Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have gained approx. 30 lbs. since I quit smoking one year and 4 months ago. I am an emotional eater, but the cigarettes must have be filling a part of that need because I have gained so much weight. I am 36 and female, and I was never overweight, except there were 2 incidents over the last 10 years when I did find myself eating even more than usual and gaining, but I lost it each time just cutting back a bit, but I did have cigarettes to smoke every time I felt like eating.
I knwo I emotionally eat because I do it when Im not hungry and I get a satisfaction from it like I just did drugs. I am very sad to see my size and feel out of control. I am surprisingly health conscious, am going to be entering a masters in nutrition program, and I have read every book and on diet and health in the bookstore, but I cant seem to get under some control. The longest I went was 2 weeks of "dieting" (eating sensibly) and lost 6 pounds, and then I blew it.
One of the most challening things is that I hate cooking, I can hardly cook, and I am not one of those people that can just buy a bunch of fresh foods and know what to do with them - they all end up rotting in the fridge while Im in line at Wendys even though that food really does gross me out. There are a few things I know how to cook but that comes to about 3 dinners a week. Ugh, between not having the cooking gene and this urge to eat, I see no end in sight for me.
Has anyone gone through this? Ive thought about joining weight watchers just for the accountability??
Yeh. Just know what you can have at those places that will not blow your diet calorie wise even if the health factor is terrible for you. I personally think its easier to do that than give some BS about perfect diet and exercise. Sometimes you can't eat perfect or you missed working out. SO what. That happens. BUT that does not mean you should just chuck it all and pig out. The golden rule of all diets and why they work is that you are simply burning more calories than you are eating.
Free Diet Plans at SparkPeople <---- Thats free and it will give you a guide based on your personal stats (age, wt, goals)
On days where you are really hungry just eat your maintenance level of calories for you current weight. It does slow the loss but it keeps you on track and satisfied. Once you feel the munchies go, get right back to reducing you calories. The bonus is that this does help keep your metabolism going too so it will be easier to keep it off without as much metab improvement work.
When I feel REALLY lazy I like to buy fruit and veggie platters already cut up and sushi platters too. If you hate cooking look into some stuff you your deli section. Also the pre-cut stuff really helps. Try your grocery store salad bar and a george forman grill for your meat. Super fast, super simple. You can get a bunch of chicken breast strips and soak them in a container with spices and vinegar. Then throw them on the grill. Or you can get premade lean beef patties, shrimp etc.
"Try these suggested meals. Each is under 510 calories and contains under 10 grams of fat when served with a diet soft drink:
Ultimate Chicken Grill with a Side Salad and Fat-free French.
Junior Hamburger Deluxe without mayonnaise with a Side Salad and fat-free dressing
Large Chili with a Side Salad and fat-free dressing
Plain Baked Potato and a small Chili"
Sodium is going to be crazy high so enjoy a big water with that stuff.
Part of it is that you're getting older. Your metabolism slows down. I quit smoking last year too, and I lost almost 30 pounds. The problem with all diets is that your body isn't getting the nutrition it needs, so you have constant cravings. I found the diet that cures this, plus it's perfect for you, because you never have to cook anything! Plus, it made me feel fantastic! I went off of 7 prescription meds, including antidepressants and high blood pressure medicines. It is the raw vegan diet. Be prepared for the transformation of your life! You will love it!
There are lots of books out there. "Eat to Live" by Joel Fuhrman is a great transition book. "Eating for Energy" is the best book I've read, you can see it here:http://tinyurl.com/2wcp324
Good luck!
Location: Living near our Nation's Capitol since 2010
2,218 posts, read 3,456,467 times
Reputation: 6035
First let me say a huge CONGRATULATIONS on quitting smoking. Having done it many many years ago, I know how hard that is.
I gained 40 lbs when I quit. How depressing! Still, I knew that I would be able to eventually loose the weight but at least I was preserving my lungs and heart by ditching the cigarettes.
Since you do not like to cook, I do think that Weight Watchers is a good option for you. They have a sound, healthful approach and over the years, it has proven to be effective for millions. You can evalutate "points" even on restaurant menus...and it will help you make healthy choices.
I also suggest using the free web site, FitDay.com. It will keep you "honest" by listing everything you eat. There are great graphs, nutritional values, etc. It helps me daily keep the weight off.
I sincerely hope that you will not give up and go back to smoking. But I do understand your frustration. Hang in there, be strong, and good luck to you.
Thank you. I would never go back to smoking because I would never want to go through the hell of quitting again! Seriously that is motivating. Cigarettes are unbelievably addicting and its increduble how much better my body feels not smoking. However now I am chubby! lol. I will look into weight watchers and some website suggestions. Thanks to everyone for your comments!
I knwo I emotionally eat because I do it when Im not hungry and I get a satisfaction from it like I just did drugs. I am very sad to see my size and feel out of control. I am surprisingly health conscious, am going to be entering a masters in nutrition program, and I have read every book and on diet and health in the bookstore, but I cant seem to get under some control. The longest I went was 2 weeks of "dieting" (eating sensibly) and lost 6 pounds, and then I blew it.
When you said you "blew it," do you mean that you had a big meal and just started binging with the thinking "to hell with it?" I see this in many people, including myself, where we think that we HAVE to suffer all the time and making a mistake just messes up the entire system we created. Well, instead of saying "to hell with it," realize what it is in the grand scheme: a small glitch. For example, how many times has the Dow Jones Industrial had a down day since 1980? Quite a few. Today, is it higher or lower than it was in 1980? It's higher. So, if you had a bit too much, don't self loath, just say "that was yummy, time to get back to work." Remember: all work and no play makes for miserable days. Allowing yourself to indulge without guilt isn't going to hurt in the long run. It only hurts when you binge every day.
Quote:
One of the most challening things is that I hate cooking, I can hardly cook, and I am not one of those people that can just buy a bunch of fresh foods and know what to do with them - they all end up rotting in the fridge while Im in line at Wendys even though that food really does gross me out. There are a few things I know how to cook but that comes to about 3 dinners a week. Ugh, between not having the cooking gene and this urge to eat, I see no end in sight for me.
Well, first thing, you don't just buy a bunch of fresh foods and "know what to do with them." Most people don't do that. One of the reason prepackaged foods (Kraft, etc.) are so popular is because it's already planned for you. Think of this: when you were in school, did the teacher just start teaching on a whim, with no plan? Or did they generally pass out syllabi? I bet it was the latter. The had a general plan for the semester, and filled in the details.
So, you don't need to learn to cook on a whim, you need to learn to plan your meals and grocery shop around that. Go online and find some healthy, low cal recipes; make a "general" menu listing those without thinking about ingredients just yet (or, just find a general trend among the dishes, including meats used). Use the ingredients in those to plan a grocery list. It will also allow you to buy in bulk the items you use most. Then, follow that weekly menu and cook your recipes.
Quote:
Has anyone gone through this? Ive thought about joining weight watchers just for the accountability??
It's definitely good to have some support. Get some exercise buddies, some cooking/recipe buddies, etc.. It makes it easier to know other people have gone and are going through the same thing you are. It lets you know it's possible!
You may be eating for that oral fixation that cigarettes provided, try sunflower seeds-they worked for me and I quit 12-7-09 and I also kept celery sticks avaiable to munch on. I struggle on some days wanting one and then I bought a treadmill (300 at Walmart) to take my fustration out on. My doctor told me that more muscle I have the more calories I burn.
Congrats and keep working at it!!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
