Did anyone else have issues after quitting smoking?

lauramegan28

Hi,
I quit smoking 20 days ago and changed my eating habits and exercise habits about 30 days ago. I know that smoking wreaks havoc on your metabolism. I was just wondering if anyone else had problems with losing weight after they quit smoking. If so did you find a way to fix your metabolism or did it return to normal on its own? If it returned to normal on its own approx. how long does this take? And I know gaining a little weight is better than continuing to smoke but my goal is to lose weight. I'm 5'7 185 lbs and I'm 29 years old.

HopHead28

I saw no weight gain from quitting. I am just about at 4 weeks now which sounds like we are in the same boat.

I found I craved food more than normal but I knew that would be happening. In those times I would drink some water and have a small snack. I found that my day went much more successfully when I made sure to include snacks throughout my day. I only had a few days where I slipped up went over my cal goal and it was never more than 100-200 calories.

Congrats and keep up the great work!

lauramegan28

I have no weight gain either but I have very little weight loss. And I did a complete overhaul I was addicted to Mt Dew quit cold turkey same day I quit smoking and I was drinking a lot of it. So I figured that alone was probably cutting out 1000 calories a day. And I thought I would lose at least a lot of water weight from all my years of drinking pop. I carry a water bottle with me everywhere I think it helps so much with cravings and the hand mouth routine. I'm still new to this and its only been a month maybe I'm just being too hard on myself will try and add more calisthenics into my work outs but not sure how to log those so I've only been logging my walking.

jessspurr

I quit about five months ago and have gained about 17 pounds (after losing 50) the year prior to quitting. So, in the first 6 weeks or so I did definitely eat more. I was sad about quitting and felt just really awful emotionally. It was like the death of a friend for me. I felt like life was never going to be the same. It's not perfect now and I still have those feelings almost every day, but they are fleeting. After the first six weeks, my eating went back to normal (or back to what would have been maintenance if I was still smoking) but I continued to put on weight. So, smoking did increase my metabolism by quite a lot. My metabolism is not damaged now, it is just the as a non-smoker's metabolism. I just have to eat less. Which kind of sucks, and some days I feel like I'm getting doubly screwed (can't smoke AND can't eat as much as I used to). But being a non-smoker is pretty awesome. We will get used to eating for our normal metabolisms! Congrats on quitting!!

levitateme

I gained 7 lbs overnight the first day after I quit cold turkey. It was all water weight, my feet and legs were painfully swollen to prove it. After a few days, the bloat evened out.

I am pretty sure my metabolism was slightly higher when I was smoking but not by much. I decided to eat maintenance+ for a while around the time I quit and I was maintaining my weight eating 2500 calories a day, and after I quit I had to lower to 2200ish for maintenance. I quit 3 months ago, and am currently back at a deficit, losing on 1700 a day.

For reference: I am 31, 5'4" ~169 lbs at the moment, and I lift heavy 3-4 times a week and do about 1 hour total weekly cardio (15 mins elliptical warmup every time I lift)

lauramegan28

@jessspurr Thanks I definitely get the feeling of a friend died! But my kids are so proud of me and motivate me everyday my whole family really which is really encouraging. I just didn't realize I weighed as much as I do until I went to the dr to get chantix to quit smoking. So it was a real wake up call for me. I right then said ok I cannot gain weight from quiting smoking. So I overhauled everything to combat with lack of metabolism! 5 months is an awesome achievement!!! Soo way to go! WE WILL definitely get used to it!

levitateme

I didn't see the "death of a friend" thing, I felt the exact same way. To the point that I had to leave work early one day the first week because I couldn't stop crying. People who've never smoked have no idea how hard it is to quit on an emotional level.

lauramegan28

@levitateme wow 7 lbs I always carried a lot of water weight (Mt Dew Addict) but I believe the 5 lbs I've lost from start point on here are water weight from quitting soda all together. But Its so wonderful to know I'm not alone and that it is possible to lose even though my metabolism isnt where it was while smoking. Thank you so much for the post. 3 months way to go I'm only 20 days smoke free so still just getting started

lauramegan28

@levitateme Yes emotionally I think its harder to quit smoking then it is physically I was able to break habits pretty easy but when I was done or fighting with my SO i no longer had ciggarettes to turn too so it was rough for the first week but after that things seemed to stablize a little better. Still a battle though just now one I know I can get through!!

bullofheaven

Anyone who wants to quit smoking or is having trouble quitting should read Allen Carr's "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking." The book works.

With this all said I don't know what happened to my weight when I quit smoking, I was still a fat guy though.

jim180155

bullofheaven wrote: »

Anyone who wants to quit smoking or is having trouble quitting should read Allen Carr's "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking." The book works.

With this all said I don't know what happened to my weight when I quit smoking, I was still a fat guy though.

It doesn't work for everybody. It didn't work for me.

Having said that, I agree with you in that it's a good book to read. It might be all somebody needs to permanently quit smoking cold turkey. And it gives you a great way to put things in perspective. If the book works for you, you won't feel like you've lost a friend when you quit smoking, you'll instead feel like you've gained all sorts of benefits.

jessspurr

bullofheaven wrote: »

Anyone who wants to quit smoking or is having trouble quitting should read Allen Carr's "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking." The book works.

With this all said I don't know what happened to my weight when I quit smoking, I was still a fat guy though.

A million times this. That book worked for me so well. It just made so much logical sense. I HIGHLY recommend it even though you have already quit. It's actually free on-line somewhere. It was so so so good. I was hoping Allen Carr's book on weight loss would be as good, but not so much.

veronakings

I quit smoking about 2 weeks ago and I already feel light years better. I am avoiding the scale but sweet jesus I started RUNNING. and I can do it! I took my dog for a 30 minute run last night, no problem. also, food tastes better! so much better! I feel like I am eating a lot less because I am more satisfied. I am so unbelievably stoked about this that I don't even care about weight gain. anyone else feel this way? if I gain a few pounds I will certainly be able to lose them when I can actually move my body and think clearly.

lauramegan28

I do feel better don't feel so conjested and everything smell is way stronger I agree if its just a couple lbs I don't mind but if its 10 or more I might be more apt to go back to smoking just to have a higher metabolism I'm hoping I wouldn't be that stupid but if it was a significant amt of weight I probably would be that stupid

veronakings

haha no you can do it! try doing stuff you couldn't do as a smoker! does your gym have a pool? I could barely swim 50 meters while I was smoking. or whatever it may be. and I think that smoking increases metabolism in like a super unsafe way that just is straining your heart. if you add extra exercise or idk healthy snacks you can raise your metabolism in a sustainable way that aint killin ya! don't worry about extra weight atm!!! in like a year or so you will be so much better off.

SnuggleSmacks

Smoking does not wreak havoc on your metabolism. That's a myth. What it does do is develop a habit of putting something in your mouth, and then when you quit, you still have that urge. This is why some people gain weight...satisfying the oral fixation. It has nothing to do with metabolism.

Things you can do to avoid this: get some healthy low-cal snacks you can put in your mouth. Chew gum. Drink water and talk a walk when you get the urge.

lauramegan28

Actually u are wrong nictotine does increase your metabolism my doctor even told me this and you can find other studies that state this as well so when you go from having an increased metabolism to a decreased metabolism and don't change your diet at all you will gain weight! And I don't eat anymore than I did while smoking I wasn't asking what to do to not gain any weight because I haven't gained anything I'm just stating it takes me longer to lose weight now than it did when I smoked. I'm trying to lose weight and I cut back a lot and I'm still not losing as much as I thought I would be losing but I'm getting the hang of it.

lauramegan28

veronakings wrote: »

haha no you can do it! try doing stuff you couldn't do as a smoker! does your gym have a pool? I could barely swim 50 meters while I was smoking. or whatever it may be. and I think that smoking increases metabolism in like a super unsafe way that just is straining your heart. if you add extra exercise or idk healthy snacks you can raise your metabolism in a sustainable way that aint killin ya! don't worry about extra weight atm!!! in like a year or so you will be so much better off.

Yes I can definitely do more than I could a month ago today I ran up 10 flights of stairs still got a little winded but I wouldn't have made it two flights a month ago!

MrTolerable

it didn't make me gain any additional weight at all - in fact I felt much more energetic and 'clean'.

veronakings

you are right, smoking does increase your metabolism, but it's because it speeds up your heart. I just read a summary of this clinical study re: smoking and metabolism, and apparently smoking a cigarette increases your heart rate about 10 bpm, which is like adding 90lbs of weight to your body. so yes, it DOES increase your metabolism, but it's not good for you, or your heart or truly any aspect of your life. exercise increases your metabolism! housework will speed metabolism! yard work! whatever.

cindytw

I quit almost 6 years ago, after a 20 year pure addiction to nicotine. I had myself all set up for success with stress balls, worry stones, gum, candy, you name it. I needed none of it I was a pure junkie! BUT what most resources DON'T tell you is that smoking releases blood sugar, so that you don't feel like you need to eat. I could live on coffee and cigarettes all day. When I quit, I actually found I needed to eat REAL food!! It was a shock to me! I would actually need to eat every 2-3 hours at first. It took some time, but I was able to wean myself off that, and now I can go much longer. I have gained a lot of weight but can't blame it on that. When I first quit, I started running, which really helped me both lose and be motivated not to smoke again, plus it gives a bit of a high that can replace that smoking high.

JustinAnimal

lauramegan28 wrote: »

Hi,
I quit smoking 20 days ago and changed my eating habits and exercise habits about 30 days ago. I know that smoking wreaks havoc on your metabolism. I was just wondering if anyone else had problems with losing weight after they quit smoking. If so did you find a way to fix your metabolism or did it return to normal on its own? If it returned to normal on its own approx. how long does this take? And I know gaining a little weight is better than continuing to smoke but my goal is to lose weight. I'm 5'7 185 lbs and I'm 29 years old.

Unless you're smoking an insane amount before you quit, I wouldn't expect a huge difference. If you're doing what you're supposed to be doing on this site, you'll still be losing weight. Good luck! This was one of the hardest AND most gratifying things I've ever done and I hope the same for you.

SnuggleSmacks

veronakings wrote: »

you are right, smoking does increase your metabolism, but it's because it speeds up your heart. I just read a summary of this clinical study re: smoking and metabolism, and apparently smoking a cigarette increases your heart rate about 10 bpm, which is like adding 90lbs of weight to your body. so yes, it DOES increase your metabolism, but it's not good for you, or your heart or truly any aspect of your life. exercise increases your metabolism! housework will speed metabolism! yard work! whatever.

Studies show any effect of nicotine on metabolism is small and short-lived.

http://jap.physiology.org/content/72/2/401

Also, logically, those who have the highest metabolism, elite athletes, also have the lowest resting heart rates, so this explanation regarding increased heart rate makes no sense.

tomatoey

SnuggleSmacks wrote: »

veronakings wrote: »

you are right, smoking does increase your metabolism, but it's because it speeds up your heart. I just read a summary of this clinical study re: smoking and metabolism, and apparently smoking a cigarette increases your heart rate about 10 bpm, which is like adding 90lbs of weight to your body. so yes, it DOES increase your metabolism, but it's not good for you, or your heart or truly any aspect of your life. exercise increases your metabolism! housework will speed metabolism! yard work! whatever.

Studies show any effect of nicotine on metabolism is small and short-lived.

http://jap.physiology.org/content/72/2/401

Also, logically, those who have the highest metabolism, elite athletes, also have the lowest resting heart rates, so this explanation regarding increased heart rate makes no sense.

Hair-splitting - it may be short-lived, but seeing as smokers are addicted, and therefore smoke a lot, it's effectively going on all the time. Nicotine does raise the heart rate. The increased metabolism in smokers is well-documented.

lauramegan28

I smoked a pack a day and couldn't smoke at work so at least 9hrs a day + 7 hrs at night (sleeping) so I was smoking a cigarrette every 24 min! So yes my metabolism was up higher for those 8 hrs I wasn't working or sleeping. But I think its getting better the more I exercise and now I can go longer without needing to stop due to my breathing and everything getting easier. So I think it will take maybe another month to see the increase in weight loss rate but I am happy to be done smoking and happy to be making changes in the right direction to be healthier all around!
@Mrtolerable yes I do feel a lot cleaner and it has prompted me to make a complete lifestyle change. Even my kids are working out with me! Not that they need it they have energy for days and days lol. Now if only I could get hubby on board he still smokes (he's extremely supportive of me quitting hes just not ready yet) but I think if I just lead by example eventually he will follow suit. But hes naturally skinny so I'll have to make some extreme changes to my appearance before he follows suit!

LaurenCheek

I vape very frequently. I smoked casually and when extremely stressed out last year, but now I just vape but I do it ALL the time. I can sense when I'm full now when eating a meal, because I grow disinterested in the food on my plate and yearn for my nicotine hit. My weight loss has been faster than anticipated, and I at least partially attribute it to the metabolism boost/appetite suppression effects of the nicotine. Now, I'm in a mental bind because I don't wish to rely on vaping my whole life, but it has definitely become a crutch of sorts in my life. Maybe once I get to maintenance weight level, I will start trying to stop. It scares me to give it up, too. Hang in there! Maybe I can join you one day and lay off the nicotine.

lauramegan28

@laurenCheek I know the feeling! its discouraging to lose slow now that I'm not smoking and when I was smoking all I had to do was eat less and I would drop 15 to 20 lbs in a month. And I could still drink all the pop I wanted! But I know it seems great now but 30 years down the road you could have a heart attack or worse cancer because nicotine speeds up your heart, not harping though! I refuse to be one of those people where I quit so now I'm going to lecture smokers. My hubby still smokes I don't let it get to me because its his choice. Just take it slow if you truly want to quit I found it easiest to break my routine habits first. First don't smoke right after a meal wait an hr. Then stop smoking in the car. Then stop smoking as soon as I wake up etc etc. That made it a lot easier for me.

LaurenCheek

Thank you for the advice @lauramegan! I love your idea of breaking one habit at a time. My favorite is post-meal smoking. Oh, how I love to hit the vape after a meal!