Quitting smoking and weight gain

[divinediva77]

Despite my overall healthy lifestyle: training hard, eating very clean, cardio, etc., I WAS a light smoker. I say was because I decided to quit a week ago. I smoked less than 1/2 a pack a day but regardless I still smoked period. As of last Saturday I have not had a cigarette. I thought it would be a lot easier than it has been. I did it cold turkey without any nicotine replacements such as the gum or patch. I tried both of those before and had bad side effects from both. For the past week I have been experiencing some serious withdrawl symptoms. I feel like someone unplugged me basically. I am depressed, tired, dizzy, I can't concentrate, my body hurts, my stomach is freaking out, I'm experiencing nausea.....and the worst part is I have gained weight. Now I know that its probably water retention but there's nothing like training your ass off and eating very clean and feeling like you are really seeing your body looking good, to experience your pants fitting tighter and feeling like shamoo(lol....not sure how you spell this but I'm sure you all know who shamoo the whale is..hahaha) all in a course of a week. I haven't been eating anymore than normal nothing has changed except for quitting smoking. The disturbing thing is that when you research weight gain and quitting smoking most information says that you'll gain weight when you quit. I really want to avoid this at all costs. I really thought that since everything else in my life was extremely healthy that this would not only be easy for me but that I would not have all of these side effects. My fiance quit too and he isn't experiencing any of these symptoms, but he is also chewing nicorette gum. So sorry ladies for my ranting but I am feeling like crap. Has anyone else been through this or does anyone have any good sound serious advice. Please don't respond with comments like " just don't smoke, etc." I am already aware that it is a nasty habit. that's why I stopped. I just want to get through how I'm feeling. That's really the worst part.

[CATRACCOM]

Yep, been there. I was smoking almost 2 packs a day...lighting cigs with my cigs. I used the patch when I stopped. I wrecked my motorcycle the day after I quit. It was horrible and I felt homicidal. I did gain weigh when I stopped...about 12 lbs...which was huge for me because I weighed 105 and I was rock climbing hard at the time. STICK WITH IT. It will get better! I found that having a piece of wood and a hammer around helped. Find something that is calming and focusing to get you through. I liked to go for a little walk and focus on breathing 'real' air. Keep busy. Seriously don't worry about the weight gain. It's a minor sideshow in the scheme of things. It will get better too. I'm so glad I quit.

[Inama]

Hang in there. Go on the patch. I quit, but it is so hard. I'm behind you.

[divinediva77]

Yep, been there. I was smoking almost 2 packs a day...lighting cigs with my cigs. I used the patch when I stopped. I wrecked my motorcycle the day after I quit. It was horrible and I felt homicidal. I did gain weigh when I stopped...about 12 lbs...which was huge for me because I weighed 105 and I was rock climbing hard at the time. STICK WITH IT. It will get better! I found that having a piece of wood and a hammer around helped. Find something that is calming and focusing to get you through. I liked to go for a little walk and focus on breathing 'real' air. Keep busy. Seriously don't worry about the weight gain. It's a minor sideshow in the scheme of things. It will get better too. I'm so glad I quit.

Thanks for your input. I did take a walk today and it helped to stop the insanity for a bit...lol Did you do anything differently such as eat any more than normal to have gained 12lbs.? and was it mostly water weight for you?

[divinediva77]

This might be a silly question, but how do you gain weight when quitting cigarettes? I've heard everything from mistaking nicotine cravings for hunger so you eat more, to it slowing down your metabolism.

Another thing i just thought of... i know some people gain weight when they're stressed out so could it be from that too?

That's what I just can't figure out myself. I can see where it may be stress related, because trust me quitting is stressful times 10......lol I can understand gaining weight due to sustituting food for nicotine. I know that nicotine is a stimulant so it does elevate your metabolism and it actually effects your blood sugar levels. It also constricts your capillaries and limits the amount of oxygen that runs to your muscles and the rest of your body. So when you stop smoking your body is trying to regulate itself and apparently water rentention is normal, which I am obviously experiencing. But for someone like me who was not a heavy smoker and I train 3 days a week hardcore, do HIIT cardio 2 x's a week, plus yoga and I eat very clean I can't understand how weight gain, other than water retention could happen to me. Research says that if you smoke a pack of cigarettes a day you are burning 200 extra calories a day. So I was apparently burning an extra 100 per say. I would think that if I took 100 calories off of my diet or just added an extra day of cardio tht might do the trick. I hope so. I just want to physically feel better right now. I feel so fatigued and my poor fiance has been so kind to put up with my PMS like behavior....lol....The good news is that I am not even craving a cigarette

[Plainandtall]

I really feel for you. I quit on August 2 and I was smoking about 20-30 cigs a day. I go cold turkey and don't have the same sort of withdrawl problems you are experiencing. I was getting ready for a trip to Rome (I leave TOMORROW! YIPPEE!!) and I was wanting to quit before the trip so I could do the plane trip and my whole vacation without the whole PITA of finding a place to smoke Hotel etc... I wanted to enjoy my vacation not spend it trying to get a nicotine fix. Well- I also wanted to lose about 4 more pounds so I'd be about 159 when I went... WRONG... I'm now 170. I gained 7 lbs in 12 days!!! What the HECK!!??? I did NOT eat anything different than I usually do... I was on a medication I've never taken- that may have done something (I'm off it again) and I also got my period this week which is usually good for 5 lbs of bloat... I PRAY that I go down to at least 168 or 167 by Monday... but DARNIT this bites!! I had actually TOTALLY FORGOTTEN about the quit smoke weight gain thing until I read your post... I was thinking it was those meds... now I think differently.

[divinediva77]

I really feel for you. I quit on August 2 and I was smoking about 20-30 cigs a day. I go cold turkey and don't have the same sort of withdrawl problems you are experiencing. I was getting ready for a trip to Rome (I leave TOMORROW! YIPPEE!!) and I was wanting to quit before the trip so I could do the plane trip and my whole vacation without the whole PITA of finding a place to smoke Hotel etc... I wanted to enjoy my vacation not spend it trying to get a nicotine fix. Well- I also wanted to lose about 4 more pounds so I'd be about 159 when I went... WRONG... I'm now 170. I gained 7 lbs in 12 days!!! What the HECK!!??? I did NOT eat anything different than I usually do... I was on a medication I've never taken- that may have done something (I'm off it again) and I also got my period this week which is usually good for 5 lbs of bloat... I PRAY that I go down to at least 168 or 167 by Monday... but DARNIT this bites!! I had actually TOTALLY FORGOTTEN about the quit smoke weight gain thing until I read your post... I was thinking it was those meds... now I think differently.

That's so funny that you mention your trip to Rome because my fiance and I are going to Italy for 3 weeks on Sept. 2. We were both smokers and thought about the whole long plane ride, and craving a cigarette, etc.....lol Its also nice to know that I'm not crazy about the whole weight gain thing. I haven't weighed myself...I'm kind of afraid to. But I know I have gained some weight in a weeks time. Not to mention my period will be on its way in about 2 weeks. Of course if nothing has changed with someone's diet and exercise routine, and someone puts on 7lbs. in a week the weight has got to be water, but it still sucks!!!!!!!!! And I wonder how long it will take to get back to normal. I've been drinking a **** load of water, hoping it will help to flush out my system. But its nice to know that there is someone else out there who feels my pain right now......LOL

[TheDiz]

I'm also trying to quit smoking and have noticed that my weight loss is not going nearly as well as it was before I quit. In the two weeks before I quit I lost about 8 pounds, I am back to where I was before.... dammit (though I am still noticing that I am more firm). Anyways, if it is just bloating, try drinking some lemonade (lemons are a natural diuretic).

[divinediva77]

I'm also trying to quit smoking and have noticed that my weight loss is not going nearly as well as it was before I quit. In the two weeks before I quit I lost about 8 pounds, I am back to where I was before.... dammit (though I am still noticing that I am more firm). Anyways, if it is just bloating, try drinking some lemonade (lemons are a natural diuretic).

I actually have been putting lemon in my water. I also bought liquid B complex and Vitamin C this morning. After I took both I felt a million times better. It totally makes sense to me now. If smoking takes away your vitamin C then adding some may help you to feel better. As for the B complex it aids in energy metabolism, fatigue, etc. so if when quitting your metabolism drops a bit and your blood sugar levels get lower then the B complex should help to regulate things a bit. I think that's what did it for me. I still feel a little bloated but not as bad as yesterday. I think I will try to add an extra day of cardio in to get rid of some of this water weight. I do 2 HIIT sessions a week so I think I could add a 3rd one in. How long has it been since you quit? Good luck and congrats with quitting. It's not easy but its better in the long run.

[sweeth4796]

i quit smoking and lost weight........30 pds really.....and oddly enough I had no withdrawels...well i didnt notice them anyway....

[vavavoom545]

Despite my overall healthy lifestyle: training hard, eating very clean, cardio, etc., I WAS a light smoker. I say was because I decided to quit a week ago. I smoked less than 1/2 a pack a day but regardless I still smoked period. As of last Saturday I have not had a cigarette. I thought it would be a lot easier than it has been. I did it cold turkey without any nicotine replacements such as the gum or patch. I tried both of those before and had bad side effects from both. For the past week I have been experiencing some serious withdrawl symptoms. I feel like someone unplugged me basically. I am depressed, tired, dizzy, I can't concentrate, my body hurts, my stomach is freaking out, I'm experiencing nausea.....and the worst part is I have gained weight. Now I know that its probably water retention but there's nothing like training your ass off and eating very clean and feeling like you are really seeing your body looking good, to experience your pants fitting tighter and feeling like shamoo(lol....not sure how you spell this but I'm sure you all know who shamoo the whale is..hahaha) all in a course of a week. I haven't been eating anymore than normal nothing has changed except for quitting smoking. The disturbing thing is that when you research weight gain and quitting smoking most information says that you'll gain weight when you quit. I really want to avoid this at all costs. I really thought that since everything else in my life was extremely healthy that this would not only be easy for me but that I would not have all of these side effects. My fiance quit too and he isn't experiencing any of these symptoms, but he is also chewing nicorette gum. So sorry ladies for my ranting but I am feeling like crap. Has anyone else been through this or does anyone have any good sound serious advice. Please don't respond with comments like " just don't smoke, etc." I am already aware that it is a nasty habit. that's why I stopped. I just want to get through how I'm feeling. That's really the worst part.

Hi!!!!
congratulations on quitting... i used to smoke a lot before (one pack a day)
There are a lot of unconfortable symptoms when you stop, but after a week or so you will feel amazing, more energetic and alive. Your cardio sessions are also going to improve, you will lose the weight in no time. Good luck!!!

[nicsonline]

I took a neuropharmacology class a year ago, I can't really go in depth about nicotine affecting the body and mind since I've forgotten a lot of the mechanisms, but here's something I pulled from google that might help you understand. I also quit smoking about 3 years ago, and I gained a good 20 lbs from it.

"Nicotine suppresses the appetite and causes the liver to release glycogen, which raises the blood sugar level slightly. With nicotine out of your system, you may feel hungry more often. Smoking artificially elevates heart rate and increases metabolism. When you stop smoking, your body has to readjust to a lower metabolic rate. If you eat the same as you did when you were smoking, your body will end up using less and storing more (as fat) of the food. Smoking dulls the taste buds. Food begins to taste better to new nonsmokers; this can increase food intake. And then there's oral fixation -- some ex-smokers may want something to fill the void of cigarettes."

[lherman]

I took a neuropharmacology class a year ago, I can't really go in depth about nicotine affecting the body and mind since I've forgotten a lot of the mechanisms, but here's something I pulled from google that might help you understand. I also quit smoking about 3 years ago, and I gained a good 20 lbs from it.

"Nicotine suppresses the appetite and causes the liver to release glycogen, which raises the blood sugar level slightly. With nicotine out of your system, you may feel hungry more often. Smoking artificially elevates heart rate and increases metabolism. When you stop smoking, your body has to readjust to a lower metabolic rate. If you eat the same as you did when you were smoking, your body will end up using less and storing more (as fat) of the food. Smoking dulls the taste buds. Food begins to taste better to new nonsmokers; this can increase food intake. And then there's oral fixation -- some ex-smokers may want something to fill the void of cigarettes."

The above is true!! I was a smoker for almost 30 years and smoked a pack and a half a day. I quit cold turkey. I didn't want to gain any weight so that's when I fist joined a gym and started lifting.Before that I was just working out at home and walking. The first two weeks or so were hard but then the cravings stopped and it got better. I found it helped to have a piece of gum after meals or anytime I wanted a cigarette really. I only gained about 4 pounds the whole first year I quit. That was 13 years ago. Your metabolism does slow down when you frst quit smoking. However, if you keep working out and eating right, the weight will come back off. Hang in there. It really is better to be a non smoker for health benefits not to mention the cost!!!

[nrwright]

I chewed gum, chewed gum, chewed gum and then had some more. Helped take the place of cigs and also, if I was chewing gum, I did not eat. However, my quitting lasted about 2 months max.............YOU KEEP AT IT. I am cheering you on.

Inresponse to another posters reply, I did get to the point I had LOTS more energy and I could BREATH, believe that ;-) and could run for miles and miles, skin cleared up, sex drive went up.....amazing what O2 can do for the body.........and I started back why?????

YEA YOU!!!! Keep at it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jessica29]

That must be so frustrating for you, I can only imagine! I've never smoked so I can't really answer your question but I can say that what you did was a huge thing...even if you were a "light" smoker. You are really helping yourself in the long run... great job! Just keep thinking that the little weight gained WILL come off...it is probably your body adjusting to no more cigs.