Weight Gain

laurenz2501

Unfortunately I have to admit that one of the reasons I haven't quit smoking is the fear of the weight gain. The last time I quit I gained about 40 lbs. Yes, FORTY. On the other hand, during this time my fiancee was fighting cancer (and lost). We were in and out of the hospital for a year. We also barely had any money as he could no longer work and I was going to college and working part time making $6/hr. ANYWAY, thinking back, I'm hoping the weight gain was also due to extreme stress/depression, bad hospital food, being taken out to dinner a lot by friends and family and just indulging in food because I needed SOMETHING to bring me joy. I also didn't work out AT ALL. Lots of late or sleepless nights, etc.

I'm hoping that this time around won't be as bad. I'm trying to work out to countaract it or at least stay at the same weight. I really seriously cannot afford to gain any weight let alone 40 lbs again. That will put me over 200lbs! As you can see by my ticker, I need to lose 33lbs to be at a healthy BMI. Today is day 1 of quitting smoking and joining this group. Not much of an accomplishment, but I think that even putting your mind to it and making the commitment is a good start.

::sigh:: I'm way more nervous about the weight gain than the actual cravings. I know the cravings will pass, but I also know how hard it is to lose weight...

(Also, has anyone tried Chantix and gained a significant amount of weight from it? Thinking of trying it)

Xineoph

Hi Lauren, I stopped smoking a little over six months ago AND have managed not to put on any weight. In fact since quitting I have lost a further 10 pounds or so.
This morning however I realized that I might not be able to keep the weight off indefinitely - for me it has involved walking up to three hours daily and taking in some pretty steep hills along the way. The impotant thing is to remain firm in your resolve to stop smoking. Better to be a fat ex-smoker than a failed quitter.
It can take such a long long time to find a new resolve for another attempt at getting rid of the scourge of tobacco. You really don't want to go there . . .
Stay with the program. Don't go back to smoking, whatever your weight might do.
Even if you put on 40-50 pounds it's only weight and it won't kill you. When your quit has settled and you have established your nonsmoker lifestyle, that iwill be soon enough to focus your resolve on the weight issue.
All the best in your endeavour.

laurenz2501

Thank you so much for your reply! It's so tough...I can't believe the supposed "power" a simple inanimate object has over a person. They really need to be banned..There is absolutely no benefit. I swear when I started when I was 18 and first went to college, if my future self could have seen my present self I would have slapped myself silly.