weight gain after giving it up?

[gwilson38]

Well people this will be a new venture for me. Our smokes went up to over 8 dollars a pack and I have had enough!!! I have wanted to quit for a long time but there is no better time than now. I have done really well getting my weight off and keeping it off for 6 months now but I wonder how quitting smoking will effect it while low-carbing? Would love to hear from others about how they did. And what they did to help the cravings and weight gain.

[rtjdk2]

Hi , I had the same question.. I have been lcing for about 2 months now and had promised the kids this summer i was quiting smoking and Im scared about the weight loss or gain.. I gained 36 lbs the last time i quit smoking.. dont want it to happen this timel....

We can do this together I guess.... Good luck with quit smoking..

[gwilson38]

Thanks for your reply. I would certainly be willing to help U get thru this. Im on day 5 of not smoking!! I have no cravings [the patch] but feel crappy, achy,and depressed. Dont think I will be a poster girl for nicoderm...lol I will let U know about weight gain. Just finishing up TOM so will weigh myself later this week. I have been warned by many to expect 7-10 pounds and thats if U really watch what U eat and exercise. A lot more will pack on if U arent careful. BUT I also know if U are careful and do exercise the weight U put on will most likely come off after a few months, once your metabolism straightens out. Keep me posted on when U are quitting.

[dizzyd]

I was really hoping that by sticking with LC'ing I wouldn't experience any weight gain (Oh, how quaint!) and after 4 weeks, I haven't weighed myself, but my pants are getting awfully snug! I guess we just have to accept that as a fact of quitting, huh?

I never thought to ask what to expect in that regard. So Gale, people said to give it a couple months? They're gonna be
l-o-n-g months! :hyper:

Oh well, it's worth it in the long run. At least I'll be able to afford to buy new skinny clothes when I finally get skinny!!!

[gwilson38]

well Donna, today is day 7 for me and I got the courage up and weighed myself and I havent gained!! I was impressed. I realize its early in the game however I am more optimistic now that maybe I wont pack on a bunch of weight. Just have to weight ..lol and see.

[rtjdk2]

Great Gwilson.... WIshing the best for you on this end.... May you continue not to gain any weight....... Im stil looking at this summer on quiting... Will keep you posted...

Tammy

[dizzyd]

I'm so happy for you. I realize that I have to accept that most of us will gain a bit as the body rebels against having precious nicotine taken away, but it'll come off. I'll just keep on keeping on.
:wiggle:

You must be just thrilled! I know I would be! :dazzle:

[gwilson38]

Its still way to early to tell where my weight will end up being a non-smoker. I do have a couple friends tho that even after a week had put on 5 pounds. Coincidently, one of them is short and after a couple months [she went thru Christmas] she had put on 12 pounds. She started low-carbing and within 3 weeks the weight and inches came off! Donna do U exercise? Have you changed your eating at all?

[dizzyd]

Hi Gale,

I'm ashamed to admit that I don't excersize right now. I am always very active in the summer and sedentary in the winter. As soon as it's light out late enough I will begin my normal daily 3 mile walks, rollerblading, biking, etc. I like to take the winter off because usually by the time it's getting dark early again, I've burnt myself out. I know that's the probably the most horribly wrong way to go about things, but I can't join a gym for the 4th time and not go. It's just too expensive and that's what I always end up doing.

As for the eating, I have stuck to the LC WOE, but interestingly enough, I have been kind of cruising back and forth between these threads and the Candida threads because I've had some of the symptoms. I just did the spit test described in one of those threads and failed it miserably. So, apparently I have a pretty good case of Candida according to that. I guess that would explain not losing any weight. Combine that with quitting smoking and it's a recipe for gaining some, for sure. That's okay though.

Now that I know exactly what I'm dealing with, I can cut the anti-candida foods out of my diet, get the proper supplements from the health-food store and relax a bit about what's going on with my body. As long as I know something, then I can deal with it. It's the not knowing that drives me crazy!!!

The worst thing now is, whenever I have a new tactic that I think about taking, I always think I should take a couple of days off and just eat whatever I want, because I can't have it again for a very long time, if ever! I know how stupid that is, but it's a mindset I have a really hard time getting around for some reason.

Any suggestions about all this new info?

I'm so glad you're here today! I got the day off work to have a 5 day weekend.

[gwilson38]

Im not able to exercise as much at the moment either [ patch control...lol] In your case once U can get more active you will notice a weight loss again. One thing I have learned with low-carbing is that I dont have to say "never again" What I mean is that for once in my life I am satisfied with the way I eat, feel and look. When U have that combo U cant go wrong. Also I know that its not that I CANT ever have something low-carb I just need to control when I have it and more importantly my emotions when I have it. I am really interested in this candia thingy..ummmm what the heck is a spit test?? LOL I havent read any threads in there I will have a look. I likely wont get on here for a few days so have a wonderful weekend and I will catch up with U after.

[gwilson38]

Day 14 for me and still doing well as far as not smoking or any cravings. Not so good on the weight front tho. For the months January, feb and march I was constantly at 132. The 1st week of not smoking I stayed 132 but this morning I was at 136! CRAPPP! Im not near TOM, nor have I changed anything else. Im not able to do my hard aerobic workout at the gym BUT I am still doing some aerobics in the early mornings, going for some walks and still doing lots of stretching and toning exercises. I just bought a bunch of new clothes, some summer things I may not be able to get into soon. We are going away to a resort for a few days in a month and I sure hope I will be able to wear them. So far from this non-smoking gig I feel yucky, I ache, have gained weight and Im depressed...lol Dont think I will become a poster child for it.

[agonycat]

Hang in there girl!

Remember it is impossible to gain 4 pounds of fat in a week unless you are consuming an ungodly amount of calories a day. It's only water retention :)

I quit smoking several years ago, since June 2000 to be exact ;).

Keep going it gets easier!

[gwilson38]

I appreciate your reply. I know I know, I just have to be patient. I also know that even if my weight stablizes at say 139, I am still below my goal and a year from now I will be a nonsmoker and slim!..lol I just hope my jeans fit then too.

[dizzyd]

I was bitching to my boss yesterday (she smokes 5 smokes a day) about how I've gained weight since quitting. She told me about a girlfriend of hers who quit smoking and gained 20 pounds. Then she started smoking again. So, in her own words, "After all that misery, all I ended up being was a fat smoker"!

Hang in there girlfriend, one issue at a time. That's my theory. We know how to lose weight, right? We've proven that. We can deal with it later... right?

(I'm not sure who I'm trying to convince, me or you!)

[gwilson38]

I have been doing a lot of research on here on smoking and metabolism. It has been suggested that 1/3 dont gain any weight , 1/3 lose weight, and 1/3 gain weight. Now they dont give a time frame on this. Im just really down right now. Day 15 for me and I feel achy, crappy, and now I am getting a cold. I weighed this morning at 138...but then a few min later I was back to 136. Im just scared that my weight will continue to climb the next few months and put me in a major depression. And that maybe this WOE wont be quite as friendly because of the new metabolism change. Its just a "weight" and see game.

[dizzyd]

You sound so down. I wish I could come over and have tea with you... but that's a way to go for the weekend! Here's a little :bhug: for you. I know how hard it is to watch the scale go up and feel shitty all for quitting smoking. I love smoking and could go back to it in a heart-beat. But I just can't justify it. All this misery for nothing? No way!

I just keep telling myself that no matter how much I gain, I will be able to lose it once my metabolism stabilizes. I know how to lose weight, and so do you. We just have to be patient and wait for that to happen before we worry too much about it.

Try to keep your chin up, and try not to dwell on it. We can get back on track soon!

Hang in there!

Thinking about ya....

[Lisa N]

Being thin isn't going to do you a whole lot of good if you can't breathe! I quit smoking once before for 4 months and didn't gain any weight. Stupidly went back to it again, so now I'm on day 2 of quitting again...hopefully this time for good. Even if I gain a few pounds, at least I'll be able to breathe and that's worth the price of a few pounds. Having said that, I know I'll still be bummed if the scale starts going up instead of down...I just got it moving down again after a 3 month stall! :eek:

[Louise V]

Hello Non Smokers!
I've been totally Nicotine free for 15 days now..I'm feeling great,and I am a little afraid to gain weight as well, I have not gained anything yet...I drink a lot of water, I've been exercising a lot and I've really been counting my carbs...and if all else fails and I'm hungry and having a fit I just come on line till it passes.
Best of luck to you all
Louise

[gwilson38]

1st of all WTG Donna! I read in another post U were able to fight off the urge to smoke. I am proud of U girl!!! :thup: How long were U on each stage of the patch? Im having one hell of a time even finding them now. There are so many people here that have quit recently that the manufacture is having a hard time keeping up. Im doing ok. I know deep in my heart that being a non-smoker is the most important. Im still hopeful that I wont put much weight on and that in a few months when my metabolism straightens out it will come off. So far just 4 pounds in 3 weeks and because I am exercising at watching what I eat, Im still convinced some of that is water. In fact I did read that quitting may cause water rentention in some people. LISA hang in there and U R right...if I cant breath and have other health problems from smoking being thin wont be a wonderful thing anyway. WTG Louise!!! welcome to our group. Are U on the patch? I found it has really helped me. Thanks again everyone!!

[Louise V]

Hello!
Day 17 all is well. No I'm not on the patch. I was going to try Nicorette gum, even bought a box and have not used any of them.I figured why add nicotine to my body, when I'm trying to get rid of the nicotine.
The 3 first days were the hardest,and even that wasn't so bad, I kept very busy, now it's nothing...I keep wondering when it's really going to hit...I'm ready!!!
The only thing I find really weird is that all my food taste so salty, I'm not big on salty food...has this happen to any of you?
I see your all doing very well!!!!!
I have to agree that a few pounds is not that big a price to pay for having nice clean lungs.....and if we don't gain to much it should not be to hard to take off later on...
Keep up the great work
Louise

[dizzyd]

Hey Louise, you are strong! Stronger than I am! I did notice the salty thing! I guess that's just the whole thing about your taste buds coming back to life. I had no idea that some things were so salty! Funny...

Notice smells yet? That's a biggie! I found out that a friend of mine has BO! What a riot!

We all should be so proud!

[Louise V]

Hi Donna!
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with the salty taste buds, at least I know now it's not my body lacking some kind of vitamin....
Yes I have noticed I can smell things, like fabric softener, my perfume seems stronger, but I guess I haven't been around anyone with BO yet, I must say that is funny,maybe buy your friend some nice smelly soap and deodorant as a "your a special friend " present...
My son went to his girlfriends the other day, and her parents both smoke, when he came home I could smell, the nicotine on his clothes...It was gross!!!
Well I hope you all have a great Nicotine, Free day
Louise

[dizzyd]

Hey all, I've found this web site called quitenet.com, and they have a forum very similar to this one and there is a weight-gain thread in there. I've read and although I don't feel better about the weight I've gained, perhaps I can accept it a little more?

Thought you might like to have a look at it.

How you doing Gale?

My puter is at the PC hospital and I may not have it back this weekend, so I'll check back in from work (where I am now...) and see how all are doing!

:bhug:

[phonemarsh]

I don't know if this answers your question but I quit back in November and havent gained any weight. I think my LC progress is slower than other people because of it, but it is definately worth it. Weight gain due to quitting is your metabolism slowing down by about 10%. I won't tell you to excercise because I know its not easy, but I walk my kids to school, take the stairs now, etc... (because as a non-smoker I now can do these things ) It all adds up!! Best of luck. Please stick with quitting. You'll love yourself for it.

[gwilson38]

Huggs Donna! Sounds like U R doing better, I was worried about ya. Im just catching up with my mail. I had my computor fixed to but it still isnt right and one day soon will just conk out on me. Its old so cant do much about it. Problem is dont have the money to replace it right now either. Im doing fine, thanks for visiting my journal, will try to find yours here soon. Im on day 25 and when I weighed friday I was actually down a pound to 135. I know hun if U stick with low-carbing, add some exercise, the weight U put on will come off soon [ remind me of that in a month if I am whining cause my weight has gone up again..lol] I know its hard but at least there are lots here for support. hi PHONEMARSH, nice to meet U. Question for U??? Were U low-carbing before U quit smoking? And did u change ANYTHING imediately after U quit smoking?

[phonemarsh]

I would say I upped the excercise a little because I was very aware of my weight and didn't want the weight gain to be my excuse to start smoking again.... No, I wasn't lo carbing then. I was low fatting...Down to 1500 calories a day and didn't loose or gain for a couple of months. Then I switched to Lo Carb in February and was able to loose. Let me know how you do. I LOVE ex-smokers.