PROS
I have discovered that I do in fact have a chin.
My face does not look like a jello mold left in a hot car on a summer day.
I have two abs now. I have also put on maybe 10 pounds of muscle.
I can wear jeans again bc they fit.
I no longer have to bring baby wipes in public to wipe down my under arms after drinking.
I don’t profusely sweat for no reason.
I am ready for bed around 9 or 10
I have a new found social endurance where I can tolerate being around people
I keep my window shades up now bc I am not on a bender
CONS
Local liquor stores filed a missing person report
Hahah my husband used to go to the liquor store several times a day for a long time, then didn't show up for two months. We went in to grab my dad a specialty beer and they were like holy crap we thought you died
Im on day 12 and my face already looks waaaay less bloated and splotchy and my jowls are almost non-existent now
My eyes look less tired and puffy. Still have bags but I'm a single Mom so not sure if that will ever go away ha. Plus I have always had that coloring around my eyes a bit.
I'm 32 and a healthy weight but also overly critical of my appearance. Which doesn't seem to be the worst thing since it was a driving force for me to stop drinking. My point is...I probably look better than I think I do. A lady who works at our local grocery store told me today "you're looking really good?" Just out of nowhere so...
A lot of things take a few months to years to recover from and some things you can see a difference very early on.
IWNDWYT!
No problem! Also I'm about to get myself some "fancy" skincare. Basic cleanser and moisturizer and sunscreen and I think I'm going to try those gausha/jade roller things for my jawline and to have an unwinding nightly routine that doesn't involve alcohol destroying my skin.
Oh!! Nice! I have those haha so relaxing 🤗 I use one too that buzzes and has red light to it. Feels so so good!
if you’re not sure on a skincare brand you like, I highly suggest the Ipsy subscription. Under $20 for 5 samples every month. I get makeup with it too and most of the samples last me months!
I signed up for it today!
I went with a plan to get skincare stuff today and after 30+ minutrs and having no fucking idea where to start I was like... ummm I need a list first.
I'm also working on quitting smoking and the financial toll is my biggest reason for it. So Im spending money on the stuff I never have money for because my tabacco budget is a huge chunk of my very low income.
Oh yay!! 💜 Ya, Ipsy has definitely helped me realize what my skin likes and dislikes 😊 I hope you enjoy! I’ve loved it! There are some things I never knew my skin loved until I got a sample (niacinamide being one of them).
I've had some fancy masks, retinol eye creams, etc, in my bathroom cabinet but haven't let myself use them because they were wasted on my "wine face." Now I can start to use them happily!!!
I think my undereye bags are MORE prominent now that my eyes are brightening back up, lol. Time for the undereye cream!
Find yourself sunscreen that you'll use daily and don't stop using it, and avoid the sun if possible. My dermatologist told me I looked younger last week (38F), and I constantly get told I look like early 30s because of using sunscreen daily for the last 15 years. Fancy skincare is fun and a nice treat, but the best thing for your skin is not drinking, washing your face nightly, and sunscreen (and a retin A when you hit 35ish).
There’s a group called stopdrinkingfitness that shows some great before and after, really good motivation. For me 3 weeks was huge for my face! I was a weekend drinker so didn’t think it affected my face very much but wow it actually did!
I also love r/progresspics. Inspiring in general (I’m a sucker for any kind of before/after pic) but you can search “alcohol” “quit drinking” “sober” etc
Honestly I didn't notice it before everyone else did. I've told this story before on here but in rehab we had little "classes" we had every morning. I once raised my hand to share my opinion and our counsler stopped me and said
"Hey sorry to interrupt but I want to say something real quick. I just wanted you to know how much better you look right now compared to when you first got here. I saw the picture they had of your first day and man....the red from your face is almost all gone, you look healthy. You look damn good"
Like I said I didn't really notice it until then and once he said something, others started sharing the same thing but didn't want it to feel weird so they waited until someone spoke up first.
I still see the red in my face alot (its not all going to.leave) but I am the healthiest now than I probably ever have been.
I went into rehab around 195 and left about 175 and have lost more weight and toned up since then.
About a month in I started getting comments on my face.
I went through a divorce before my drinking spiraled.
My advice would be in addition to not drinking, be selfish and work on yourself. Every area of your life you can improve. Accept the relationship is over if you haven’t already. Mine started with a morning walk I would make in silence. Focus on the sights, sounds, and my breathing. That turned into going back to the gym and focusing more on my diet. Next thing I know I feel good about myself and my confidence started coming back. That was a sign my spiritual part was returning. For me spirit isn’t your religion, it’s your vibe, it’s that sensation you have when you wake up and can be good or bad depending on current circumstances.
Day 25 or 26 I think about two weeks for my face to start to reappear. My sister commented on it this week. Lots of cardio helps with both the not drinking and the improvement in overall health both physical and mental. I am eating better loosing about 1.5 kg a week with some running and group fitness classes. I ran my fastest 5k in 25 years within 3 weeks of stopping drinking after a truly horrific 3 month bender. I am looking forward to more improvement in the future. I am literally saving a fortune on toilet paper 1 square to clean 1 square to polish :-)
Congrats on the 5k!! I really want to build my endurance and strength! I pretty much have zero upper body strength but thankfully my appetite is reappearing. I was eating a lot today and was happy to remember how enjoyable food is. :)
And I lol’d at the toilet paper bit! Definitely need to work on my fiber! Glad your health is on the up! We got this 💪
Absolutely. Every day I feel and little bit better and every day a little more determined to make it permanent this time . All my best to you as well your face will be back before you know it.
Can relate. Stopped drinking, started to be more physically active with diverse activities, ate mindfully and dropped ~1kg per week. So in May I dropped 4kg. That has been encouraging
It’s hard to know if I looked better because quitting allowed me to exercise regularly, get better sleep , control my diet better and stay more hydrated OR if was the booze itself that made me look shitty but I would say the one month mark. for me 35 (M) excess weight fell off quick. Nearly 20 pounds in the first month. I could see the definition in my abs and chest and shoulders much more clearly after the first month. Skin was more clear, eyes more alive and expressive , better breathe and honestly a much more positive, confident way of carrying myself that others notice as an attractive trait. The first month was like a super change and then it was more gradual after that.
Thank you for the response! This is motivation for me :) I hope I get quick results as well! I’m happy that my eyes definitely look more alive!
IWNDWYT 💜
I’m on Day 8 and I see a huge improvement. Most of the redness in my face is gone. My eyes are less puffy. My skin looks healthier.
I also get a rash between and under my breasts when I drink too much. It’s markedly better. I anticipate another week or two and it will be gone so long as I keep hydrating and keep applying topicals I know help it.
I got bloated and gained about 5-10lbs due to drinking and consequent inactivity. I’ve started working out again, eating right, etc. The bloat seems to be going down and the scale is starting to trend downwards again. I’m hoping within a month I’ll be back to where I was before I picked up the booze in January and by the end of summer I’ll hit my original goal weight.
You got this. Alcohol really does take a toll on our appearance. And I’m sorry about your mom, the breakup, and the struggle to find friends. But there’s a community here ready to welcome you with open arms, should you have us. IWNDWYT and I’m sending a hug your way if you want it.
It’s not immediate but it doesn’t take long. Amazing how the alcohol can get out of your system and your body tries to immediately recover - all aspects - even your exterior. Another reason not to ingest that stuff. It has such a quick and negative impact
I took a picture at a wedding a while back which was one of my wake up calls. (Sadly I had so many) and I looked like absolute shit. Sweaty greasy hair bloated red face this lost lazy glassy eyed expression
I realized this is how people see me…now I’m proud when they comment how I look good and refreshed. Because I am.
It wont be day 1 but you’ll see it. You’ll feel it. I’m confident you will if you stick with it
I've lost 35 pounds and look years younger. It wasn't without effort, but without drinking a shit ton of calories daily, I was finally able to do it and now I can keep it off.
I’m on day 203 after 15 years of really going hard. First thing was my eyes. The puffiness left and the redness on my face cleared up. Within a month I lost my raccoon eyes. Within 3 months I lost 20 pounds. After 6 months my back acne, something I’ve dealt with for many many years, cleared up. That was a big one because I never felt comfortable in the summer months wearing a bathing suit.
Getting an automatic "Glow Up" is one of the BEST side effects of giving up the grog for an extended period. Well it is to me, but I'm a vain LEO... hahaha.
You will get that jawline back before you know it, increasing the exercise to help fill the void will speed up the process even more ..... Happy Days!!!
IWNDWYT
Thank you! 💜 I’ve been going into job interviews and don’t want to look sickly. I got jobs within the past year and alcohol use affected each one. Thankfully, they were all seasonal or contract but it was awful in a front facing position. I performed poorly. Before the pandemic I was a workaholic.
Eventually, I’d like to date again, but with how this break up did a number on me… I need to heal. It isn’t fair to someone new to get this version of me.
Yep. I’m with you 100%.
I ended my 25 year relationship coming up on 5 years ago. Been struggling with alcohol worse since then.
Today is day 9 and yesterday I thought my skin looked a littler brighter. I’m F56.
Just broke up with a really nice guy. Alcohol played a part early on but this time it’s really because we are compatible as bf/gf but we make really good friends. Thank goodness because hanging out with him is so fun and helpful. He doesn’t drink much. Can take it or leave. Can just have one…
I’m definitely not ready to date again. Got more work to do on myself.
Good for you for taking care of yourself!!
I'm 60 and really struggling to regain my looks and self esteem after a horrible breakup and tons of drinking I am going on 6 weeks. I have cirrhosis so the positive effects are JUST showing.
But I have opposite of most I CAN'T lose anymore weight 😞 I know the gym will help me regain the muscle but until I gain some weight I still am not looking great.
OP age matters if you can stop now you will be amazed how good you look in a short period of time.
Yeah I hope the damage I've done is still reversible it's pretty bad this time. Almost 2 months and I can't put on the weight to look healthier due to my liver function and also loss of appetite.
When I binge I don't eat either so I am easily committing suicide slowly with the alcohol.
Stay sober everyone it's a much easier and happy way of existing.
Lost love takes longer for some to get over ..... Tell me about it, I'm also a typical sensitive, big-hearted, romantic LEO (lol).
Just concentrate on you atm. & the rest will take care of itself, everyday not drinking not only improves your physical appearance, but it also adds to building back up your psychological muscle (your self-esteem). Plus you may have to learn how to date sober? ..... Which is a challenge best suited to when you have bigger numbers up on the non-drinking board.
Good luck, from Australia :)
I completely agree about the sober dating part! My ex admitted to being addicted to weed and he would pull all the behaviors we do when trying to hide it. It made me upset because I wanted to connect with him but he was reminding me of all the things I hated myself for when I’d do them.
My next partner needs to be a sober one and I’m lucky that previously before my recent ex I dated a man who had been 8 years sober and had been a sponsor himself. Turned his life around and was in medical school. He taught me the value of sobriety and I need to remember that!
Thank you!! IWNDWYT
I have felt like my skin feels and looks better and my eyes are brighter around the 10 day mark. About a month in bloating really starts to go down. Sorry about your breakup but congrats on your sobriety!
I'm four months mostly sober and have recently in the past couple of weeks noticed big change. Been doing a lot of yoga to calm my mind and it's starting to show. My skin is tanning more in the sun, bags under my eyes are a lot lighter and my skin is ridiculously clear. I am 25, but still put in over a decade of heavy alcohol abuse. Best I've ever felt physically. Mentally, it's the best I've felt in a long time but still a struggle.
Three weeks to start to lose the inflammation in my face, by six weeks I was without inflammation. As a female, it does fluctuate with my fertility cycle (bit of inflammation right before my period), but yeah noticeable difference at three weeks - a lady at my meeting commented on my face shape at that point - and back to feeling hella cute at six.
I used to work at a vitamin place and I would get turmeric with black pepper in it for free. I noticed it did seem to help with hormonal puffiness! Alcohol puffiness… Not so much. The black pepper is what activates it if you wanna give it a shot. :)
38F here. I have not lost any weight in 3.5 years. I wasn’t drinking a lot at the end so nobody noticed any phenomenal changes, but how I FEEL is transformed.
Be wary about responses here regarding personal experiences with weight melting away, not many people tell you their age and gender and it makes a HUGE difference.
It takes about 2 years for the hormone/endocrine reset if you are a chronic drinker. Quitting drinking does not erase any damage done to our bodies, and some of the effects will be permanent. Endocrine damage is a very common lasting effect, especially for women whose hormone systems are more nuanced. But it takes a lot longer than you’d expect.
Thanks for adding this. I'm 40, about to turn 41, and I'd love to claw my way back to size 8/10 from 12/14 right now. I'm also eating healthier and exercising, so I hope to see some gains, but it will be wise to adjust my expectations.
It's the first month that a lot of changes happen, but especially when you look back after three months or more, the difference is significant. I've lost so much weight and feel more present. I've lost the blur!
Pooping saw a huge improvement. I guess consuming only a liquid diet of wine wasn't good for digestion. I was balding (I'm a woman so that was undesirable) , my skin was bright red, and my nails peeled and split. I saw improvements to my skin texture within 2 months I'd say, pooping improved almost immediately, by the first year my nails and hair had started to grow thicker and stronger.
I posted some holiday pics on Facebook the other day. I was surprised how well I look. It has to be said I was also wearing nicotine patches because it was a family holiday. Keep it up mate!
Realistically I doubt you'll see any noticeable changes within your physical appearance within just a few days or even weeks especially from just not drinking alone.
Stopping drinking is not a miracle cure where your body suddenly transforms it's self IME but if you combine that with a good diet, exercise, fresh air and other healthier activities then you can expect to see changes within a couple of months.
I don't know when exactly it happened but during my recent 3 month sobriety stint I was eating healthy 99% of the time compared to probably about 60% of the time when drinking and started to add some extra walking into my day (already do about 90 minutes normally) but didn't really do much more physical exercise beyond that and I definitely noticed my stomach had reduced in size and was less bloated and I didn't have such a big double chin as before.
A family member of mines routinely quits drinking every year for a few months and loses quite a lot of weight around his belly and in his face within a month but that's combined with a huge overhaul of his diet and being active every day when he's usually sedantary.
I use and highly recommend a free app called EasyQuit Drinking. It motivated me and still does as my 1 year approach (liver takes 1 year) I cant post a picture here. But within the app you click on a heart and it opens up little progress timer circles for cell regeneration, withdrawal symptoms etc. I used it a lot. Our bodies are amazing at healing. I am still doing a lot of healing and notice I sleep deeply and my body is getting a lot of energy back.
I’d say it took a full year for me, personally, to see the full effect, but I saw the beginnings of it way sooner.
First thing to start improving was definitely my eyes and overall face puffiness. The puffiness took a long time to fully go down, but I did see changes within like 2 weeks, I’d say? Just minor ones, but I could see them at least.
My eyes started looking less sunken, and brighter once again.
Some weight fell off, too, though it might have also been bloating, and it wasn’t a lot, but just enough for me to notice :). That probably came on around week 2 or 3, too? And progressed very slowly.
I found a video of myself when I was only about one month sober, and in contrast to how I look now, I still looked like a bloated, dull-eyed mess, but I still looked better than I had been!
I noticed a brightening of eyes and general improvement within a few weeks maybe a month. But now around 90 days in I am really seeing a difference in the last couple of weeks. I’m getting lots of comments on looking good and I can see it myself - my skin has visibly brightened, smoothed, as if there’s a filter on it lol!! And my colouring is more even, looks more golden tan than blotchy now. My eyes are still the same - they are clearer and brighter than before a made changes.
Of course I am eating a bit better and I’m probably sleeping better and I’m actually in a DECENT skin care routine instead of half assing it. Not major change but just cleansing a bit more carefully and using my spf religiously.
Not sure. But people who haven’t seen me in a while comment on how good I look. I don’t feel like I’m any different and I haven’t lost more than a couple pounds. But it’s appreciated nonetheless.
At close to two months without alcohol, the whites of my eyes are whiter, the 11s (wrinkles) between my eyes are nearly gone, and my neck lines have faded.
I did not lose weight. But I also did not gain any too. I’m just stuck. My eyes aren’t bloodshot all the time. I don’t bruise easily on the dumbest bumps. My wounds definitely heal a lot faster. I’m not pale in my face anymore, there’s color now so no more Casper.
I've lost about 20 lbs this year since cutting back about 95%. I don't remember how long exactly it took me to realize my face looked less puffy. It was a couple of months before people started commenting that I looked good.
It all depends on how far you've let yourself go. I'd give it a few weeks to see noticeable changes, but you'll continue to see improvements up to over a year later. Plenty of people with significant sober time look better than they did in their early drinking days. It's not just the lack of alcohol but the ability to be disciplined all around and take better care of yourself. When I had 500 days I felt more attractive than any other point in my life including college.
Starting my journey again, day 2 here and IWNDWYT
I think my face looked better around 45 days. Eyes took longer than I expected but I remain chronically sleep deprived. Maybe around 30 days for them too. My scale measures hydration as well and that number climbed steadily for the first 3 months.
In the first couple of months I lost the puffiness in the face. Got really into sweets for about the first four or five months and so didn’t lose or gain weight. After that I cut the sweets to a more manageable level, and was by then exercising nearly daily. Another six months flew by and I had lost probably 30 pounds of fat and gained 15 pounds of muscle. My “skinny” jeans are now normal jeans again. I’m in some of the best shape of my life now about a year and a half in. I’m neither overweight or underweight currently. 34M for context
I’m on day 12 and the improvements have been such a relief. My hands and face had been feeling swollen and incurably red. No amount of lotion would help with the dryness. It was a slow improvement, but after about day 10 the swelling and pain in my hands was gone…plus they look like my hands again instead of some goblin’s!
The skin on my body looks less yellow/sallow and today is the first day I really notice improvement there. It was starting to freak me out…my alc-brain was unsure if it was just the lighting in my bathroom or the alcohol. 😓
Now I’m starting to glow a bit and the facial redness is so much better!!! Also my lips are not as dry…that improved after just a few days. the dehydration was real. 😳
I've noticed at 5 months I've lost a lot of weight and I feel and look healthy. I notice a huge difference in the mirror getting out of the shower and I like it. My wife has also noticed and has complimented my fitness.
I've always exercised but rarely saw progress since I always drank away the gains.
I know everyone’s body is different. For me drinking was SUCH a double edged sword because not only would the alcohol make my skin spotchy and puffy, but it would grossly decrease my body’s ability to process natural insulin. So I would chronically be more motivated to eat junk food.
The upside of that double whammy is that, when I quit, the appearance benefits were doubled too. I wasn’t poisoning my gut, but I was also willing to cook fresh food at home rather than eating toco bell and crap.
I think after about 22-25 days, friends who have not seen you in the preceding days, could spontaneously comment that your skin looks more glowy than before.
I haven’t lost weight. I replaced alcohol with snacks but now starting to let snacking go too haha. My eyes and skin were much clearer and brighter after a few weeks though!
PROS I have discovered that I do in fact have a chin. My face does not look like a jello mold left in a hot car on a summer day. I have two abs now. I have also put on maybe 10 pounds of muscle. I can wear jeans again bc they fit. I no longer have to bring baby wipes in public to wipe down my under arms after drinking. I don’t profusely sweat for no reason. I am ready for bed around 9 or 10 I have a new found social endurance where I can tolerate being around people I keep my window shades up now bc I am not on a bender CONS Local liquor stores filed a missing person report
The window shades 🥺 too real. I forgot how I used to do that. Thanks for the reminder of this important little thing 🙏
At least we can laugh about it now!
Hahah my husband used to go to the liquor store several times a day for a long time, then didn't show up for two months. We went in to grab my dad a specialty beer and they were like holy crap we thought you died
haha, i think my local brewery has gone bust!
This is great!
Yes! I found a few abs the other day in the mirror myself. Awesome.
Im on day 12 and my face already looks waaaay less bloated and splotchy and my jowls are almost non-existent now My eyes look less tired and puffy. Still have bags but I'm a single Mom so not sure if that will ever go away ha. Plus I have always had that coloring around my eyes a bit. I'm 32 and a healthy weight but also overly critical of my appearance. Which doesn't seem to be the worst thing since it was a driving force for me to stop drinking. My point is...I probably look better than I think I do. A lady who works at our local grocery store told me today "you're looking really good?" Just out of nowhere so... A lot of things take a few months to years to recover from and some things you can see a difference very early on. IWNDWYT!
go to r/30PlusSkinCare/ for skin care, and you will see what products to get to really boost that new fresh non-puffy skin!!
Thank you for this response!! I’m glad your results have been going so well! IWNDWYT 💜
No problem! Also I'm about to get myself some "fancy" skincare. Basic cleanser and moisturizer and sunscreen and I think I'm going to try those gausha/jade roller things for my jawline and to have an unwinding nightly routine that doesn't involve alcohol destroying my skin.
Oh!! Nice! I have those haha so relaxing 🤗 I use one too that buzzes and has red light to it. Feels so so good! if you’re not sure on a skincare brand you like, I highly suggest the Ipsy subscription. Under $20 for 5 samples every month. I get makeup with it too and most of the samples last me months!
Oh cool thanks I'll check that out!
I signed up for it today! I went with a plan to get skincare stuff today and after 30+ minutrs and having no fucking idea where to start I was like... ummm I need a list first. I'm also working on quitting smoking and the financial toll is my biggest reason for it. So Im spending money on the stuff I never have money for because my tabacco budget is a huge chunk of my very low income.
Oh yay!! 💜 Ya, Ipsy has definitely helped me realize what my skin likes and dislikes 😊 I hope you enjoy! I’ve loved it! There are some things I never knew my skin loved until I got a sample (niacinamide being one of them).
I have been terrible about taking care of my skin for the past year! Thank you for inspiring me to get back into it!
I’ve been doing the same thing! I figure, I’m not spending the money on wine, let’s get some fancy moisturizer! Haha
I've had some fancy masks, retinol eye creams, etc, in my bathroom cabinet but haven't let myself use them because they were wasted on my "wine face." Now I can start to use them happily!!! I think my undereye bags are MORE prominent now that my eyes are brightening back up, lol. Time for the undereye cream!
Find yourself sunscreen that you'll use daily and don't stop using it, and avoid the sun if possible. My dermatologist told me I looked younger last week (38F), and I constantly get told I look like early 30s because of using sunscreen daily for the last 15 years. Fancy skincare is fun and a nice treat, but the best thing for your skin is not drinking, washing your face nightly, and sunscreen (and a retin A when you hit 35ish).
So glad to hear about the jowls improving! But I’m 46 so may not be so lucky 😂
32 and I'd say it's similar to me. Eyes look healthy in the 2nd week. Also my default expression was sadness and that goes away slowly
There’s a group called stopdrinkingfitness that shows some great before and after, really good motivation. For me 3 weeks was huge for my face! I was a weekend drinker so didn’t think it affected my face very much but wow it actually did!
Oh, I’ll have to check it out!! Thanks for sharing 😁
Just joined!
I also love r/progresspics. Inspiring in general (I’m a sucker for any kind of before/after pic) but you can search “alcohol” “quit drinking” “sober” etc
Honestly I didn't notice it before everyone else did. I've told this story before on here but in rehab we had little "classes" we had every morning. I once raised my hand to share my opinion and our counsler stopped me and said "Hey sorry to interrupt but I want to say something real quick. I just wanted you to know how much better you look right now compared to when you first got here. I saw the picture they had of your first day and man....the red from your face is almost all gone, you look healthy. You look damn good" Like I said I didn't really notice it until then and once he said something, others started sharing the same thing but didn't want it to feel weird so they waited until someone spoke up first. I still see the red in my face alot (its not all going to.leave) but I am the healthiest now than I probably ever have been. I went into rehab around 195 and left about 175 and have lost more weight and toned up since then.
About a month in I started getting comments on my face. I went through a divorce before my drinking spiraled. My advice would be in addition to not drinking, be selfish and work on yourself. Every area of your life you can improve. Accept the relationship is over if you haven’t already. Mine started with a morning walk I would make in silence. Focus on the sights, sounds, and my breathing. That turned into going back to the gym and focusing more on my diet. Next thing I know I feel good about myself and my confidence started coming back. That was a sign my spiritual part was returning. For me spirit isn’t your religion, it’s your vibe, it’s that sensation you have when you wake up and can be good or bad depending on current circumstances.
Day 25 or 26 I think about two weeks for my face to start to reappear. My sister commented on it this week. Lots of cardio helps with both the not drinking and the improvement in overall health both physical and mental. I am eating better loosing about 1.5 kg a week with some running and group fitness classes. I ran my fastest 5k in 25 years within 3 weeks of stopping drinking after a truly horrific 3 month bender. I am looking forward to more improvement in the future. I am literally saving a fortune on toilet paper 1 square to clean 1 square to polish :-)
Congrats on the 5k!! I really want to build my endurance and strength! I pretty much have zero upper body strength but thankfully my appetite is reappearing. I was eating a lot today and was happy to remember how enjoyable food is. :) And I lol’d at the toilet paper bit! Definitely need to work on my fiber! Glad your health is on the up! We got this 💪
Absolutely. Every day I feel and little bit better and every day a little more determined to make it permanent this time . All my best to you as well your face will be back before you know it.
Can relate. Stopped drinking, started to be more physically active with diverse activities, ate mindfully and dropped ~1kg per week. So in May I dropped 4kg. That has been encouraging
It’s hard to know if I looked better because quitting allowed me to exercise regularly, get better sleep , control my diet better and stay more hydrated OR if was the booze itself that made me look shitty but I would say the one month mark. for me 35 (M) excess weight fell off quick. Nearly 20 pounds in the first month. I could see the definition in my abs and chest and shoulders much more clearly after the first month. Skin was more clear, eyes more alive and expressive , better breathe and honestly a much more positive, confident way of carrying myself that others notice as an attractive trait. The first month was like a super change and then it was more gradual after that.
Thank you for the response! This is motivation for me :) I hope I get quick results as well! I’m happy that my eyes definitely look more alive! IWNDWYT 💜
I’m on Day 8 and I see a huge improvement. Most of the redness in my face is gone. My eyes are less puffy. My skin looks healthier. I also get a rash between and under my breasts when I drink too much. It’s markedly better. I anticipate another week or two and it will be gone so long as I keep hydrating and keep applying topicals I know help it. I got bloated and gained about 5-10lbs due to drinking and consequent inactivity. I’ve started working out again, eating right, etc. The bloat seems to be going down and the scale is starting to trend downwards again. I’m hoping within a month I’ll be back to where I was before I picked up the booze in January and by the end of summer I’ll hit my original goal weight. You got this. Alcohol really does take a toll on our appearance. And I’m sorry about your mom, the breakup, and the struggle to find friends. But there’s a community here ready to welcome you with open arms, should you have us. IWNDWYT and I’m sending a hug your way if you want it.
To more days of being sober ❤️
It’s not immediate but it doesn’t take long. Amazing how the alcohol can get out of your system and your body tries to immediately recover - all aspects - even your exterior. Another reason not to ingest that stuff. It has such a quick and negative impact I took a picture at a wedding a while back which was one of my wake up calls. (Sadly I had so many) and I looked like absolute shit. Sweaty greasy hair bloated red face this lost lazy glassy eyed expression I realized this is how people see me…now I’m proud when they comment how I look good and refreshed. Because I am. It wont be day 1 but you’ll see it. You’ll feel it. I’m confident you will if you stick with it
I've lost 35 pounds and look years younger. It wasn't without effort, but without drinking a shit ton of calories daily, I was finally able to do it and now I can keep it off.
I’m on day 203 after 15 years of really going hard. First thing was my eyes. The puffiness left and the redness on my face cleared up. Within a month I lost my raccoon eyes. Within 3 months I lost 20 pounds. After 6 months my back acne, something I’ve dealt with for many many years, cleared up. That was a big one because I never felt comfortable in the summer months wearing a bathing suit.
Bloated face goes away pretty quickly, about a week.
Getting an automatic "Glow Up" is one of the BEST side effects of giving up the grog for an extended period. Well it is to me, but I'm a vain LEO... hahaha. You will get that jawline back before you know it, increasing the exercise to help fill the void will speed up the process even more ..... Happy Days!!! IWNDWYT
Thank you! 💜 I’ve been going into job interviews and don’t want to look sickly. I got jobs within the past year and alcohol use affected each one. Thankfully, they were all seasonal or contract but it was awful in a front facing position. I performed poorly. Before the pandemic I was a workaholic. Eventually, I’d like to date again, but with how this break up did a number on me… I need to heal. It isn’t fair to someone new to get this version of me.
Yep. I’m with you 100%. I ended my 25 year relationship coming up on 5 years ago. Been struggling with alcohol worse since then. Today is day 9 and yesterday I thought my skin looked a littler brighter. I’m F56. Just broke up with a really nice guy. Alcohol played a part early on but this time it’s really because we are compatible as bf/gf but we make really good friends. Thank goodness because hanging out with him is so fun and helpful. He doesn’t drink much. Can take it or leave. Can just have one… I’m definitely not ready to date again. Got more work to do on myself. Good for you for taking care of yourself!!
I'm 60 and really struggling to regain my looks and self esteem after a horrible breakup and tons of drinking I am going on 6 weeks. I have cirrhosis so the positive effects are JUST showing. But I have opposite of most I CAN'T lose anymore weight 😞 I know the gym will help me regain the muscle but until I gain some weight I still am not looking great. OP age matters if you can stop now you will be amazed how good you look in a short period of time.
Oh no. I’m so sorry. Take care of yourself!! Break ups are hard but don’t let it kill you.
Yeah I hope the damage I've done is still reversible it's pretty bad this time. Almost 2 months and I can't put on the weight to look healthier due to my liver function and also loss of appetite. When I binge I don't eat either so I am easily committing suicide slowly with the alcohol. Stay sober everyone it's a much easier and happy way of existing.
Lost love takes longer for some to get over ..... Tell me about it, I'm also a typical sensitive, big-hearted, romantic LEO (lol). Just concentrate on you atm. & the rest will take care of itself, everyday not drinking not only improves your physical appearance, but it also adds to building back up your psychological muscle (your self-esteem). Plus you may have to learn how to date sober? ..... Which is a challenge best suited to when you have bigger numbers up on the non-drinking board. Good luck, from Australia :)
I completely agree about the sober dating part! My ex admitted to being addicted to weed and he would pull all the behaviors we do when trying to hide it. It made me upset because I wanted to connect with him but he was reminding me of all the things I hated myself for when I’d do them. My next partner needs to be a sober one and I’m lucky that previously before my recent ex I dated a man who had been 8 years sober and had been a sponsor himself. Turned his life around and was in medical school. He taught me the value of sobriety and I need to remember that! Thank you!! IWNDWYT
"Giving up the grog!" I love this. Sounds like it could make it funny if you're telling friends you're going sober.
I'm an Aussie & it's common speak in Australia for avoiding alcohol & going sober :)
Hello, citizen of the place that gave us Bluey! Thank you from all American parents :)
lol :)
I have felt like my skin feels and looks better and my eyes are brighter around the 10 day mark. About a month in bloating really starts to go down. Sorry about your breakup but congrats on your sobriety!
I'm four months mostly sober and have recently in the past couple of weeks noticed big change. Been doing a lot of yoga to calm my mind and it's starting to show. My skin is tanning more in the sun, bags under my eyes are a lot lighter and my skin is ridiculously clear. I am 25, but still put in over a decade of heavy alcohol abuse. Best I've ever felt physically. Mentally, it's the best I've felt in a long time but still a struggle.
Three weeks to start to lose the inflammation in my face, by six weeks I was without inflammation. As a female, it does fluctuate with my fertility cycle (bit of inflammation right before my period), but yeah noticeable difference at three weeks - a lady at my meeting commented on my face shape at that point - and back to feeling hella cute at six.
I felt like I was making progress with bloating and then got PMS. WTF, world? Looking forward to seeing hints of my *waist* again in a few days.
I used to work at a vitamin place and I would get turmeric with black pepper in it for free. I noticed it did seem to help with hormonal puffiness! Alcohol puffiness… Not so much. The black pepper is what activates it if you wanna give it a shot. :)
38F here. I have not lost any weight in 3.5 years. I wasn’t drinking a lot at the end so nobody noticed any phenomenal changes, but how I FEEL is transformed. Be wary about responses here regarding personal experiences with weight melting away, not many people tell you their age and gender and it makes a HUGE difference. It takes about 2 years for the hormone/endocrine reset if you are a chronic drinker. Quitting drinking does not erase any damage done to our bodies, and some of the effects will be permanent. Endocrine damage is a very common lasting effect, especially for women whose hormone systems are more nuanced. But it takes a lot longer than you’d expect.
Thanks for adding this. I'm 40, about to turn 41, and I'd love to claw my way back to size 8/10 from 12/14 right now. I'm also eating healthier and exercising, so I hope to see some gains, but it will be wise to adjust my expectations.
It's the first month that a lot of changes happen, but especially when you look back after three months or more, the difference is significant. I've lost so much weight and feel more present. I've lost the blur!
Pooping saw a huge improvement. I guess consuming only a liquid diet of wine wasn't good for digestion. I was balding (I'm a woman so that was undesirable) , my skin was bright red, and my nails peeled and split. I saw improvements to my skin texture within 2 months I'd say, pooping improved almost immediately, by the first year my nails and hair had started to grow thicker and stronger.
I posted some holiday pics on Facebook the other day. I was surprised how well I look. It has to be said I was also wearing nicotine patches because it was a family holiday. Keep it up mate!
Thank you!! IWNDWYT 💜
Realistically I doubt you'll see any noticeable changes within your physical appearance within just a few days or even weeks especially from just not drinking alone. Stopping drinking is not a miracle cure where your body suddenly transforms it's self IME but if you combine that with a good diet, exercise, fresh air and other healthier activities then you can expect to see changes within a couple of months. I don't know when exactly it happened but during my recent 3 month sobriety stint I was eating healthy 99% of the time compared to probably about 60% of the time when drinking and started to add some extra walking into my day (already do about 90 minutes normally) but didn't really do much more physical exercise beyond that and I definitely noticed my stomach had reduced in size and was less bloated and I didn't have such a big double chin as before. A family member of mines routinely quits drinking every year for a few months and loses quite a lot of weight around his belly and in his face within a month but that's combined with a huge overhaul of his diet and being active every day when he's usually sedantary.
This. It’s a process.
I use and highly recommend a free app called EasyQuit Drinking. It motivated me and still does as my 1 year approach (liver takes 1 year) I cant post a picture here. But within the app you click on a heart and it opens up little progress timer circles for cell regeneration, withdrawal symptoms etc. I used it a lot. Our bodies are amazing at healing. I am still doing a lot of healing and notice I sleep deeply and my body is getting a lot of energy back.
I’d say it took a full year for me, personally, to see the full effect, but I saw the beginnings of it way sooner. First thing to start improving was definitely my eyes and overall face puffiness. The puffiness took a long time to fully go down, but I did see changes within like 2 weeks, I’d say? Just minor ones, but I could see them at least. My eyes started looking less sunken, and brighter once again. Some weight fell off, too, though it might have also been bloating, and it wasn’t a lot, but just enough for me to notice :). That probably came on around week 2 or 3, too? And progressed very slowly. I found a video of myself when I was only about one month sober, and in contrast to how I look now, I still looked like a bloated, dull-eyed mess, but I still looked better than I had been!
I noticed a brightening of eyes and general improvement within a few weeks maybe a month. But now around 90 days in I am really seeing a difference in the last couple of weeks. I’m getting lots of comments on looking good and I can see it myself - my skin has visibly brightened, smoothed, as if there’s a filter on it lol!! And my colouring is more even, looks more golden tan than blotchy now. My eyes are still the same - they are clearer and brighter than before a made changes. Of course I am eating a bit better and I’m probably sleeping better and I’m actually in a DECENT skin care routine instead of half assing it. Not major change but just cleansing a bit more carefully and using my spf religiously.
Just over six weeks AF. This morning I noticed the puffy eye bags are gone! Lost the belly bloat during the first two weeks.
Not sure. But people who haven’t seen me in a while comment on how good I look. I don’t feel like I’m any different and I haven’t lost more than a couple pounds. But it’s appreciated nonetheless.
At close to two months without alcohol, the whites of my eyes are whiter, the 11s (wrinkles) between my eyes are nearly gone, and my neck lines have faded.
I did not lose weight. But I also did not gain any too. I’m just stuck. My eyes aren’t bloodshot all the time. I don’t bruise easily on the dumbest bumps. My wounds definitely heal a lot faster. I’m not pale in my face anymore, there’s color now so no more Casper.
I've lost about 20 lbs this year since cutting back about 95%. I don't remember how long exactly it took me to realize my face looked less puffy. It was a couple of months before people started commenting that I looked good.
A couple months in I was unrecognizable to some people who don’t see me that often. I dropped over 50 lbs quickly.
It all depends on how far you've let yourself go. I'd give it a few weeks to see noticeable changes, but you'll continue to see improvements up to over a year later. Plenty of people with significant sober time look better than they did in their early drinking days. It's not just the lack of alcohol but the ability to be disciplined all around and take better care of yourself. When I had 500 days I felt more attractive than any other point in my life including college. Starting my journey again, day 2 here and IWNDWYT
I think my face looked better around 45 days. Eyes took longer than I expected but I remain chronically sleep deprived. Maybe around 30 days for them too. My scale measures hydration as well and that number climbed steadily for the first 3 months.
Clearer skin. Brighter eyes. Weight loss.
People have been telling me my skin is looking great (even tho my hormonal jawline acne is rampant 😂)
Omg SAME
I think my face went back to “normal” after like 2/3 months but I noticed alot less bloating at like 3 weeks to a month
In the first couple of months I lost the puffiness in the face. Got really into sweets for about the first four or five months and so didn’t lose or gain weight. After that I cut the sweets to a more manageable level, and was by then exercising nearly daily. Another six months flew by and I had lost probably 30 pounds of fat and gained 15 pounds of muscle. My “skinny” jeans are now normal jeans again. I’m in some of the best shape of my life now about a year and a half in. I’m neither overweight or underweight currently. 34M for context
I’m on day 12 and the improvements have been such a relief. My hands and face had been feeling swollen and incurably red. No amount of lotion would help with the dryness. It was a slow improvement, but after about day 10 the swelling and pain in my hands was gone…plus they look like my hands again instead of some goblin’s! The skin on my body looks less yellow/sallow and today is the first day I really notice improvement there. It was starting to freak me out…my alc-brain was unsure if it was just the lighting in my bathroom or the alcohol. 😓 Now I’m starting to glow a bit and the facial redness is so much better!!! Also my lips are not as dry…that improved after just a few days. the dehydration was real. 😳
I've noticed at 5 months I've lost a lot of weight and I feel and look healthy. I notice a huge difference in the mirror getting out of the shower and I like it. My wife has also noticed and has complimented my fitness. I've always exercised but rarely saw progress since I always drank away the gains.
I know everyone’s body is different. For me drinking was SUCH a double edged sword because not only would the alcohol make my skin spotchy and puffy, but it would grossly decrease my body’s ability to process natural insulin. So I would chronically be more motivated to eat junk food. The upside of that double whammy is that, when I quit, the appearance benefits were doubled too. I wasn’t poisoning my gut, but I was also willing to cook fresh food at home rather than eating toco bell and crap. I think after about 22-25 days, friends who have not seen you in the preceding days, could spontaneously comment that your skin looks more glowy than before.
I haven’t lost weight. I replaced alcohol with snacks but now starting to let snacking go too haha. My eyes and skin were much clearer and brighter after a few weeks though!
3 weeks
I have never noticed any physical changes.