A Journey From Alcoholism, Binging, and Weight Gain to Sobriety and Whole Foods

Sobriety and Whole Foods - A Transformation

Abndean is a redditor who shared his inspiring 3-year journey from 190lbs to 160lbs to 185lbs. He has successfully replaced calories from alcohol and fast food with home-cooked whole foods, and a lot of weightlifting. Sobriety and eating whole foods changed his life, and he wants others to know the benefits of healthy eating and living with discipline.

The Importance of Muscle Memory

Abndean who served in the military once lifted a lot and had a decent foundation of mass. His muscle memory took care of most of the muscle gains once he started lifting again. He lifted for two hours per day for two to three years, without deviating from his caloric goals, and learned how his body works nutrition-wise. As he trained, he became more conscious of his body's composition and adjusted his diet and exercises accordingly.

Whole Foods & Macros for Better Gym Performance

Abndean follows a diet that allows him to control his carb intake without fully switching to keto. His macros include 1g of protein per pound of body weight, a minimum of 0.4 grams of fat per pound, and the rest are carbs. He rotates his carb intake and replaces some of them with healthy fats or protein. Abndean says that higher carb intakes make him hungry, so he opts for fats and protein and keeps the bulk of carbs pre-workout. He eats lots of veggies with all his meals, carries the bulk of allotted calories to the end of his days to allow nighttime flexibility and eats very large quantities of low-calorie food like egg whites and bell peppers.

Tips on Quitting Alcohol

Abndean's worst was a bottle of vodka per night, which he consumed to cope with PTSD from his service. He says that his connection to his higher power helped him a lot in his quest for sobriety, but religion is not for everyone. Abndean likes to live by the realization that delayed gratification is a million times better than instant gratification. He knows that discipline and mental strength are the keys to overcome addiction to unhealthy habits.

Conclusion

Abndean is not a lifetime natural athlete and used PEDs in the past. He is now clean and trying to get just a tad leaner while maintaining his physique and increasing his calories every time progress stalls. Abndean's journey is more than just about weight loss or muscle gains; it is a story of perseverance, discipline, and learning to love oneself. Anyone can follow diet and exercise routines, but success comes from deep within, cultivating the strength and willpower to stay the course and continue to progress despite setbacks.