Hi, my name is Tara and I am addicted to food. I quit smoking 4 weeks and 2 days ago and have gained more weight on top of the weight I have been slowly putting on in the last 3 years. I have never in my life thought I would weigh over 200 pounds. I am disgusted and embarassed by my appearance. Quiting a 25-year addiction with cigarettes has been a wonderful change in my life, and I am committed to never taking another puff. I will never go back to smoking to help me lose weight.

Please know that I am not new to dieting I've been a dieter since I was 13 year's old. I've tried every diet known to man. I have been anywhere from a size 5 to a size 18.

I think everyone on here knows diets don't work. They DO NOT WORK is what I shout to myself. It needs to come from within. I need to change my lifestyle, and that is why I am here looking for support from all of you that know the pain of being over weight.

I look forward to meeting others on yet another journey to improve my health.

Thanks for reading.

Tara

Hi Tara!


It's true; diets don't work. But watching what you eat and recording it--either in a journal or on fit day or whatever method you want, does work! So does setting a calorie goal for the day--and sticking with it. The recording keeps you accountable.

I quit smoking eight months ago--and I put on over 50lbs in the first seven months. It shocked me and horrified me, too. But I didn't want to restrict my food--I was using it to "self medicate" my stress. That was not a good thing, of course, but I wanted to be very very sure I wouldn't go back to smoking! Better a chocolate bar than a puff was my thinking. But I went too far. Far, far too far. You are wise to catch yourself now...before you pack on too many pounds.

If you feel, though, that watching what you eat and being mindful of it and so on would in any way trigger you to smoke--then you have my permsission NOT to lose weight, but maybe to maintain until the potential for a trigger is gone.

But, hey, if you're ready to go--fantastic. You've come to the right place!

:congratulations: on quitting smoking after 25 years. That is a MAJOR accomplishment. If you can do that, you CAN make the other lifestyle changes you need to make.

Start small - change one thing - master it - then move on to the next. It really is that simple. AND of course - that hard.

But, you are blessed that you have found 3FC because this site is a great support system.

I look forward to reading of your progress! Post often

I also find calorie counting to be the easiest, and watching the amount of bad carbs ingested. Eat whole grains instead of white breads and stuff. Eat lots of snacks, if you're constantly eating the right things, you don't crave and binge on the wrong things. Once a week alow yourself ONE guilty pleasure. And if you are scared of the gym, buy some do it at home exercise videos, they work great, and you don't have to leave your house. I recommed the walk it off dvds by leslie sansone.

Best of luck

I love Leslie Sansone. She's so calm and cheerful. And the workouts are basic and do the job well.

I still trying to find others that are just as good, any suggestions?

Thank you everyone for your support. I weighed myself Saturday morning & then tracked everything that I ate. I am going to go with the points system because I need to write it down. I also joined a forum for people who have quit or are trying to quit smoking and read all the stories of the 50 or more pound weight gain. I decided that I don't have to gain weight. I'm not going to subsitute food for a cigarette. It will only make things worse. So I did struggle somewhat last night. I just want to feel good and not be carrying around all this weight. Does anyone know of a 30 min exercise DVD that is low key and fun? I usually swim 2 or 3 times a week about 35 minutes of continuous swim but can't make it this week due to my schedule.