Quitting Smoking Weight Gain

kak1018

I quit smoking a month ago, probably bad timing with the holidays and all:laugh: I am trying real hard not to eat mindlessly and up my cardio when I do but everything tastes so great right now. Any one been through this? I chew gum til my jaw hurts to avoid eating :laugh: I am up a pound which I can live with but everyone I talk to that quit has gained between 15-25 lbs so that makes me nervous. With all the holiday parties and festivities I am scared that 15lbs will be a reality. Any suggestions?

kak1018

I quit smoking a month ago, probably bad timing with the holidays and all:laugh: I am trying real hard not to eat mindlessly and up my cardio when I do but everything tastes so great right now. Any one been through this? I chew gum til my jaw hurts to avoid eating :laugh: I am up a pound which I can live with but everyone I talk to that quit has gained between 15-25 lbs so that makes me nervous. With all the holiday parties and festivities I am scared that 15lbs will be a reality. Any suggestions?

yoginimary

Exercise a lot! It will help you realize the damage smoking did to your cardiovascular system. Helped me. Try to not stuff your face with junk. If your going to eat compulsively, eat well.

Razboo

That's been a concern of mine. I intend to quit once I reach my goal weight. Hopefully it will be easier to manage my weight and the effects of quitting.

yoginimary

Tell you what, Raz, it is much easier to do the Cardio once you quit (after a few weeks/months). I'm still having problems jogging, but I'm getting there.

deanea

I quit smoking for a couple years /03-/05 it was the hardest thing I have ever done. ....I gained 20 lbs over a year. I was so frustrated and after two years I had only lost about five lbs. I gave up, on a trip to the Dominican, I convinced myself that a smoke wouldn't matter since I was so "out of my element" down South. By the 7th day I was a full smoker again. Don't give up, keep trying....and from experience.......we fall off, we get back on, we fall off we gat back on.

kak1018

Thanks for all your support. I am thinking of incrreasing my cardio to an hour 6 days a week just as a precautionary. I feel so much stronger already, I just can't deny how delicious everything tastes.:drinker:

tflavin3

Congratulations!!! I respect anyone who quits smoking so much. I think it must be the hardest thing in the world. (Losing weight might just be second) I once heard the words "you have cancer" (not a smoker) and although I am healthy now for 12 years, it is something you never want to hear. Best of luck to you. I think this site will really help you to get healthy.

cmriverside

From The American Lung Association website. I also smoked for 25 years and stopped cold turkey, no drugs - 11 years ago. Your health would benefit more by a few extra pounds than by risking permanent damage to your body by continuing smoking.

(At the bottom of this post is Loretta_Jo's story link. I wish it was required reading by everyone on this website ! )

HOW IS LUNG CANCER DETECTED?

In its early stages, lung cancer usually does not cause symptoms. When symptoms occur, the cancer is often advanced. Symptoms of lung cancer include:

*Chronic cough
*Hoarseness
*Coughing up blood
*WEIGHT LOSS & loss of appetite<<<<<<<<<<< I guess you could do it this way...cmriverside.
*Shortness of breath
*Fever without a known reason
*Wheezing
*Repeated bouts of bronchitis or pneumonia
*Chest pain
______________________________________________________


WHAT CAUSES LUNG CANCER?

Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. Lung cancer may also be the most tragic cancer because in most cases, it might have been prevented -- 87% of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 different chemicals, many of which are proven cancer-causing substances, or carcinogens. Smoking cigars or pipes also increases the risk of lung cancer.

The more time and quantity you smoke, the greater your risk of lung cancer. But if you stop smoking, the risk of lung cancer decreases each year as normal cells replace abnormal cells. After ten years, the risk drops to a level that is one-third to one-half of the risk for people who continue to smoke. In addition, quitting smoking greatly reduces the risk of developing other smoking-related diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

_______________________________________________________
Here is LoJo's story again as a reminder of the power of determination:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1471-how-long-it-took-me-to-lose-the-weight?page=1#posts-8011

Cheryl

yoginimary

I think losing weight is harder - having done both - because you still have to eat

littlespoon

I quit smoking 2 and a half years ago, and there seems to be another reason as well as the extra snacking that puts on weight, that if you're aware of, you may be able to avoid. Because cigarettes are a stimulant, when you quit, the whole digestive systems seems to almost stop. You may have to really up your fibre intake for a while to help your body learn how to stimulate itself again. If I had known this, I think it could have prevented most of my weight gain. And yes quitting is very hard and I have decided after listening to many people say how they want to quit and cant, I think there is a difference between wanting to quit smoking and not wanting to smoke anymore. I tried to give up lots of time when I wanted to quit, but I was successful when I didnt want to smoke anymore.

Hope this helps

kak1018

That makes a lot of sense, thanks for all the great tips. I know what to do now but this time of year is difficult regardless, so I have to be strong.

cmriverside

I quit smoking 2 and a half years ago, and there seems to be another reason as well as the extra snacking that puts on weight, that if you're aware of, you may be able to avoid. Because cigarettes are a stimulant, when you quit, the whole digestive systems seems to almost stop. You may have to really up your fibre intake for a while to help your body learn how to stimulate itself again. If I had known this, I think it could have prevented most of my weight gain. And yes quitting is very hard and I have decided after listening to many people say how they want to quit and cant, I think there is a difference between wanting to quit smoking and not wanting to smoke anymore. I tried to give up lots of time when I wanted to quit, but I was successful when I didnt want to smoke anymore.

Hope this helps

Yes! This was a key for me when I stopped smoking as well. The Lung Association even suggests that "terminology". Quitting is a negative term. Stopping (unhealthy) bad habits is a positive phrase. Congrats to you, littlespoon, for your choice! I haven't smoked for 11 years myself.

Nothing tastes as good as thin feels. The food - not as easy, I must agree. We still have to eat!