Need advice - losing weight and quitting smoking

Hi everyone -

So, I have almost reached my first weight loss goal. I told myself that as soon as I reached this goal I was going to quit smoking. Knowing that I will probably gain weight once I quit, I wanted to lose some first. But now being as I am looking better, I don't want to gain any weight at all.

My question is, does anyone know if it is possible to quit smoking and not gain any weight - or is it inevitable, and how much will i gain? Is there a way to counteract this?

Since i have heard that ones metabolism slows when quitting, my plan right now is to really boost up the excercise, to keep my metabolism at its current rate. Since I haven't really been doing much aeroboic or strength training yet, this should be easy - plus I will have lots of extra time.

Does anyone have any other suggetions, comments, advice, etc?

Thanks!

Congratulations!  I hadn't heard that quitting smoking slows the metabolism but what friends who've quit have said that they end up replacing the cigarettes with food and that they could now really "taste" food and enjoyed it more.  So I would suggest to continue to track the food that you eat so that you know you aren't going above your maintenance calories.

Good luck!

I quit smoking on June 1st, and I was pretty worried about the weight gain too.  I didn't really have a plan, just a vague idea about sticking to my workouts and eating right.  I haven't gained any weight, but I haven't lost any either...

Where I went wrong was:

• Not really working out - life got busy and I haven't been to the gym more than twice this month.  I think if you really stick with your working out and adding in weight training it will help a TON.  I just got back into it, and I've seen the first (small) drop on the scale in weeks.
• Have gum around!  The first week or two, I found myself unable to stop eating when I was full and snacking all the time because in the past, I had used cigarettes as my "stop" signal.  Before I'd go back for seconds of whatever I was eating, I'd have a smoke, and when I was done, I'd realize I didn't want more food, and it was all good.  Now that I've quit, and once I realized what I was doing, I started popping a piece of gum and making myself chew for 5-10 minutes after I finished the appropriate portion of food, and I've had some success with that.

You can absolutely quit without gaining weight!  It takes diligence, but it can be done!  Good luck! :-)

Thanks Allydan - that is very encouraging. I am so freaked out about gaining weight since I have worked so hard to lose it. Your words give me confidence!

allydan - i forgot to add . . Congratulations! What an accomplishment!

I still smoke on occasion ( I know...tisk tisk) but I do think you can keep losing weight after you quit.

From what i noticed, when I was a 1+ pack a day smoker,  I mostly did it bc I was bored or bc I thought "it's been a while since I had one, so I should have one" even if it wasn't even worth it. 

Once I kept busy and ignored those awful pangs to smoke for about 15 minutes at a time, it got easier and easier. 

Find out what your smoking habits are and work from there. Another thing to remember: when you're craving a cig, that's just the nicatine dying and begging to stay alive. Ignore it enough and you will hardly notice the craving.

From the research I did, I found out that smoking can burn up to 200 calories a day (smoking speeds up your heart rate) so that even if you eat the same and exercise the same amount as when you were smoking,  eventually you will gain some additional weight. 

I quit last May, and was fairly strict with the diet and the exercise and did not gain weight.  I did up the exercise a bit to compensate for the extra calories burned previously while smoking either by intensity or duration and sometimes both.    I did for the first month have a bit of an addiction to mints but I stopped that after the first month when I also stopped using the patch. 

Find out the times when you really crave a smoke (after dinner for me) and do something, like go for a walk, to take your mind off it.  I also quit drinking alcohol (for approx 6 months) when I quit. 

It can be done if you want it  badly enough.  Good luck!!!

Congrats on hitting your first goal.

I didn't really eat more or put on weight but I've not lost really since I quit (it could be because of so many things though I don't think the two are related). The first week of quitting was hard though. I got the nicorette tabs; they taste awful really disgusting, but I only had one when I felt like it was that or break and smoke so they helped. Giving up is a bit like weight loss, if you want it enough you will find what works for you and stick at it, if you don't there is a world of excuses out there.

Good luck I hope you manage it

congrats!   I am quitting smoking now, after being on CC for 6 months (60 pounds!) or so.  I read up on quitting smoking and weight gain, and what I found was that most of it comes from snacking instead of smoking, and from food tasting better.  So, i have stuck with the CC religiously, and upped my workouts just a bit (which is actually very good for all te nervous energy I now seem to have).  Also, Smoking while at the gym is pretty socially unacceptable, so I spend more time there, and at other safe places. 

I am two weeks in, through the worst of it, and have not gained any weight.  I have not lost any either during this time, but from what I read, to equal the health risks of smoking, i would have to put on 100 pounds or so, so evn if I end up gaining a few back in the short term, I can lose them later and still be ahead!

It can be done, and actually it is not as hard (sometimes) as I believed it is!

Good to learn that you've lost a lot of weight and have started looking good. I can't see you gaining the weight back if you quit smoking unless you increase any other intake.

Also, you must have someone in mind while you are doing all this and that you have to amaze him and so long as you have this in mind, you will quit smoking and will maintain (or even loose more ) weight. I've seen this trick doing wonders in people.

Best of luck!

Congrats on quitting - its totally worth it!

I quit in August, and I did gain five pounds. But I was pretty gentle with myself, and since quitting is such a big step, I rewarded myself...with food. Even if you do gain five pounds, it will easily come off. I ran more, and was encouraged by how quickly my three mile time improved. That gave me hope. Also, food does taste WAY better, so if you want to avoid gaining weight, just don't go and see how good (for me) Taco Bell really tastes! :)

Good luck, you'll be fine!

Hi there-

I quit smoking after 15 years.  I think I've gained five pounds.  The thing is- I put off quitting for so long out of fear of gaining weight...and looking back that was really dumb.  Ultimately- the control I feel from having accomplished a thing like quitting smoking makes me feel a lot more empowered to tackle weight loss. 

Besides- if you do succeed at quitting your hair, skin, breath, smell- everything else improves...

I quit using the patch...and starting training for a marathon at the same time. Running keeps the weight off amazingly well...and your lungs will be more powerful if you quit.

Also smoking makes you crave things like sweets and junk food.

The patch worked for me..

I quit this January after about 10 years of smoking.  I definitely did gain weight, but only because I paid absolutely no attention to what I was eating, and did not exercise at all.  You are not going to be that careless, so I think like everyone else said here, you'll be OK :)   I do believe that smoking ups your calorie burn a bit, so just be conscious of what you're eating for the first couple weeks.  Now that I'm fully quit, I don't see any change in my ability to lose weight from while I was smoking, so I think your metabolism will even out after a while.

I quit smoking and started an exercising routine the same day. Because its so hard to work out if my lungs are being damaged by smoke every day, it was a really good aid to quitting, and also kept my metabolism up. I've lost weight since then and feel healthier than ever.

Hey congrats on hitting your goal and for wanting you quit!! I just quit 5 weeks ago, and have not lost any weight. The first week, the scale went up 1 kg, but since I have lost 3 kg...so I think that is fair.  Smoking burns (of course depending on the amount you smoke) about 300 cals/day...the bigger problem is that people replace smokes with food which results in weight gain.  I HIGHLY recommend not replacing smokes with anything! If you have any urge, take a few deep breathes, recognize that you are not "giving up" cigarettes but that you are gaining your life back.  If you need to do something, drink a huge glass of water, get on your bike and take of for 10 minutes etc....NO you do not have to gain weight!