Quit smoking and gaining weight at an alarming rate!

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Well MFPers - I'm confused. i quit smoking April 1. I have gained 8 lbs in the last 10 days. I have eaten enough over my maintenance levels to gain 1.5 lbs in that time. I know smoking increases your metabolism so lets say by quitting, my TDEE has decreased by 300 per day which could explain another gain of a pound over a period of 10 days. This would total a gain of 2.5 - not EIGHT!!!!! What the heck is going on!? Clearly this can't continue - its really starting to worry me! Any insight as to what's going on would be appreciated!!!!

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  • LifeIsNotADressRehearsal
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    Hmmmm.....guess I'm the first person to quit smoking and gain weight without eating more. Bummer.... On the bright side, that must mean I am a special snowflake! :laugh:
  • pixish
    pixish Posts: 79 Member
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    Are you due for your period? I can gain up to 3 or 4 kilos when I'm due, sometimes it stays around for the week before and during, then starts going down at the end of my period. (It can make weekly weigh-ins a bit frustrating :P)
  • BigeaterMatt
    BigeaterMatt Posts: 4 Member
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    Gaining 10 pounds in eight days sounds almost impossible, that's probably water weight.
  • glennstoudt
    glennstoudt Posts: 403 Member
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    Congratulations on your cessation. Not really sure why the weight gain. But is you go with the usual calories in calories out model, it must be that you have more calories going in. 8 pounds on your body in such a short time is a bit remarkable. I don't have experience with cessation but maybe chewing gum is an option.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,135 Member
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    Just as a guess - your body is holding on to water and probably other nutrients so it can heal up from being poisoned. I say poisoned not because I think smoking is Evil, but that's what inhaling carbon mono/dioxide is to your body. Like I said, it's a guess.

    I gained weight when I stopped smoking because I ate instead of lighting up. :smokin:
  • ParkerH47
    ParkerH47 Posts: 463 Member
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    I would agree that it is likely water weight - try exercising a little more or eating a little less though just incase. Your metabolic rate may have just gone a bit loopy for a bit - it should straighten out soon. Congratulations on quitting what a great thing that is!
  • LifeIsNotADressRehearsal
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    Thank you :smile: I know it sounds like I must be eating waaaaaay more but I'm not. I guess I'll just try to patient and wait for my body to adjust. Hopefully that will happen before I weigh 300 lbs.....