopped drinking, my liver is processing fats 24/7. I lost my beer belly in about 6 months which was about 40 pounds.

Sobriety alone will take of the pounds but at the same time, it's a good idea to try to eat healthy and try to get moderate exercise. Just going for a walk is guaranteed to make you feel better..

There are lots of people here willing to help so don't be afraid to ask.

God Bless

Hi, I too am new here. 4 days sober now and looking to meet like minded people on this forum for support and to also support. I really wish you the best and know you can conquer this demon.

I first got sober while stationed in the Navy in Yokosuka, Japan in 1976. I got in troube from booze and sent to a treatment program on base. I stayed sober for abougt 3 years on guts and fear. I knew I would lose my career if I drank again so I went to a lot of AA meetings... Maybe 3 a week. I stayed sober for some 3 years before drinking again. I drank off and on for some 3 years until 1982 when I had enough. I went back AA and meetings. For the first 3 months I just white knuckled it. I did get a sponsor (which I would recommend you do... find a nice lady to be your sponsor). Through working the Steps with him the urge to drink went away. I have had a few sponsors since and each one led me down a different path and a different journey in finding myself.

Kimberly, I wish you the best in your sobriety. To an alcoholic the phone is the heaviest object in the world. It weighs six tons or more and too heavy to pick up. I understand that. I hated calling people... but after the first couple of times it is easier and easier to call. We recovered alcoholics are here for you and we want to help but we cannot help those who do not ask. I would also suggets more meetings. Do 90 meetings in 90 days if you possibly can. Sobriety is not easy but it is simple. So please continue meeting and if you get the urge to drink again, get to a meeting if you can or please call someone (a lady would help). Get lots of womens' phone numbers and call them. Get a sponsor and call her daily. You can do this.

Welcome. We are here.

Hi Kimberly. I wonder how you are doing, as I do not see any posts from you since two days ago. I got sober almost 11 years ago...I remember it as truly difficult, but I counted each day and wrote it down on the calendar. I also went to on average four or five AA meetings a week. These days, I still go 4 times a week. The concept of one day at a time...that I just had to stay sober (and clean) for THAT ONE DAY, really helped me a lot.

During the early days of recovery and sobriety, when the "craving" hit me, or when I was reminiscing the "good ole drinking days", I found that a quick prayer - God, please remove this obsession from me - worked wonders.

After numerous attempts at sobriety by means of out-patient rehab programs, court-ordered counseling and a trip to the psych ward, I found sobriety in the rooms of AA. I also did "90 in 90" (as suggested by Lukie1946), found a good sponsor, worked the steps with her, and somewhere along the way, I discovered I no longer needed an alcohol-induced haze to cope with the realities of life. I no longer go to meetings, as I have recovered, and have been happily sober for over 15 years.