what the Hell?

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mamara79
mamara79 Posts: 20
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, I've been a pretty good girl since I've joined here and that was at the end of Sept. I started at 212, then got down to 202. I've been smoke free for ......today's going to be the 6th day........I can swim better, I can jog a ful 1.5 m, now without feeling like I'm being stabbed in the chest....I'm VERY VERY PROUD OF THAT...I'm eating pretty healthfully.......for the most part anyway........and I got on the scale and I was 209!!!

I'm using nicotine replacement......should I blame quitting smoking?

My body gaines muscle rather easily (always been athletic up until these last 4 years).........should I blame that?

I'm not close to my cycle......not blaming that.

I'm just so confused. I've been doing a pretty dang good job at NOT compinsating cigs for food.......I do a bit, but not ALL the time or even every day.

7lbs is A LOT..........what's going on in my body????

Replies

  • kate205gti
    kate205gti Posts: 84 Member
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    water weight? have you been drinking enough? its worth investing in a set of body fat/body muscle scales (my Salter ones were £18 on ebay) - they give you a better idea of where the weights coming and going from! :smile:
  • Kate_UK
    Kate_UK Posts: 1,299 Member
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    water weight? have you been drinking enough? its worth investing in a set of body fat/body muscle scales (my Salter ones were £18 on ebay) - they give you a better idea of where the weights coming and going from! :smile:

    Water/sodium weight was my first though too. Have you eaten anything with lots of salt in the last day or two? If so then its probably due to you retaining water. Drink plently and flush your system out.


    Edited to add
    Kate205gti I'm getting a Salter body fat/body muscle scale for Christmas. Do you find yours good?
  • janna674
    janna674 Posts: 410 Member
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    :flowerforyou: i realized everytime i get my TOM my weight goes up alot and i am totally aggravated by it, but usually the following week if I keep drinking lots of water I lose double what I normally lose...when I quit smoking, I also dieted and you will get lots of ups and downs but at least you know you are doing all of the right things, so eventually the weight will come off...dont get yourself down...you have made a huge lifestyle change and its going to take awhile for your body to get use to it
  • Sharonbed4d
    Sharonbed4d Posts: 163
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    Unless you've been overeating alot then you didn't really gain 7 lbs. It's probably water weight. Don't blame it on quitting smoking because that's one of the best things you can do for yourself. I quit several years ago and now I'm in the best shape of my life. Stick with it and give it a week or two and make sure to watch your calories and get your water. You can do this!
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    Did you go out for a treat meal? I find when I eat something, even subway or just an applebees - and get them mostly plain it takes my body a while to adjust/ digest the food- I can have temporary extra weight for up to 3 days afterward.
  • kymarai
    kymarai Posts: 3,631 Member
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    Don't give up on the smoke free! It will take a little while for your body to adjust. I once read that smoking burns up to 700 calories a day which is one of the reasons we gain when we quit. If you think about it it makes sense. Our hearts race faster, we breath faster, and let's not talk about the panic when we want a cig but don't have one! I have been quit since March (fourth but longest time). I am determined to not go back at least until I am 70! I still want one about every two weeks, but the feeling goes away. Keep logging what you are putting in your mouth. Keep exercising! Try cinnamon gum. And stick with it. There are a lot of us ex smokers on this site. It is hard to be quitting and losing weight, so just keep up the great work!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    If you ate something salty, you could be retaining water.

    I've also read that quitting smoking results in a slight and temporary downturn in metabolism, so it could be the quitting. But think of your overall health and remember it's TEMPORARY.

    And if you weigh more than once a week, you're going to see swings and sometimes those swings are pretty huge.
  • SharonsJetSet
    SharonsJetSet Posts: 159
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    quitting smoking may slow down your metabolism, that's a fact
    HOWEVER keep going, don't give up. Once your body gets used to your workouts, diet, (and NOT SMOKING) it will regulate again.

    Congratulations - look at the bigger picture here. You're well on your way to being healthier and living longer. Quitting smoking is SOOOOO SOOOOOO good. I quit 7 years ago. I know how difficult that is.

    Embrace the good stuff, don't sweat the small stuff and be proud of your accomplishments. Most of all, don't let the scale rule your life. use other measurements.

    Keep going - I'm so proud of you for making this change.

    For those who've never smoked, quitting smoking is as bad as quitting heroine. I litterally felt sick to my stomach and was an emotional wreck when I quit but I did it and I'll never go back
  • luckygyrl1005
    luckygyrl1005 Posts: 3
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    Don't give up! Also remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so if you are exercising and building muscle, that will show. Try staying off the scale... only weigh once a week, early in the morning before breakfast.
    Good luck!
  • mamara79
    mamara79 Posts: 20
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    Not a whole lot of salty foods.......I've been craving sweets so I got some skinny cow ice cream sandwiches, and chocolate animal crackers.....neither are really that bad.........I usually swim 40 mins in the morning, and now jogging 1.5 miles at night. Then I dance often during the day while I do chores........I BURN some calories! And honesty, the little bit of "cheating" there's NO WAY it could amount to that........just no way.

    I don't want to smoke anymore.........and I know that this time is "really it" because I feel so differntly.......like, I'm actually HAPPY instead feeling like a caged ax murderer! LOL! I LOVE what jogging does for my body and endorphins, and I'm now "enjoying" my jog instead of wishing someone was chasing me with a knife to give me a REAL reason to run. LOL. When I start to get tired I switch my brain to focus on my form and I jog faster! Same thing when swimming.......focus on form.

    I thought I'd avoid the weight gain with the nicotine replacement tho, diet and exercise......... Is my body just saying "WTF DUDE!!!???" From the no smoking? I smoked for 17 years.........and I'm only 31.

    Good news.......My clothes are getting loose to where my pants actually fell off of me the other day........thank god I was at my house and no one but my 2 y/o saw. Even my bathing suite is getting looser! I used to have to shove myself in it and I felt like a sausauge.........but it's actually got some slack in it.

    I HATE the scale.........seriously........it's like totally crapped on my "good vibes." I'm gonna have to work hard to get some good vibes back! Send some my way Please!
  • TheNewJessieMae
    TheNewJessieMae Posts: 767
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    Keep track of your measurements as well as the scale. I think you are doing an awesome job and I look up to you-so please dont get discouraged. You may gain muscle and lose 3 inches. THAT'S WELL WORTH IT IN MY BOOK!!! Plus your body probably is like WTF!?!?! Just ride it out woman!!
  • clahut
    clahut Posts: 211 Member
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    Do you always weigh yourself at the same time of day? I find that I often have a 3lb difference between weighing myself in the morning and in the evening.
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
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    When you quit smoking it definitely could have slowed your metabolism but that is still no reason to gain more than 3-4 pounds if you are strictly following a diet and exercise routine.

    My first thought was maybe you need to watch your sodium on here too. I am watching mine and find it is very hard to stay under but I manage it. Sodium makes you retain A LOT of water. You can actually gain weight if you go over your sodium level too much. That is why it is called "the curse to losing weight."

    My second thought is I gain some weight around my period.

    Oh yeah, someone else mentioned the time of day you weigh yourself. I always weigh myself before I shower, in the morning, with only my tshirt and underwear on so it stays the same every time. I actually do gain 2-4 lbs. by the afternoon everyday.
  • mamara79
    mamara79 Posts: 20
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    Keep track of your measurements as well as the scale. I think you are doing an awesome job and I look up to you-so please dont get discouraged. You may gain muscle and lose 3 inches. THAT'S WELL WORTH IT IN MY BOOK!!! Plus your body probably is like WTF!?!?! Just ride it out woman!!

    Awwwwe, you look up to me? that's so sweet! That just gave me more motivation. =)

    I usually weigh myself in the morning after i've used the toilet and before I eat or drink anything. I was having some severe constipation yesterday.......it felt like early labor pains it was so bad. Maybe I'm just full of *kitten*!? LOL!

    I drink TONS of water........always have. I've always gotta have a drink.

    You know what.........i'm just gonna say SCREW the scale and focus on ALL of my positives.

    List of Positives

    1. Quit smoking..........that's Freakn' awesome enough to where I could stop with that!
    2. Clothes fitting more loosely
    3. Jogging and in general exercising better
    4. Focsing more on nutrition apposed to calories........I add chopped kale or turnip greens to just about anything since they're so good for your body.
    5. LOTS less processed foods.........eating more foods my body actually "knows" what to do with it!
    6. Physically seeing a difference......in my face......starting to look like "me" again.

    See.........in just a few mins, I found 6 awesome reasons to say screw the scale and carry on my path to a better and healthier life. Just gotta keep repeating that list to myself! LOL!
  • elainegsd
    elainegsd Posts: 459 Member
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    You know what.........i'm just gonna say SCREW the scale and focus on ALL of my positives.

    List of Positives

    1. Quit smoking..........that's Freakn' awesome enough to where I could stop with that!
    2. Clothes fitting more loosely
    3. Jogging and in general exercising better
    4. Focsing more on nutrition apposed to calories........I add chopped kale or turnip greens to just about anything since they're so good for your body.
    5. LOTS less processed foods.........eating more foods my body actually "knows" what to do with it!
    6. Physically seeing a difference......in my face......starting to look like "me" again.

    See.........in just a few mins, I found 6 awesome reasons to say screw the scale and carry on my path to a better and healthier life. Just gotta keep repeating that list to myself! LOL!

    You go girl! That is exactly the attitude that will make you continue to be successful!
  • erica79
    erica79 Posts: 242 Member
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    your body just needs to adjust to not smoking. I think it's completley normal. give your body a couple weeks to adjust to the changes its going through. When you quit your whole body needs to re-adjust to not getting the nicotine it's used to.

    You are doing SOOOO great not smoking! Keep it up!!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Mamara -- Just a thought that might help with both the quitting and the weight issue. A former coworker of mine, when he quit smoking, would go for a walk at the times that he normally would have had a cigarrette.

    It doesn't have to be a workout clothes/sweaty workout session of a walk, but any movement will burn some calories. That way, you replace the bad habit with a good one and help your weight loss, health and fitness efforts.
  • TheNewJessieMae
    TheNewJessieMae Posts: 767
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    Mamara -- Just a thought that might help with both the quitting and the weight issue. A former coworker of mine, when he quit smoking, would go for a walk at the times that he normally would have had a cigarrette.

    It doesn't have to be a workout clothes/sweaty workout session of a walk, but any movement will burn some calories. That way, you replace the bad habit with a good one and help your weight loss, health and fitness efforts.

    I plan to do that when I finally shed the smoke. Cig breaks with then be walking breaks and fresh air.

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