To those of you who quit and gained, how long before you were able to budge the extra weight?

I quit cold-turkey about 6 months ago and have been gaining about 2 lbs/month fairly steadily since then. My eating has been under control for several months now, and I've stayed on plan the entire time, but it really hasn't seemed to matter. Off to buy new jeans again today! <sigh> I guess I can only imagine how much bigger I'd be right now if it weren't for LC!

Can anyone offer a little hope? Will things ever go back to normal someday and the pounds start coming back off? I'm starting to run out of ways to cut calories and carbs, or add more exercise to busy days!

I quit smoking. I gained 30 lbs. I tried the low carb last Jan and lost 10 lbs. Oh boy I missed pasta and bread. I gave up.

Then on Jan 7th, I decided this same diet and I have lost 9 lbs. Unfortunately, it is still hard. It is still more important that you do not smoke. It is ALL about FREEDOM!!

Sincerely,

Sqrrl

I lost 44 lb. on Atkins. I quit smoking and gained back 20. Here I am again. It has been 1 year and 11 days sincd I had a cigarette. Even with gaining back the lbs. it has proven to be the best decision I ever made. The pounds will come off again!
I am finally free.

Yeah, the last 6 months have been pretty difficult for me and I really feel for people who relapse, the withdrawal symptoms were unbelievable at times and seemed to go on for months and months... just non-stop clawing-the-walls grinding-my-teeth cravings... and I hear they can crop up years later at unexpected times. This weed is the devil! I hope to never go through what I've been through again so maybe remembering how bad it was will help me stay away from tobacco for life.

But I'd really be able to lose weight again someday too. I just hope my metabolism isn't permanently messed up from this! I don't want to slow it down further by restricting calories too much either, but I'm getting tired of gaining. Even just maintaining at what is a high weight for me is looking pretty good right now.

Edit: I should add I've been strict LC for about 5 years now so I'm probably very keto-adapted... maybe that's why Atkins hasn't worked so well for me to prevent gaining.