Gina Kirschenheiter, star of The Real Housewives of Orange County, recently celebrated three years of sobriety with a powerful Instagram post. The 40-year-old shared a video montage highlighting her incredible physical transformation since giving up alcohol, inspiring others to consider a sober lifestyle.
Kirschenheiter’s December 29th post featured a series of before-and-after photos, showcasing a noticeable difference in her appearance. She captioned the video, “January marks three years for me not drinking. People are always asking what I did to look so good. I don’t talk about it much but as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Here’s something for anyone who’s ‘sober curious.’ 2025 seems like a great time to effect positive change❤️” She further encouraged her followers with the hashtags #itsamazing, #3yearsstrong, #clear, #sobriety, #alcoholfreelife, and #2025.
The post garnered an outpouring of support from fellow celebrities, including her RHOC costar Emily Simpson, who commented, “Glowing and growing 🙌❤️ proud of you xo.” Vanderpump Rules alum Scheana Shay also chimed in with praise, writing, “Hell ya girl! So proud of you! You’ve never looked better! 😍” Kirschenheiter’s journey resonates with many, demonstrating the positive impact of sobriety.
In a previous interview with PEOPLE in April 2023, Kirschenheiter candidly discussed her decision to quit drinking and the profound changes it brought about. “I can’t begin to describe how much it’s changed me,” she confessed. “Drinking was a big part of my life and to eliminate it was a huge shift for me personally. But it’s had this trickle-down, ripple effect where I’ve just seen so many things shift for the better. And I couldn’t be happier.”
She admitted to not publicly discussing her sobriety journey much before, addressing the speculation surrounding her weight loss. “People keep saying to me on Instagram, ‘You’ve lost weight, [are you on Ozempic]?’ And I want to be like, ‘No, I just stopped drinking!'”
Kirschenheiter realized she needed to make a change when she recognized her increasing dependence on alcohol. “I was drinking way too much,” she revealed. “What used to be a drink when I was out at night with friends became, especially during COVID, me pouring a drink every night without even thinking about it.” While not identifying as an alcoholic, she felt the need to regain control before her drinking habits spiraled further. “I felt the scales starting to tip, and I didn’t like that feeling. I was numbing myself with it. I was self-medicating, and I couldn’t stop. It was more in control of me than I was of it.” Her story serves as a powerful testament to the transformative power of sobriety and self-awareness.
