I AM A NON-SMOKER

cantjustcant

I started here July 31st 2011 at 231.4 pounds. Around october 1st I realized I was actually doing it! So I set a date of December 1st to stop smoking. That gave me two months to get my brain mentally prepared. On November 28th I ran out of smokes and it was cold and raining and I just didn't feel like driving to the store so I said...close enough. However the next two days my brain kept telling me that it was cheated out of two days of smoking. So after work on the 30th I had a half a cig. Things were going along fabulously until december 9th when I was getting ready to go to zumba with a friend and she lit up. I shared her cig and then began to mentally beat myself up! Then I started thinking....I have only had one (or less than) cigarette in 19 days. That is pretty impressive!

Today I stripped all the linens and curtains and coats and washed everything. The smoke smell is pretty much gone from my home and I am FREE of the habit that has driven me insane for 27 years!


ohhhh side effect. I have gained 7 pounds in the past week. No idea why. My diary is open. feel free to check it out! I am open to suggestions!

justanotherbrickinthewall

That's amazing! It's shocking how much smoking can impact your body, and how different you can feel after quitting.
The reason you gained weight is because of your oral fixation. Since you took the cigarette away, you used food instead. Same thing happened with my Dad. It gets less prominent over time.
Congratulations

manderson27

I am a smoker. I quit in July but due to stress have fallen off the wagon this month, however I will quitagain after xmas.

I always put on around 7 pounds when I quit but it comes off again once your body settles down so don't worry too much. Giving up smoking is the best thing you can do for your long term health so a short term weight gain is a small price to pay,

gods_gal

Cant, I'm so proud of you. I quit cold turkey when I was 23 years old. I was up to almost a pack a day. I know you've got to feel so good about yourself and your accomplishments!! You are a winner, my friend!! :flowerforyou:

Tyffany130

I started here July 31st 2011 at 231.4 pounds. Around october 1st I realized I was actually doing it! So I set a date of December 1st to stop smoking. That gave me two months to get my brain mentally prepared. On November 28th I ran out of smokes and it was cold and raining and I just didn't feel like driving to the store so I said...close enough. However the next two days my brain kept telling me that it was cheated out of two days of smoking. So after work on the 30th I had a half a cig. Things were going along fabulously until december 9th when I was getting ready to go to zumba with a friend and she lit up. I shared her cig and then began to mentally beat myself up! Then I started thinking....I have only had one (or less than) cigarette in 19 days. That is pretty impressive!

Today I stripped all the linens and curtains and coats and washed everything. The smoke smell is pretty much gone from my home and I am FREE of the habit that has driven me insane for 27 years!


ohhhh side effect. I have gained 7 pounds in the past week. No idea why. My diary is open. feel free to check it out! I am open to suggestions!

I know what you mean and it's very frustrating! I smoked for 16 years, and this past January I quit. I gained about ten pounds. I guess because instead of going for a cigarette, I went for food, mainly crunchy chips! Take your time getting used to not smoking and if you go for food, make it raw veggies or a healthy snack. The weight will come back off. Great job quitting smoking and good luck

beduffbrickie

welldone, wish i could do that, 10years chained to the smoke

becky2967

i quit 4years ago well done, xxx

Fatbuster205

I gave up 7 Nov 2010! Just did it - although pleurisy helped! But I have not craved one at all since. As to the weight give it another week - get Christmas done and then New Year hit the gym. CONGRATULATIONS! I am saving for a new kitchen and reckon I have saved close on £4,000 this year! What is your goal to spend the money you would otherwise have burnt?

samdgood

i wanted to quit for my health and hate the cost. but i didn't want to quit. i failed at everything til one day the cable man came by and said he and his wife bought the electric cig. so i thought great idea, i can quit and still "smoke". i started with the high nicotine juice and puffed all day. then i started using medium nic and eventually low then zero nicotine. then i realized i was going hours at a time without using it at all.

i have not had a regular cig in three years. within 2 weeks i lost my cig cough. i was especially happy to have no dirty ashtrays and the crappy smell began to go away.

i am proud to be a non smoker. and i wish everyone who wants to quit all the luck in the world. if one thing doesn't work try another. if you try and fail, then try again. you will find the thing that works for you.

heresmyinsidevoice

You could also be retaining more water. Smoking really dehydrates your body, so the weight shouldn't last. Congratulations!

maradanielle

it's amazing how great you feel when you quit... I quit a year ago after smoking for about 15 years. I feel great now (but yeah i gained some weight in the process) I go through a lot of gum that's for sure

Jennifernellwebb

I quit December 3rd. 2010! I don't miss a second of it!! You can do it!!! Don't let this discourage you, but I gained 33 pounds! I was also fresh out of the hospital with a foot surgery and on my butt for 5 weeks. I have since lost all of that, plus some. I took the weight gain and took the increased lung capacity to work that weight right back off in less than a year!

Sandyc3838

I don't even want to say how long I smoked, but it was over 30 years and on January10th, it will be 3 years since I had a cigarette. I didn't put on too much weight in the first year, but then started putting more on in the second year. I also had a new job and wasn't teaching dance anymore, so I'm sure that contributed to the weight gain. Long story short - I put on about 24 pounds and hated myself for it, but REFUSED to go back to smoking. I now hate the smell on people and don't ever want to smell like that again, so in July of this year, I decided it was time to get rid of the weight. I knew I'd never smoke again, so now I had to get my whole body in order. I changed the things I eat and I joined MFP. I have now lost 31 pounds and, other than being sick this week, haven't felt this good in a very long time. For me, the reasons I gained the weight, was because my metabolism slowed down. Cigarettes do speed up your metabolism and when you quit, you lose that, and therefore, gain weight even if you don't change the things you eat or the amount. I also admit that I probably replaced my oral fixation with food, but I believe a lot of it was just slowing down. It is possible to do it (stop smoking and lose the weight) and I have to say......."If I can do it - ANYONE can!!!!!" LOL Good luck and if you need positive reinforcements along the way, feel free to "friend" me.

ReverendJim

I quit smoking several months ago, and gained about 12 pounds. But now I'm down 30 pounds. Don't let weight gain discourage you. Your only concern should be to break the hold nicotine has on you. Later, you can come back and tackle the pounds you put on. As someone who has been through it, I wanted to give you my story so that it might give you hope.

ReverendJim

I don't even want to say how long I smoked, but it was over 30 years and on January10th, it will be 3 years since I had a cigarette. I didn't put on too much weight in the first year, but then started putting more on in the second year. I also had a new job and wasn't teaching dance anymore, so I'm sure that contributed to the weight gain. Long story short - I put on about 24 pounds and hated myself for it, but REFUSED to go back to smoking. I now hate the smell on people and don't ever want to smell like that again, so in July of this year, I decided it was time to get rid of the weight. I knew I'd never smoke again, so now I had to get my whole body in order. I changed the things I eat and I joined MFP. I have now lost 31 pounds and, other than being sick this week, haven't felt this good in a very long time. For me, the reasons I gained the weight, was because my metabolism slowed down. Cigarettes do speed up your metabolism and when you quit, you lose that, and therefore, gain weight even if you don't change the things you eat or the amount. I also admit that I probably replaced my oral fixation with food, but I believe a lot of it was just slowing down. It is possible to do it (stop smoking and lose the weight) and I have to say......."If I can do it - ANYONE can!!!!!" LOL Good luck and if you need positive reinforcements along the way, feel free to "friend" me.

Awesome story! I smoked 30 years, too. My story kinda mimicks yours, right down the line. Good job, and congrats on your accomplishments!

annabellj

monday the 19th is the anniversary of my dads death. it has been 23 yrs and i still miss him. he kept smoking with lung cancer and the oxygen tank. it totally sucks being orphaned at the age of 21 and losing someone you love so much because of something that might have been prevented. good for you for quitting. my kids never got to meet their grandpa. i miss him every day.

DinaLKeil

I've done some research in this topic myself...being a non-smoker as of April 1st, 2010. Your body is going to fight the withdrawal but you can beat it! I also read that it takes the body time to get back to "normal." Adding a few lbs is no biggie....its just temporary. I smoked a pack a day for about 18 years...it's hard when you have to re learn the way you've lived your entire adult life. Every day gets easier though..I promise! I have zero urge! if you need support, feel free to add me :happy:

leomom72

i have smoked on and off for 12 years..for several of those years, my MYR has been to lose weight, and i have done that this year..im hoping next year i can stop smoking..i have tried to mentally prepare myself many-a time, but i am still a slave to them, so i cant stop yet, no matter the extent of preparation..great for you..:drinker:

SassyCalyGirl

Glad I read this I am quiting on Jan 1st. I have spent the last 4 months doing everything I can to get healthy and fit and now it is time for the cigs to go. I am a runner and can only imagine how much easier it will be-how much faster and longer I will be able to go! Looking forward to dropping the nasty habit and know 100% I will succeed.

erxkeel

Glad I read this I am quiting on Jan 1st. I have spent the last 4 months doing everything I can to get healthy and fit and now it is time for the cigs to go. I am a runner and can only imagine how much easier it will be-how much faster and longer I will be able to go! Looking forward to dropping the nasty habit and know 100% I will succeed.

And Im here to tell you I'm here for you 100% Missy! 100%!

peaceinside

All of you are soooo encouraging! I just tried last week and failed. Didn't have much of a plan tho. Now I am making a plan and getting an e cig It's on back order so I wont get it for a couple of weeks but that gives me time to wrap my head around it. Thanks for sharing and I will come back and visit this chat often for reinforcement.
Peace! :flowerforyou:

laurielie

i've been smoke "free" for 14 years now. don't miss it at all. and i smoked for about 25 years. I always say...........
you got to be ready & really want to QUIT to be succesful.........proud of you:-)):flowerforyou:

hbrittingham

Congratulations on quitting! The biggest hurdle is over, I promise.

I quit almost 5 years ago after almost 20 years of smoking. I gained 33 lbs within 6 months (I was being a pig and eating everything, not everyone will gain nearly as much as I did). Then I spent almost 4 years complaining about how slow my metabolism was and saying that's why I couldn't lose weight. Then I started being very serious about watching my calories and working out and here I am a year later at the same weight I was when I quit smoking. Just 20 plus or minus to go and I will be in very good shape.

You can do this! One thing I came across is that my bathroom habits changed dramatically. I never realized how much nicotine helped things along, so to speak. That could be a reason you have gained some weight.

cantjustcant

Here is what it has taken me to quit. I have an e-cig that I used heavily at first and now not so much....just feel stupid to be honest. I bouight nicorette gum and regular gum. I mix the two because quite frankly nic gum has no taste and gives me the hiccups. On the advice of a friend I got some silly putty. THAT has been the saving grace! It gives me something to do with my hands.

I haven't been snacking this week. I am just thinking that my body is in absolute and total shock. Other than the occassional urge to kick kittens my mood has been alright too!

samdgood

All of you are soooo encouraging! I just tried last week and failed. Didn't have much of a plan tho. Now I am making a plan and getting an e cig It's on back order so I wont get it for a couple of weeks but that gives me time to wrap my head around it. Thanks for sharing and I will come back and visit this chat often for reinforcement.
Peace! :flowerforyou:

my advice is you get a good drag and that helps. some ecigs are better than others. i liked the 501 (first had the 901 which wasn't so great). make sure your atomizer is good when it is getting old it stops working get a new one. if you have a good charge on your battery, a good atomizer and plenty of juice you get a good drag and it's satisfying. otherwise you give up. good luck! (try the diff flavors of the nic juice. i loved apple and tobacco).

cantjustcant

I was using the e-cig at first....like constantly! I have found that lately I have only been using it once or twice a day