If I can lend..
 

a voice of support, please let me.
:hug::hug::hug:
I very well know where you are. I have used this site and the members here (including you) to bring me home to a better place.

Hold tight. Hold on tight. You can.
:carrot::carrot::carrot:

Kitty

Susan,
I am sorry you are having a tough time right now, but this is temporary, you CAN and WILL overcome this. You have been an inspiration to so many, me included, good luck.

Susan, :hug:

I'm sorry to hear you are having such a hard time and I'm glad that you came here for support - you give so much to this community and I hope you get all the motivation and support you need, too :). I know the feeling you describe so well - things swirling out of control...

But I'm going to focus on one thing you mentioned because I've been there, and boy do I know - quitting smoking is HARD. But also the very best thing I ever did for myself, I believe - it was a struggle, and I felt miserable for some time. Nicotine is an evil, evil drug, and it (as well as cessation) does affect mood and the body in insidious ways. It's good and brave of you to tackle this, and setbacks, as in weight loss, can be great opportunities to learn from if you let them.

And yes, I also struggled with weight gain and/or stalls during that time - your metabolism tends to slow down a bit, and then of course there's the ersatz munchies to contend with... :dizzy:

You know what helped me the most? An online community! In fact, I think I couldn't have done it without that kind of support - and my good experiences with that kind of support actually led me to look for something like it for weight loss... well, and here I am. :D

I don't know if there is a smokers' support thread or group on 3FC, but if not maybe it's time to open one? I'm sure you're not the only "quitter" around, and it very much ties in with eating and mood and healthy habits... :)

Susan, thank you so much for sharing this. I think there are a lot of us out here struggling. I know that I just posted in another thread, replying to another person who is struggling, that I'm also struggling. Over the past 3 months, I've put on nearly all the weight that I took off last year (at least 12 pounds of it anyway). It is due to being sick a couple of times and then the weather has been bad, but I do have a treadmill, so that's no excuse.

It's just time to rededicate and head in the right direction again. Thanks again for sharing this. It really helps to know that you're not the only one! You're the best!

:carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot: you GO Girl!!!! :carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot:

I agree with Faerie, your posts are always kind and helpful. I have been enjoying your "Isn't it a wonderful day" series.

I am a former smoker - since 1994, and I have to tell you that it took me multiple tries to finally quit for good (I hope). Just keep trying. When the time is right for you, you will "get it". Every time you go a few hours, days, weeks or years without smoking, you have added that much time that you haven't smoked, to your life, if that makes sense.

We really have to struggle to be perfect, don't we :lol:.

SusanB - You are always an inspiration. You always have smart, kind, funny things to say. After reading your post, I went and exercised today. Thanks for that.

Hugs to you & hope you're feeling the love from everyone here! :hug:

Susan B, you are always an inspiration to me. I'm sorry your feeling down lately, but quiting smoking is very hard and can tint your mood. Take it from me (I've tried many times to quit). Your're doing so well and I'm jealous. Feel proud of yourself!

As for weight gain, I too have gained a lot of weight back that I lost, but I'm still trying. I don't post a lot lately, but I read everyday and 3fatchicks keeps me going.

We're here for you. Don't you worry, we've got your back ;)

:hug:HANG IN THERE SUSAN ~ we do know how you feel; and for me, I've been there many times. Went thru that struggle of quitting smoking and gaining, then wrestling with myself about should I have and was it worth it to gain back X amount of weight. Like someone else mentioned, we kept at it, and the time finally came: the last time we smoked.

DH was full of asthma and emphysema; and every morning it was 'hack and haw' and 'hack and haw' (sorry TMI there). I just couldn't bear it anymore and I said to him, 'It's time; we HAVE to quit for your health's sake; and I don't want to end up where you are. It's been so hard to listen to that every morning'. And YES, I thought that if he didn't quit, he wouldn't be around much longer and I'd be a widow ...

That is what did it for me; but I also knew that I was risking gaining weight again; so I decided to try and just watch what I ate at the same time. Now, I'm not talking starving here; just watching. DH started walking every day; and he couldn't breathe too well and even though he was a slim man (and still is), he couldn't walk very far. ANYHOW, the good news is that he kept at it; a little bit more each day and he quit that 3 X PACK-A-DAY bad habit and he can now walk miles in one day.

I started walking too and actually lost weight this time; that was my start to a healthier lifestyle. At first, we just cut back a bit more each day; and I chewed SUGAR-FREE GUM (I found CINNAMON helped me best) and DH made me fake ciggies out of dowels, which I just put in my mouth and gnawed on. Now and then someone would say 'what is that?', and I'd tell them. Maybe unconventional BUT HEY, it worked for me.

ANYWAYS, long story short ~ five years March 20/08 we both quit and DH's health troubles are all gone; our pockets are heavier; and life is sweeter. ;)

SUSAN, about the weight ~ you did it before and you can do it again; and the ciggies will go too. Just keep on, keepin' on! It's all about timing, I'm sure ... :hug:


:hug:ROSEBUD:hug:

Sometimes 3FC is a bunch of people walking down the road together, discussing life and weight loss and....

sometimes we are a bunch of people carrying a fellow 3FC member down that road with us, helping them get back on track, get their life settled, etc.

You have always been a supporter, now it's time for us to "pay it forward" and give back to you :D

I don't feel I have much to say in the way of support, as I'm still struggling at the beginning of my journey, but we are all thinking of you and sending you "strong vibes" to get you down the road you need to go :hug::hug:

Susan, I'm so sorry you're having such a tough time right now. :hug: That is a lot of stuff to be dealing with all at once. In times like this, I always tell myself to just keep breathing and eventually it will get better and it always does. You'll get through the quitting smoking, you'll figure out your medications, eventually the back pain and other health issues will be resolved, and then you'll be able to focus on your weight again. Whatever you've gained, you lost it once, you can lose it again.

SUSAN :hug: You know all too well that I am an ex-smoker...who swears by the gum...but being an ex-smoker that quit a ga-zillion times...I know..I know..I know...:hug:

My bil that quit...well not really...a few months ago...is going through the same thing....

I know...I know....:hug:

A million thanks everybody!

Did you all have a good day?

Mine was not bad. Food was good. I exercised. And ummm ... well .... ya know ... But all in all, I do feel a bit sturdier. I think it must be the strong vibes ;)

Oh, Susan... I just love you to pieces, girl. :hug: Hang in there... you're going to be alright.

Here are some more good vibes! You have been an inspiration for me, and I know you can get through this. I started gaining weight too, when I hurt my back. I became depressed, thinking "is this how I am going to spend my life?". I've finally gotten it undercontrole, lost the weight. I think I had to come to terms with the back problem. I finally decided that, this may not be what I invisioned for myself, But I still have a great life. I can do with it how I chose. I chose to live the best I can and be happy. And yes, we do have a choice. Not with what life gives us, but to how we respond to it.

I commend you for stopping smoking! I'm sure you know the damage it does. (if not I can give you a really big lecture. I'm an RN) And I know it's not easy to stop. But you can do it. My mom quit after smoking 30 years, chain smoking. I kept telling her she was going to end up on oxygen. Finally, she went into the hospital with bronchitis and was put on oxygen. She said "I couldn't live like this" That was the last time she ever smoked.