PACE Yourself

PACE Yourself: Alcohol, Addiction and Exercise provides qualitative research about the influence of exercise on alcohol use disorder (AUD) recovery. In addition, the author explains how someone can benefit from exercise and explores how the PACE method could help keep new addictions at bay. PACE is an acronym for Proactive Awareness Controlling Excess. The author has developed an app of the same name which is available in the Apple store. Exercise is medicine when it comes to the recovering body and mind of an alcoholic. Physiological and psychological changes as a result of moving the body contribute to prolonged sobriety and deter the cyclical threat the nature of alcohol abuse can pose upon person in recovery.

The struggle to never become powerless to alcohol again can be kept at bay when the benefits of exercise over power the benefits alcohol used to have. However, the addictive mind can find a new habit to replace the old one. The PACE method proposes steps to become aware of replacement type behaviors with the understanding that anyone can become addicted to anything.

"...a published qualitative study using Proactive Awareness Controlling Excess (PACE) as a treatment method for alcohol use disorder (AUD). Diagrams, journal entries, and chapter layouts visually connect the transtheoretical model (TTM) to the elements of PACE…. In searching for support to change addictive behavior, this book can be used for a step-by-step process of change…. The author developed PACE and works with subgroups to help those in recovery see the potential benefits of replacement behaviors, including exercise. ...[A] well organized [study], enabling interested readers to skip chapters and find discussion on topics of interest to them. This book will spark a new way of looking at behavior replacement in a structured manner."—©Doody’s Review Service, 2023, Sherie Huber, MS Education Admin, MS SEL (Benedictine University)