Author: Ashley Sunderland

What if you are the most courageous, inspiring woman you know? What if through the pain and struggles and the day ones—again—you forgot how resilient you truly are? Author Dawn Nickel, co-founder of the SHE RECOVERS® Foundation, takes all who identify as a woman in recovery on a 366-day journey of discovery, self-love and stigma-free empowerment in her newest book, She Recovers Every Day: Meditations for Women. No matter what you’re recovering from—or if you feel like you’re recovering from all the things—this inspiring daily meditation book will pull you into a unique, relatable sisterhood where you feel seen, never…

Sponsored by Greater Minneapolis Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous, the 40th Annual Gratitude Night is known as the local “A.A. Prom”. If you are sober and in the greater Minneapolis area, this is an event you may want to have on your radar! When: Saturday, March 25th, 2023, 6:30 pm – 12:00 am (GET CRAZY!) Where: Minneapolis Convention Center, 1301 Second Avenue South, Minneapolis – Ballroom A – Across from Dunn Bros Speakers: Please note Speakers ASL Interpreted What to Expect: Tickets: $12 in advance / $15 at the door Tickets are available at the Intergroup Office and IG Representatives. *This…

Sober in Minnesota? Join in to raise awareness about substance use disorder issues in Minnesota and rally for a recovery-oriented system of care. Presented by Minnesota Recovery Connection in collaboration with Minnesota Alliance of Recovery Organizations. Help break the stigma of addiction and elevate recovery voices! Virtual Recovery Day on the Hill is an opportunity to hear from community members, legislators, and recovery professionals about important work happening to strengthen the recovery community, and work that needs to be done. Be inspired to connect with policymakers and share your voice. Recovery is not just possible, it’s the probable outcome for…

Foam rolling is a form of self-massage (also known as self-myofascial release) that involves applying pressure to specific muscles to relieve muscle tightness and tension, increase flexibility, and improve recovery. Pre-workout foam rolling can increase tissue elasticity, range of motion, and blood flow. It’s a great way to prepare the body for exercise and protect against injuries. Post-workout foam rolling can help with muscle recovery and decrease muscle soreness. Not a gym junkie? Even those who don’t exercise regularly can reap the benefits. Foam rolling is an excellent way to help alleviate everyday muscle aches and pains. Regularly sitting or…

The idea behind Random Act of Kindness Day is to cultivate feelings of kindness and bring joy to someone’s day. Let your kindness overflow and celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day with us on February 17th! Visit www.randomactsofkindness.org/rak-day for fun resources to celebrate RAK Week & RAK Day! History of Random Acts of Kindness Day – February 17th Random Acts of Kindness Day was initiated in 1995 in Denver, Colorado, by a nonprofit organization called The Random Acts Of Kindness Foundation. The event spread to New Zealand nine years later, in 2004, and the observance of the holiday became increasingly…

Creatine remains the undisputed king of all exercise nutrition supplements and performance enhancers. It is the most researched, tested, and proven supplement available to athletes to increase high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training. What is Creatine? Creatine is a chemical found naturally in muscle cells, and Creatine is involved in making energy for muscles. Creatine Overview from Mayo Clinic: “Creatine is an amino acid in your body’s muscles and the brain. Your body stores Creatine as phosphocreatine primarily in your muscles, where it’s used for energy. As a result, people take Creatine orally to improve athletic performance…

The holiday season is in full swing. The Sober Sweat with Ashley Sunderland is here to help you stay happy, joyous, and free with these fitness & nutrition tips & tricks! Don’t skip meals Skipping meals to “save room” for the buffet dinner at your next holiday party might sound like a good idea, but usually leads to binging. It can also cause blood sugar crashes that will leave you feeling sluggish and anxious. For some, it can even trigger headaches and migraines. The metabolism needs fuel to jump-start every couple of hours. If you do not “fuel” your body, your…

What exactly is Total Daily Energy Expenditure? (TDEE) Your TDEE is how many calories you burn in a day. It is affected by many things. Thermic Effect of Food Thermogenesis or the thermic effect of food (TEF) can be defined as the energy needed to digest, absorb, and dispose of the food you eat. A high thermic food is a food that requires your body to use more energy to digest than it takes to eat. Through a process called diet-induced thermogenesis, high thermic foods cause an increase in metabolic rate, the rate at which your body burns calories. TEF accounts…

Feel the sober burn! Strength training is essential for getting your body into the shape you want and is necessary for burning fat and calories. The more lean muscle you have, the more calories and fat your body burns. Muscle tissue is metabolically active, and fatty tissue is not. This is why strength training will help you increase the number of calories you burn in a day. One pound of muscle burns approximately 8-10 calories per day while at rest, and this is about three times as many calories as fatty tissue burns. Strength training adds muscle mass, increases metabolism, and has…

Have you been feeling down in the dumps? It could be due to the sugar slumps! I used to refer to myself as a gummy connoisseur, but the truth is, I was addicted to sugar and when I finally put the plug in the jug AND quit smoking cigarettes, the gummy industry gained their best client. I was eating a bag or two and sometimes dipping into a third bag that I kept on my bedside table, so I know how sensitive a subject this can be for recovery folks. I thought eating gummies by the bag made me happy…

Why are pull-ups known as the original badass work-out move? Doing a pull-up requires you to lift your entire body weight. Additionally, the execution of a pull-up in proper form works your lats, shoulders, biceps, and core and improves your muscular endurance and strength. Half measures availed us nothing, so read on to learn how to master one of the toughest bodyweight moves there is. Pull-Up Training Tip Use my favorite assist bands to work your way up to a pull-up! Shop my favorite assist bands brand on Amazon. The Program is simple, not easy. Get the ultimate strength training…

Traveling and eating out can be tricky when trying to maintain a consistently healthy lifestyle. Always remember to H.A.L.T. when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Ask yourself: Am I hungry? Am I angry? Am I lonely? Am I tired? The following tips and tricks won’t make traveling and eating out perfect, but in my experience, they do make it easier to make healthier choices along the way. Bring your own food. Bring your own healthy food options from home or pre-order groceries from a local store with a service like Instacart. Stock up on low-fat string cheese, hard-boiled eggs, beef jerky, dried…

The American Counseling Association (ACA) designates April of each year as Counseling Awareness Month (CAM). The month of April is a time to honor and celebrate counselors who facilitate the growth and development of all people! April 8th is Teal Day “Celebrated on the second Friday of April, Teal Day encourages awareness of the importance of counseling and self-care for counselors as they enlighten their clients, colleagues, and the greater public of the same. The nature of the counselor’s work reflects the color choice perfectly as both encourage a calm, reflective mood. Professional counselors help their clients live in a state of…

Here’s your weekly PUMP to get you over the HUMP! This week I’m letting you know EVERYTHING I’m loving right now. These are my recommended gotta try products for all my fellow Gym-a-holics! Sober Sweat Swole Hot List! 1st Phorm Salted Carmel Pretzel Protein Bar Here’s what I want in a protein bar: it tastes like a candy bar, has less than 10 grams of fat per serving, and fills me up if I’m on the go and eat it as a meal replacement. 1stPhorm protein bars come in additional flavors including, Apple Crisp, Blueberry Muffin, Chocolate Crunch, Chocolate Mint…

Welcome to your weekly PUMP to get you over the HUMP! Studies have shown that music naturally boosts dopamine, the neurotransmitter that steers your brain’s reward system, resulting in feelings of well-being. But, fitness buffs have long known the endless benefits music can have on your exercise routine. Listening to tunes while you tone will help you build endurance, brighten your mood, ward off fatigue, neutralize pain, and maximize your workout, so PUMP UP THE JAMS! 92 Songs to Maximize Your Workout ‘Push It’ – Salt-N-Pepa‘Pump up the Jam’ – Technotronic‘Hideaway’ – Kiesza‘Shivers’ – Ed Sheeran‘Underappreciated’ – Christina Aguilera‘Cry Me…

Spring into shape with get-ripped quick workouts and nutrition tips that are Sober Sweat approved legit! Get a Jumping Rope Start on Your Fit Life Journey Jumping rope is one of the most efficient exercises for calorie burning and can be done almost anywhere. In addition to burning fat, this type of activity tightens the core, builds endurance, and tones the calves. According to research, you can burn over 1000 calories per hour jumping rope. What is the Fit Life? “An all-embracing lifestyle choice to make healthy habits a priority.” Find your Fit Life Guide here: https://www.fitlifeguide.com/the-fit-life/ A Curated List of…

I am a person in long-term recovery from alcohol addiction. Meditative painting is my new meditation practice that encourages me to be present to the artist within. It gives me the opportunity to activate inspiring energy that releases judgment and boosts my creative confidence. My newfound passion for painting was inspired by video tutorials I found on YouTube last March (2021) when the COVID pandemic prevented me from staying actively connected to my recovery support network. Painting has become a beneficial mindfulness practice as part of my personal recovery program. Meditative painting is perfect for anyone including artists who want…

Welcome to the Sober Sweat: Your weekly pump to get you over the hump. Where Wednesday is all about recovery and fitness – my two favorite things! First Things First – The Importance of Fitness and Nutrition in Addiction Recovery I believe that a complete and healthy addiction recovery program includes regular exercise and nourishing the body with good food and nutrition. Physical activity rereleases endorphins, other “feel-good hormones,” and increases dopamine concentrations. Physical fitness also helps reduce depression and anxiety and improves overall mental health. Fitness is so important that it can bridge the gap from early recovery to…

On February 28, 2022, I had the privilege of attending the first theatrical screening of the feature independent documentary film Tipping the Pain Scale. From the producer, Greg D. Williams, who brought us The Anonymous People and Generation Found, this new documentary aim to tell a new story about the addiction and mental health crisis we are currently facing. The film brings to light the reprehensible systematic failures that have contributed to this disaster and the pervasive stigma that still exists. It is no secret that the addiction crisis in America has hit rock bottom. This film introduces a new…

Back in the summer of 2021, The Sober Curator did a survey of our monthly readers (over 5,000 of you!) and discovered that nearly 20% of you are coming to our website because you have a family member or loved one battling addiction and/or substance abuse disorder. We realized we needed to start creating more content and resources just for you. Addiction often wreaks havoc in the lives of family members and loved ones of the addict. If someone you love is struggling with alcohol or drug addiction, you are not alone, and there is hope for recovery in your…