Quitting Smoking and Losing Weight

Moniqua71
Moniqua71 Posts: 6
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
Is it possible to still lose weight while quitting smoking. I chew on straws n gum a lot. I try not to get started on candy as a resource for my habit. I am running 1 3/4 mile daily but I don't feel or look like I'm losing any weight. When I step on the scale i'm not seeing any changes either. Can someone help me with this? I've gained 23 lbs in the past 14 months for absolutely no reason that I can see. I need to get rid of it. I'm tired of my 6 pack not being there and looking my best.............HELP!!

Replies

  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    I quit the same time I started my diet. 8 months and 60 lbs. later, I'd say it's definitely possible.

    Good for you. :)
  • starwhisperer
    starwhisperer Posts: 367
    have you had your blood checked? Thyroid and all that ? I quit smoking in Jan and gained about 13 pounds, grrrr. But now that I am eating right and have upped my weight training and cardio a bit it is coming off pretty smooth. Good move not looking to candy for your fix. Sugar free gum is a good bet too. I am thinking the gain is actually from the stress, since that has been proven to aid in weight gain, and don't even get me started on the stress of quitting.
  • dckim
    dckim Posts: 311 Member
    I quit :smokin: 7 months ago. It's a struggle. I have to exercise 2x just to maintain or lose lbs. Smoking does curve appetite as well as burn :laugh: calories on it's own. But the downside is 15min off your life everytime you smoke:devil: G'luck!:drinker:
  • shesblossoming
    shesblossoming Posts: 426
    It's totally possible. It was really difficult when I first started working out and eating right, but I think I've effectively replaced my addiction to cigarettes with an addiction to working out. You seem to be working out a lot, so that's great. But what kind of foods are you eating?
  • Moniqua71
    Moniqua71 Posts: 6
    I started my diet and exercise 2 days after i quit smoking. what kind of exercises are you doing? i'm jogging and i walk about 10 miles/day at work but it's been almost 2 weeks and i haven't seen any results :(
  • Moniqua71
    Moniqua71 Posts: 6
    I'm trying to eat healthy at all times but it's tough financially. i'm a single mom with 2 teens and healthy food is very expensive. i eat as much fruit n veggies & good food as possible. I walk about 10 miles/day at work and it's still not coming off at all. As a matter of fact, I feel fatter :(
  • leilani♥
    leilani♥ Posts: 579
    I quit smoking cigarettes.. but I do smoke electronic cigarettes to ease the cravings. Gum wasn't cutting it for me. E-cigs don't make you feel "winded" like regular cigarettes.
  • Moniqua71
    Moniqua71 Posts: 6
    star,

    quitting isn't stressing me actually. i can't even stand the smell of a cigarette anymore. i had a few cravings but nothing major. i was ready to quit and decided I didn't want my kids to see me at 65 with an oxygen tank to breathe and still smoking like my mother is doing and her mother before her. i'm going to try and go back to my military training exercises. i was buff when I came out, haha built better than most men and i want that back :(
  • gierej
    gierej Posts: 14 Member
    Hey, I quit smoking 23 years ago. I was a pack a day smoker - more on the weekends. I was already overweight and I decided I wasn't going to gain any more, so I started exercising for the first time in my life. I started working out and walking. About 10 years later I started running and I have been running ever since. I run 3.5 miles about 4 times a week. I'll start running 6.4 this weekend to get ready for a 10K that I want to do in Oct. You can do it!!! Set a goal to run a 5K. If you can run 1 3/4 miles you can definitely do 3.1. Let running become your new addiction. I know exactly how you feel because I'm going through menopause right now and that's why I'm trying to get my weight back down. I'm just going to keep plugging away till I get back down, but I never stop running!!! Keep going and remember that I am in your corner. Good luck. I'll look forward to see how you are getting along. Gierej
  • niavalentino
    niavalentino Posts: 131 Member
    I quit a few months ago, but then started again when my boyfriend was in town (its always nice to smoke with company!) I just stopped AGAIN last week, and the weight just fell off once I picked up doing P90X and Turbo Fire again. At least for me, I noticed the weight fall off when I started working out REALLY hard. Like when I originally quit, I immediately hopped onto the treadmill and would run for two miles, then do the elliptical for up to five or ten miles. So ... I think the trick might be to shock your body - shake it up a little, and then to ease into things.

    And as for eating healthy, I hear you. I'm still in college, and so its a bit rough to get the healthy food that I want and need, but its possible!! You can get a huge bag of brown rice for pretty cheap if you just keep your eyes peeled. And COUPONS, COUPONS, COUPONS!! They make SUCH a difference. You don't always have to go to Trader Joe's for the healthy stuff. :]
  • Moniqua71
    Moniqua71 Posts: 6
    leilani,

    i'm doing this cold turkey. i have some medical issues that i have to do it cold turkey or not at all. i'm doing very well with it so far and good for you!! Good luck to you and everyone else out there quitting and exercising to become a healthier person =)
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    I quit smoking cigarettes.. but I do smoke electronic cigarettes to ease the cravings. Gum wasn't cutting it for me. E-cigs don't make you feel "winded" like regular cigarettes.

    E-cigs all the way. Helped me through the first couple of months. I just used the lowest nicotine smoke juice, then ultimately 0-nicotine juice and now I don't even use the e-cig. But you can take them anywhere and they don't stink! :)
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
    leilani,

    i'm doing this cold turkey. i have some medical issues that i have to do it cold turkey or not at all. i'm doing very well with it so far and good for you!! Good luck to you and everyone else out there quitting and exercising to become a healthier person =)

    Oh, fair enough. :)

    You're gonna do great!
  • shelittle
    shelittle Posts: 5 Member
    I quit smoking July 31st. I waited until I lost all my weight ++ before challenging the "quitting smoking" I did gain 10lbs back and now I am trying to re-focus on losing my last 10lbs. I find that when I crave I reach for an orange and it instantly supresses the craving for a butt..works for me ;-)
  • Moniqua71
    Moniqua71 Posts: 6
    thank you ALL very much for your wisdom is this matter. i will take it all in and go with it. i look forward to seeing your progress. i'm not sure my ticker is working but i tried, haha
  • leilani♥
    leilani♥ Posts: 579
    I quit smoking cigarettes.. but I do smoke electronic cigarettes to ease the cravings. Gum wasn't cutting it for me. E-cigs don't make you feel "winded" like regular cigarettes.

    E-cigs all the way. Helped me through the first couple of months. I just used the lowest nicotine smoke juice, then ultimately 0-nicotine juice and now I don't even use the e-cig. But you can take them anywhere and they don't stink! :)

    I LOVE my ecig.. A bottle of juice lasts me a whole month cause I don't suck on it as much as I used to smoke regular cigarettes.. I'll be off the nicotine soon.. I'm on the lowest mg of nicotine at the moment :)
  • leilani♥
    leilani♥ Posts: 579
    leilani,

    i'm doing this cold turkey. i have some medical issues that i have to do it cold turkey or not at all. i'm doing very well with it so far and good for you!! Good luck to you and everyone else out there quitting and exercising to become a healthier person =)

    Good for you!! I've quit cold turkey once and it was a struggle.. Hooray for becoming healthier :drinker:
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