30M - 8 months sober
The first photo was in April 2025 and the second is current. It took me all of last summer and fall to realize something needed to change.
I started my weight loss journey of November last year while still drinking and quickly realized how many calories I was consuming through alcohol alone. I'd never reach my goal if I wanted to keep drinking.
I used to drink a few beers daily. I decided enough was enough last December and have instead started building the best life I can.
I'm 30 years old and I already feel the small signs of aging. It felt like alcohol was speeding up that process. I started losing motivation to do the hobbies and I enjoy and would rather sit at home and drink while I played video games. (No shame to gaming, that's just when I found myself drinking the most).
Flash forward to now and I have so much more energy that it shocks me. I wake up daily at 6 AM easily now and with a clear head, ready to tackle whatever the day brings.
I still have hard days, of course, but having other sober friends was my biggest help. I didn't lean on them as much as I should but just knowing their stories gave me the motivation to keep at it. Now I'm on my journey and I don't feel like I need external motivation. I'm finally happy with who I'm becoming.