Please help...stopped smoking and zero weight loss :'(

Wannabeslim2811
Wannabeslim2811 Posts: 32
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

I'm female, 28, 5ft 7 and have a lot of weight to lose...I am currently 216lbs and my goal is 154lbs. I am an RN so on my feet for 12 hours a day on shift, and I have been exercising 3 times a week with my heart rate at around 171. I used to smoke, took no exercise (although I've always been active at work) and would eat whatever I wanted and stay the same weight, had a serious chocolate addicition! I decided recently I seriously needed to lose weight. I began dieting, eating around 1500 calories a day and exercising. Lost 7lbs. Then I put that 7lbs back on before deciding I have had enough of being a fat lump and a hypocrite, smoking. So I quit smoking, increased my workouts, and cut calories to 1200 a day. Two weeks later.....NOTHING! Not even 1lb gone. I'm getting so depressed. I track everything I eat and I am honestly not cheating. The only thing that's different is Ive quit smoking. I am very close to starting smoking again until I've lost the weight but I don't want to undo my hard work quitting. Any advice? Thanks
«1

Replies

  • SuperCrsa
    SuperCrsa Posts: 790 Member
    increased my workouts, and cut calories to 1200 a day. Two weeks later.....NOTHING!

    Smoking most likely has nothing to do with the weight loss.
    But the low calories on your height may give a clue..

    I fidgeted with some of your numbers on http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    And from what I can see it looks like you should be eating much more!!
  • stt43
    stt43 Posts: 487
    Eat 1800 calories a day, plus any calories you burn off doing any exercise. Weigh yourself at the same time each week. If after a couple of weeks you've lost some weight then continue. If after two weeks you've not lost any weight reduce your calorie deficit by another 100 calories (i.e. eat 100 calories less, or exercise 100 calories more, or a mixture of the two). Do this each time you reach a sticking point for more than two weeks. You shouldn't ever need to drop your calorie intake below 1500 calories per day.
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    Hey,

    You definitely should have lost some by now. It may be a logging issue - do you use a food scale?

    You're doing great - you've made a positive change and you're beginning to turn this around. Stick with!
  • stt43
    stt43 Posts: 487
    If you are on your feet all day and exercising regularly you should probably be consumer 2300-2800 calories a day, perhaps more. If you log everything and keep track of your weight then you should be able to tell if you are consuming the right amount of calories by how much the scale is changing every week or two.
  • Wannabeslim2811
    Wannabeslim2811 Posts: 32
    increased my workouts, and cut calories to 1200 a day. Two weeks later.....NOTHING!

    Smoking most likely has nothing to do with the weight loss.
    But the low calories on your height may give a clue..

    I fidgeted with some of your numbers on http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    And from what I can see it looks like you should be eating much more!!

    Thanks for your reply. The problem is that I have zero appetite. To get as fat as I am I would eat lots of chocolate and candy and I would not eat actual food as it would fill me up so much I wouldn't be able to eat all the junk food. My colleagues are always amazed as I have zero appetite but still run around for 12 hours, sometimes when I get home at 9pm I am still so full of energy I can't sleep till around 1am which is a nightmare if I'm on shift again at 7am! Yesterday I ate a babybel light, a yoghurt and a banana during my 12 hour shift (banana and yoghurt for breakfast, babybel light for lunch). When I finished I had three mini/fun size candy bars. I could not physically eat any more I was not hungry at all. My calorie total was around 450 calories plus I had been active and running around for 12.5 hours. This morning, I hadn't lost anything. When I smoked, a day like that would see me lose 3-4lbs purely in water weight, as I'd never drink enough either on shift. But I'm not losing anything whatso ever. I think I am going to have to start smoking again :( I'll have to lose weight first then quit. Thanks for your reply though

    Just had a thought....if I use nicotine patches will that have an effect on my metabolism? I quit cold turkey but if I use a patch and get nicotine will that increase my heart rate? My heart rate resting has always been ok when I was smoking, now I've quit it's on the low side (58). My blood pressure is always on the low side ( around 100 systolic) and my blood glucose is always low...between 2.9 and 4, it will be 4 within 30 minutes of eating sugar. I have been tested and my doctor has said I appear to just be okay because I'm relatively young despite my bad health habits....I also have an hourglass figure so store weight on my bust and hips etc but have a small waist and flat stomach which my doctor has said reduces the chance of obesity related disease. So in a way I think smoking may raise my BP and HR to levels which make me feel a bit better
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Doesn't quitting smoking generally lead to weight gain? You're doing well to maintain. However, as an RN, you should know better than to starve yourself. Eat more, give your body a chance to heal and repair itself from all the smoking damage for a few months, then worry about the weight loss. One thing at a time.
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    I fidgeted with some of your numbers on http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    And from what I can see it looks like you should be eating much more!!

    I have to say I disagree with this... just because the scale is staying the same and she's not losing. To lose weight she needs to eat less calories, not more, surely? I imagine it's a logging issue, actually.
  • SuperCrsa
    SuperCrsa Posts: 790 Member
    Doesn't quitting smoking generally lead to weight gain? You're doing well to maintain. However, as an RN, you should know better than to starve yourself. Eat more, give your body a chance to heal and repair itself from all the smoking damage for a few months, then worry about the weight loss. One thing at a time.

    No not at all, its the stuffing of food in your mouth when you cant put a ciggie in there that leads to weight gain :laugh:
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    Doesn't quitting smoking generally lead to weight gain? You're doing well to maintain. However, as an RN, you should know better than to starve yourself. Eat more, give your body a chance to heal and repair itself from all the smoking damage for a few months, then worry about the weight loss. One thing at a time.

    Again... 'eat more'. I really don't see it like that. OP is over 200lb and not losing?
  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
    Whatever you do, don't let 2 weeks stalling get you down. Really it can take weeks before we really know what's going on with weight, it takes a ton of time, energy and patience.

    Last month, I bought a new scale that weighed me almost 5 pounds heavier... I was like, CRAP :sad:
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I began dieting, eating around 1500 calories a day and exercising. Lost 7lbs.

    so do this again...
  • stt43
    stt43 Posts: 487
    I fidgeted with some of your numbers on http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    And from what I can see it looks like you should be eating much more!!

    I have to say I disagree with this... just because the scale is staying the same and she's not losing. To lose weight she needs to eat less calories, not more, surely? I imagine it's a logging issue, actually.

    She's on her feet twelve hours a day, working out three times a week, and you think she should eat even less than 1200 calories?
  • Wannabeslim2811
    Wannabeslim2811 Posts: 32
    Hi,

    Thanks for your reply, I know I should know better but it's partly being an RN that led to my problems....I can't smoke in uniform in the hospital so each break I would have to get changed out of my uniform, walk down 6 flights of stairs then walk for 10 mins to a secret hidey spot where all the smokers go to smoke (we have zero tolerance on smoking at my hospital). Then I'd smoke my ciggies, walk back and run up 6 flights of stairs, get change, and my break was over.

    I know a lot of larger people say they don't know why they are fat but I genuinely don't, I have never eaten that much and always been fat, literally since I was a baby. My younger sister however is a size 0 and she eats whatever she likes - in fact, she hates being a size zero and tries to eat a lot to pt on weight but it doesn't happen.
  • teamAmelia
    teamAmelia Posts: 1,247 Member
    You're very luck that you didn't GAIN weight. What I've always heard from people is that they gain after quitting smoking bc they replace smoking with eating.

    ETA:
    it's partly being an RN that led to my problems....I can't smoke in uniform in the hospital so each break I would have to get changed out of my uniform, walk down 6 flights of stairs then walk for 10 mins to a secret hidey spot where all the smokers go to smoke (we have zero tolerance on smoking at my hospital). Then I'd smoke my ciggies, walk back and run up 6 flights of stairs,
    :mad: @ you smoking at a hospital that has zero tolerance for it. :mad: :mad: @ the gang of nurses who have a secret smoking spot. Makes me wonder what other rules you guys break in your hospital...And, how did your occupation lead to your "problems"? You're not even allowed to smoke at work, so the fact that you chose to spend your break sneaking around to smoke instead of eating is not the result of you being an RN.
  • Wannabeslim2811
    Wannabeslim2811 Posts: 32
    Just wanted to say thanks so far for all the replies....I will try to eat more, it's just really hard when I am trying to lose weight to equate more food=weight loss.

    MFP says I should be eating 1370 calories as lightly active. Also people say weight loss is quicker when you don't eat back exercise calories. How much should I be eating? Thank you SO much again for all your replies your advice is really appreciated.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Just wanted to say thanks so far for all the replies....I will try to eat more, it's just really hard when I am trying to lose weight to equate more food=weight loss.

    MFP says I should be eating 1370 calories as lightly active. Also people say weight loss is quicker when you don't eat back exercise calories. How much should I be eating? Thank you SO much again for all your replies your advice is really appreciated.

    stop thinking of 'quick weight loss' and start thinking healthy lifestyle....
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    I fidgeted with some of your numbers on http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    And from what I can see it looks like you should be eating much more!!

    I have to say I disagree with this... just because the scale is staying the same and she's not losing. To lose weight she needs to eat less calories, not more, surely? I imagine it's a logging issue, actually.

    She's on her feet twelve hours a day, working out three times a week, and you think she should eat even less than 1200 calories?

    No, no, no. My point is she CAN'T be eating only 1,200 calories because of how much she weighs and the fact she's not losing. I'm thinking it's a logging issue.
  • JessHealthKick
    JessHealthKick Posts: 800 Member

    I know a lot of larger people say they don't know why they are fat but I genuinely don't, I have never eaten that much and always been fat, literally since I was a baby. My younger sister however is a size 0 and she eats whatever she likes - in fact, she hates being a size zero and tries to eat a lot to pt on weight but it doesn't happen.

    please search up 'secret eaters' on youtube.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
    quitting smoking drops your BMR so infact quitting is more likely to make you gain. smoking makes the heart work overtime, which burns more calories.

    when people quit they don't generally adjust their calories + have an oral fixation which can make them eat more.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member

    I know a lot of larger people say they don't know why they are fat but I genuinely don't, I have never eaten that much and always been fat, literally since I was a baby. My younger sister however is a size 0 and she eats whatever she likes - in fact, she hates being a size zero and tries to eat a lot to pt on weight but it doesn't happen.

    please search up 'secret eaters' on youtube.

    BEST. SHOW. EVER.
  • markiend
    markiend Posts: 461 Member
    I began dieting, eating around 1500 calories a day and exercising. Lost 7lbs.

    so do this again...

    Yeah , I'd replicate what you were doing then. Make sure you are logging properly and if you are .. stop with the 1200 cals rubbish. Aim for 1lb a week or do exactly what you were doing when you lost 7lbs

    I have just stopped smoking after 30 years and my appetite, heart rate, sense of smell and taste buds have all gone crazy. I am not bothered about the weight gain right now, my weight loss was in anticipation of me attempting to stop smoking. Every time I tried in the past... 2-3 kilos per week easily

    It will balance out though.
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member

    I know a lot of larger people say they don't know why they are fat but I genuinely don't, I have never eaten that much and always been fat, literally since I was a baby. My younger sister however is a size 0 and she eats whatever she likes - in fact, she hates being a size zero and tries to eat a lot to pt on weight but it doesn't happen.

    please search up 'secret eaters' on youtube.

    ^^^ This. You're probably eating more than you think. But you won't know unless you weigh and log every last little morsel that you put in your mouth. Everything! I was SO surprised at how much I was having when I started logging - and some things are so calorie dense you just don't realise it... cake, peanut butter, Starbucks drinks. It was quite an eye-opener!

    Good luck anyway! :smile:
  • SuperCrsa
    SuperCrsa Posts: 790 Member
    Just wanted to say thanks so far for all the replies....I will try to eat more, it's just really hard when I am trying to lose weight to equate more food=weight loss.

    MFP says I should be eating 1370 calories as lightly active. Also people say weight loss is quicker when you don't eat back exercise calories. How much should I be eating? Thank you SO much again for all your replies your advice is really appreciated.

    I know right!! That mental thing drove me nuts too when I changed from 1200 calories to 1900! BTW I am losing more than I ever did on 1200-1600 calories! And all in the right places. My BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate is around 1700 so no wonder I wasnt losing on the lower calorie diet)

    You should be eating back your exercise calories if you are going according to MFP.
  • SuperCrsa
    SuperCrsa Posts: 790 Member
    I fidgeted with some of your numbers on http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    And from what I can see it looks like you should be eating much more!!

    I have to say I disagree with this... just because the scale is staying the same and she's not losing. To lose weight she needs to eat less calories, not more, surely? I imagine it's a logging issue, actually.

    Well she is a tall woman, and if you calculate her BMR shes eating below that.

    She was losing on a higher calorie allowance and since shes dropped it shes not losing anymore...
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    I fidgeted with some of your numbers on http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    And from what I can see it looks like you should be eating much more!!

    I have to say I disagree with this... just because the scale is staying the same and she's not losing. To lose weight she needs to eat less calories, not more, surely? I imagine it's a logging issue, actually.

    Well she is a tall woman, and if you calculate her BMR shes eating below that.

    She was losing on a higher calorie allowance and since shes dropped it shes not losing anymore...

    Yeah but that doesn't add up, surely? Anyone who is 200lb+ and active would not have a 2-week weight-loss stall on 1,200 calories a day. Where's the extra energy coming from?
  • SuperCrsa
    SuperCrsa Posts: 790 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/931670-bmr-and-tdee-explained-for-those-needing-a-guide

    Have a read here, there are a lot of topics/threads that explain why it is unhealthy to eat below your BMR

    Heres a good copy and paste from the thread above that explains it very well:

    Given that fact, what we are told with 1200 cal / day is simply false and very detrimental to our body. Some call it "starvation mode" but a more accurate description would be "nutrient deficient." The body looks at that 1200 calories and says, ok, I need (in my case to get specific) 1529 a day to keep you living and breathing and you are giving me 1200, a 300 deficit.

    So, in order to keep you living and breathing, again, body NOT caring about weight loss, the body will slow or stop some other systems (metabolism being the 1st it stops) and hang on to those 1200 calories b/c all it knows is that you are under-feeding it and so it must "hoard" that 1200, store it as fat and keep you alive. You essentially are stopping the metabolic process to a halt when you under eat.

    :smile:

    Edit to add, this is a huge debate that goes on around MFP quite often. 1200 calories.
    I upped my calories and lost, and I am more confident that I am going to go into maintenance a lot easier. Usually I would lose weight and as soon as I start eating normally gain all of it back and then some.
  • ejcmills
    ejcmills Posts: 5
    If you've upped your workout regime you might be turning fat into some muscle. you won't lose immediately, but will start seeing and feeling the results. also cut down on carbs, what you eat is way more important than how much...

    good luck!
  • SuperCrsa
    SuperCrsa Posts: 790 Member
    what you eat is way more important than how much...

    Never mind. Someone else can take care of you.
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    So, in order to keep you living and breathing, again, body NOT caring about weight loss, the body will slow or stop some other systems (metabolism being the 1st it stops) and hang on to those 1200 calories b/c all it knows is that you are under-feeding it and so it must "hoard" that 1200, store it as fat and keep you alive.

    Well, not really. You can't 'hang on' to energy (in the form of fat) when you're using up more energy living, working and exercising. And if your metabolism stops then you're well, errr... dead.
  • SuperCrsa
    SuperCrsa Posts: 790 Member
    So, in order to keep you living and breathing, again, body NOT caring about weight loss, the body will slow or stop some other systems (metabolism being the 1st it stops) and hang on to those 1200 calories b/c all it knows is that you are under-feeding it and so it must "hoard" that 1200, store it as fat and keep you alive.

    Well, not really. You can't 'hang on' to energy. And if your metabolism stops then you're well, errr... dead.

    Why do you think its medically recommended you do not eat below 1200 for a woman?

Categories