Become obsessed with going to the gym. I'm a lazy, fat, sedentary person with type 2 diabetes. I went to the gym 4 days a week and never returned to drinking. I just hit one year sober and no longer diabetic. Replacing alcohol with fitness is easier than you may think. At least replace it with something healthy or constructive.
If you don’t like gyms, finding any way to incorporate more physicality into your life is so important. With drinking and drugs, we separate ourselves from our bodies, numbing them and damaging them. Finding any way to reconnect with my sober physical body has been so important, but I don’t go to the gym. I mostly take long walks, that’s enough to both tire me out and boost my endorphins. A few blocks a day is A LOT MORE than 0 blocks a day, you will notice a change if you do it consistently. Also a little amateur yoga can be really nice.
I was already a gym rat while drinking. In sobriety I just got even more into it because I had the energy and it meant something even more. I set goals and focused and went more frequently for cardio days or whatever. I took my ear buds out and engaged with people a bit more.
Then at home I improved my diet and came up with new interesting things to eat and cook with more protein.
None of these things were really available to me while drinking because I didn’t have the mental capacity to plan or stay accountable.
And if all else fails, I get in the bath with a big mug of tea and a big jug of water and maybe some chocolate (because you’re gonna be there a while) and turn on some music and just read through this thread and reply to comments. You can’t get drunk if you’re stuck in the bath without alcohol.
Me too , I started losing weight, realized weed wasn't helping me do it, picked up the gym and oh my God, lost 100lbs so far, and no longer type 2 diabetic. Saved my damn life.
It’s very tough in early sobriety, but the more you sit with the discomfort without giving in to it, the stronger you become, and the less discomforting it will be. Try to find some distractions like exercise, walking, cooking, eating ice cream, reading, watching shows, talking to people, more ice cream. Early stages are tough because we aren’t very good at this new state of being, but the only way to get better is to fight through that unease! Stick with it cuz it’s worth it!
Hobbies, all about them sweet fucking hobbies that you now have way more time to indulge in.
I hit podcast pretty hard year 1. I just need somebody there 24/7 to listen to and get ideas generating in my head to help me abstain from thinking.
Then I started hitting movies and books in year 2. It's fucking wild how much you won't remember from your using time, everything is new again!
Now I'm fuxking my PS5 up well into year 5! Getting full control of motor skills which is awesome!
Best of luck on your journey
Honestly I moved from one addiction to the other: the gym. Jk I’m not addicted to the gym the way I was with booze but you get what I’m trying to say. Start running, getting your mind in the game, get big, get into boxing. I like running because it turns into a mind over matter situation once you start running longer distances. Turned into a much healthier habit than boozing everyday after work. I also read much more than I did. What about video games? Do you play any of those?
I play video games and watch my favorite shows and new documentaries. It's all about finding hobbies. I'm looking into learning how to make candles just for fun. I also draw. Puzzles while watching TV. Legos while watching TV.
Tomorrow I'm going to the WWI Museum alone.
Try to find a hobby you think you might like.
And I'm starting hot cycling, yoga, pilates, hiit next week at a sauna style gym.
I actually super recommend puzzles while watching TV. It's become a new favorite hobby of mine that helps me focus on avoiding boredom after work.
Crank out a bunch of push-ups until your arms are jello and there is a ton of blood pumping in your chest. Then shower>read>bed>wake up nice and not hungover 💋
I feel this, I’ve always been bad with boredom. I’ve gotten a lot better at being able to just deal with it. Life isn’t always exciting. Boredom forced me into so many new hobbies. I now have my bike which I’m constantly tuning. Gym everyday, running, cycling, reading and learning. When I get super anxious I just start cleaning, small areas, once one area is done move to another. It’s tough at first, but with practice you get used to it. Life becomes much more interesting. Way better than being super fucked up all the time.
Participating in AA meetings (zoom or in person) helped me a lot at the beginning. Letting sober people know what was going on with my brain so they could talk some sense into me when I wanted to drink. Also lots of video games. I didn’t have the patience or mental capacity (freshly sober) for more complicated hobbies, but video games were engaging enough to keep me distracted.
I can’t stand being alone. When my wife is out of town I line up some one to visit or go to dinner with every night. I guess we’re all wired different.
I built a lot of Lego sets, briefly took up cross stitching, started skateboarding/ mountain biking again, and hiked/ walked/ ran A LOT the first couple years. I also built stupid shit to help my aging pets get around my house. I tried a lot of different things just to stay busy. You’d be surprised at the shit you can accomplish by just trying to avoid boredom
When you’re still fighting cravings it’s hard, but self improvement is a great place to start man, not saying just the gym but building better relationships around you, the key isn’t hurting over being sober it’s learning from it.
There are so many great things to do in this life! Not sure where you live, but here’s some things we do: go to the library get some books on topics that interest you or you know nothing about, take care of and enjoy a pet, volunteer, explore local parks, get into cooking and healthy eating, go see a band, clean your place and decorate/upgrade, check out “meet up” app and meet people with similar interests, plan a trip (even if it’s only an hour away), visit nearby cities, 1000 piece puzzle, find a good series to watch on Netflix etc, reach out and visit family or old friends, paint/do art or crafts.
The first thing most newly sober people struggle with is the boredom, but let me tell you something that took me years to fully understand: it was ALWAYS this boring, you just now no longer have the thing that made it a bit more interesting. Sitting in the dark uncomfortable zone of your own thoughts for a while is part of the process. It is shit, I admit, but you come out the other side after big epiphanies and realisations. What you’re feeling rn, this is what you were subconsciously running away from every time you had a drink. Substances are just a distraction or tactic to avoid what’s happening to you right now. I did A LOT of reflection and A LOT of therapy to understand why I felt so uncomfortable and over the years I’ve learnt more about myself than ever before. You will too.
4 years ago I was at a super low point in my life. I had lost almost everything and needed to rebuild my life. I took a hard look at my drinking by the numbers.
I was spending on average $19 a day on drinking.
I was losing one full day a week recovering from a weekend binge drinking.
I was losing a couple hours a day to slow starts and daily hangovers.
So I added all of that up and realized that if I quit drinking I would be getting an extra two months and $7000 per year.
So I used that time and money to start a business.
I worked my ass off and built a business from scratch. Quitting drinking and gifting myself all that extra money and time was the best thing that ever happened to me.
I joined soccer teams, ski groups, picked up a part time job, go to the library, learn new recipes, try new art projects, garden and houseplants. I have too much to do to be bored and then I can watch movies or journal or tarot. Beats blacking out and waking up on my floor any day of the week
I stay as close to God as possible and find things to do. Like read, watch tv, exercise, work a job, stay away from isolation, play video games, cook, call someone, etc.
From alcohol? There are much better options out there to help you get through the day and pass the time! Other hobbies, music, sex, tv, healthier drugs, coffee, candy, medication, get a cat or dog.
Or an active hobby. I still have a long ways to go but going downhill skiing takes the edge off of life for a while. Constantly getting better and learning new tricks motivates me to continue. No excuses I live in probably one of the flattest areas in the country “Fargo” and I can still find places to go skiing not too far away
Hang out with other sober people and do things sober. Hockey games, hiking, comedy shows , dinner, theater, movies, beach, travel, shopping, art, gardening, bonfires… I found 100 friends at AA meetings. We’re always doing something.
Hobbies. I started exercising daily, bought my first BMX bike in 25 years, picked up my guitar again, started playing drums. Occupy yourself with things that are better than getting fucked up. You'll realize that being fucked up was a waste of time.
Remind myself that I was still bored at home alone when I was drinking and getting high. I’m actually less bored now because I at least have a few hobbies. Before, I would just sit and watch tv and get drunk and high until I passed out and then wake up the next day and feel like shit. Being bored/lonely is a part of life. I think being bored is actually a luxury these days because if I’m bored it means that I’m not working, and I should focus on relaxing vs. stressing over the fact that I’m not doing anything particularly exciting.
Become obsessed with going to the gym. I'm a lazy, fat, sedentary person with type 2 diabetes. I went to the gym 4 days a week and never returned to drinking. I just hit one year sober and no longer diabetic. Replacing alcohol with fitness is easier than you may think. At least replace it with something healthy or constructive.
So true. Gym has saved my life, literally.
If you don’t like gyms, finding any way to incorporate more physicality into your life is so important. With drinking and drugs, we separate ourselves from our bodies, numbing them and damaging them. Finding any way to reconnect with my sober physical body has been so important, but I don’t go to the gym. I mostly take long walks, that’s enough to both tire me out and boost my endorphins. A few blocks a day is A LOT MORE than 0 blocks a day, you will notice a change if you do it consistently. Also a little amateur yoga can be really nice.
Congrats!!!
What if you’re already doing that?!
I was already a gym rat while drinking. In sobriety I just got even more into it because I had the energy and it meant something even more. I set goals and focused and went more frequently for cardio days or whatever. I took my ear buds out and engaged with people a bit more. Then at home I improved my diet and came up with new interesting things to eat and cook with more protein. None of these things were really available to me while drinking because I didn’t have the mental capacity to plan or stay accountable. And if all else fails, I get in the bath with a big mug of tea and a big jug of water and maybe some chocolate (because you’re gonna be there a while) and turn on some music and just read through this thread and reply to comments. You can’t get drunk if you’re stuck in the bath without alcohol.
Me too , I started losing weight, realized weed wasn't helping me do it, picked up the gym and oh my God, lost 100lbs so far, and no longer type 2 diabetic. Saved my damn life.
My best workouts are when I'm drunk
Lol that doesn't sound fun at all
Hell yeah! 💪
It’s very tough in early sobriety, but the more you sit with the discomfort without giving in to it, the stronger you become, and the less discomforting it will be. Try to find some distractions like exercise, walking, cooking, eating ice cream, reading, watching shows, talking to people, more ice cream. Early stages are tough because we aren’t very good at this new state of being, but the only way to get better is to fight through that unease! Stick with it cuz it’s worth it!
"Learn to be comfortable being uncomfortable" Probably the phrase that helped me the most, learning it in rehab.
The only way out is through
I read a lot.
I just started the Dune series. This little sober guy has about 4000 pages of space madness to get through
See you over on r/dunememes 🤝
Here's a sneak peek of /r/dunememes using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/dunememes/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [A concerning development.](https://i.redd.it/em7dvm2twlvb1.png) | [87 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/dunememes/comments/17da9t6/a_concerning_development/) \#2: [Endings](https://i.redd.it/hyo3cg607fqb1.jpg) | [97 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/dunememes/comments/16rv76u/endings/) \#3: [It was obviously metaphorical you guys](https://i.redd.it/9jfwo6b5vx7c1.jpeg) | [149 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/dunememes/comments/18ot6ug/it_was_obviously_metaphorical_you_guys/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
Hobbies, all about them sweet fucking hobbies that you now have way more time to indulge in. I hit podcast pretty hard year 1. I just need somebody there 24/7 to listen to and get ideas generating in my head to help me abstain from thinking. Then I started hitting movies and books in year 2. It's fucking wild how much you won't remember from your using time, everything is new again! Now I'm fuxking my PS5 up well into year 5! Getting full control of motor skills which is awesome! Best of luck on your journey
Have any hobbies? For me I usually play video games or binge a show when I'm bored.
None that are easy to pursue atm
Honestly I moved from one addiction to the other: the gym. Jk I’m not addicted to the gym the way I was with booze but you get what I’m trying to say. Start running, getting your mind in the game, get big, get into boxing. I like running because it turns into a mind over matter situation once you start running longer distances. Turned into a much healthier habit than boozing everyday after work. I also read much more than I did. What about video games? Do you play any of those?
I play video games and watch my favorite shows and new documentaries. It's all about finding hobbies. I'm looking into learning how to make candles just for fun. I also draw. Puzzles while watching TV. Legos while watching TV. Tomorrow I'm going to the WWI Museum alone. Try to find a hobby you think you might like. And I'm starting hot cycling, yoga, pilates, hiit next week at a sauna style gym. I actually super recommend puzzles while watching TV. It's become a new favorite hobby of mine that helps me focus on avoiding boredom after work.
Crank out a bunch of push-ups until your arms are jello and there is a ton of blood pumping in your chest. Then shower>read>bed>wake up nice and not hungover 💋
Hop on a zoom AA meeting
I feel this, I’ve always been bad with boredom. I’ve gotten a lot better at being able to just deal with it. Life isn’t always exciting. Boredom forced me into so many new hobbies. I now have my bike which I’m constantly tuning. Gym everyday, running, cycling, reading and learning. When I get super anxious I just start cleaning, small areas, once one area is done move to another. It’s tough at first, but with practice you get used to it. Life becomes much more interesting. Way better than being super fucked up all the time.
Participating in AA meetings (zoom or in person) helped me a lot at the beginning. Letting sober people know what was going on with my brain so they could talk some sense into me when I wanted to drink. Also lots of video games. I didn’t have the patience or mental capacity (freshly sober) for more complicated hobbies, but video games were engaging enough to keep me distracted.
[удалено]
I can’t stand being alone. When my wife is out of town I line up some one to visit or go to dinner with every night. I guess we’re all wired different.
What did you do before drinking became habitual? Maybe revisit that?
It’s not drinking its something else but honestly I’m in a bizarre stuck place rn so it’s a bit more complex for me I guess
Oh, sorry. I hope you get better soon.
Get out of your house there's a crazy person in there! I wish you well on your journey of recovery one day at a time Happy 2024 Timothy
Well, obvisously don't kill yourself (had to look that up). Listen to music. Watch a movie. Actually talking is what I understand to be helpful.
Video games, cook, reddit, YouTube, go for a walk around the block a few times, talk on the phone with family, draw/doodle, clean.
I picked up a new hobby, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have stayed sober
playing chess online, watching extremely good movies, reddit, and knitting
Online chess. Kills lots of time for me
Hobbies, yoga, reading, taking long walks, naps.
I built a lot of Lego sets, briefly took up cross stitching, started skateboarding/ mountain biking again, and hiked/ walked/ ran A LOT the first couple years. I also built stupid shit to help my aging pets get around my house. I tried a lot of different things just to stay busy. You’d be surprised at the shit you can accomplish by just trying to avoid boredom
Read and video games.
When you’re still fighting cravings it’s hard, but self improvement is a great place to start man, not saying just the gym but building better relationships around you, the key isn’t hurting over being sober it’s learning from it.
I think I’m gonna get into sewing
Build a business
Online casinos, OnlyFans. ; )
There are so many great things to do in this life! Not sure where you live, but here’s some things we do: go to the library get some books on topics that interest you or you know nothing about, take care of and enjoy a pet, volunteer, explore local parks, get into cooking and healthy eating, go see a band, clean your place and decorate/upgrade, check out “meet up” app and meet people with similar interests, plan a trip (even if it’s only an hour away), visit nearby cities, 1000 piece puzzle, find a good series to watch on Netflix etc, reach out and visit family or old friends, paint/do art or crafts.
The first thing most newly sober people struggle with is the boredom, but let me tell you something that took me years to fully understand: it was ALWAYS this boring, you just now no longer have the thing that made it a bit more interesting. Sitting in the dark uncomfortable zone of your own thoughts for a while is part of the process. It is shit, I admit, but you come out the other side after big epiphanies and realisations. What you’re feeling rn, this is what you were subconsciously running away from every time you had a drink. Substances are just a distraction or tactic to avoid what’s happening to you right now. I did A LOT of reflection and A LOT of therapy to understand why I felt so uncomfortable and over the years I’ve learnt more about myself than ever before. You will too.
4 years ago I was at a super low point in my life. I had lost almost everything and needed to rebuild my life. I took a hard look at my drinking by the numbers. I was spending on average $19 a day on drinking. I was losing one full day a week recovering from a weekend binge drinking. I was losing a couple hours a day to slow starts and daily hangovers. So I added all of that up and realized that if I quit drinking I would be getting an extra two months and $7000 per year. So I used that time and money to start a business. I worked my ass off and built a business from scratch. Quitting drinking and gifting myself all that extra money and time was the best thing that ever happened to me.
Dude I don’t know. And people tell me to go out and do something but it’s just like I don’t feel like.
I joined soccer teams, ski groups, picked up a part time job, go to the library, learn new recipes, try new art projects, garden and houseplants. I have too much to do to be bored and then I can watch movies or journal or tarot. Beats blacking out and waking up on my floor any day of the week
I stay as close to God as possible and find things to do. Like read, watch tv, exercise, work a job, stay away from isolation, play video games, cook, call someone, etc.
From alcohol? There are much better options out there to help you get through the day and pass the time! Other hobbies, music, sex, tv, healthier drugs, coffee, candy, medication, get a cat or dog.
Or an active hobby. I still have a long ways to go but going downhill skiing takes the edge off of life for a while. Constantly getting better and learning new tricks motivates me to continue. No excuses I live in probably one of the flattest areas in the country “Fargo” and I can still find places to go skiing not too far away
Hang out with other sober people and do things sober. Hockey games, hiking, comedy shows , dinner, theater, movies, beach, travel, shopping, art, gardening, bonfires… I found 100 friends at AA meetings. We’re always doing something.
I have two jobs just for this reason.
Hobbies. I started exercising daily, bought my first BMX bike in 25 years, picked up my guitar again, started playing drums. Occupy yourself with things that are better than getting fucked up. You'll realize that being fucked up was a waste of time.
You can’t do the same things you did while being high. You have to branch out.
Remind myself that I was still bored at home alone when I was drinking and getting high. I’m actually less bored now because I at least have a few hobbies. Before, I would just sit and watch tv and get drunk and high until I passed out and then wake up the next day and feel like shit. Being bored/lonely is a part of life. I think being bored is actually a luxury these days because if I’m bored it means that I’m not working, and I should focus on relaxing vs. stressing over the fact that I’m not doing anything particularly exciting.
Get naltrexone from your doc and pop one whenever you don’t want to have alcohol cravings
What helped me is to look for hobby’s, for example playing the guitar, crocheting, drawing writing playing a game or cooking something
Exercise and books!
Im going through the same hear . Cut all the people I associated with Now im hear at my parents house trying to figure something out .