I Quit Smoking and Dropped 65 Pounds!
A_scoggins has reached her goal of losing 65 lbs and what makes her story so inspirational is she did this after quitting smoking. See how she monitors her calorie intake and makes sure she eats healthy without depriving herself.
She contacted us through our Share Your Story feature, and provided the following answers to our questionnaire.
1. What made you decide to lose weight this time?
I would have to say that I had always been saying "someday". Someday, I was going to quit smoking, and someday, I was going to lose weight. It was last year, when I turned 30, I realized that none of this had happened and "someday" wasn't going to show up unless I did something about it.
So, I put down the cigarettes, and after that I started my diet and I haven't looked back.
2. What other "diets" (programs, products, plans, or services) had you tried in the past?
Over the years, I would have told you that I've tried to lose weight many times, but really I didn't. All the things I had tried were with some sort of stimulant such as Ephedra, or I would join a gym like Curves, but I lacked the discipline. It's now after I have changed from "the diet mindset" to this "new lifestyle mindset" that I know I never really tried before now.
3. What changes did you make to your usual diet, activity, lifestyle, and attitude?
The first thing I did was completely revamp my eating habits. I started counting calories and imagine my shock when I realized I had been eating between 2500 and 3000 a day! I immediately cut that down to 1800 calories per day and then down to 1500 calories per day.
I also started working out. I love watching TV so I would work out on my Wii Fit. This way I could customize my routine or just watch TV while using their step aerobic option. This was key for me as it helped me get past that point of "I don't want to work out, I want to watch TV." I was able to do both. Now, I'm past the Wii Fit routine and I'm running outside. However, during those first 6 months the Wii Fit was the motivator for me and helped me get used to working out.
4. How did Calorie Count help you to lose weight?
Calorie Count is awesome! I was using a different website at first, but as I started looking up my foods and how many calories were in them, my search engine kept taking me to Calorie Count! I quickly realized that Calorie Count was much more than just a food browser and that it is awesome.
Continuous monitoring of my calorie intake was crucial to my diet and the mobile application made it even easier. Especially when dining out, I was able to make smarter choices.
Now, that I'm at my goal, I'm trying to concentrate on getting all of my vitamins and minerals, and again Calorie Count was there for me with introducing their new revamped Analysis.
Overall, reading other success stories, or just learning about new healthier food alternatives, Calorie Count is always there for me.
5. What was most challenging about losing weight?
I'd say in the beginning it was the initiative to workout. It's so much easier to be a couch potato while eating potato chips, slowly but surely, you get past that and now it's finding new ways not to get bored with my workout. Also, finding ways to treat yourself, without going over your calorie allowances. I've searched for low-calorie options, healthier cooking habits, and low-cal sweets. I have a sweet tooth so, finding something not loaded with calories, but still enough to curb that craving was important.
6. How long did it take you to see results?
It took 30 pounds before anyone noticed. 30 pounds! So, although I could see small differences, no on else could. After my 30 pound mark, though, the weight fell off. I started buying new clothes and people started asking, "Have you lost weight?" or "Your face looks thinner" all the time.
7. When did you realize that you were a success?
When I hit my goal of 150lbs, I said Wow! "How the heck did I do that?" I really proved it to myself that I could.
8. How do you prevent relapse?
I keep going and it's now about maintaining. I'm keeping my "new" eating habits and my workouts are more intense, but I can have a few more calories if I want. I'm sticking to a diet from 1500-1800 calories a day. This keeps me where I need to be. The goal is to never go back; I don't want to be that 200 pound girl saying "How did I get back here?" That girl is gone... it's only the new me now!
9. How has your life changed now that you've lost weight?
Now that I've lost the weight, I'm more active. I've found that I naturally see the healthier choices and it's easier to say no to the bad choices. My husband and family are all proud of me, but most of all, I'm proud of myself and that makes a huge difference. I'm happier that I can go shopping and not get depressed. It's so much easier to shop for a medium rather an extra large size in a department store. The funniest thing is I'm still paying off my credit card from my Plus Size store and it's taking me longer to do that, than it did to actually lose the weight!
10. What five tips do you have for other dieters?
- Find a workout routine, and stick to it. If something works, keep going with it.
- It's okay to be neurotic with your calorie counting (I was), but keep it to yourself, no one else will understand, but when they start seeing the difference, they will ask you what you have been doing.
- Be diligent; all the cheating adds up and it's so easy to cheat again if you are not careful.
- Before you go out to eat, go to the restaurant's website first. Lots of restaurants post their nutritional info online. This allows you to pick out a healthier choice.
- Lastly, remember it is possible to lose weight, and if this former chunky girl can, then you can too!
If you would like us to feature your success story, you can submit it here. The most insightful stories will be featured on this blog and in the weekly "Success Stories" newsletter.
Comments
Awesome JOB !!!! You look amazing !!! Doesnt it feel so liberating to be at your goal and know that YOU did it :) Keep up the good work !!
p.s. Have fun shopping ;)
Congrats!!! My mom did it too!!!because we encouraged her!!!but i hope my dad will quit too...
Congratulations!
I quit smoking April 15 and I've lost the 5#'s I gained from not smoking but my goal is to lose 30#'s and your story is very inspiring, I am doing the same things you are but my progress has been slow could have to do with age
I am in my 50's
Keeping motivated is my biggest problem.....
I will keep you posted on my progress, I would like to be 30#'s lighter by the new year - wish me luck
Great story! I love to read these success storys.
You made reference to two important aspects of weight loss.
- Discipline
- Life-style change
Diets are different than life-style change.
I also thought it was interesting that nobody noticed anything until 30 lbs. were gone.
You look terrific, and your tips are excellent! Thanks for sharing your story of success.
Inspiring Story as I continue to struggle after quitting smoking in Oct. I added 15-20 lbs immediately to my already 30 lb overweight body. So... like you I have 50-60 lbs to loose and have success for a week or two and then get frustrated and add it back on. Today I begin again after reading your story(the first one I've read here). I hope this helps me to stay on track this time. You look great, way to go, wish me luck.
awesome, awesome, awesome! just reading your story is an experience. you are my heroine! i recently quit smoking and thanks, in part, to calorie counter, exercise and determination, haven't gained weight but have actually lost. years ago when i tried to quit i gained 35lbs. have 30lbs to loose. success like yours helps keep me on track.
love this site. thank you so much for sharing your tips and your wonderful attitude. again, congratulations!
I'm so glad to have read your story today. I have lost 82 pounds this past year, but have not given up the smoking yet. I've been afraid that I would gain the weight back as so many do when they quit. Now I feel better about my chances if I do quit. Wish me luck! And by the way, you look fantastic!!!
Girl you look FABULOUS!!!!! Great job on your weight loss!
As for your tips, I couldn't agree with you more about checking out the restaurant's website. That has been a life saver for me. I check out the menu online and once I get there I order EXACTLY what I saw online. Most of the time, I don't even take a look at the menu once I get there for fear of changing my mind.
Thanks for sharing!!!
Congrats on your success! I don't know what it's like to overcome smoking, but I hear it's pretty tough! But I can empathize with making the decision to lose weight and stick with it! Good for you! You look fantastic!
And @time2loose2010: Good luck! You can do it! =D
Wow! Thank you for sharing. Not only do you look great, you look vibrant, healthy, in the new picture. Your thoughts about exercise are right on -- it makes a such a difference. I hope to follow your lead in running outside. Right now I'm just learning the skill and hopefully building some endurance on the treadmill, but isn't it great to be able to do things we never expected to be able to do at all?
Thank you for sharing your story! I am 17 pounds into a 65 pound goal and your reflections are just what I need. I am so grateful for this site. I am also like you in that this is the first time in my life that I have been serious about getting healthy and losing weight. It is so good to hear success stories to help keep my motivation and hopes up!
What a great story. Thanks for sharing it. I too quit smoking (April 10th) and have managed to keep my weight gain down to 5 lbs. I am using Calorie Counter and keeping up a work out schedule. I am hoping that eventually I can back off a little, but until my metabolism stabilizes I have all the tools I need on this site!
When I quit smoking I gained 50 lbs in 6 months, and then another 20 over the years for good measure or something. I am so glad I am no longer a smoker, but i have been overweight for 12 years now. I have lost a solid 20 pounds , but seem to lose and gain the next ten over and over again. I am now going to a new doctor who wants me to track calories instead of points, and fat and sodium grams. Calorie Counter seems to be a good match for all of that.
Great job. I agree with keeping your weight loss journey to yourself. It is hard enough to get through it without peoples comments, suggestions and advice. I just lost 28 lbs and will never go back again. Also exercise is also the key, burn, burn, burn those calories!!!
Way to go! I did the exact same thing, and lost 75 pounds within the first year and a half that I quit smoking. I have kept off the 75 pounds and never so much as touched a cigarette in the past 3 years! I eat quite a bit, but I eat all the right things. I am never hungry.
Congrats....you do look great....and so happy! Thanks for the advice to look up calories before going out! I've looked up calories after to see how much I really ate, but never even thought about doing it before going out! Talk about a "DUH" moment!
Keep up the good work!
Great story, I can totally relate. I used Alan Carr's book - "THE EASY WAY" to quit smoking. You would never believe a book can make you quit but it is the first step to changing the way you think about what you are putting into your body. All you have to do is read the entire book which should take a week or two. I have passed the book on to my smoking friends and it has proven results of 100%.
I have lost 20 lbs easily just being aware of what I am eating and the amount of calories I consume in a day.
Congrats, real inspiration as I quit smoking about 10 months ago. Did not gain much weight, but its been creeping up, so I decided not to wait for a LARGER wake up call too. Great story !!
Great job Amy!!! So proud of you!!! I must say that when I saw you last I was so jealous of how much weight you had lost then and now your at your goal...you truely are an inspiration!
Congratulations! You look fabulous! I weighed 135 pounds before I quit smoking then shot up to 170 afterward. I knew what I was doing--i.e., allowing myself lots of indulgences because quitting smoking was so hard. I didn't realize that losing weight would take the same amount of effort and determination. Doesn't it feel great not to smoke and to have lost weight? Congrats again! Well done, you!
Great Job! I know how tough it is in November I started logging my food intake and in December I quit smoking. Since I was already logging my food intake at 1500 calories a day, when I quit smoking it was easy to stick to the 1500 calorie plan I had set for myself. In March I used the money I saved from not smoking to by a bike and join the gym. My being wieght was 230. When I quit smoking I was at 213 and as of my weigh in on Friday I am down to 182. It is tough, but we can do it.
WOW, AWESOME.
Quitting smoking is hard enough. I quit 7 years ago and gained a lot of weight, but you quit and lost weight, TRUELY AMAZING.
You should be very proud of yourself, I know you will inspire others to quit and lose and that it is possible.
I quit smoking last year and initially gained 9 pounds. However, this year I vowed to get into shape. I first bought the Nintendo Wii with all of the accessories, but was unmotivated. What motivated me was joining the YMCA. At the Y there are instructors helping to motivate me and exercising is social. I'm making friends there. Since May 1st, I've dropped 24 pounds. I lost only 3 pounds in April I think because I was not as efficient at exercising and because 1600 calories were still too many. I started seeing a dietitian and cut calories to 1300-1400. My goal is to lose 70 pounds. Next year I intend to bike a couple of half marathons.
I can not tell you how happy I am at this minute.
1. I am so pleased for you at making this milestone for yourself.
2.I have discovered there is hope for me.
I am going into my second week of being a non-smoker. I have been a member of this site for a while but only really got serious in the last month or so. A doctors visit on June 9th scared me enough to really get down to business about lossing the weight. I'm a big boned girl (5'9") and 200lbs didn't look like 200lbs (always thought I was 170) but when the nurse told me how much I weighed, I nearly cried. By this time I'd also made the desition to also quit smoking (it's the year of change for every one). The doctor and I talked and he said if I started with cutting my calories then when I did quit smoking, I should be used to the eating. He cut my calories to 1200 but I sometimes go to 1300. I walk my dog 1 hour a day (or try. Hubby also does 1 walk a day) and I've lost 10lbs. After hearing this story I know I can loss the weight I want to loss.
Just like lushka7 said you are my hero as well.
Congratulations! You look fabulous - younger than 30! Quitting smoking and losing all that weight - you really are a superhero!
Quitting smoking was the best gift you could give youself. You will never regret it - It's amazing what quitting does for you: your skin begins to look clearer and smoother, you get fewer wrinkles, your nails and teeth don't get stained, your gums turn pink and healthy again, your clothes, hands, house, car all stop smelling like cigarettes, you can taste food again, your sinuses aren't stuffed, your breath doesn't smell bad, you don't have to go outside in the cold/heat/rain/snow and look like one of those crazy people because you can't smoke indoors, you are free from the addiction to nicotine, you stop wasting all that money, you can run/walk/skip/hop without gasping for breath, have I gone on long enough?
In NYC, a pack is now up to almost $11.00 - new cigarette tax. I was amazed hearing on the radio from people being interviewed - that they had no plans to quit, but would go to New Jersey to buy smokes.
My hubby and I quit about 9 years ago before we started to try and get pregnant. Thank goodness. In retrospect, I wonder how I could have been so silly to start and why I didn't quit for good earlier. I guess something else finally became so much more important.
Good luck to all those who are trying to quit.
I am so proud of you! 
And I will keep you in mind as I continue on my journy to lose weight I have gained over the last 3 years.
I have been reading all the comments since this morning and it is so nice to know that you are not alone in this journey, we all have a common goal, to be healthier.
Is Calorie Count a GREAT site or what?
Thank you for posting your experience! I'm starting off my workout plan by using the Wii Fit so it's nice to hear that you were able to have success with it, and eventually graduate to something more difficult. I now have faith that I can do the same!
Great job on your weight loss and quitting smoking, I'm sure your heart thanks you for it!
Congratulations on all your success and thanks again for being an inspiration!
Tomorrow will be a week being cig-free for me. I'm glad I am on this site to be able to monitor my intake. Its wonderful to know it can be done. Thank you so much for sharing your story!!
You look wonderful! Congratulations!!
I have lost 91lbs myself so far but I still need to lose an additional 10lbs or so...just so I can be w/in the middle of my goal weight range. I can't wait til I can say, like you, that I have finally made it!!
Keep up the good work...it really does show, doesn't it?!?
WOW. Congratulations...You have succeeded in two areas. Most people it would appear gain weight when they quit, you quit smoking and lost weight, a battle most have trouble with. You should be proud of yourself.
mark
Congratulations. As someone who has quit smoking and lost 60+ pounds, I know how great both feel. Keep up the good work.
I did the same thing 3 yrs ago. I quit smoking and lost 50 lbs. I turned 55 in June I went from a size 12 to size 3 and now I'm 117 and I continue to maintain. I love that I was able to stop smoking at 1st and made a promise I will be this way until the day I die. I eat very well and I found my own way of being able to keep up everyday of my life. All this thru manopause......It is possible and anything is possible if you but your mind to it.....
Wow Everyone! Thanks so much for all the encouragement. It has been a long road, but I've been so blessed with supporting family and friends during this process. For all of you out there that are trying to quit smoking...I can be done, and if you want to lose weight too...you are not "Destined" to gain weight after quitting smoking...You can do both! IT IS POSSIBLE!
Calorie Count is so great! I'm sure there are other online communities that are good, but Calorie Count is both a great useful tool and an awesome place where all of us can uplift and encourage each other as we fight our individual health battles.
Thanks so much again!
Smoking is like being on CRACK. I wasn't a pleasent person in the beginning, you need to be very strong emotionally. My 1st promise was to stop smoking which took me 3 months. Everything I had was focused on being a non smoker. After I was able to control that nasty smoking habit I joined a gym CONTOURS EXPRESS IN LODI and weight watchers it took me about 6 months to lose 30 lbs you can read about my success story on the Contours express site , NOW I weight 117 lbs, became a SPIN INSTRUCTOR. I go to the gym everyday to do cardio in intervals and weights and rest one day a week I visit a Chropractic Physican once a week and it makes me strong to continue my healthy journey for the rest of my life. When I quit smoking I became a very strong human being inside and out. To me nicotine is crack. Needs to be treated as if your a AA club member your not allowed to even have one. GOOD LUCK.
conglatulation!As someone who has quit smoking and lost 60+ pounds, I know how great both feel. Keep up the good work.
That is awesome to lose weight after quitting smoking. I've never been a smoker but I definitely know how hard weight loss is
Keep up the good work:)
That is great. I too quit smoking 10 months ago, gained about 10 lbs and decided it is time to get serious. I have lost 7 of it in the last 3 weeks, but I have a long way to go to get to my goal. It will probably take me about a year in total. that is OK, I feel much healthier just from the non-smoking and now even better that some of my clothes are starting to fit more loosely. My only question to myself is why did I wait to long!
Congrats! You look fabulous. I quit smoking last July and have put on about 5 lbs. Can't seem to get it off. But your story is an inspiration to make it happen.
You need to be realistic when you go thru such a change like quitting a nasty habit like smoking. Your mind and body will feel the effects of the change and these changes are a shock to the system, in the beginning your mind needs to be strong to fight off the desire to conquer that addiction of nicotine. It will take a total of 3 months and most people give up before the 3 months or just on that 3 month mark. It took me at least 5x and each time I tried to stop smoking I got stronger. This time I did it. I did both, lost weight and stopped smoking. If a non smoker can have coffee in the morning without smoking, so could I. If a non smoker can lose weight and so could you and I. Remember your not allowed to even have one cig. You and I are now a member of the AA Club.
Thanks!! I just started doing exactly the same thing you did..ie. calorie reduction, and Wii Fit. I have never been so motivated in my life to no longer be a "chunky girl"!! I am glad to read that someone else is using the Wii as their motivator! I am mostly using the Wii Active along with the Fit. It is a bit more disciplined. 65 lbs is my goal as well. Your story really gave me hope!!!
ohhhh! wonderful beautiful!
you look more great now!
and could you tell me what you eat everyday?
i know it must" green" food. but could you give me some more detail?
and how long you ve keep sporting everyday? one hour?
thanks !
american
apples
asian
beans
beef
blog
bmi
breakfast
calcium
calories
cheese
chicken
chocolate
coffee
confidence
cooking
dessert
diabetes
diet
dieting
dietsinreview
dinner
eggs
emotionaleating
exercise
family
fiber
fish
fitness
fruit
goals
healthyeating
hunger
hungrygirl
inspiration
italian
mediterranean
mexican
mindset
motivation
nuts
obesity
party
pasta
portioncontrol
protein
quinoa
recipe
recipes
salad
salmon
self-esteem
sleep
snack
snacks
soup
spinach
stew
stress
successstory
sugar
support
tbl
thebiggestloser
tips
turkey
tv
vegan
vegetable
vegetables
vegetarian
water
weightloss
workout
yogurt
Wish I had known all that back in 2004 when I quit smoking. Instead I gained 78 lbs. and have been struggling since to get them back off.
But I am not giving up!!!