Quitting Drinking Is Just The Beginning

Funny thing about the before picture here. It was taken in 2017. I had been sober for 4+ years at that point and felt good. Thought I looked good, too. Most sober before/after pics compare drinking days to sober days but I thought this illustrated some of the other changes that I've made since stopping drinking.

Every sobriety journey has its ups and downs. Take a few years of anyone's life, at any time, and you're bound to learn of some uncomfortable things. For me, my weight and appearance have always been a struggle.

For some context, as I write this I weigh about 185, which I will take all day, every day. It's roughly 10 pounds heavier than my all-time adult low of 173 which I achieved in late Summer of 2023, the after picture above.

But go back just a few years to this before picture in 2017 where I probably weighed around 230. And at the height of my drinking, I weighed almost 260! After knocking off the initial weight after stopping drinking, I held steady around 220-230. 

Sobriety has brought me many great things. I've changed careers. I met and married my wife. And she's sober! We've moved. We've traveled a bit. We've built a great life. But the best personal part of this journey came after several years when I finally took my appearance and weight more seriously. I'm in my early 50's. I'm learning about proper nutrition, diet and exercise, mindfulness, and so much more. 

Diet and exercise. I'm still learning!

Quitting drinking was just the beginning!