9 long weeks?

[kath135]

Yes it's been 9 weeks since I had a ciggy I loved to say that I feel fantastic today but I cant because the weight gain is really getting to me now! It's making me feel very depressed, when I look in the mirror I dont look like me, my family and friends are sweet and keeping giving me compliments but i look awful, Clothes that I had christmas dont fit anymore. I dont want to smoke and i'm not going to but this week I had a bug and had to keep running to the toilet (sorry) and I was actually glad ! because I cant bare the thought of getting any fatter.. I've put over two stone on since I stopped and i'm even thinking about buying slimming tablets or anything . I've joined a gym but I work fulltime and have a family and most gyms are full of people who have more free time. I'm scared it might cause an obsession with eating or not eating.

[Going home]

Well done for giving up the cigs, its really not a walk in the park is it. I gave up 7 years ago after 30 years of smoking and I did put on 2 stone in the first 6 months, but I was expecting it because i'd heard other people say this can happen.

The weight gain can be a problem for some but not for everyone and you don't say if you're eating or drinking more..and by drinking more this can also mean drinking more soft drinks which can pile on the calories as well as any alcoholic drinks. But whatever the reason you'll find that your body will adjust in time so stick with it.

The other strange thing is that even if you're not eating or drinking more you can still put on extra weight because your system slows down a bit without the stimulus of nicotine. Nicotine can make you feel relaxed, but as with any drug it has a counter-effect in that it also stimulates the adrenal system and adrenaline burns energy and this helps to keep your weight down. Hope this helps a bit.

GH xxx

[countrygirl]

You don't say if the weight gain is because you are substituting the cigs for food which is the most common problem. Can I suggest you keep a food diary for a few weeks and literally write down everything that passes your lips you don't need to calorie count but you might see that you are eating or drinking at the times you would have had a cig.
A friend of mine stopped smoking after about 40 yrs and she was eating a handful of sweets about 20 times a day which was how much she smoked and she put on nearly 2 stone until she could get the sweets under control.

It can take a year for your body to get rid of all the toxins and settle down after stopping smoking or so my aunty was told by her GP but you will feel much better once it all settles but this is the main reason people give up and go back on the evil weed - hang on in there your doing wonderfully.

[Cell block H fan]

You have done really well!!!
Smoking keeps the metabolism faster, so that slows down anyway when stopping smoking, let alone the urge to eat more.
You dont need to put on 2 stone though, I joined a womens only gym when I stopped, counted the calories, made sure I didn't have more than 1200 calories a day. I'm only 5'3. And I lost 11lb in 2 months. Not a great deal in that time I know, but I needed to lose it anyway, even before stopping smoking.
But even if people put weight on, they can sort that later, its still better to stop smoking! xxxx