How One Woman Lost More Than 50 Pounds in a Year by Quitting Booze and Late-Night Eating

For Alison Schultz, 2019 was the year to get healthy. She not only lost more than 50 pounds in 12 months, she quit drinking, too.

The 39-year-old mom of two daughters, ages 9 and 13, says she feels better than ever. Read on as this healthcare manager shares her story in her own words.

When I was in my 20s and early 30s, I didn't think much about my weight. I was never skinny but I'm tall (5'10"), so I was used to being bigger than most women. I'm muscular, too, and always have been.

But in my mid-30s, my joints began to hurt from carrying extra weight on my frame, and a healthier lifestyle became important to me with our daughters beginning to grow and learn about health, too.

The other part was that I wanted to feel better, and that meant giving up alcohol and food as a way to cope with stress. I have a very high-stress career and I was addicted to alcohol, late-night eating and other unhealthy eating habits that paired with booze. I started to shy away from events where alcohol wasn't being served and started hanging out with friends who enjoyed drinking as much as I did. I kept blaming my unhealthy life on my stress. That was easier at the time than actually meeting my social drinking addiction head on.

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It was shortly after my uncle passed away unexpectedly in January 2019 that I really drank to forget my pain. The grief that I felt hurt less when I was drinking. My husband told me he was worried, and I'll never forget the look on his face as he shared his fears. I realized then that my drinking had affected my whole family, and I was blown away.

I felt empowered at that moment to make a huge change in my life. I quit drinking and began adopting healthier eating habits and daily exercise, which helped to curb the desire to drink.

When I started changing my habits to get healthy, I weighed 273 pounds. I began walking and then running 45 minutes a day three to four times a week. At first, I hated it. I kept thinking to myself 'Why do people talk about enjoying this?'

I ran inside and out, depending on the weather. It took me one and a half months to get from walking to running, and I continue to train. I'll run farther distances or set my treadmill with incline changes to mix things up a bit.

The whole time, what kept me going was a workout playlist — a mix of songs from all genres. As long as the beat is there, I'd listen to it. I love it now! I just set my tunes, crank up the volume and focus on me. It's awesome.

"While I used to think about routine through a negative lens, I can say with complete certainty that routine has kept me on track with my fitness goals and healthier eating habits."

As for my diet, I'm not such a huge sugar-craver, so it was actually harder for me to stay away from the chips. It's still difficult sometimes, so I'll treat myself to a cheat day because, hey, everything in moderation, including moderation! I also added low-starch veggies and fruit and ate lean meat such as chicken and turkey more often.

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In fact, my Monday through Friday diet is a bit like a record on repeat. And, while I used to think about routine through a negative lens, I can say with complete certainty that routine has kept me on track with my fitness goals and healthier eating habits.

‌Breakfast:‌ A protein shake with sugar-free coconut-almond milk or chia pudding (2 tablespoons chia seeds, a half-cup of almond milk, splash of vanilla and a tablespoon of frozen raspberries)

‌Morning snack:‌ An apple and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or two rye crackers with cream cheese

‌Lunch:‌ Spinach, romaine or kale salad with chicken or turkey, a container of fresh-cut veggies and a small serving of hummus (2 tablespoons) or a quarter to a half cup of cottage cheese with pepper

‌Afternoon snack:‌ Celery with low-fat cheese, a small handful of almonds or a hard-boiled egg

‌Dinner:‌ A protein, like chicken, with a big green salad

‌Nighttime snack:‌ An apple with peanut butter or no-added-sugar vanilla yogurt and a tablespoon of fruit

Today, I weigh 219 pounds and my goal is to ultimately get down to 200.

I curbed the late-night eating by changing my routine and staying busy. I realized that when I would sit on the couch watching TV, I'd want to shove food in my face, so I started working out in the evening. I get right into my running gear as soon as I get home from work so that I'm motivated to get it done!

After dinner, I'll do some crocheting to keep my brain preoccupied if I'm watching TV. I find that these little crafts really help curb my desire to eat. I also use that time to organize my calendar for the week or look at healthy recipes or new healthy snack recipes to try. I know it sounds silly, but this helps me to avoid snacking constantly all evening. I also drink flavored tea in the evening straight up — no honey or milk or sugar.

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With a busy job, two growing kids and a farm, meal planning has been my saving grace. Sundays are meal planning day, and this sets the tone for the whole week. I don't stress because I know what's for supper every night, and I've got it in my calendar so I get digital reminders the night before in case I need to thaw meat for supper after work.

"Remember that the weight didn't add up overnight and it doesn't come off overnight either. A little bit of grit and grace will help you get through the tough days."

I work in another city three days a week, so I'm gone overnight two nights. I make casseroles ahead of time so that supper is easy and healthy for my family, too, even when I'm not there.

For lunches, I pre-cut a whole container of vegetables and hard-boil 18 eggs per week. They're super easy and healthy as a lunchtime snack, and my kids love them, too.

Find a strategy that works for you and don't feel pressured by what works for other people.

I also think it helps to have a strong support network, whether that's a friend, a spouse or co-workers to work out with.

And set attainable goals for yourself. My vision board keeps me on track. A year ago, I had envisioned living a healthier lifestyle, one that I wasn't ashamed of. I empowered my vision by researching how to achieve my goals through clean eating and exercise. My vision board today has the same foundational choices.

Finally: Remember that the weight didn't add up overnight and it doesn't come off overnight either. A little bit of grit and grace will help you get through the tough days.

‌Read more:‌ 'How I Lost 93 Pounds by Strength-Training and Counting Macros'