One Success led to another failure! :(

annette1105

Hi guys...where do I begin? Well Last year I started on a getting healthy/weight loss journey. It took me 6 months to go from 184 to 169 (1/2 way to my goal of 139). I hit 169 in October. Well in November, the day before I turned 50, I was feeling so confident w/eating better and the weight loss, I said what good is this if I'm still smoking?!?!?

So I quit smoking that day! And that's after 35 years of smoking! Haven't touched a cig since.

Last week, I go for my annual check up...now I knew I'd put on a few pounds....but no...not a few...22!!!

So now, I'm 191lbs! More than when I started in the first place. And my doctor is like, that's awesome you quit smoking...but...you don't want to give up smoking and then become obese which will still wreck havoc on your heart. (Well duh! Thanks doc) even though I know she's right.

Anyway I'm just extremely upset and I know I did something good for my body, but you definitely can't "see" it. And with the rapid and recent weight gain, I'm just as out of breath as I was before I quit smoking...grrrrrr!!!

I have NO intention OR desire to ever smoke again, but I've got to get a handle on this eating. I'm just very upset.

Well, thanks for letting me vent guys...I really appreciate all of you!

Chezzie84

I quit smoking in May 2012 and I can tell you, hand on heart, that it was the best desision I ever made.
My healthy eating went out of the window when I quit because I needed to fully focus on 1 lifestyle change and I picked smoking, I put on a lot of weight (I went from 195lb to 214lb.)

I agree with ArgyllWolf, forget what has happened in the past and start from today.

Feel free to add me as a friend if you like, I have been where you are now and I may be able to help you :-)

arrseegee

Well done for quitting smoking!

I think the best thing you can do for yourself is draw a line underneath the weight gain and start afresh. You've already lost weight so you can do it again and this time you will feel even better as you have given up the cigarettes. The hard part is getting back into the right frame of mind. Start slowly and just keep at it no matter what, you will get there if you truly want to.

I agree. You have successfully lost weight before, so you can do it again. And it's more important for your health that you quit smoking and temporarily gained weight than not having quit. You CAN do this, and this time you'll be even healthier when you reach your goal. Good luck

SuperCrsa

Well done for quitting! That is seriously awesome, don't go back.

Your weight gain is what you are eating.
So concentrate on getting back into your normal routine of counting calories and exercising, do what you did to lose that weight in the first place. You know how to do this, you have done it before.

I use sugar free gum/carrots/water to take my mind off putting something in my mouth instead of a ciggie.

NOPE - Not One Puff Ever!
Dont let the weight gain become an excuse to go back to smoking.

Good Luck!

animatorswearbras

I don't know a single person who has given up smoking and has not put pounds on as you inevitably compensate ciggy cravings with food instead, now you're hopefully over the hump of the worse parts of cravings and withdrawal, you can concentrate on your diet again and repeat your success and then some.

If you still feel the craving pang again get in some sugar free gum and sugar free lollypops (I know sweeteners aren't great for you but it helped me last time I tried to quit) Also make sure you've always got a bottle of water at hand too.

Don't worry its not a failure if you've quit for good you'll never have to go through this again, you've done it now, and you're body is going to be so much fitter this time. xxx

Good luck hun x

CharlotteAnneUK

So lets turn this around, you have not failed in anything here you have had two successes. 1st to loose the weight you had originally, well done that shows that once you make the decision you can do it, 2nd you quit smoking, BRILLIANT, WELL DONE!

When my husband and I quit somking in August 2012, we said to the advisor that the concern was putting on weight whilst giving up, myself espeshilly as I was quitting and watching my weight to undergo IVF. We were advised that putting on a little weight was to be expected and if we do the damage we do to our bodies is much easier to repair than that of continuing smoking.

Taking that on board, we stopped worrying about weight but started going on pedal bike rides where we could. To this day I still remember our bike ride on day one of quitting and actually stopping in floods of tears because I couldnt go on, it was too hard. Soon I was comfortable keeping up on a 6 mile ride, then a 20 mile ride. Before long smoking was out of our lives and we had taken on a new lifestyle, only to disrupt it all and stop all exercise whilst going through IVF.

A year on I am back to the weight I was before the IVF and looking to continue my weigh loss journey. Life throws so much at us, but we keep striving to push forwards. Just remeber that you can do this, you have already. Remove from your mind the word failure as you have already achieved and will continue to do so.

walterm852

Hi guys...where do I begin? Well Last year I started on a getting healthy/weight loss journey. It took me 6 months to go from 184 to 169 (1/2 way to my goal of 139). I hit 169 in October. Well in November, the day before I turned 50, I was feeling so confident w/eating better and the weight loss, I said what good is this if I'm still smoking?!?!?

So I quit smoking that day! And that's after 35 years of smoking! Haven't touched a cig since.

Last week, I go for my annual check up...now I knew I'd put on a few pounds....but no...not a few...22!!!

So now, I'm 191lbs! More than when I started in the first place. And my doctor is like, that's awesome you quit smoking...but...you don't want to give up smoking and then become obese which will still wreck havoc on your heart. (Well duh! Thanks doc) even though I know she's right.

Anyway I'm just extremely upset and I know I did something good for my body, but you definitely can't "see" it. And with the rapid and recent weight gain, I'm just as out of breath as I was before I quit smoking...grrrrrr!!!

I have NO intention OR desire to ever smoke again, but I've got to get a handle on this eating. I'm just very upset.

Well, thanks for letting me vent guys...I really appreciate all of you!

Annette, good for you on the smoking!

Honestly, losing weight is hard, quitting smoking is hard, I couldn't imagine doing both at the same time without being a terror to those around me.

You can get the weight off again, you have this!

Sag2015

For starters, don't put anymore weight back on!! The more you put on, the more of a failure you will feel and the more you will beat yourself up about it (I speak from experience).

Smoking is a disgusting habit and now that it's out of the way, go back to what you did to lose weight in the first place. (not referring to smoking again)

Calling yourself a failure will just bring you down. You are not a failure in my eyes.

annette1105

Thank you guys, I do feel better. I actually did 20 mins on the treadmill this morning after reading your posts. It's a start! I was totally looking at the glass 1/2 empty. It's also SO wonderful to hear so many of you guys have quit smoking too. That's very encouraging. I will grab some sugar free gum on my way to work today. I don't know how to do the "quote" thing yet so thank you to all of you from the bottom of my heart!!!

loubidy

..and failure leads to ambition to succeed!!

Now you're not smoking you'll get fitter than before and burn more calories!

carol5047

Thank you guys, I do feel better. I actually did 20 mins on the treadmill this morning after reading your posts. It's a start! I was totally looking at the glass 1/2 empty. It's also SO wonderful to hear so many of you guys have quit smoking too. That's very encouraging. I will grab some sugar free gum on my way to work today. I don't know how to do the "quote" thing yet so thank you to all of you from the bottom of my heart!!!

Good Luck Annette! We are all here to support you and each other! I quit smoking 28 years ago and have never had another puff! Unfortunily I didn't start my weigh loss journey at the same time. But here I am 26 years later, and going strong!