Quit Smoking -> Gaining weight ?

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princess_goal
princess_goal Posts: 43 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I quit smoking monday, and its friday now, I exercise almost every day( apart from yesterday)...
and I have an ok diet with cheats here and there, but most of the time I am good.
I am running, doing Jillian Michaels body revolution...but I am not losing weight on the scale.
I am at 1500 calories a day, my tdee is 2541...-20%...2032(thats what I should eat)...what is that craziness...I cant eat that much...
anyway...Can you still gain weight if u quit smoking , keeping healthing habits and still end up gaining weight...
Im so confused...

Replies

  • IHTSM
    IHTSM Posts: 51 Member
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    I'm not expert or anything at all, but I wouldn't think quitting smoking would have anything to do with it. I always thought that the reason people generally gained weight after quitting smoking (as in my case) was because they went to food for comfort in place of smoking. If you are eating 1500 calories per day then I think you're doing the right thing and should be fine. Just give it time
  • schmenge55
    schmenge55 Posts: 745 Member
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    Smoking DOES increase your hear rate and hence your metabolism. I think I read somewhere you burn about 250 calories a day when you smoke. So add those through exercise, or cut back, but you do not need to gain weight
  • bad_hair_bear
    bad_hair_bear Posts: 56
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    I quit smoking mid-february, and (re-)started on here at the same time. I was told I was mad for quitting smoking AND trying to lose weight at the same time. I was told it couldn't be done, and that I'd do better to quit smoking for a year and then concentrate on my weight. What happened? Well, in the 2 months since, I've lost 8lbs and not had a single cig. I realise it's still early days, but I'm healthier than I have ever been and getting healthier by the day.

    I believe a lot of the weight gain people see when they quit smoking is comfort food - people eat to satisfy nicotine cravings. But as long as you're keeping track of your calories and eating at a reasonable deficit, weight loss will naturally follow.

    In your specific case OP - it would seem like you're not eating enough. If your TDEE numbers are correct, you should be eating closer to 2000 calories. Whilst on the face of it, a bigger deficit should mean more weight loss, our bodies simply don't work like that. Try reading In Place of a Road Map on these forums and that should give you an idea for where to go from here.

    Oh, and congrats on giving up for 5 days :-) No mean feat at all!
  • angel_of_harmony
    angel_of_harmony Posts: 188 Member
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    I quit smoking a month ago and have noticed that my appetite has increased. Granted I am an emotional eater whom has panic disorder so that can also be the reason why I have been eating more often. I have learned to replace snack foods with healthier alternatives such as fresh veggies. So far I have not seen a significant change in my weight but it is early in the game still.
  • HoosierBecky
    HoosierBecky Posts: 60 Member
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    When I quit smoking (4 years ago tomorrow!) I did gain weight but it was because I substituted food for the smokes and pretty much allowed myself to have what I wanted to get through it. Food tastes better after quitting too. I think the metabolism boost from smoking is pretty minimal.
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    I quit back in December, and keeping track of calories and stepping up the exercising has led to me losing weight instead of gaining it. I've dropped about 5 pounds in a couple months, and I'm seriously excited about that because a) it's not gaining (!!!!) and b) I'm lifting heavy weights so my scale is mostly a dirty liar anyway and I go by measurements and by how my clothes are fitting.

    Stick with it and give it more than a week. You're looking for results way too early. Wait about a month or two before you judge whether something is working or not. Five days is just enough for your body to start getting rid of all the chemicals you put in there and begin to adjust to being healthy. Patience is going to be your best friend, so apply it liberally!

    I think you're on the right track. Just stick with it, be consistent, put in the work, and give it time, and your body will respond. Congrats on quitting, the rest is easy compared to that!

    If you have a hard time eating 2000 cals right now, then add 100 cals a week and up them over time. Handful of nuts, some peanut butter, etc. will get you there in a healthy way.
  • jgcurry3
    jgcurry3 Posts: 172 Member
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    Nicotine is an appetite suppresant and a stimulant. So when you quit you're hungry more often since normally you would smoke to get you through the day.
  • cms721
    cms721 Posts: 179 Member
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    I would just worry about staying smoke free for now. Eating well and exercising will make you strong physically and mentally.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
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    invest in gum. I quit twice and gained weight both times.......
  • dakitten2
    dakitten2 Posts: 888 Member
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    Most people that quit smoking use food as a substitute. I know I did. But keep this in mind. When I talked to my doctor about quitting smoking and losing weight and that I only wanted to do one at a time. I didn't think I was strong enough to tackle both. So he said emphatically quit smoking first, that the health benefits achieved from quitting smoking was much greater than losing the weight.

    I quit by using Chantix and then quite a bit later I started tackling the weight issue.

    So kudos to you for taking on both. Here's my motto: Patience + Perseverance = PAYOFF. So stay with it and be sure and take measurements. The scale is not the single identifier for getting healthier.

    Good luck and don't give up!
  • rvhorsburgh
    rvhorsburgh Posts: 53 Member
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    I quit 4 years ago in May and switched to carrots for the summer. Sweet, cool, filling, and smell a whole lot better. I actually lost 12 pounds. So be different and do some activity instead of smoking with that nervous energy. Don't accept what others experience as inevitable. You choose.
  • ghhosstt
    ghhosstt Posts: 112
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    I think being health-conscious while quitting should really help. When my mother quit she actually lost weight, so everyone is different. You'll be able to make up for any metabolic changes by being able to run faster and further and get more exercise without being winded. :)
  • GrandmaJody
    GrandmaJody Posts: 140 Member
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    You might see some fluctuation in your weight, but you are doing the right thing! A single cigarette burns about 10 calories, so it would depend on how much you smoked. But regardless it is awful for you. I quit this past Dec after many years of smoking, only because I had spent 6 hours in the ER trying to get my oxygen levels back up...I am so proud of you for not waiting as long as I did. Great Job!!! :)
  • constant_imrovement
    constant_imrovement Posts: 419 Member
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    Generally, Smokers light up after they've ate.

    It takes about 5 minutes to smoke a cig.

    It takes about 15 minutes for your body to register being full after eating.

    After the smoke time, and washing hands, etc. I think the full feeling sets in.

    I think that's the biggest reason why people gain weight post smoking, as long as they are not substuting food for a stress releaver.

    I'd like to call myself a former smoker, but I have a cigars fairly regularly, and really regularly when heavily stressed
  • tracyschreier
    tracyschreier Posts: 81 Member
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    If it were true about nicotine boosting metabolism and suppressing appetite, we'd have no fat smokers. But I am a fat smoker. Or rather, I was until this past Monday at noon when I smoked my last cigarette. I've also quit in the past and lost weight both times. Funny thing is, both times I started to smoke again, I gained all the weight back. Anyhoo...use up your nervous energy with exercise, drink lots of water, munch on carrots and celery, go outside after meals to stave off the "after meal" craving (said to be the worst by most quitters) and breathe, breathe, breathe in that fresh air!
  • fit_ania
    fit_ania Posts: 26
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    the first time i stopped smoking i was very careful ! really sticking to my calories and working out and put on 21lb!!!

    so i started smoking again
    now i;'m off again starting at 140 lb-i put at east 5-6 lb on and now at my highest ever
    see how i do
  • Mads1997
    Mads1997 Posts: 1,494 Member
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    I Gave up smoking 3 years ago just before I started on here. Yes I gained weight but that was because I was eating lollies and drinking more coke to compensate for no smokes. Giving up smoking wont make you gain weight unless you are eating too much junk.


    @tracyschreier I was an obese smoker, I smoked 30 a day for 27 years. I gave up cold turkey. It didn't suppress my appetite one bit.
  • KaraAlste
    KaraAlste Posts: 168 Member
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    Excellent choice on your decision to quit smoking. :smokin: Your mind has decided this, however your body has a mind of it's own. And it will take atleast 21 days to make your body & mind accept you are a nonsmoker and develop a new, hopefully "better" behavior. I don't really understand the question.

    I think you are asking if your decision to quit smoking will hinder your weight loss efforts. The answer is "no", It will not. Despite popular belief, long term studies indicate you are actually more likely to have a healthy BMI if you are a nonsmoker and that is related to your respitory system. As you probably know you lower your risks of a premature heart attack, cancer, infertility, and many other potential health risks just by giving up smoking. :love:
  • Sassybmom
    Sassybmom Posts: 146 Member
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    Please read Allen Carr's Easyway! I never gained when I quit (over a year ago) but it had everything to do with the explanations in the book
  • JosieRawr
    JosieRawr Posts: 788 Member
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    I quit February 1st. I did not gain any weight, but I also did not lose any weight. I tracked everything I consumed, but ended up maintaining between my highs n lows. At one point I was freaked, wondering why I wasn't losing weight because I was only over 1 or two days a week, but after doing the math it supported maintaining. So after a month of not losing weight I changed my goal to maintenance for an additional month because quitting smoking>losing weight. Temporarily anyways. It's a lot less stressful to concentrate on one restriction at a time. After two months, I changed back to trying to lose 3lb a month(modest deficit) and I'll reevaluate again after this month is up. I think the best course of action is to focus on not smoking and be flexible with your diet. Good luck and congratulations. :)

    Also- I count at least 5lbs lost by not gaining weight post quitting lol ;)

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