I was determined to quit smoking "cold Turkey" without the gum, patches, or pills and stay on Atkins at the same time.

Well, I quit smoking all right, and little by little I gained back all the weight I lost plus 10 lbs more. I kept telling myself it's only a pound-it's only a couple of pounds, etc......

It took me 9 months to lose 19 lbs before I quit smoking. In the time since I quit smoking I have gained 29 lbs. I used food to help me quit.

Okay, I'm angry at myself. Now I am going on Atkins again starting today and walking my mile (which was a lot harder this morning with the extra weight)
I was so proud of myself about not smoking that I accepted the weight gain telling myself "it's only a few pounds".

Sorry, I just had to vent and to warn others not to make the mistake I made.
Pay attention to even a few ounces that you might gain back each week. And good luck with your goals!

GramnGramp, CONGRATULATIONS!!! Kicking the nicotine addiction is a BIG achievement so you should feel really proud about that. Cold Turkey is by far the best way to go to build the foundation for a lasting and enduring quit, so well done!

Don't beat yourself up about the weight gain, it's temporary - you already know how to make it go away. But the health risks and dangers of smoking on the other hand are a different matter and not dealt with so speedily....

I took the view that to hell with weight gain at the start of my quit - anything that helped me through those first days and weeks was permissable; One thing at a time... So I was making 3 to 4 trips to the vending machine every day for chocolate bars and I'd get through a big bag of M&Ms in the car on the way home. Stupid? Perhaps, but I'm only human...

After one calendar month I got on the scales, fell off them in shock, but started day 1 induction again the very next day.

I'm now into 2 months without nicotine and 1 month without carbs. I'm feeling great, the weight is coming off and I don't miss or have cravings for either.

Give up smoking AND go lc at the same time? It can be done.....

I don't know how you can give up smoking and watch what you eat at the same time. Its torture. I am now 3 weeks into my quit with no cheating at all. I found that my food cravings were only bad in the first week and then they died down. I was craving chocolate a LOT (I crave chocolate a lot at the best of times) and was eating about 3 bars a day. This gave me terrible skin, but I allowed that as I knew it was temporary, and I am hoping this quit is permanent, though I still have times where I feel a smoke would be nice...

Anyway good luck

I'm on day 25 of my quit...I gained 5 lbs the first 10 days or so and then lost a pound of that. I do South Beach and dropped back to Phase II for my quit...South Beach Phase II is really pretty painless and something I know inside and out...I'm going back to SB Phase I on Feb 7 to lose the weight I've gained.

My problem hasn't been craving cigs or even over eating for the most part...my problem has been that I find it easy to be a mean nasty a..hole...before the quit I was a laid back easy going person...it seems to be getting better with each day though...I just really want the time to go by quickly until I find what my new "normal" is going to be like.

Well, it's 6 months since my post about quitting cold turkey. I have, unfortunately, gained back all my weight plus more....

However, I still am NOT smoking. That was a HUGE success for me. Now it is time to really get serious with the weight.

Me and "Gramp" are back on Atkins and determined to get enough weight off to feel comfortable again.

Good luck to all of you who are quitting smoking. Even though I gained a lot of weight, I am not sorry because I know I was headed for trouble with the cigarettes.

Congrats on the not smoking. Its the healthier choice in my opinion. At least thats what Im telling myself right now. I quit cold turkey Monday (6 days in) and have gained a few lbs by eating off plan for the week.

My cravings are subsiding ~ for both cigarettes AND food ~ so I plan on starting back up again this week on induction. Im trying not to be so hard on myself but Im determined for this weight stall/gain to be "worth it" so Im pretty sure the smoking is done for.

I quit low carbing once before to stop smoking and although I did quit the smoking for a few years, I never went back on low carb. Well 6 years later and Im still fat and was smoking again. I am going to do them both right this time!!!!

So welcome back to your journey for a healthier life

Wife and I been doing low carb for 7 weeks and loving the changes - almost 6 days down on no smokeing and enjoying that change. Never used food as a substitute so weight is staying off.

You can do both an keep at it.

Thank you LiveWell and 301 for the encouragement.

Maybe this is not the way to do it, but I am going to try to focus on my body size instead of my weight. When I feel comfortable in my body again I will have succeeded in my goal.

When I can bend over and tie my shoes without my air being cut off, LOL-When I can walk around the big yard without my knees and feet hurting- When I can wake up in the morning without my hip hurting- When I can get back into the same size clothes I wore for many years I will have succeeded, whatever the scale says. If I feel comfortable, that's where I want to be.

Good luck to all of you who are kicking the nicotine and also losing weight. I'll see you later................

Hi GramnGramp! you are doing fantastic with your attitude! I'm still smoking after 43 years,I quit 2 weeks ago for 6 day's,well I got back at it again,I never thought it possible to take off #'s plus quit!..I've only been buying 1 pack at a time,cause each time I tell myself, maybe this is the last pack! I've got to get rid of the "maybe" for good!.It's a scary concept to give up the weed & lose weight, frightening as hell! ...I'm thinking I'm going to turn into the GREEN-EYED MONSTER or something! Evie.....

Hi Evie, I hope you are having success in your goals. It is REALLY SCARY to try to do both at the same time.

The weird thing for me is that it was easier for me to quit smoking after 40 some odd years than to lose weight. Like you, I thought about quitting for a while before I actually did it. I had 5 cigarettes left in my last pack and was on my way to the store to buy groceries and another carton before I ran out. I said to myself, try not to smoke on the way to the store and don't buy any at the store. I mean, I live just down the road from a quick shop and I can run down there later if I decide to get more. Well, those 5 cigarettes stayed in my car for a long time- I never smoked them and I never bought another pack from that day forward. I think it's the "fear of failure" that was keeping me from trying before. Because the more I thought about quitting, the more I smoked.

If you can just relax about quitting, it will help. It sure did me. I know it's easy to say. Don't be afraid of failing, there is no shame in it. My husband quit twice before it was for good. We even let guests smoke in our home and it doesn't bother us. (I REFUSE to be an "uptight" ex-smoker )

Wishing you all the best whatever you decide to do.

Evie 25

Saw your post and just wanted to show you this free online class http://www.quitsmokingonline.com/

M wife and I found it two weeks ago and still have not started up - some parts are slow but you have to read the whole 10 chapters - good luck

Tim

CONGRATULATION OF QUITTING!! You have already done the best thing in the world for your health, so just get back on the wagon and do Induction by the book, and you will lose the weight you gained!
I wish you luck, and you are a strong person, so you can do this!
Please, don't ever pick the habit of smoking up again! You are an inspiratoin for the ones that are having problems putting the damn things down, so lets keep it that way! Now be an inspiration with you weight loss!

I WANT TO CONGRATULATE EVERYONE THAT HAS QUIT, YOU ARE ALL AN INSPIRATION!!!

Good Luck to All of YOu!
Brenda

Hi everyone,

I quit smoking cold turkey back on January 13th and boy did I gain weight. I started smoking again 3 weeks ago with the justification thought in my mind that I would eat less and lose weight. Well, that part worked but I so desperatly want to quit again. My husband and I both quit at the same time. What we did was we figured out how much we spent on ciggerrettes a day which was £8.00 (British pounds which is about $15.00) and every day we would put that money into a box in the closet and within 3 months we paid off a 7 day all inclusive package beach holiday to Majorca which we will be taking in June. Now that was motivation to stay off BUT with all the weight I gained I thought there was no way I was going on the beach in a bikini the way I looked so there we go...back to the smoking . I am back down to being comfortable enough with my weight to go on the beach now but so disapointed in myself for smoking and going back to spending the money and ruining my lungs and health. I want to quit again but I am afraid I will pile it all back on again before we go. I am going to attempt to do it again as I am hoping that with the foods I eat on Atkins, I will be full enough not to use food as a tool to stay off the cigs. The big problem is my husband though. He is a severe nicotine addict and even 3 months into our non smoking, he was still climbing the walls and sneeking them when he thought he could get away with it. Makes it so hard. He wants to smoke. He enjoys it and basicly he is so addicted to them. Ok sorry for going on and on. I hope with some support in here, I can kick the habit again for good this time. Thanks for listening.

Kelly

Quit March 1st 2003 and I think about smokes everyday. They were my best friend, my soul mate, my everything, my companion...BUT they also lied to me. They turned on me and were trying to destroy me.(Not outright, of course). But slowly and quietly, robbing me of my air, my health, and my freedom...
This is the first time in over 30 years that I have been free of my addictions. Do I feel great? You bet I do. Do I want my friend back, well not today.
For just one minute at a time I will surrender my will to something bigger than me, sometimes it's seconds at a time, but just for today I will walk free again...
I can't do this alone. I am powerless over nicotine.
I can't. He can, I think I'll let him...peace.