Just quit smoking - need friends!

sunshinestate
sunshinestate Posts: 110 Member
edited October 7 in Introduce Yourself
Hi everyone,

I really need some friends to keep me accountable. I just quit smoking for the LAST time 26 days ago. I'm super thrilled that I am doing so well, but I seriously have put on weight. I am now at my highest weight since my daughter was born - 157 pounds, and I'm 5'6". I have lots of muscle, but I am panicking at this weight gain. I desperately want to be under 150 again. It's not much, but that is what makes it difficult.

Please friend me if you are on here a lot and have the time to partner with me. I need help!

Thanks!
Bethany

Replies

  • creith23
    creith23 Posts: 1 Member
    Congrats on not smoking!!!! I just joined myfitnesspal a week ago. I'll be quitting smoking soon too. I know how hard it can be to quit smoking and try to lose weight. I've quit a couple times and always replaced the smokes with food. You can def get under your 150 - you'll get so motived after losing the first pound :)
  • sunshinestate
    sunshinestate Posts: 110 Member
    If you are quitting, I highly recommend Alan Carr's book called The Easy Way to Quit Smoking. It is awesome! My friends in Finland told me about it. It actually has completed changed the way my brain thought about smoking.

    Best of luck to you! I think I will get motivated once I see 153 on the scale.
  • MontanaSara
    MontanaSara Posts: 15 Member
    I recently quit smoking too!! Its been 6 weeks for me. You can add me.
  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
    Congrats on quitting smoking! I know weight gain sucks, but you can get rid of the weight.....you can't get rid of lung cancer so easily. My point being, you are doing far more for your health by stopping the smoking than doing harm to your health by adding some weight, so don't get down about that. I quit smoking five years ago, and to not be a slave to cigarettes is one of the greatest things that I have ever done. Sadly, it took getting cancer to finally make me quit. I am very fortunate that I am in remission.

    My advice would be to throw yourself in to exercise. Smoking is obviously a physical addiction, but I think the psychological component is just as important. Smoking was my friend, what I did when I was bored, sad, angry, etc. I needed to replace that behavior with another one, and exercise was great for that.

    Best of luck....the weight will come off, don't worry.
  • cozylove
    cozylove Posts: 33 Member
    Per my doctor... Start exercising first...Then quit smoking. If you're trying to quit smoking before you start working out...you will NEVER start exercising. I am that person that smokes about 5 cigarettes in the evening with my evening cocktails. But since I've been going to the gym ....the need for a cigarette has decreased extremely... Bottom Line...Don't wait to let go of the bad addictions before starting a healthy addiction of eating better and working out!
  • YennaBean
    YennaBean Posts: 77 Member
    Congrats on quitting! I just quit also! (:
  • bobbin1
    bobbin1 Posts: 60
    I quit smoking 16Dec 2010 and put on close to 30lbs. I lost about 10 lbs before joining this site and I know how very hard it is. I am very proud you made the decission to quit. I will be your friend.
  • smplycomplicated
    smplycomplicated Posts: 484 Member
    Congrats from one Florida girl to another! June 29th was 7 years smoke free for me. As you know it's not easy, But man oh man is it worth it!! I gained weight too, BUT! we're here..doing it one day at a time! Feel free to add me. Keep up the good work! you're doing Amazing :)
  • jessjayla
    jessjayla Posts: 34
    I quit years ago and it was the best thing I ever did! That addiction is so strong, I still want them from time to time. I just think of all the negatives, and there are sooo many. Exercising definately helped me as well as the quit line in the state i live in. Good luck with your journey!
  • cantjustcant
    cantjustcant Posts: 1,027 Member
    I started here July 31 and dropped 46 pounds before dec 9th....the day I quit smoking. I am since up 10 but am ok with that because I have conquered my addiction to smoking! My workouts have become more intense and more energetic!!! Good luck with non-smoking!
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
    Congrats on quitting! And since you've done that, you know you have the ability to lose the weight too :-) I just quit smoking 8 days ago, and while I gained a few pounds from munching the first few days, I'm now only about a pound away from my low weight before I quit. Like sarafil suggested, throw yourself into exercise - it really helps, and it also reminds you how much stronger and healthier you are since you quit, since you'll be able to breathe much better :-) It's a great stress reliever - I think I'm now as addicted to my afternoon gym time as I was to cigarettes, LOL. Also, make sure you only have healthy, light foods around if you get the urge to munch on something when a craving hits - raw carrots, oranges, apples, etc... - things like that won't do much damage, but they satisfy that urge to chew something. And, lots and lots of ice water. And yes, Alan Carr's book is amazing and I highly recommend it too - I've found quitting to be quite easy after reading his book, and it definitely wasn't easy before!
  • scapez
    scapez Posts: 2,018 Member
    I quit on 1/3...good luck and you can lose weight! Add me if you would like.
  • rodfan1
    rodfan1 Posts: 2
    I want to quit smoking too..will check out this book...thanks so much for sharing.
  • pipinana
    pipinana Posts: 2,356 Member
    It's been 4 1/2 months smoke free for me!!! I gained about 15 pounds, but I wasn't logging - just eating my brains out. But hey, the way I look at it, I'd rather gain a few pounds rather than smoke. You can always lose the poundage later. Just concentrate on not smoking for now!

    Congratulations!!! Your lungs thank you!
  • rodfan1
    rodfan1 Posts: 2
    I really will check out this book...i want to quit...thanks so much for posting.
  • lyssamichelle
    lyssamichelle Posts: 1,307 Member
    I just quit smoking too! Well sort of anyway..(:
    Good luck to you, if you need anything I'd be more than happy to help if I can.
    Add me if you'd like (:
  • serendipity22
    serendipity22 Posts: 248 Member
    Congratulations! You have made a good decision. I have never smoked so I don't know much about it. I have heard from friends who quit that their taste comes back when they have quit for awhile. Maybe this will help you eat healthier foods. Also, you will have more energy for exercise. I wouldn't worry about a gain of a few pounds after quitting. You can lose that. I wish you luck.
  • gary8964
    gary8964 Posts: 69
    It's been about 16 months since I quit my pack a day habit. I can ogree with what others said about quitting being the BEST thing I could do for myself. I have more energy and am working on putting on the weight I gained when I quit (do to quitting smoking and some other things going on at the time). I used the lozenges and LOTS of will power. If I can do it, anyone can do it, and I will also lend my support whenever you need it. feel free to add me if you like.
  • PlunderBunneh
    PlunderBunneh Posts: 1,705 Member
    46 days for me. I wasn't planning to quit, but got struck with a pretty awful ear infection, and when it hurt that much to move, the idea of going out into the two feet of snow to have a damn cig just wasn't worth it. By the time the ear was healed enough to not be in constant pain, it had been three days, and I figured what the hell, lets go with it.
    I miss my smokes :( I was only on 3-4 cigs a day, but dammit I miss those. Trying to replace that "me-time" with a large glass of water, and sometimes a itty bit of chocolate, like two m&ms. Sometimes helps.
    I don't miss smells like ashtrays though. And I don't miss freezing my butt off.
    We can do this!
  • Mvujevic98
    Mvujevic98 Posts: 4 Member
    It's been 5 months for me since I quit smoking and I have gained about 7 pounds since then. I am having the most difficult time losing it. I started working out religiously since November and have been watching my diet but still can't shake those pounds!
  • sunshinestate
    sunshinestate Posts: 110 Member
    I actually did just that. I started running about two weeks before I quit. My attempts at running a mile were so pathetic! I looked forward to when it would be easier. I knew that would happen when I quit, so it was very motivating. I can't stress enough how much Alan Carr's book helped me too. It reshaped the way I think about smoking. It has never been easy before since ALL of my friends smoke and my husband's family does too. But it is so much easier this time!!
  • sunshinestate
    sunshinestate Posts: 110 Member
    I quit years ago and it was the best thing I ever did! That addiction is so strong, I still want them from time to time. I just think of all the negatives, and there are sooo many. Exercising definately helped me as well as the quit line in the state i live in. Good luck with your journey!

    The Quitline in Florida really helped me too! Between that and the Alan Carr book, I know I have it beat this time. Every other time I quit, I would become sad. I really MISSED smoking, damnit, like I would miss a friend! But this time, I feel blessed to not NEED it anymore. I have truly realized that I didn't enjoy it or love it, it was just the addiction talking.

    Congrats on being smoke free for years! That is awesome!
  • kammy92
    kammy92 Posts: 408 Member
    Congratulations on quitting! It was the hardest thing I ever did! I quit August 10,2011 after 24 years of smoking.....I gained around 10 pds, maybe a little less! I feel so much better now though!
  • kammy92
    kammy92 Posts: 408 Member
    It's been 5 months for me since I quit smoking and I have gained about 7 pounds since then. I am having the most difficult time losing it. I started working out religiously since November and have been watching my diet but still can't shake those pounds!


    I hear ya! Me too!
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    An idea: Put 10 dollars in a jar daily ((cost of a pack of smokes). Set a goal of how many lbs you want to lose in say 6 months. If you reach your goal take that $$$$ and treat yourself to whatever it is you want. Maybe a day at a spa.


    Good luck and keep up the good work your heart will love you.
  • tenax
    tenax Posts: 97
    quit almost 3 (or was it 4?) years ago. my struggle was 2 fold..did i want to lose weight worse or quit smoking worse cause i couldn't do both at the same time. i went on champix and quit completely 13 days later and haven't looked back. and thank god that's done for me. happy to be "friended" by any former/current smokers!
  • chrislo2691
    chrislo2691 Posts: 1,084 Member
    I quit 4 years ago. For me it was the right time and place. I 'd tried many times in the previous 20 years. I've found keeping the weight off much harder since. Congratulations you can count on my support.
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