Ex-smokers 'gain more weight than thought'

I gave up smoking on 23rd April, gained 3lbs, 2lb of which I have lost again.

I also gave up in 2006 and gained about 3 stone.

The difference this time is that I substituted cigarettes with water instead of chocolate and sweeties

I quit in the beginning of February and allowed myself to gain 10 pounds. I don't have the willpower to quit and diet at the same time and quitting was more a priority than my weight. After the initial quitting period when I had better control of my cravings, I started MFP (about two months after I quit). I've lost the weight I gained after I quit and due to strength training I can see that I have increased my muscle mass (legs, arms and back). I was very addicted and this was not my first quit attempt. If I can do it, anyone can, believe me.

LaMujerMasBon -

I quit smoking almost 7 years ago to the day. Yes, I gained a heck of a lot of weight.

Guess who's fault that was? MINE.

Your best bet is to quit now while you are living a healthy lifestyle.


If you don't quit, I can guarantee even your healthy eating won't save you from all of the nasty stuff that smoking does to you.

I LOVED smoking. It was my best friend. It was my stress reliever.
I didn't even mind coughing every morning, or bronchitis twice a year or smelling like an ashtray. I was an idiot.
It ceased being that way when my mother developed COPD and then lung cancer.
It was never worth it.

Do not let the "gaining weight" aspect (that YES, you CAN control) keep you from saving your own life.

Good luck to you and whatever you decide.

I am only on week three or four, using nrt, and I have not gained any weight. My loss stalled until today, but I did give myself extra cals because I knew sucking on dinner mints and things of that nature would help me loads. The first few days I definitely wanted to eat more than usual but I understood why. It is totally in your hands. Those of us that are here probably will gain less than those who just eat as they please without really thinking about it, which is why I chose now to quit. Also, the raising of yr metabolism is very minimal, enough to equal a pound in maybe a month, probably longer.

I quit July 10, 2011 and gained 10lbs over the course of about 6 months. At the time, I wasn't watching my diet or exercising. The weight came off pretty quickly when I changed my eating habits and started working out.

i havent smoked for 7 days and my snacking is getting bad - although all healthy stuff but yesterday i had 2 bananas 2 nectarines, a punnet of grapes and a punnet of strawberries and could of easily carried on eating but to be fair there was nothing left to eat LMAO

hoping to try stop snacking as much as i dont want to put any weight on, i have only lost 3lbs in the last 6 weeks while trying to eat 1200 to 1500 cals a day

Well I really want to quit smoking but damn I hate the weight gain side effect. I don't care of the benefits far outweighing it as long as I will gain weight, sorry but no thanks. I want to know how can anyone give up smoking without gaining an ounce. Sorry but that's one thing that I'm really terrified at which is why up to now I can't totally quit. :frown:

Also I read somewhere that nicotine does increase your metabolism & so giving it up will make you gain weight even if you eat the same as when you still smoke. So even if you can somehow manage to control your appetite, you cannot totally avoid weight gain which I really don't like to happen.

Because dying of lung cancer and emphysema is such a great alternative.

I quit Jan 3, 2011. Did I gain a little weight? Yes. But am I actively working to take it off? Yes. You are a part of MFP to live a healthy lifestyle and keep off the weight. Quitting smoking will make your life better, not worse.

I never gained after smoking BUT, quitting was the start of me leading a healthy lifestyle so I also ate and worked out accordingly.