First I need to introduce myself and hope I won't get ignored as on so many boards. :) Seams like a lot of boards ignore me because losing a couple of pounds don't seam important enough. Well, it is to me! I rather lose a couple of lb now then 30lb later on.


Anyway, my name is Gaby. I quit smoking about 19 days ago. Wasn't that much of a problem but I am gaining weight like crazy and I don't know what to do anymore.

I started out with 114 lbs i am now up to 120 already. Please understand that I don't eat more then I did before. As a matter of fact I am on a strict diet 1200 calories and I walk 6.1 miles every day. (with a one or 2 day rest per week)

I drink enough water, and i include a lot of vegetables in my diet. I am really at the end of my rope. I really don't want to start smoking just so I don't gain anymore, but I don't want to gain weight either.

It was hard for me to lose 30 lbs about 3 years ago, I don't want to go through this again.

Help!!

Oh: I am only 5'2" . Just like I said I weigh 120 lbs right now. Most of the fat seams to sit on my butt and thighs.

Hi Gaby,

I think I missed something? I got that you stopped smoking 19 days ago~good for you! :D But you say you're gaining weight but not eating more? So If you haven't eaten any more than before then where do you think the weight gain is coming from?

If it helps at all, when I quit smoking a few years ago I quit cold turkey and it really was true than once I hit my 21st day totally cigarette free, it got so much easier! No more cravings for one, it didn't bother me to be around smokers, etc. But it did take every single one of those 21 days before I felt any real sense of relief. So maybe your relief is just days away?

As far as your exercise routine, would you consider "jazzing" it up with some intervals or walk/run rotations? Maybe taking along a jump rope and every so many minutes into your walk do a jump rope sequence. There are a lot of ways to add some "umph" to a program and maybe that's all you need since you watch your diet so carefully.

Donna

Hi Donna. First thanks for your reply. Glad someone answered so quickly.

Now...No you did not miss anything. It is like I wrote it. I am gaining weight without eating more. I even eat less. See, I can see that you think I eat without realizing that I eat. I don't. I write down everything.
today:

1 cup of fiber cerial (120 calories)
2 ounces of fat free milk ( 30 calories) - yes it's always very dry
coral calcium (dont know the calories)
1/2 cup of coffee (did not finish - no sugar/milk)

todays snack in between: beef jerky (I know a lot of sodium, about 90 calories)

1/2 cup fruit/nut trail mix: 150 calories

lunch: 1 lean cusine angelhair/shrimp dinner : 240 calories
okay, so today I ate some doritoes for another snack: 270 calories.

water, water, water
multi vitamins

did not eat dinner yet, but it will probably be a salad and a fat free shake.

that's it! not much today. Normally instead of the doritos snack I'll eat vegetables. Just felt depressed today.


See, I have tried to quit smoking about 3 years ago and gained weight. (reason for me to start smoking again).

This time I wanted to do everythign right, so I put myself on a strickt diet and exercise plan.

Now some people say I probably gain muscle. I don't know. How can I gain as much muscle in 2 weeks? (shoot, I gained 3 lbs over the weekend alone).

The only reason I can see is that no nicotin.... bad metabolism...
I also have to add that I do have a thyroid problem, but I am on med for it and last results seamed to be okay.

I really am not sure anymore. I am working out on my bowflex so it's not just all walking. Once in a while I walk on the threadmill for only 20 minutes then go to the bowflex for another 20 minutes. It really depends on my mood. I like the 6.1 mile walk because I can't turn around and just quit halfway. I have to finish. LOL

I had a quick search of google...it appears nicotine boosts metabolism possibly 5-7% for approx 30 minutes after each cigarette. This could be simply because it is a stimulant and therefore causes a person to be more active, thus burning more calories. If you are not eating more, this could be the problem.

dang, that really sucks!!! I need to talk to a nutrienist.

If you started 19 days ago at 114 and not weigh 120.
Here are my questions:
Have you always exercised?
Muscle weighs more then fat. And 6 miles is a lot.

How often do you weigh?
If you were naked and weighed 114 and then you were dressed when you weighed 120 you could have had 3 lbs of clothes on a water weight gain.

Is you cycle coming on?
You could be retain water.

Do you drink a lot of diet soda?
I heard that can make a person retain more water.

Did you you weigh on the same scale both times?
I know I am 10 lbs lighter on my home scale then my doctors scale. Scales can be off. Especially at gyms where they are used by several people before calbration.

Smoking will not help you stay skinny. A lot of people gain weight with smooking because
1) They replace their smoking oral fixation with food.
2) They replace their smoking addicition with a food addicition.

okay, i weight myself every morning total nude. I wait about 15 minutes after i get out of bed.

once in a while I feel like I have some water retenshion (that's why I wait 15 minutes in the morning) I do not weigh myself at night because sometimes my legs are huge and feel like they are about to bust. (lots of water I guess)

i did exercise before but not every day. I am a weekend backpacker/hiker. I think my muscles should've been already developed from all the weekend hikes, so I am really not sure (yes this also did cross my mind)

Thanks to everyone for helping me to figure this one out.

sorry about the english...working on it. (german)

opps forgot to answer some question:
I don't drink soda at all (only water, sometimes green tea, and one cup of coffee in the morning)

no subs for a smoke (that's why I write my food intake down, so this wont happen)

Originally posted by CathyC1
I had a quick search of google...it appears nicotine boosts metabolism possibly 5-7% for approx 30 minutes after each cigarette. This could be simply because it is a stimulant and therefore causes a person to be more active, thus burning more calories. If you are not eating more, this could be the problem.

I know to many fat smokers to believe that increase does very much for anyone.

Lisa, i sure hope you're right. 3 years ago when I've tried to quit the first time my nutriniost did tell me that the metabolism slows down while quitting. ( i did gain 20 lbs back then)

after I lost 30 lb i am trying again, but this time I don't want to gain any weight. there must be a way to quit smoking without gaining weight.

I don't get it!!!

You seem to be one who really retains water, I think a clue is how your legs feel at night. Your food is in under the calories you want, but much of it seems to be fairly high in salt. This maybe the problem. Just don't give in to the smoking thing again. Good luck.
Pat

Gaby, I can understand your concern. I am both obese and a smoker, and I am trying to eat less to lose weight. But I am scared if I try to quit smoking and lose weight at the same time, something won't work out. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Thank you! I still did not weight myself today (scared...). Did not eat much more last night, but some salad.

The only change I am trying right now is to walk my miles in the evening. That's maybe not always possible as it seams that it's always raining here lately.

Yes, I think I do have a water retention problem.

Dick, I have tried to quit smoking 3 years ago, but have gained a lot of weight, so that's why I am on a diet right now (could not hurt me to loose a couple of pounds anyway)

Actually I have talked to a nutritionist back then, and she said best time to quit smoking is while you're on a diet.
I always thought I would not be able to do it, because to be honest...you're on a diet, so instead of eating you smoke. right?

It's really not like that at all!! I hope things will work out for you!

Yep!! The Nicotine IS a significant nervous-system stimulant, and if there is no equivalent compensation (e.g., more exercise) the weight-gain is all-too predictable.

However, I would caution you about trying to find the compensation by reducing your calories further: It sounds like you already have a healthy eating plan, and it could be disastrous for you to hinder your metabolic rate.

One good possibility is to add a SECOND session of exercise about 3 days per week (a morning AND afternoon walk every-other-day for example).

And while this is NOT recommended, other people have seemed to find sufficient compensation after quitting smoking through OTHER stimulant methods (nicotine patch; a little more coffee or tea; diet "supplements," etc.). Again, the side-effects of those methods are usually worse than their benefit.

Chuck C.