Quitting smoking and weight gain (doctor, pounds, lose weight, excess)

[allthatglitters]

Well, I think no more eating chocolate ice-cream at midnight, would be a wise choice.

I have to be smarter about my eating habits, I've really packed on the pounds during these 5 months of being smoke free.

Fortunately I have saved a ton of money so I'm in the position to purchase new clothes.

I'm now a size large!...Does anyone have any good tips for me?

[farm108]

Do something with your hands, find a new hobby to burn your excess energy from the hands/fingers. You used your hands for smoking in the past, now for eating nervously. I don't know what you might like to do: deep cleaning something, repairing/fixing, painting etc. You know better. It will go away in time, it will decrease this nervousness.

Just an idea...

Good luck.

[KaraG]

I quit smoking more than 30 years ago, but I gained 40 pounds that year. It was insane. My doctor told me he'd rather I have the extra pounds than to keep smoking. I still don't believe I ate that much differently to gain that much, I was busy chasing 3 toddlers.

Anyway, it started a cycle of losing/regaining for the next 20 years. Do whatever you need to do to get the weight off and stay vigilant at weighing yourself so you don't gain it back. Best of luck to you!

[allthatglitters]

Thanks for the replies , good tips

Food is so delicious now because smoking damages the nerve endings responsible for the senses of smell and taste.

And of course, my brain is the culprit for craving comfort foods, as they fill a void that nicotine once provided.

My quit journey has certainly been challenging.

[steiconi]

My SIL actually started smoking in order to lose weight. She died of cancer, but didn't leave a fat corpse!

[allthatglitters]

Sorry to hear about your SIL's cancer.

Smoking is an appetite suppressant. When you have a cigarette, you feel less hungry. Women may be more prone to use cigarettes to manage their weight.

[Thoreau424]

I thought people who gave up smoking are to keep stick-like foods nearby, to help with the old ways. Carrot sticks, celery sticks, etc. Maybe even one of the Poky (?) sticks perhaps.

[tickyul]

Smoking for an extended period of time can and many times does cause damage to
reward-center of the brain......making it harder to stimulate a pleasure-response.

Many who stop smoking experience anhedonia and gravitate towards a substance that
can "lift their mood" in a manner similar to what cigarettes did.

[allthatglitters]

Thanks tickyul, that makes a lot of sense. I've turned to food...eating when I'm not even hungry. Reaching for something that I think will increase dopamine levels in my brain.

[guidoLaMoto]

The old psychologists would say that smokers have an oral fixation. At a pack per day, you were probably going hand to mouth 200 or more times with that cigarette each day...Now you're going 200x with a food laden fork...It's hard to break old habits.

As others have noted above-- try putting a celery stick or tooth pick in your fingers instead of a Twinkie.

Nicotine is an appetite suppressant, but it serves more as an excuse than as a reason for weight gain after quitting.

Mark Twain said it was easy to quit smoking: "I've done it a hundred times."

Good luck with it.