gaining weight while quitting smoking?

Well, I've finally made the decision to quit! Although, I'm a tad bit nervous about gaining some weight while I quit. I've read that smoking burns an extra 200 calories/day, and the simple answer is, just eat 200 calories less, but I'm on a 1200 calorie/day diet, so I don't want to go into starvation mode, so I wanted to get some peoples opinions!

Thanks

I would stay on the 1200 calories a day thing.  Going less than that wouldn't be healthy.  You will still loose weight you just may loose it a tad slower that is all.  Maybe pick up your daily excercise by 5 minues or so.  That will help burn the extra calories not being burned anymore by the smoking.

Congraduations for quitting, you made the right decision.  Smoking is so unhealthy.

most ppl can only concentrate on one thing at a time.  Stop smoking is a major deal with more health benefit.  Get that under control then later you can worry about the weight.

If you have the willpower to stop smoking, you will have the will power to lose the extra weight.

I've always understood that generally the weight gain people have after quitting smoking is because they replace their habit with more food. Especially people who smoke a pack a day. Many replace that time they would spend smoking by eating something. I would think if you not allow yourself that and instead go with chewing gum, you shouldn't have that much a difficulty. If you're at 1200 calories, you should still be burning around 1800 calories with little effort. The weight loss may be slower but you won't suddenly start gaining without that extra 200 calories burned from smoking.

I started trying to quit in September, tried Chantix, Wellbutrin, etc. and failed miserably.  I put on 8 pounds during that time, but it was because instead of smoking, I would become ravenous in the evening, and eat.  I think you should focus on one or the other, it seems to be a slippery slope when you try to tackle two obstacles at once.  I am going to lose weight and then try to tackle quitting again so I can afford to gain weight .

About.com has a smoking cessation forum a lot like this one that helped me tremendously...check it out!  They are lots of people who are wonderfully supportive and very knowledgeable.

Good luck to you!!

The 200 calorie reduction from smoking is probably for a male who consumes 2000+ cals per day.  A more approximate figure is you burn 10% more calories per day when smoking about a pack a day, so you're probably in the range of 90-130 calories.

The most important benefits are that you can perform much more intense exercises and will have more stamina than when smoking.  It's not difficult to burn up the extra calories.

One thing no one has mentioned is that smoking speeds up your metabolism, thus the calorie burning.  Check out the about.com smoking cessation forum and read everything on the left in red, tons of information.

I quit smoking about 4.5 months ago (October 11-big day) exactly the night after I attended an event for lung cancer (I just went because Seinfeld was having a show for that event but it turned out good for me).  I was already on CC trying to loose weight.  To be honest the first 2-3 weeks were the hardest with the food.  When I was getting home, while watching TV I used to smoke but without it I was snacking all the time.  In order to get used to it I was having crudites without the dipping sauce or nuts and fruit.  I know is still calories but at least was not an apple pie for example.  After a few days I was filling up a bottle of water and I was adding just for flavor some orange juice or pomegranate juice.  After a while I joined the gym so I'm not sitting on the coutch that much, salsa lessons once a week and if I'm feeling lazy I go to the mall and walk around without buying anything.  When the weather gets warmer I'll start going to the park instead if I don't feel to go to the gym.  I am still trying to get to my goal weight but at least I didn't gain any either.  Sorry for the long message.  My point is that yes is going to be hard at the beginning but is possible not to gain any weight if you distract yourself from it and you try to adopt other habbits other than those that bring in your mind having a ciggarete.  Drink a lot of water.  Oh I also stopped drinking coffee because every time I needed a cigarrete.  Good luck and remember you have done the hardest part already to make the desision. 

the weight gain is from a mixture of things...one your metabolism slows (nicotine raises the matabolism) and two some people replace it with other things such as food. I think if you try to replace the nicotine with excercise or just something to keep your mind off it it might help combate the gain but expect a slow down or even slight gain (then if it dosent happen good fr you) and just think about why you are quitting!!! Good luck!

Thanks to everyone who replied!  So far so good, I'm dizzy, blah, but otherwise the patch is working.  Then again it's only been like 14 hours, but it's a start.  Just like when I started losing weight, I used to be like "I only have lost 5 pounds" but then before I knew it, 5 pounds turned into 40!  

Wow! someone else as crazy as me! I am trying to quit smoking and at least not gain any weight.  I am a nursing student and feel it would be hypocritical of me to lecture about the hazards of smoking and weight and not at least lead by example.  Good luck I am pulling for you!!

I quit smoking on October 26 of 2006!  Let me tell you it is hard work, but quiting doesn't always translate into weight gain.  What I realized after quiting was that it was the time and relaxing nature of smoking that I missed so much, some people fill this with food.  When you feel yourself really wanting to reach for a smoke try stepping outside (if you can) and taking a couple deep breaths.  It sounds simple but frustration is one of the number one reasons to reach for a cigarette, by identifying it and allowing yourself a couple minutes it helps you get through.  Hope this helps!

I was there 2 years ago.  Successful quitter for 16 months now.  Gained 15 - 20 lbs.  My doctor said I added 10 years to my life, not to worry about the weight gain.  I've just recently put myself on the 1200 cal diet, just hang in there.  Quitting was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life!

Okay new question then!  To all of those of you that have quit, CONGRATS, but how long did it take you to be smoke free, and what was the worst withdrawl symptom?  I'm using the patch, but I am sooo dizzy and nauseous.  Blah.  I'm in the right mindset though, no matter what I will not give in, my husband and I want to get pregnant in the next 5 months or so, and I told him that we both need to be smoke free for a few months before we even start trying.  

Original Post by aerowynamore:

Well, I've finally made the decision to quit! Although, I'm a tad bit nervous about gaining some weight while I quit. I've read that smoking burns an extra 200 calories/day, and the simple answer is, just eat 200 calories less, but I'm on a 1200 calorie/day diet, so I don't want to go into starvation mode, so I wanted to get some peoples opinions!

Thanks

 I ended up losing weight when I quit ;/ Who knows, hits everyone differently.

It took me the 3 day hump to beat the addiction. There was a billion times in those 3 days where I was like, alright, lets go to the car, roll down the window and light me one. But you need to just make it past those 3 days, then its all good. Rest of the addiction is all in your head.

So, for old time sake I tried to have one after being smoke free for 2 months with a buddy of mine on his last day of work. The full flavor marlboro...didn't work out too well. One puff and I was coughing like a new born haha. Thats a good sign right? 

I gave up smoking last year june, i have since gained 2 stone (28lb) im hating ever ounce of it.

I think the real reason most people gain weight is because they substitute the cigarettes with food, plus when your smell and taste gets stronger foods will taste so much better which then causes you to want to eat more of it.

Im no fighting to stop eating so much so i can lose weight but my health is way better than it was, i can finally take a lung full of air and run for longer periods without tiring.

I hope you succeed, and for those moments when your craving just take a few deep breaths and go and do something around the house to take your mind iff, a craving only normally last about 30 seconds or so. good luck!

Sorry i didnt read your last post..

I used the patches for 4 weeks but i found they made me crave even more. I gave up those when i went to T4 on the beach and forgot to take patches with me for the weekend. I didnt crave much after that.

I did try a cigarette a few weeks ago and i choked lol. It tasted like the ashtray smells...horrible.

Downside to not smoking is that when your out in the pub with your mates, they are outside smoking while your on your own inside lol. You can smell the moke on people too which can be horrible.

I still love the smell of a cigarette though, sometimes i want to just rip the heads off a smoker and suck the smoke straight out of their lungs lol, but i can officially say im a non smoker which is very rewarding.

"Okay new question then!  To all of those of you that have quit, CONGRATS, but how long did it take you to be smoke free, and what was the worst withdrawl symptom?  I'm using the patch, but I am sooo dizzy and nauseous.  Blah.  I'm in the right mindset though, no matter what I will not give in, my husband and I want to get pregnant in the next 5 months or so, and I told him that we both need to be smoke free for a few months before we even start trying. "

I didnt have any withdrawl symptoms.

I was on Chantix for 1 month a 1 week, I quit, threw the last cig on the ground and haven't have one craving for those nasty things again.  Ewww.  It took me 13 years to realize how bad I needed to quit.  Now, on March 20th, I will be 1 year smoke free with not even a chance that I will ever do it again.  I went through my most stressful time in my life about a month after I quit and I didn't have ANY cravings AT ALL. 

It gets better after a month because you get more used to life without them.  You don't realize until you quit how much of your day revolves around when do have a smoke.

Anyway - the dizziness is in part from quitting and in part from the patch I believe.  And I'm almost positive that the sickness is from the patch.  Other withdrawal symptoms you MAY get will include: symptoms like a cold (cough / sinus issues after 2-3 days of quitting), headache, and fatigue.  Not to worry.  These usually only last a few days to a week.

 I did gain a tiny bit of weight when I quit but I told myself I would worry about it later.  I initially tried to "lose weight before I quit" like other posters but then realized that that was just another excuse I was using because I wasn't actually ready to quit.  Not to worry.  It's different with each person.

 Some great things I found to help me quit that were low or no calorie:  Cinnamon sticks (suck on them DON"T eat them), FF hot cocoa for times when suddenly hungry, when have a craving -- do something else for 5 minutes (believe it or not we all have a tad bit of ADD so it will distract you enough for the urge to go away, Gum (gum, gum, everywhere have gum).  Try not to drink alcohol for at least this first week - better to cut it out for the first month.  I also drank coffee a lot.  Prior to smoking hot liquids always coincided with smoking but for some reason I find that they also reduce my craving (and my craving for eating something as well).

Good luck and I hope this helps. 

Ill be honest here ...

 

Im 27 years old and i smoked a pack a day .. I quit cold turkey on Oct 11th 2007 ( i didnt use any pills patches etc ) .. there isnt a day that goes by that i dont wish i could light up... but somehow i have the strenght to just not do it. I made a promise to myself .. and if you cant trust your self .. who can you trust ?

 

Im jealous of those of you who dont crave smokes anymore ... i still do every day even after 4 months... I quit once before for 3 years .. it was the same .. every day .. i thought about smoking .. and one day i did .. next day .. i was back to a pack a day.

 I will say that i feel a lot better tho, my allergies are better, and im not as fatigued as i used to be either.  I did gain weight but my doctor told me it was better to gain weight then to continue smoking =) 

 

 Korali