Ex-Smoker Success Stories???

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NannersBalletLegs
NannersBalletLegs Posts: 207 Member
in Success Stories
Has anyone out there gained a bunch of weight after quitting smoking and then eventually lost it all again?

I ballooned pretty quickly after I quit smoking during the fall of 2012. I guess you could say that I started smoking my food instead of cigarettes, but I was also busy with sit-down work and very stressed out, putting other aspects of my health on the back burner. There were a few false starts where I dropped ten or fifteen pounds here and there from the initial forty-pound gain, but I've never actually gotten back to the weight I was before I quit smoking.

So many of you all have done so well, and it is truly inspiring to see your stories on here everyday. If I could see some ex-smoker success stories, it would really make my day!

Thanks so much to anyone who wants to chime in and share!

Replies

  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    edited February 2017
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    I quit smoking in November 2011. In April 2012, my mom died, and the weight piled on for three and a half years. I was somewhere around 220 then. In September of last year, I became active on MFP at a SW of 256. I am now at 190 (working my way to 150) and haven't smoked at all since 2011.
  • VanVanDiane
    VanVanDiane Posts: 1,384 Member
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    I've been quit now for just over 3 years, after a 25 year habit. I packed on about 2 1/2 stone, lost a stone and put it back on again... discovered mfp last May and finally lost it all - down 35lb and maintaining since December. It can be done! And while still eating pizza :smile:
  • BaddS4
    BaddS4 Posts: 302 Member
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    I've been off the sticks for 2 years but I switched to vaping.. Never gained any weight thank god!!! I feel a heck of a lot better since cutting out the smokes!!
  • julesboots
    julesboots Posts: 311 Member
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    I quit almost 12 years ago (smoked for about 15). It took me about 2 years to start to lose, but lost about 30 lbs. Kept most of it off for 10 years : )
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
    edited February 2017
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    Stopped smoking about 11 years ago. I gained weight mostly because I'm lazy and food tastes good. I did/do stress/emotionally eat. I began my weight loss in 2012, lost 173# in 4 years, and am maintaining (lost 8 more last year, lol).
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    I quit smoking about 9 years ago using electronic cigarettes. Used them for another 3-4 years then quit those. I gained weight after that pretty steadily but it was more due to injuries (back and knees) and arthritis which made me think I should be completely sedentary. I don't miss the cigarettes, and don't miss the e-cigs most days (some days I do). I feel much better as a non smoker, I get sick less, and it feels great to exercise without coughing up a lung. Although I could exercise just fine with the e-cigs as well. I just wanted to quit them so I did.
  • ColetteM6
    ColetteM6 Posts: 138 Member
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    In preparation for my quit date I got my "butt" in gear and lost 20ish pounds. THEN I quit and gained 15 back. I knew I couldn't tackle both problems at once. So I cut myself some slack and about 4 months after quitting I restarted logging with a new and improved iron will!
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
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    I quit smoking and drinking within a couple months of each other, then lost 85-90lbs over the course of a couple years. I know it can be hard to quit without replacing one bad habit with another. Don't let quitting smoking be an excuse for anything. :)
  • foojay
    foojay Posts: 4 Member
    edited February 2017
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    I had been smoking for 29 years when I got Champix through my doc and eventually quit. It has now been 7 years since I've smoked and I still love (I do mean love) the smell of cigarettes but I will never, ever smoke again. It was too hard won. I put on 20kgs due to a bad ankle and bad relationship - hating myself etc. Through the 5:2 diet I've lost 15kgs and I need to loose another 10 for my goal weight and size. Im size 12ish now, down from size 18. It is do-able people but it is very hard and get any support that you absolutely can. I wish you all the very best and yay for us because, yep we can do it.
  • NannersBalletLegs
    NannersBalletLegs Posts: 207 Member
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    Thank you all so much for sharing your stories! You have helped to dispel any lingering doubts I may have had about whether smoking kept me artificially under some imaginary higher weight that my body wanted to be at and whether I could ever hope to get to my pre-quitting weight again without cigarettes.

    I've been overweight ever since I quit in 2012 but am finally making progress again (albeit slow progress). I'm looking forward to being both thin and healthy at the same time for the first time in my adult life.

    Best of luck to you all on your respective journeys!
  • eahrenee
    eahrenee Posts: 157 Member
    edited February 2017
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    I am in the same boat. I quit smoking in March of 2008 and went from 120 to my highest of around 210....weighing about 190 now and am loking forward to getting back to a smaller healthier version of my self. Feel free to add me. Loosing weight is hard, and I can use all the help I can get.
  • JustinBest4Real
    JustinBest4Real Posts: 2 Member
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    Quit after nearly ten years by moving to Vaping. 8 weeks no cigarettes now! I did gain 5-6 lbs within the first two weeks but it came right off once I got back into a good nutrition and exercise lifestyle!

  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,222 Member
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    I quit September 2015 after 20 years of smoking and gained 15lbs in the next 5 months.
    February 2016 I started logging in MFP. I lost the 15lbs in 6 months. I maintained for 6 months and now I'm back to lose another 15lbs after which I will be smoke free, slim and fit :)

    Good luck!
  • eblyth00
    eblyth00 Posts: 131 Member
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    I just decided to quit when I started too try to loose weight through healthy eating and exercise, if I'm going to exersice and eat right to be healthy I probably shouldn't be smoking either. Down 15 pounds and no cigs for 3 weeks.
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
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    I just started Chantix last week...I've quit using it before but I was fat and never weighed myself so I don't know if I gained or not. If so, it wasn't a huge amount because my clothes still fit. I hoping this time around is successful and I can keep off this 50 pound weight loss.
  • rdmitch
    rdmitch Posts: 278 Member
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    eblyth00 wrote: »
    I just decided to quit when I started too try to loose weight through healthy eating and exercise, if I'm going to exersice and eat right to be healthy I probably shouldn't be smoking either. Down 15 pounds and no cigs for 3 weeks.

    Great going !
    The day I started logging on MFP is the same day I stopped smoking. This way I only have 1 date to remember. It's been a bit over 2 months and not a single puff ....not a single gained pound. I used patches for a month. A bit tough since the wife smokes.
  • BiggDaddy58
    BiggDaddy58 Posts: 406 Member
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    I smoked and was overweight..

    I quit smoking Sept 28th 2014..never worried about my weight, cuz I was morbidly obese and ignored it.

    I suppose I may have added some pounds..

    I started the weight loss March 1st 2016.

    I haven't had a smoke since that day in 2014..Cold Turkey

    and I am 80 pounds down on the weight loss.

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