Today is my day 13 – I think this is my second day 13, the first go around I made it to day 10, the second time, I made it a little over two weeks (can’t remember exactly when I failed), but this time, for some reason, it feels different.
One week from Sunday, I will compete in my first ever sprint triathlon. I am far from being a skilled swimmer, fast cyclist, or effective runner. But I WILL complete the course, which is something I’ve wanted to cross off my bucket list for some time. Prior to tri training, I had been working with a personal trainer at the gym, and our focus was weight training. I absolutely love lifting weights, and both my hubby and I really love our trainer. He is such a great guy – very encouraging, very knowledgable, and he kicks our ass. However, what has always held me back from getting from point A to point B had been my wine drinking. Trainer would give us a nutritional plan to follow (we follow the Paleo plan when we are “on”), but I’d sabotage it all with my drinking. Sure, I’d eat an extremely healthy dinner, but would wash it down with a bottle of wine, and then, oh hell, is that ice cream in the freezer?? Damn, those potato chips look good! Hey – my son has some Easter candy left!! You can see where I’m going with this….the booze would always lead me to make bad decisions regarding food.
I’m a very impulsive person (aren’t most alcoholics?) and even now, without the wine, I find myself making poor choices. I’m craving sugar, but from what I understand, that may be normal? So, hubby and I have decided to start the Hubby vs. Wife Body Fat Challenge. We are looking to really get back into the gym and to start eating healthy again, and whoever loses the biggest percentage body fat in six weeks gets something fabulous from the loser. I’m really excited about the prospect of focusing on something other than drinking. And doing this may just help me to reach the goals that I’d always sabotaged by drinking mass quantities of calories every evening.
Day 13 feels pretty good!
soberjessie 
Yay on Day 13! Personally I’ve found I really start to notice the benefits around the two week mark – sleeping better, feeling better, less cravings. So keep it going. You’re doing great. Also, the other goals sound terrific and great if they make you feel good and keep you on the healthy track. Just make sure you’re not asking too much of yourself or beating yourself up too much over them. I think sometimes we can want to change everything ALL AT ONCE and that can be self defeating. Positive changes, GOOD. Too much pressure, BAD. Balance is key and sometimes you need the damn ice cream 😉
(Says she, who has been eating healthy and exercising all week but just bought herself a pint of Ben & Jerry’s treat because it’s Friday night here and well, fuck it. In a good way 🙂
Keep it up!
Forgot to say, that yes, sugar cravings are totally normal. Think about all the sugar in wine that you were pumping into your body—your body misses that. And some say that’s one of the reasons some of us turn to alcohol, that we are really sugar-holics. Potatoes, Not Prozac I think really hits on this…
I’ll tell you what someone told me when I was early in sobriety…
“Eat the jellybeans.”
In other words, go ahead and give your body the sugar it craves. Better the jellybeans or candy or ice cream or bread, than the wine. You can run it off and lose the weight later. And even better, you’ll be doing it sober.
Sobriety is your number one goal, girlie… whatever it takes, right? Good luck on Sunday!
Hey, wait, so all that ice cream and candy bars I crave when I try to quit are normal?? That makes me feel SO much better.
It’s my normal, if that makes you feel any better:) Yes, I am most definitely a sugar addict. Right now, though, I’ll take chocolate over wine. One demon at a time!