today marks 3 weeks without smoking

[golfgal]

Thanks to this forum and other websites, after 22 years of smoking, I quit cold turkey. Gained a few lbs, but I can't imagine how many I would've gained if not on Atkins.

A friend mentioned that nicotine does not get out of the body until after 4 weeks. I cannot find any info on this. Does anyone have any info?

[want2b120]

Congratulations! That is what my next goal will be, once I reach my goal weight. I'm afraid to do it right now because of the disappointment of not losing. Did you gain a pound a week?

[golfgal]

I gained around 4 lbs the first 2 weeks, because I was always snacking, but this past week, I put myself into an (not so strict) induction phase, and lost 2 lbs. I was very lucky, I didn't have a really bad nictotine withdrawal phase. My carb withdrawal was worse when I started Atkins.

[Rogue]

Nicotine takes 2 - 3 days to get out of your system.

It is the quickest addiction to get rid of but it is also the fastest to gain (1 drag of a cig and you are addicted.)

[Devnet]

My doctor told me that it takes 21 days for the physical addiction to be out of your body. After that it's mental/habit.

Now that I've been 24 days with out a cigarette I can say that the physical addiction is _mostly_ gone but not all the way. For example, last night I had the "creepy skin" out of the blue and it lasted for about 4 hours where all I could do was wish for a smoke.

I'm also finding the mental addiction harder to break than anything! Especially now that I think I'm 'safe'. I have to keep reminding myself that all it takes is ONE. *sigh*

[golfgal]

OK it's been more than 10 weeks now...have not cheated. Not as hard as I first imagined doing it cold turkey. I did gain around 15 lbs though, but have now found another addiction.....exercise (i have a very addictive personality...that is why i smoked for 22 years)

6 weeks ago started a pilates class once a week at my work's gym (thanks to a coworker that signed up with me). NOTE: I have never been in a gym nor exercised in my whole life..talk about intimidation. 4 weeks ago started taking 1 hour aerobics classes 2x week at lunchtime at work. 2 weeks ago joined a local private gym and started taking body sculpting classes. So now I do cardio 3-4 week, with toning 2 times a week, and this weekend meet with a trainer to start weight training. I feel better then ever, and when I turn 40 in a few years, I want to look better than I did when 30.

K, I will get off soapbox now.

[sharann]

Golgal,
You are doing great! I'm proud to hear you haven't let temporary weight gain mess up your quit! We could gain weight whether we smoke or not, so why NOT. The new exercise addiction will take care of the gain, plus you will gain so much lean muscle, which will get you burning more fat. It's a win-win thing.
Keep it up. By the way, I have been quit since July (after 18 yrs of smoking), and gained no weight from quitting(a pound or 2 of water the first week, but that went).
Bye :)