Smoking cessation & weight gain

MissyMissy18
MissyMissy18 Posts: 315 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been smoking for about 8 years now. I consider my self more of a casual smoker, since in that 8 years I've NEVER gone up to a pack a day or anything of the sort. On average, I'd say I smoke 3-5 cigarettes a day. I've been thinking about quitting a lot recently, and I don't think it will be TOO difficult for me. However, I'm really worried about the weight gain.

Just today at the gym, a coworker was telling me how after he quit smoking he gained 25 pounds, and hadn't changed anything in his eating or exercise. He claims to eat very clean, almost paleo (like myself) and I see him at the gym all the time. However he smoked way longer and WAY more frequently (1-2 packs a day) than I.

Still.... I've worked so hard and long to lose 35 pounds.. the thought of working just as hard and gaining the weight back is very disheartening. I REALIZE that the benefits of quitting in the long run far outweigh (lulz) the con (I'm pretty sure there's only 1). I'm just hoping to get some advice or support from any reformed smokers out there. Did you gain weight? What did you do about it?

Replies

  • mynameiscarrie
    mynameiscarrie Posts: 963 Member
    The only reason people gain weight after quitting is because they eat instead of smoke. It's a hand fixation thing. He's lying if he says he's eating the same. I quit, but didn't gain anything simply because I knew that instead of smoking, people snack. If I went to have a snack that was mindless, I read a book or drew a picture. Something to keep my hands busy. Fear of weight gain is a horrible excuse to not quit smoking, FWIW. Just be smart about it.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    Did you gain weight in the 8 years you were a smoker, or did it keep you skinny all that time? I figured, I got to my highest weight while I was a smoker, so quitting couldn't make things a lot worse.

    I quit at the end of January (almost 6 months) after losing a lot last year, and have gained about 8 lbs or so (although my clothes all fit fine, so there might be some 'shifting' going on). However, I wouldn't trade it for the world...I can run faster, longer and workout MUCH harder than I could when I was coughing up a lung - plus, I smell a whole hell of a lot better...(when I'm not working out anyway :laugh:)....not to mention the cost savings and health benefits.
  • amyford25
    amyford25 Posts: 85 Member
    So true. I was smoking a pack of day for YEARS when I quit last March. I packed on 10 pounds from sheer overeating. Food simply replaced the cigarettes. If you stay conscious of that you should be fine. I'm back on MFP to get a grip on my weight gain. By the way, I haven't felt this good in so long. My energy level has been so much better. Quitting is worth it!
  • Discoveri
    Discoveri Posts: 435 Member
    I quit June 29th and had a plan in place ahead of time. I have basically thrown myself into more time at the gym. I also limited the unhealthy food options at my house. I have lost 3 pounds since quitting. My suggestion is to have a plan in place to get you over your cravings (they really only last a few minutes at a time but they can be very strong). Stick something like toothpicks, gums or mints into your mouth so you don't snack. Drink lots of water and go for walks/runs whenever you can. If you usually smoked because you were bored, find something for your hands to do (knitting works for a ton of people that I talked to). Good luck! You will be very happy once you realize that you are an ex-smoker.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    when you quit, instead of eating more, exercise.
  • mckellipgirl
    mckellipgirl Posts: 63 Member
    I think he doth protest too much...

    My co-worker and I quit smoking on the same day this year. So far I have lost 8 lbs (since my last weigh in :D) and he's gained just under 30. The difference being, he's eating like a mad person. Anytime he thinks about smoking he pulls out a bag of potato chips, crackers, sweets, you name it, he's munching it.
    At first I wanted to eat so I got sunflower seeds, minimal calories and after a serving the salt had my tongue begging for me to stop eating them. lol After I realized it wasn't hunger I would just do as mynameiscarri said. I'd go for a walk, or read, or dust, anything to keep my hands busy.

    It's all in the mindset, I guess is what I'm trying to say...
  • MinkyMoo13
    MinkyMoo13 Posts: 354 Member
    I used to smoke 10 a day and actually lost half a stone when I quit..
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    I quit recently and didnt notice any weight gain...only because I had started running almost every day with the c25k program and sticking pretty rigidly to my daily calorie allowance. I did quit 2 years before, and my weight balooned because you do eat more, and food also tastes a LOT better.

    I strongly urge you to give up the habit, any weight gain is temporary, just workout and eat right and GREAT things will happen!
  • Coco_UK
    Coco_UK Posts: 84 Member
    I quit in January after 25 years of smoking 20 a day. I have put some weight on because I have been eating more, and more bad stuff really. But I am losing the weight now too. The good news is I have everything I need to deal with the weight, and exercising is soooo much easier now!

    I say go for it!! It really is worth it and it is much easier than you think!! Just do it! :-)
  • BalmChelle
    BalmChelle Posts: 6
    Just because it happened to him does not mean it is going to happen to you. Eh, I don't believe it. I think people gain more by eating more because they feel that void to replace something with smoking. It is very common. What people don't realize is they need to be moving more and doing something instead of shoving food in their mouths. Drinking water can help too with the cravings and jitters. Just keeping busy. I am a former smoker. This has worked for me. Keeping busy, exercise, sugarless chewing gum, and distraction. I wish you lots of luck.
  • NewChristina
    NewChristina Posts: 250 Member
    Congratulations to all the quitters! :drinker: I quit about 4 years ago and packed on the pounds. Instead of reaching for a cigarette after dinner, it was a second helping of this or that. It's slowly coming back off now.

    I consider it a lesson to NEVER go back to smoking. I don't want to go through this weight gain again.
  • abnerner
    abnerner Posts: 452 Member
    I quit nearly 4 years ago now and did not put on weight. When I quit I had gum, rubber bands to play with, healthy snacks to snack on and drove with my windows open. You just need to watch what you eat when you quit. I am SURE you will be fine!
  • buckeyetex315
    buckeyetex315 Posts: 33 Member
    I am not a smoker (outside of a handful of cigarettes and about 5 cigars), so I can't comment on the weight gain or urge to eat after quitting. My dad did smoke though for years. Once he quit, we realized how much the whole house, furniture, cars and clothes stunk. So I'll just encourage you to quit.... Good luck!
  • Jodie4480
    Jodie4480 Posts: 2 Member
    I quit smoking three weeks ago and in the first two weeks, gained 5 lbs. I started MFP again this past Monday and have lost 2 lbs so far. I definitely ate more to compensate for not smoking. I'm just glad that I started using MFP again before gaining a ton of weight.
  • txladybug76
    txladybug76 Posts: 3
    Long time (ex!)smoker here, my last stint was 6 years.
    Last week I tossed my last pack of smokes out the window. It's been 1 week, and 3 days! Yay!

    I can tell you I was extremely worried about the weight gain. I am an endomorph body type, and gain weight easily. However in a weeks time, I have not seen any gain, and I have kept tight to my healthy eating. There are certain foods to munch when craving nicotine, which do help!

    It really was eye opening to me to see it was more a habitual thing, than it was the actual craving of the nicotine, that seemed to help some. Trail mix has been my go-to for a craving, and its packed with good berries, and protein filled nuts, its a win win!

    Good luck to you! It's a tough thing to go through, but If you are dedicated enough to earning your new body, you should be dedicated enough to earning your new lungs!! :smile:
  • Marmitegeoff
    Marmitegeoff Posts: 373 Member
    I quit about 30 + years ago and I put on weight, but the food tasted so much better, and my sense of smell improved over many years.

    Smoking was the worst thing I have ever done ever. Giving up almost he best.

    Give up it is worth it and there is now a much better understanding you do not have tuto put on weight, just be aware that you could. but



    GIVE UP

    It is worth it.

    you will feel so much better
  • MissyMissy18
    MissyMissy18 Posts: 315 Member
    Thank you for all the suggestions! I had always assumed that the weight gain from quitting came from replacing cigarettes with food... so that's why I was surprised when the coworker told me his story, and claimed that his doctor told him it was because cigarettes are a stimulant, and when you are putting a stimulant in your body 20x a day for 20 years, your body will "slow down".

    It sounded a little phony to me, so I'm glad to hear you all agree that the gaining comes from eating... because that I can control! I haven't smoked since Sunday (I believe going cold turkey is the only way it's gonna work for me) and as of yet my food and nic cravings haven't been too bad! Let's hope it stays that way :P
  • jordanreddick
    jordanreddick Posts: 197 Member
    I was the same as you 3-5 a day and I quit cold turkey, never gained an ounce. It is a mind over matter thing. Hand to mouth fixation. Nothing to do with the chemicals or any other lies someone will tell you. Plain and simple is they gain weight because instead of lighting up they are eating everything in sight to cessate the nicotine monster. Have no fear, do it when you are ready and make the concious effort do it and don't look back
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    I think you can pretty much expect to gain some weight. There is a reason that this is the conventional wisdom. I quit and I gained. But my situation was complicated somewhat by an injury I experienced about six months after quitting.
    I quit about 2 years ago, with the help of Chantix, after having smoked two packs a day for more than 35 years. I had been trying since I was 25 years. The fact that I was successful, finally, with Chantix -- a nicotine agonist drug -- tells me that my smoking was a physical addiction to nicotine, rather than a nervous hands or oral gratification thing.
    Still, I gained. I weighed about 160 pounds when I quit. Two years later, my weight had climbed to about 185 pounds. I had never seriously gained before in my life.
    I do not specifically notice eating more because I was not smoking. But, even with the drug, not smoking is stressful, and food is a distraction from that.
    I think it has been worth it. Almost everyone who smokes tries to quit, at one time or another, if not constantly, and that is because smoking is not that pleasant, after a while.
    Anyway, I have started to lose the weight now. I recently weighed 171 pounds.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    Good luck.. If it helps, and you have a smartphone, download QuitNow (free ap) to track your health achievements, money saved, etc....its a great tool!
  • beggaboo2000
    beggaboo2000 Posts: 70 Member
    I quit last year in October, I do not have any problem losing weight, I gave myself a two week period where I wasnt hard on myself for my eating choices, then I got strict again and took the no bull**** policy and kept going with my weight loss journey:-) So far so good and I love my life without those damn cigarettes, I say go for it!!!!
  • Discoveri
    Discoveri Posts: 435 Member
    Good luck.. If it helps, and you have a smartphone, download QuitNow (free ap) to track your health achievements, money saved, etc....its a great tool!

    Just downloaded it. Thanks for the tip!
  • HalaMadrid7
    HalaMadrid7 Posts: 1
    So far I've lost 27 pounds, down from 230 to 203. However, I did get down to 198 and quit smoking when I reached said number. In less then 1 1/2 weeks, I gained 5 pounds. Didn't change anything and exercised as well. So for now, I'm smoking again until I reach my goal weight of 180 and I'll battle it then. Pick your poison was the case for me. I choose to loose the weight first then battle the smoking. I have a solid 3 months left before I hit my goal weight. I'll keep you updated! Good luck though! If you can do it, do it. I couldn't. I did smoke over a pack a day though. Your case will probably be different since your smoked a lot less frequently than me.
  • fe_nyx
    fe_nyx Posts: 84 Member
    Interesting topic! I quit smoking 12 days ago after almost 5 years of smoking every day, anywhere between 10 and 20 a day. So far, all I seem to want to do it eat! But I realise it is because my hands are used to being busy, and smoking was something I did when I was bored, so now I'm thinking about food when I'm bored. I am instead, trying to keep busy, drinking water every time I think about a smoke or food I don't need, and brushing my teeth (food never tastes good straight after brushing does it!). Hopefully this will help me get through these early days without smokes and keep me away from the cupboards as well!

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