Hi all. I need to whine and have someone feel sorry for me lol.

I quit smoking on New Year's Eve - well at the same time I decided to eat healthier and exercise. That lasted all of about 1 month (the eating healthier/exercise part - I'm still smoke free). I have lost all my motivation to eat right or exercise. I worked my butt off for that first month and only had a 3lb loss - so that Pi&&ed me off and double that with not being able to smoke - I just gave up.

Research shows that it's twice if not three times as hard to lose weight when you first quit smoking but that didn't matter to me....I was mad that I hadn't lost my normal 10 lbs so I said screw it - and now I'm eating anything that doesn't eat me first.

I can't find my motivation and drive to get back into the groove of things and I'm not sure how I can do it. I'm so tired of being fat yet I do nothing about it.

Anyone else quit smoking recently and having the same issues?

My roommate was dieting and working out, and then decided to quit smoking too. It... didn't go well. She hasn't smoked in months, but she's totally given up the dieting and exercising. I think it's because keeping smoke-free is so much work, and you're so used to being constantly able to put things in your mouth, that you don't have much brain power left to focus on other self-improvement tasks and you just go for food instead of a cigarette. I think I read somewhere that people generally gain about 10 pounds when they stop, so I don't think not losing would be so bad as long as you aren't gaining!

In any case, I definitely commend you for quitting. It takes a lot of strength and a lot of willpower, but you've done it!

Lovtolaff, first off, congratulations on quitting smoking!!! That's fantastic! It's a really, really difficult undertaking, and you did it! Pat yourself on the back, kiddo!

As far as the diet/exercise, well, maybe it was too much to try all at once. One thing at a time, perhaps. Maybe you just need to give your body (and your psyche) time to adjust to the fact that you're now a non-smoker.

I'm not suggesting you have an all-out food-fest, just cut yourself a little slack . Work on just maintaining your present weight while subtly incorporating little baby-step changes into your eating and exercise habits.

You've accomplished something really BIG here and maybe you just need a little time to make non-smoking part of your identity before jumping full-bore into a weight-loss regimen.

I'm very, very proud of you! And I'm also an ex-smoker (smoke-free for over 20 years now) so I can really appreciate what you've done.

Thanks guys. And yes I do think it was too much to try to do it all at once. In a way - I thought it might be easier to give it all up at the same time but I think I got burned out on it fast.

I'm working with a friend on re-starting our program on March 1. We are going to do contracts with ourselves. So I have from now until March 1st to pray about this and go over it in my head as to what I need to do. Maybe I will be as successful with this by setting a date - that is what I did with the quitting smoking and it worked out fine.

Thanks again.

Oh and Lena - please tell me that you DO NOT crave cigarettes any longer!!!

Nope, don't crave them at all.

HOWEVER, I do still occasionally dream that I am smoking! Once I even dreamt that I was smoking in bed, which is something I had never even done for real! And every now and then, particularly after a restaurant meal, there is a fleeting moment of "I should be having a ciggy now". And here's the funniest... every now and then, I still catch myself holding a pen or pencil the way I used to hold a cigarette!

Old habits die hard, I guess.

But I can say in all honesty, I do not have ANY cravings for them. Matter of fact, I find that I'm now hyper-sensitive to smoke and really don't even like being in places were people are (or have been) smoking!

It'll happen for you, too. I know it!

March 1st will be my 2nd birthday. Quit smoking birthday, that is

Here's what I learned when I quit...Nicotine is a stimulant and therefore will up your metabolism. This is why people gain weight when they quit. Most people think it's because they have to have something in their mouths but that actually subsidges quicker than people think. When you no longer are putting that stimulant in your body your metabolism goes through a sorta shock. We don't change how we eat and therefore gain weight. I would guess in your case you did the opposite of normal, which is why you actually lost weight but only 3 pounds.

Darlin', smoking did a lot of damage to your body and you are just going to have to give it time to do some healing and repair. If you are going to start counting again, then be fair to yourself and don't expect too much from your body. I would focus on good eating choices and exercise for the most part. When your body has a sense of normality you will know.

Congrats on quitting!!!

Less of Lena - what's up with the dream thing! I don't crave them either but I have dreams now and again that I'm smoking. And in my case I'm finding it's true that ex-smokers are far worse than the never smoked non-smoker about the smells and such.

you wrote:

Research shows that it's twice if not three times as hard to lose weight when you first quit smoking ...

Maybe psychologically - people often just replace smoke addiction with food - but I doubt that's true in metabolic terms. I quit smoking & started the weight loss thing (quite a while ago), including lots of exercise, and had no trouble losing weight.

cheerio,
Sue

So i understand that you're still smoke free? Well thats a good thing. Smoking isn't a good habit. I think that you're trying too much at one time. First keep the smoke-free and later try the dieting. maybe having some exercise incorperated with your diet and you'll weight.


Rubie

I quit smoking in 1997 - in addition to the metabolism thing, food tastes better when you aren't smoking.

I think you've already gotten some good advice - go for baby steps. Your plan of a contract with a friend is great!!

on quitting - it does get easier. I'm really glad to be in California - smoking is pretty much illegal everywhere here. It seems really wierd to see people smoking everywhere when I travel to another state. I find the smell pretty annoying.