I'm a Quitter... And now I'm fat!

omiesfat

Hey everybody...

For as far back as I can remember, I have weighed between 196 and 204. More recently, couldn't seem to get into the the high 190s, mostly stayed in the low 200s and with 205 as a max. Never dieted and my exercise was limited to my normal daily activity. I do bike ride in the spring & summer but nothing major.

Well, for longer than I can remember, I had been a smoker ~30 or so years... i had quit a couple of times but did so for other people and hence didn't last. A couple of months and I would start with one cigarette, then four then before I knew it I was at a pack a day.

My brother came to visit last August, and yes he is a cardiologist, but yes he did smoke too (shriek)... Well, until last year when he decided to use Chantix (smoking cessation prescription drug) and recommended I try it. I had been thinking about quitting but really was fearing failure again. Didn't have much to lose, so why not. I'll try it...

Oh My God! the most amazing discovery a human being had ever made is contained in this rectangular cardboard pill holder, white on the outside and light fluorescent green on the inside. A blessing from God and so I have not looked back since October 24, 2011 was my quit date. Today, i cannot stand the smell of smoke, I do crave the act of smoking but not the nicotine addiction. So it is manageable.

The problem that has created though is that I am eating like a pig. I cannot stay at home because if I do, all I am doing is eating. I live alone so that is good in a way (no peer pressure/no bad influence) but since quitting on 10/24/2011 I have gained 20lbs... Most of it in my gut. And while some people are saying you look good with some weight on, you look better... I honestly feel like a bubble sometimes and it makes me mad.

So here I am... Counting calories and watching my intake.

If I know before I quit smoking that I was saving myself from lung cancer only to exchange that for potential heart disease and clogged arteries, I'm not sure I would have quit! I am kidding though...

So proud to be a quitter!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

TakinSexyBack

Welcome!!! You will find lots of support here! :-)

kindlewalker

i don't think you are alone among people who quit smoking. I imagine it is very frustrating to trade one health risk for another. The only thing I can suggest is lots of exercise. Endorphin (produce during exercise) can be pretty addictive too, but from what I understand there are no bad side effects. You just need to find some form of exercise you enjoy and then give it time to work.

meewii

Congrats! I quit 5 months ago ... And have also gained more weight.

PoliticalRN

Welcome, there are more support here than anywhere else! Good luck!

dangoch

Congratulations - I'm a quitter too, over 5 years now. I too used Chantix and like you said, it is a miracle drug. It is very expensive and why insurance doesn't pay for it seems very stupid, but it is about as expensive as cigarettes. I took it for 3 months. I also found that a website called www.quitnet.com, which is a forum for fellow quitters. There is a special Chantix group.

I have gained weight since quitting. I got up to 305 lbs and my Dr read me the riot act. I joined the Y, and tried to be a little more sensible eating. That took me down about 35 lbs over 1 1/2 years but there I got stuck. I decided it was time to try to get more serious about dieting so got MFP and I'm now down 15 more lbs in a few weeks (the easy fat and no bags of chips daily . My goal is 225 in 6 months or so. It sure helps knowing what I'm taking in and putting out (exercise wise). That really seems to be helping.

Keep up the great work. You have made all the right steps. My Dr told me a little weight is better than 30 years of smoking so you have done the right thing. Good luck.

fishax

Well done. I quit too 20 odd years ago. Try to replace the smoking situations with helthy non food situation........you will break the habit eventually just stick with it.

EnchantedEvening

The same thing happened to my mom. She realized she missed the hand-to-mouth action of smoking and was making up for it with food, so she replaced all of her junk food with things like pretzel sticks, carrot sticks, celery sticks, and other healthy foods that were bite-sized. She didn't miss the junk food at all because she still got to do the hand-to-mouth thing while watching TV or paying bills or whatever. It wasn't the food she craved; it was the motion.

Perhaps that will help you? It's okay to nibble on food all day as long as it isn't junk.

EnchantedEvening

(I can't believe I forgot to say this.)

Congratulations on quitting smoking. I think that's amazing. From watching friends and relatives struggle with it, I know how hard it is to give up.

farroz

My story is almost exactly the same. I found that the first thing I needed to realize was that I was eating to eat (oral pleasure) vs eating because I was hungry. So when I realized that I started chewing gum that made me stop gaining weight but now I need to lose all I have gained. MFP to the rescue! I have been doing it for a month and have lost 11 pounds but have gotten the exercise bug and plan to lose more.

mccbabe1

yesssssssssssss so glad you quit.. i haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate smoke!!!!!!!!!!! I smoked 10yrs ago.. hate hate it now.. well worth 20#'s.. a friend of mine quit recently and gained 50! :indifferent: suxx... but shes working on it now.. and loosing ..
u can also! im in my 6th wk now on mfp and im loving it.. its not a fast fast wt loss.. but the healthy 1-2#s a week... and i dont feel deprived.. Like "no carb" or cant have this or that... and i looooooover exercisin.. and earnin cals back! since I too love to eat...
welcome to MFP :drinker:

mwcraig34

Yep me too! Now lets do something about! Add me if you need friends!

mandy0688

See I am proud of you for quitting and now i am trying to but i am so afraid of the same thing but my issue is i can't quit. So more power to you and good luck in your weight loss journey and and please add me so we can be there for each other.

Ntropic1

Congratulations!

I joined the Quitter club just a few months ago in April.

So here at fitness pal the program where you can put in the food and it tells you how many calories and carbs etc. we eat on a daily basis that turns out to be a bunch of hooey because we can still eat what we want watch the numbers turn red and eat some more ... oh well. LOL

it is all about self motivation, self monitoring and being honest. What has worked always worked for me is the fact that if I say I can't have this or that ... I only want it more. So I have to have it in moderation. I lean on the fitness part of the pal...meaning if I want more calories I have to exercise to get them.

I set the calorie count to losing weight how fast (or slow) I want and play with the numbers that way.

Here's the thing. Getting "at-a-boys" from friends is okay, from family is good, from those that knows what you're going through is great, but none of it compares to you patting yourself on your own back looking in the mirror. The proof is listen to how you sound when you say you quit smoking!! We are our own worse critics. So get in there and put in the work. Walk for 30 minutes ... then on the next day ... walk of 30 minutes ... and well the day after that, walk for 30 minutes! set goals ... if you walk a mile in 30 minutes ... next week or month walk a mile and ten feet ... set the bar within reach then choke it !

Pulling for you, why? Cause I know you can do it!

Juan

cherylplinder

Juan,
I love what you had to say. That is how I am tackling my fitness obstacles. I am setting a fitness goal or two and trying to stick to them until they become a habit. Then I am going to pick a new habit and add that the next month!
I also do better if I just count calories and exercise. I cook for my family and when the food is there I want it. So I try to restrict the portions and exercise if I eat more than I should have.

Congrats to all of you that have conquered your smoking habit.

Once we are all healthy and fit, we won't want to go back to our old habits!

I can't wait!

hathor777

I Quit for good Janurary 1st 2012 and haven't looked back. I did it cold turkey, but I was at the point where I had to choose between breathing and smoking. I made the obvious choice. I read the average weight gain was 10 pounds.. Yeah right! I have gained OVER 40 POUNDS, and I wasn't skinny when I quit either. I was already 180 when I quit, having gained about 30 pounds because I had to stop dancing in my troupe due to personal economics. Now, I'm heavier than I ever thought I would ever be, and I feel awful. I'm breathing again, which is good, but can't really do much else because of all this crushing fat. I wasnt prepared for this much weight, and I don't have the strength to carry it. Right now I'm about 230 and climbing. I just can't beleive this. Doing anything is hard, very hard. I have 0 energy even to walk around the block a few times and feel completely wore out after 1 mile. This sucks! I used to be a dancer for goodness sake. I can't beleive this has happened to me. I used to be so healthy. Now, Im a fat blob. It's enough to make me want to smoke again.. but I won't.. because I just can't. My lungs won't take it anymore. Ok .. thank you for listening to me rant. I just needed to get this out.. So frustrated, and upset.

Graceious1

I quit almost 9 years ago and banged on the fat but it is slipping away now thanks to MFP. I also did it cold turkey because I was pregnant. Never looked back.

Gidzmo

Hi, Omies! Glad to hear you've quit smoking--nicotine's a tough one to beat!.

Losing the weight's slow and tough, but doable.

Tallblondechick

Geez I thought you were writing my story, here it is!

52--age
35--yrs smoked
2.5- yrs quit
20- pounds gained
You got it, all in the belly area---muffin top..

I am finally learning to love myself again. Thanks to all my wonderful MFP friends...I am very happy I quit and it is worth EVERY pound gained. I look at it this way. I love the people I love- skinny, fat, or average. I don't love them less if they are overweight so why should I love myself any less..right? Changing your way of thinking, your prespective goes a long way on what is important.

I still want to be healthy more than anything. I would love to look good too.Thats why I stay here and log. If I have a good day or a bad day eating, it is still a better day than a day of smoking. Your already a winner by quitting. Now if you can just make good choices in your food and exercise a little more you will see changes that will make you smile. It is a slow process, but so was putting it on. Twenty pounds is not really alot.

PS...I quit COLD TURKEY...I tried quitting about 3 times prior, only to smoke back withing weeks. This time is for good.
Good luck...

QueenofScott

Congratulations on quitting smoking! That is fabulous!