Addiction recovery is often associated with joy, relief, and a newfound lease on life. Mental health may begin to improve during the process. Still, one thing many people find themselves wrestling with is gaining weight due to increased physical inactivity and sometimes due to the effects of medication.
Recovering from addiction involves making lifestyle adjustments that can often be overwhelming. Forgetting about or not prioritizing caring for your body and mind might come easy at this stage. Still, maintaining a healthy weight is essential to addiction recovery.
Proper Nutrition During Addiction Recovery
A balanced diet helps individuals heal physically and emotionally while providing the energy they need to work through challenging recovery issues. Proper nutrition keeps addictive behavior triggers at bay. Eating well adds essential vitamins and minerals the body needs for sustaining physical health during this time of growth.
Exercising is an excellent way to promote healthy weight gain or loss, clear the mind, and increase self-esteem. Increased physical activity also enables individuals in recovery to focus on something other than their addiction issues.
Why Is Weight Gain Common In Recovery?
Recovery from substance abuse is incredibly challenging and involves many hormonal, physical, and psychological changes. An often-overlooked factor in recovery is weight gain.
Individuals experiencing weight gain during their recovery process isn’t uncommon due to intense cravings for unhealthy foods and a reduction in energy levels. Plus, many substances abuse can disrupt the hormones responsible for hunger and satiety signals, which can increase appetite.
Unfortunately, weight gain can lead to decreased self-esteem, further hindering progress. As such, it’s necessary to maintain a healthy weight. Luckily, with proper nutrition and exercise plans designed by professionals from Jackson House Rehab or other addiction treatment and recovery centers, managing one’s weight during this period is possible.
These professionals equip their clients with the tools they need to move healthily through each stage of their recovery journey, including learning to manage weight gain during this time. That said, here are three reasons weight gain is typical in recovery:
- Lack Of Control And Emotional Regulation In Early Recovery
Gaining weight in recovery is often associated with poor diets and an inability to say no to unhealthy foods. But this is only part of the issue.
In most cases, people on their first steps to sobriety can feel overwhelmed by their emotions and lack control over their cravings for comfort foods. Unfortunately, this can become a vicious cycle. When moods fluctuate too quickly or things become overwhelming, sugar temporarily escapes the uncomfortable feelings.
However, this pain relief doesn’t last. In the end, it leads many in recovery to gain unwanted weight. These individuals struggle to regain regulation over their emotions and free themselves from reliance on food for comfort.
2. Medication
Medication can seriously affect a person’s weight because it alters their metabolism and hormone production. A typical example is antidepressants, which may increase appetite and decrease the number of calories burned. Other medications, such as steroids and antipsychotics, can have similar effects.
As individuals in recovery focus on managing their mental health, taking prescribed medications can result in weight gain, even if it goes unnoticed until much later. Those in recovery need to be mindful of the medicines they take. They must also ensure they meet their nutritional needs to counteract potential weight gain from medication side effects.
3. Depression, Stress, And Anxiety
People in recovery from substance abuse or addiction may find themselves returning to activities that can contribute to weight gain. One such activity is eating food as a form of emotional support or comfort.
Eating isn’t an unhealthy behavior when done within safeguards. Still, it may cause some people recovering from addiction to struggle with their weight due to increased calories and low activities. Furthermore, the depression, anxiety, and stress of the recovery process can cause many people to self-medicate, eating unhealthy foods and snacks as a way to cope.
Overeating unhealthy food and snacking can lead to serious weight gain for individuals in their recovery period. Taking proactive steps such as adequate sleep and healthy meals can help stop or at least minimize any unrealized weight gain associated with recovery.
Substance Use Disorders (SUDS) Increase The Risk Of Disordered Eating
Recovering from a substance use disorder may come with the extra burden of gaining weight. Unfortunately, this is because SUDS often increase the risk of disordered eating. This involves an unhealthy relationship with food and can lead to being overweight or obese.
Disordered eating takes the form of an obsessive focus on small details in one’s food plan, such as calorie intake, carb levels, etc. As such, this can escalate into extreme restrictions, leaving one vulnerable to binging and purging behavior.
SUDS disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, which regulates metabolism, sleep, and appetite. Another challenge involves a slowed metabolization rate during recovery and weight gain. Establishing healthy habits while in rehab that create a healthy relationship with food is necessary to ensure lasting sobriety, rather than relying solely on restrictive diets and quick fixes.
Tips on How To Manage Weight Gain During Recovery
Maintaining a healthy weight is essential to addiction recovery. And taking intentional steps toward improving nutrition habits and developing realistic exercise routines can help individuals lose weight and sustain positive changes even after completing their recovery journey.
These strategies help individuals in recovery better manage their body weight and maintain a healthier lifestyle overall:
- Seek Support
During addiction recovery, managing one’s weight can be incredibly challenging. You must accept that there may be days when the temptation to turn back to an unhealthy lifestyle out of habit is strong. During these days, having a support system is paramount.
However, seeking support from a network of friends and counselors can help you stay motivated and on track. Knowing that you have a reliable support system will decrease the likelihood of succumbing to poor dietary habits. Social reinforcement for healthy behavior makes it easier to practice healthy eating habits and sustain motivation during addiction recovery.
- Exercise
Addiction can take a toll on one’s health, often including turning to unhealthy substances for comfort. Therefore, weight gain is a potential issue for people in recovery from addiction. Fortunately, managing weight gain during recovery doesn’t have to be complicated.
Exercise can be a practical and effective way to manage weight gain during recovery. Simple activities like walking or bike riding could help facilitate physical activity while promoting mental health and overall well-being. Also, establishing regular routines that focus on health and nutrition is critical in maintaining healthy habits associated with recovery.
- Get Enough Sleep
To better manage weight during recovery, getting enough sleep is vital. Sleeping seven to eight hours per night can promote long-term health. It can also help one’s body maintain equilibrium during these significant changes.
Moreover, plenty of rest can improve mood and allow individuals to think more clearly about their dietary habits, supporting an overall healthier lifestyle after a difficult phase.
- Look Into Why You Eat
Addiction recovery can mean facing the root of why individuals in recovery use substances in the first place. Often, these emotions and memories can lead to comfort eating that could contribute to weight gain. To work through this process, you must check in with yourself while coming off any substance and be honest about why you’re turning to food.
Looking at thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and behaviors surrounding food may help identify ways to manage cravings and find healthier coping mechanisms. Not to mention, asking for support when needed is a crucial part of recovery. Addressing underlying needs without relying on food as a distraction can be highly beneficial for staying on track for ultimate success.
- Find Alternative Coping Mechanisms
Recovery from addiction can be incredibly challenging for those managing their addiction and working towards a healthier lifestyle. One of the biggest concerns during this period is weight gain. It is mainly caused by releasing stress hormones that used to be relieved with substance abuse or addictive behaviors.
Managing this potential weight gain starts by recognizing that it’s common during recovery and knowing that healthy coping mechanisms are available. Regular physical movement, like walking or running, are excellent ways to manage stress. Be mindful not to indulge in excessive workout habits, as those can become dangerous too.
Pay attention to your diet and ensure you eat adequate meals rather than overeating processed snacks or junk food. Finding a safe and healthy support system with friends or even therapy can also be invaluable in helping you work through the mental side of addiction and weight gain. Taking proper care of yourself during recovery provides a foundation for lasting success in banishing your habits and working towards better health.
- Watch Your Nutrition
During recovery from addiction, you need to watch what you eat. Making smart food combinations and choices and tracking portions can help you manage weight gain.
Eating a balanced diet and nutrient-rich foods such as whole grains, lean proteins, and fresh fruits and vegetables is essential for keeping your energy up and maintaining a healthy weight. And replacing sugary snacks and beverages with more nutritious options can also help reduce overall calorie intake.
A dietician or nutritionist can help you set realistic nutritional goals, which are vital in managing weight during recovery from addiction. They can help you with steady progress in naturally achieving healthier habits.
- Change Your Lifestyle
A healthy weight during addiction recovery is an essential but often overlooked aspect of transitioning from an unhealthy to a healthier lifestyle. Several ways to do this include managing stress, improving your diet, and exercising regularly.
It’s also necessary to make overall lifestyle changes, such as creating a routine for yourself with regular meal times. You also want to reduce activities contributing to weight gain, such as smoking or drinking excessively. Try participating in more activities you enjoy, both indoors and outdoors, and engaging in mindfulness practices like meditation.
Make sure you get enough sleep each night. And avoid triggers and situations that will make you feel tempted. Taking steps toward changing your lifestyle can contribute to better health outcomes in the long run, so keep up with your weight management during addiction recovery.
Final Thoughts
Managing weight gain during addiction recovery can be challenging, but you can achieve it with effort and persistence. Incorporating healthy eating habits, regular physical activity, stress management techniques, and professional support can help individuals achieve their weight goals and maintain overall health during their recovery journey.
Remember that everyone’s journey is unique, and progress might seem slow. Still, you must focus on self-care and taking care of your health during this time.
