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Gaining Weight!

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11226

That's awesome Timbo!

Thanks for posting and reminding us that the hard work for a healthy lifestyle is worth it!

I am so glad you are enjoying your health - well deserved reward.

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

5 years ago 0 +0 / -0 801

Just an update,

Since I quit smoking 5½ years ago, I have lost the 12 pounds I gained, along with another 9 pounds, which puts me 2 pounds BELOW my ideal weight! I owe it all to living a healthier lifestyle, ie; eating better and exercising. When I smoked, exercising NEVER entered in to my thoughts, especially since I smoked over a pack a day. Now, I do it 5 days a week and I'm feeling healthier now than in anytime in my life.

Once the cigarettes were out of the picture, everything else came into focus.

Stay strong.

Not One Puff Ever

Quit Meter

$24,454.10

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 787 Hours: 12

Minutes: 3 Seconds: 3

Life Gained
Quit Meter

4042

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

88,924

Cigarettes Not Smoked

Stay safe & Strong.

Not One Puff Ever (NOPE)

Tim

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2778

You can do it too, Tim!

Lots of online websites out there that will help. It's all about using that PMA that helped you quit smoking to help with the weight gain, too! You're right though... get that quit under control... WAY under control if that's what it takes! Look at me... finally tackling the weight gain after 6 years... I CAN do it!!!

Have a great weekend!

Jim

Quit Meter

$45,810.00

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 1096 Hours: 9

Minutes: 35 Seconds: 7

Life Gained
Quit Meter

6108

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

183,240

Cigarettes Not Smoked

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 801

Hi Megger,

Congrats on your cold turkey quit. Sounds like we quit about the same time. I agree with what you said about the lesser of two evils. The risks are greater smoking than being overweight. Once the quit is well under control, the war with the weight can then be fought.

I'm a little concerned with weight gain too. My mother passed and obesity was partly to blame. I've gained 9 pounds since I quit, and I have not changed my eating habits. Must be the lack of adrenalin and slower body metabolism.

Be sure to check out the tools at the top of the page and get your meter running. Hang in there....

Quit Meter

$24,454.10

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 787 Hours: 12

Minutes: 3 Seconds: 3

Life Gained
Quit Meter

4042

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

88,924

Cigarettes Not Smoked

Stay safe & Strong.

Not One Puff Ever (NOPE)

Tim

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2778

Hey Megger!!!

Welcome to the SSC and congrats on great quit so far! It's great to hear that you are committed to your quit and understanding that there are other ways to deal with weight gain besides smoking! I initially gained about 10 pounds after I quit smoking 6 years ago, but last year got really busy at work and gained another 15 pounds!!!

So, after the new year, I started using a calorie counting program (online) called Loseit, since I can log in on my phone. I have also been walking more and trying to find time to exercise. Well, since the first of the year, I'm down 11 pounds and feeling a lot better. I know it's tough, but slow and steady is the way to do it to keep it off. Get a plan and stick to it no matter what! It's just like quitting in that if you want your health you'll commit and get 'er done!

The SSC has a sister site called the Healthy Weight Center and you can access it by using the "help" button above! There is a similar support forum there as well as a great program to follow with menu suggestions, etc. There are all sorts of other online programs to obtain information from or to join and track your progress. My wife is also using the Lose it program and has also gotten a Fitbit device to track her walking and it also links to the Lose It program! Pretty cool technology that also links to the new wireless weight scales that are out there! What will they think of next???

Anyways, I hope you are able to log in often and let us know how things are going for you! Just remember that you CAN do this!

One last thing... do continue to reward yourself, but try to utilize a reward that won't add calories!!!

Jim

Quit Meter

$45,810.00

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 1096 Hours: 9

Minutes: 35 Seconds: 7

Life Gained
Quit Meter

6108

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

183,240

Cigarettes Not Smoked

10 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1

I'm new to this forum, but I have struggled with my weight my entire life. I started at 15 and cigarettes helped ( I thought) me keep my weight down. The first time I stopped smoking in 2008 I gained 20 pounds which put me over 200 pounds that I have never lost. Due to hormonal problems in November my body seemed to reject my satisfaction with smoking and I quit cold turkey. Once I resumed hormone therapy for my menopause my craving for sweets skyrocketed with my appetite. Now three months later I have gained almost 30 pounds. I am not going to smoke and I am getting support for wanting to compulsively overeat in a 12 step group. I am approaching my 48 th birthday and I want to free of cigarettes since cancer runs strong in my family and three people in my life ended up smoking while using an oxygen tank before they died. I don't want that to be me. Being over 50 pounds overweight is a challenge, but I'm going to work on this as I know this is the better part of the deal than being a slave to smoking that has a higher chance of killing me than obesity. At least that my choice of coping at this time.

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 43

I know how you feel about the weight gain, Sly! For me, it is the worst consequence of stopping smoking. I have only quit for 48 days now, BUT I have quit before (2 years ago) – and that attempt lasted 10 months. Guess why I started smoking again? I put on 11 pounds! Where am I now? Back to the beginning! If I had stuck it out then, I would not have to go through this pain again.

I think it’s true that it is easier to stay slim when one smokes. After all, the adrenalin produced when smoking by our body as it tries as hard as it can to repair the damage that we are doing to it, does increase our metabolism. But at what cost?

There are people who lose weight and who are thin who don’t smoke. I think we should join that group of winners!

12 years ago +1 +1 / -0 186

Thank you for the support and info on weight gain and quitting.

I am finding this site very helpfull.

There are so many amazing people fighting this nasty addiction and winning.

I sooo want to be a winner !

Today I was told that I smelled Nice.I haven't been told that in years and it felt really good. =)

Thanks again,

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2778

Hey Sly!!!

First of all, welcome and congrats on the great quit you have going for you so far! Also, huge congrats on the weight loss! Awesome! I gained about 8 pounds when I quit and have maintained that weight until just recently. I think it's the Nasonex spray for my sinuses that has caused it, as it's a type of steroid, or so I have been told. I'm thinking it's time for some dieting on my part now!

Anyways, I wanted to let you know that it IS normal for most of us to gain a bit of weight after we quit. The important thing to remember, though, is to do what ever it takes to protect your quit! You have already proven to yourself that you CAN lose the weight! Right now you have to use that same tenacity to prove to yourself that you CAN beat this addiction!!! I promise you that it is soooo worth it!

Hang in there and let us know if we can help you through you tough times!

Jim

Quit Meter

$45,810.00

Amount Saved
Quit Meter

Days: 1096 Hours: 9

Minutes: 35 Seconds: 7

Life Gained
Quit Meter

6108

Smoke Free Days
Quit Meter

183,240

Cigarettes Not Smoked

12 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11226

Hi Sly,

Congrats on losing 28 lbs!

Gaining weight when quitting smoking is a common concern. However not everyone gains weight after quitting. Some people do, but usually only five or six pounds.

Two things seem to cause this weight gain. First, your body metabolism slows down when you quit, so you don't need as much food as when you were smoking. Second, you may use food to replace cigarettes and end up eating a bit more than before.

Tips to avoid gaining weight while maintaining a quit:

Eat healthy, tasty, well-balanced meals as much as possible. Avoid fad diets.
Since food may taste better after you quit, you may want bigger helpings. Try to eat the same amount as usual.
Nicotine withdrawal can cause constipation. Drink lots of fluids.
Eat low-fat snacks like fruits, and veggies, instead of donuts, candy, or potato chips.
Keep doing what you are doing. It's working so stick with it.
Moderate your use of alcohol. Keeping your hands busy with smoking may have slowed up your drinking before. Without a cigarette, your rate and number of drinks may increase along with your weight.

Remember that the first few months will be the toughest. Once you are confident in your quit you will have more energy and feel better and therefore exercise will be easier. Also, even if you gain 50 pounds (you likely won't!) the health risks from the weight gain will not outweigh all the health gains you get from quitting smoking.

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

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