Anybody experience weight gain once you quit smoking?

shadows2424
shadows2424 Posts: 179 Member
edited November 28 in Health and Weight Loss
Im three days smoking free and am craving something. Not cigarettes, like food or something. Have any of you gained weight after quitting or had success not gaining?

Replies

  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    I put the scale away for three months when I quit. This was a little bit before joining MFP. I gained a lot in that time period (though, truth be told, I had been creeping up for quite a while before that point). I don't regret a single pound that I put on. Three years later, I'm 50 pounds lighter, I exercise 6 days a week, and I just got back from a 10 mile run. None of that would have happened if I kept smoking.

    Concentrate on your quitting efforts. In the long run, it's far more important and effective. Your ticker says you have 43 pounds to lose. Even if you put on 10 pounds due to the quitting thing, that still only puts you at 53 pounds to lose, which isn't that much more when you think about it. Plus, once you've gotten past the initial stages of quitting, it will be that much easier to focus on your diet and exercise will be a lot easier.

    Congrats on getting to 3 days and good luck!
  • BetterBod91
    BetterBod91 Posts: 32 Member
    Yes it's normal. I quit about two weeks ago but so far with diet and exercise I haven't gained anything yet(although I'm losing at a slower place than normal). Also I've prepared myself for the days that I will gain or not lose. Quitting is worth it.
  • lovematthewchristopher
    lovematthewchristopher Posts: 147 Member
    I quit in 1998, and was a 1-2 pack a day smoker. Yes i gained weight after i quit, but not as much as i could of i guess. I tried to find things to keep my hands busy. I took up knitting, drawing, playing games on the computer, etc. Too bad i didnt take up exercising, that would have been a good way to keep me occupied.!! LOL Congratulations on getting to 3 days, and good luck with it, you wont regret it. It is one of the best things i could have done, second being losing the weight afterwards.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,031 Member
    Yep. I now had more money in my pocket. ;)

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  • mbortz12
    mbortz12 Posts: 22 Member
    Oh yea the first time I quit smoking I gained 25 lbs! And a friend of mine her husband gained 50.. People say chewing gum or sucking on sugar free candy helps.. Good luck I too won't to quit smoking it was suggested that I use a vapor
  • Dahummble1
    Dahummble1 Posts: 8 Member
    Congrats to you..I've quit smoking 13 yrs ago and gained about 30 lbs. After eating I had to have m&m's. I dropped one habit for another...lol. Then someone told me to start chewing gum and that helped me tremendously. Stay encouraged! You've already did the hard part.
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
    It's why my mom refuses to quit.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    Yes I put on a bunch of weight. A very small price to pay to rid myself of a bad habit. I've since lost the weight I put on and I'm in much better physical shape than I was as a smoker.
  • seabrzjo
    seabrzjo Posts: 27 Member
    Congratulations on quitting! I quit four years ago and there are too many benefits to mention. Yes, I did gain about 30 pounds, BUT I was also going thru menopause. That does not mean that YOU will gain, though. The average quitter gains between 10-12 pounds, but takes it off in a few months. Just like this wonderful MFP support forum, I could not have stayed quit without the great help at www.quitnet.com My biggest "crutch" was drinking straws cut in half. They not only kept my hands busy, but I would take long "drags" on them (deep breaths really help). Stay the course - you just made the absolute best decision for your overall health.
  • shadows2424
    shadows2424 Posts: 179 Member
    tincanonastring wrote: »
    I put the scale away for three months when I quit. This was a little bit before joining MFP. I gained a lot in that time period (though, truth be told, I had been creeping up for quite a while before that point). I don't regret a single pound that I put on. Three years later, I'm 50 pounds lighter, I exercise 6 days a week, and I just got back from a 10 mile run. None of that would have happened if I kept smoking.

    Concentrate on your quitting efforts. In the long run, it's far more important and effective. Your ticker says you have 43 pounds to lose. Even if you put on 10 pounds due to the quitting thing, that still only puts you at 53 pounds to lose, which isn't that much more when you think about it. Plus, once you've gotten past the initial stages of quitting, it will be that much easier to focus on your diet and exercise will be a lot easier.

    Congrats on getting to 3 days and good luck!
    lovematthewchristopher wrote: »
    I quit in 1998, and was a 1-2 pack a day smoker. Yes i gained weight after i quit, but not as much as i could of i guess. I tried to find things to keep my hands busy. I took up knitting, drawing, playing games on the computer, etc. Too bad i didnt take up exercising, that would have been a good way to keep me occupied.!! LOL Congratulations on getting to 3 days, and good luck with it, you wont regret it. It is one of the best things i could have done, second being losing the weight afterwards.
    seabrzjo wrote: »
    Congratulations on quitting! I quit four years ago and there are too many benefits to mention. Yes, I did gain about 30 pounds, BUT I was also going thru menopause. That does not mean that YOU will gain, though. The average quitter gains between 10-12 pounds, but takes it off in a few months. Just like this wonderful MFP support forum, I could not have stayed quit without the great help at www.quitnet.com My biggest "crutch" was drinking straws cut in half. They not only kept my hands busy, but I would take long "drags" on them (deep breaths really help). Stay the course - you just made the absolute best decision for your overall health.

    Thanks.
  • Shesaleo18
    Shesaleo18 Posts: 126 Member
    I quit about 10years ago so I was 25 with no kids working full time. I wasn't over weight back then but didn't want to gain weight from quitting either.
    Eating wise: I cut my carbs right back to almost nothing and I also sucked on lollipops and koolmints. Not healthy I know.
    Exercise: I lived in a street which had a massive hill which I walked at least once a day and did a circuit of crunches,leg raises, calf raises and squats.
    I did lose weight not sure how much as I never weighted myself.
    I obviously don't recommend the way I did though
  • Duchy82
    Duchy82 Posts: 560 Member
    Nope didn't gain any weight, I quit about 1.5 years ago, I was already using mfp by then stuck to my calories and carried on losing weight.
  • Dariasen
    Dariasen Posts: 145 Member
    I've replaced my smoking with movement and I think it's offset any negative eating. Instead of a 15min smoke break I walk in place to burn off some calories. If I eat a craving I log it and move on. I quit in early November and have been consistantly losing.
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