quit smoking gaining weight :-(

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ashmarie822
ashmarie822 Posts: 4
in Introduce Yourself
hi everyone! im new. i quit smoking last year in April and by July i had gained 30lbs. well that was really hard for me because i have always struggled with my weight and before that had got down to 193. i am always stuck around 220. well anyway i started back smoking July 4th (i was drinking) i got back down to 210. now in 4 weeks of quitting again i am at 223 and eating out of control. i feel so helpless. i really feel like i can't stop. its to the point i am extremely depressed and for 2 days was in give up mode. i am ready to get back on track though. i need help!!! how do i continue not smoking and control my eating and lose weight???
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  • Angeloftheshore
    Angeloftheshore Posts: 227 Member
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    I quit smoking and gained weight too, at first, because I snacked a lot. Here are some of the things I did when a craving for a cigarette hit...

    - Exercise (even if it was just going for a walk
    - Get out of the house, a change in environment distracts you
    - Change whatever you are doing at that moment to something else. If you are on the computer, get off it. ( I had to give up the computer for 2 months till I got a grip.)
    - Clean house
    - Get out into nature...A LOT
    - Shower shower shower, it calms your mind
    - eat negative calorie snacks (or close to it) when a cigarette craving hits. Munch all day on celery, carrots, cucumber, peppers, etc....


    I gave up smoking and gained physical fitness. Even if I walked for 15 minutes and then sat for a bit and got back up and walked another 15. I did something, anything. I also realized in doing this that one step after another you will crave the better health feeling after you quit smoking if you substitute working out for smoking. You will love the feeling of being able to reallly breathe.
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    I quit smoking and haven't gained anything because I started keeping track of calories and getting my butt moving on a regular basis.

    It's been 2 months now and so far, so good.

    You've got this. You just have to want to, and then do it. :flowerforyou:
  • Angeloftheshore
    Angeloftheshore Posts: 227 Member
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    I quit smoking and haven't gained anything because I started keeping track of calories and getting my butt moving on a regular basis.

    It's been 2 months now and so far, so good.

    You've got this. You just have to want to, and then do it. :flowerforyou:
    Agreed!
  • kellehbeans
    kellehbeans Posts: 838 Member
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    I quit smoking and haven't gained anything because I started keeping track of calories and getting my butt moving on a regular basis.

    It's been 2 months now and so far, so good.

    You've got this. You just have to want to, and then do it. :flowerforyou:

    This is exactly the same as me. I was determined not to snack or put on weight like everyone else and I managed it. I have not smoked for a while now. But you can definitely lose the weight you have gained from stopping smoking!

    I agree with Angelofthesho. Go for a walk, have a bath or a shower, whichever relaxes you more or start doing something you enjoy more, e.g. watch a TV show, draw a picture, play a game. It will take your mind off of the food. Or chew some sugar free gum. I find if I kept my mouth occupied I could get away with not smoking at all.

    Good luck. :flowerforyou:
  • sigsby
    sigsby Posts: 220 Member
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    This is all good stuff. I'm getting ready to quit smoking. Thanks for the tips.
  • pawnstarNate
    pawnstarNate Posts: 1,728 Member
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    Interested in the comments on this one because while I'm not a smoker...my sister (46) quit Thanksgiving day and has gained ever since.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,473 Member
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    happened to me too,,,do not keep any bad foods near you that you are going to eat them/
    if you feel like eating, go and do a power walk,
    water flushes the toxins out,
  • Ghiizhar
    Ghiizhar Posts: 10 Member
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    I used Nicorette gum for the first month or two which really helped fight the nicotine craving (which seemed much like food craving to me at the time).

    It was easier for me to cut back on the gum, than to cut back on smoking. I gradually reduced the gum until I no longer had tobacco cravings. During that period, I learned to distinguish between hunger and tobacco craving.

    I also did many of the things others have already suggested, especially doing something different during the times when I would have normally lit up a smoke (walking, visiting a coworker to discuss something in person rather than phoning and smoking, etc)
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    I quit on Dec. 21, 2012...and have actually lost weight...9 lbs since then.

    I found making an entire life style shift helped me. And also found the way MFP sets it up isn't very good for recovering addicts. You will already have a tendency to replace food with smoking, so doing only a 1200 calorie net might not help. I am following the TDEE/BMR method and it is helping a lot. I replaced smoking with a healthy addiction...working out. What was your biggest smoking trigger? Was it boredom? If so that makes you even more likely to put on weight because you will replace smoking with eating. Pay attention to those triggers. If you get bored find something to do that will draw your attention.
  • fausto412
    fausto412 Posts: 100 Member
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    hi everyone! im new. i quit smoking last year in April and by July i had gained 30lbs. well that was really hard for me because i have always struggled with my weight and before that had got down to 193. i am always stuck around 220. well anyway i started back smoking July 4th (i was drinking) i got back down to 210. now in 4 weeks of quitting again i am at 223 and eating out of control. i feel so helpless. i really feel like i can't stop. its to the point i am extremely depressed and for 2 days was in give up mode. i am ready to get back on track though. i need help!!! how do i continue not smoking and control my eating and lose weight???

    Just quit smoking, get active and watch your calories...smoking is decreasing your lifespan with each day and the sooner you quit the more damage you undue.
  • grillingirl
    grillingirl Posts: 81 Member
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    I quit smoking 6 years ago and then had a whole bunch of life changing events happen. First, my husband passed away unexpectedly, then I had my gall bladder removed, then I shattered my ankle and was pretty much bed ridden for several months. It probably took me about 9 months to be able to move around like I wanted to again after that. Add in that I was going through menopause and all these things added about 40 lbs to me! But I knew that I didn't want to start smoking again. I just took one thing at a time and am now down about 45 lbs since the start of all that. I have never felt better. Just keep in mind the reasons you quit in the first place. It's definitely not easy but it can be done. And you'll feel SO good being able to breath again! Then little by little you can improve other areas of your life. One thing builds on another. Success breeds success! Hang in there!!!!!!!!!!
  • anj1030
    anj1030 Posts: 153 Member
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    I lost a lot of weight about 6-7 years ago...kept it off...moved to upstate NY about a year ago, QUIT smoking in September...continued my healthy diet, started training for 5K's...and I've STILL put on about 15 lbs (30 in total over the past year)...it sucks...a lot. My doctor explained that when you smoke, it speeds up your metabolism to help promote the nicotine in your system. When you quit, so does your metabolism. I have faith...(mostly because I have to)...that my metabolism will wake up again soon, and this will all be in the past!!! WE CAN DO THIS!!! Quitting smoking is the best thing you could ever do for yourself...and living a healthy lifestyle will only make it better!!! Stay strong!!!
  • epigram
    epigram Posts: 5
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    I'm on the patch right now, and just started here at MFP.

    The quitting smoking part is honestly sooo much easier than quitting eating all that junk food. I've found that drinking a LOT of water is helping with both aspects, as well as chewing gum.
  • anj1030
    anj1030 Posts: 153 Member
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    I quit smoking and haven't gained anything because I started keeping track of calories and getting my butt moving on a regular basis.

    It's been 2 months now and so far, so good.

    You've got this. You just have to want to, and then do it. :flowerforyou:

    This is exactly the same as me. I was determined not to snack or put on weight like everyone else and I managed it. I have not smoked for a while now. But you can definitely lose the weight you have gained from stopping smoking!

    I agree with Angelofthesho. Go for a walk, have a bath or a shower, whichever relaxes you more or start doing something you enjoy more, e.g. watch a TV show, draw a picture, play a game. It will take your mind off of the food. Or chew some sugar free gum. I find if I kept my mouth occupied I could get away with not smoking at all.

    Good luck. :flowerforyou:

    I get lost in Pinterest...ha ha
  • Healthydiner65
    Healthydiner65 Posts: 1,579 Member
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    As a smoker for 45 years I can tell you it took a stay in the ICU with blood clots in my heart and legs to get me to quit. I quit Jan 26, 2012 and I can do so much more than I ever could. I quit drinking any form of alcohol on July 4, 2011.Just think what you could do if you didn't smoke.Don't wait until it's to late and you can't undo the damage done to your wonderful body! Love yourself totally! Good Luck!
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    Nicotine is a powerful appetite suppressant and fat-burner. I quit about 7 years ago and gained weight also.
  • dawn_eichert
    dawn_eichert Posts: 487 Member
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    OP - first off....Don't give up. If you need to tackle one obstacle at a time do so. I started back to MFP on 1/1 to rebuild my healthy eating and exercise habits. I am down 9 lbs now and my quit day for smoking is 3/1 (my 40th bday). I am going to use many of the same things already said to be successful at quitting without gaining weight. Exercise is going to be my replacement activity along with using the Patch and Gum. Carrots, celery and sugerless gum are going to be my go to snacky items to fight cravings.

    You can do this. Find your inner reason for why you want to get healthy and use that as your mantra.
  • wnbrice
    wnbrice Posts: 244 Member
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    Yea just remember nicotine is an appetite suppressant. So you are going to be a lot hungrier
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
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    I quit for 41 days and had the same thing happen... I thought I was going to be all on top of things and not gain weight. Hah. I snacked like it was my JOB and 8 pounds were on in no time. So I panicked and started smoking again. Bad plan. Now I wish I had just stuck with it because I know how to avoid snacking. I can do it. And I will do it again!

    I know you hear things like "nicotine speeds up your metabolism" but only by 200 calories a day or so... so it can be shaken! :)
  • supah_
    supah_ Posts: 78 Member
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    Don't be too severe on yourself with the weight gain. Just remember - you don't want to go through quitting a second time. It's miserable and you know that now.

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