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  #1   ^
Old Thu, Jan-25-07, 16:29
cwgirl's Avatar
cwgirl cwgirl is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 882
 
Plan: Atkins/ME
Stats: 145/140/130 Female 5'6"
BF:?
Progress: 33%
Location: NH
Default Quitting and weight loss (??)

Hi,

Has anyone out there recently quit smoking, and successfully lost weight with a LC lifestyle??? I keep hearing the body needs time to adjust from quitting before it will allow weight loss, that the metabloism is altered. I really am hoping to get around this theory!!!

I would really LOVE any input,

Many thanks,
Cindy
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  #2   ^
Old Thu, Jan-25-07, 17:29
Lisa N's Avatar
Lisa N Lisa N is offline
Posts: 12,028
 
Plan: Bernstein Diabetes Soluti
Stats: 260/-/145 Female 5' 3"
BF:
Progress: 63%
Location: Michigan
Default

I've been pretty much maintaining since I quit but it's true that nicotine artificially increases a person's metabolism by about 10% so when you quit, it takes a while for the body to stabilize.
Quitting is also a stressful thing for the body even though it's probably one of the single best things you can do for it and stress tends to impact weight loss as well.
Since quitting puts your metabolism back, in effect, where it should be, why not consider increasing (or starting) an exercise program to counteract that? Moving that bod and adding a few pounds of muscle is a great way to compensate for that metabolic slump dumping the nicotine gave you.
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  #3   ^
Old Thu, Jan-25-07, 17:37
cwgirl's Avatar
cwgirl cwgirl is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 882
 
Plan: Atkins/ME
Stats: 145/140/130 Female 5'6"
BF:?
Progress: 33%
Location: NH
Default

Thank you Lisa, I exercise pretty extensively already. I run 4-5 miles- 5 times a week, do pilates 3 times and walk on off days. That is where part of my frustration lies, is that I am very active. And follow low carb pretty religiously. But you have a point....the body is stressed even though I am doing a good thing for it. That is why I just keep hanging in there!! LOL Maybe with a little more time. How long have you quit???
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  #4   ^
Old Sun, Feb-11-07, 18:26
Pug Ugly's Avatar
Pug Ugly Pug Ugly is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 287
 
Plan: Ex. Induction
Stats: 307.6/270/200 Male 6'1"
BF:
Progress: 35%
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Default

Hey, I quit smoking about a month ago and just started on LC eating.. In 3 days, I've lost 5 pounds so it's definitely possible.. I feel great about not smoking!
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  #5   ^
Old Tue, Feb-13-07, 12:38
Mangaw's Avatar
Mangaw Mangaw is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 346
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 182/182/135 Female 63 inches
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cwgirl
Hi,

Has anyone out there recently quit smoking, and successfully lost weight with a LC lifestyle??? I keep hearing the body needs time to adjust from quitting before it will allow weight loss, that the metabloism is altered. I really am hoping to get around this theory!!!

I would really LOVE any input,

Many thanks,
Cindy


I quit smoking October 2, 2006, and gained 20 lbs. on top of the 30 I already needed to lose.

I've been trying to lose since January 1st and am really struggling. I think it has really screwed up my metabolism. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Deb
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  #6   ^
Old Tue, Feb-20-07, 14:42
wannadanc's Avatar
wannadanc wannadanc is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 488
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 222/210.8/160 Female 66
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: "Wettern" Washington
Default

A lifetime smoker and porky person, you already know the struggle it has been.

HOWEVER - 2.5 years ago I put the butts down - was up to 3 packs a day at the peak of this 45 year habit.

Yep - I was 65 y/o at the time, and I gained a pound for every year of my life in the time since quitting.

That is where I am today - that is what I am finally working on again - those 65 gifted pounds.

However, I will never take another puff - that is no longer an option.
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  #7   ^
Old Tue, Feb-20-07, 22:55
Mangaw's Avatar
Mangaw Mangaw is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 346
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 182/182/135 Female 63 inches
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by wannadanc
A lifetime smoker and porky person, you already know the struggle it has been.

HOWEVER - 2.5 years ago I put the butts down - was up to 3 packs a day at the peak of this 45 year habit.

Yep - I was 65 y/o at the time, and I gained a pound for every year of my life in the time since quitting.

That is where I am today - that is what I am finally working on again - those 65 gifted pounds.

However, I will never take another puff - that is no longer an option.


Congratulations on your successful quit! I too will never take another puff. I watched my Mom suffer with lung cancer and not only do I not want to go through that, I don't want to put my family through it. Besides, I LOVE being a nonsmoker now! I just don't like being a FAT nonsmoker!

Deb
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  #8   ^
Old Tue, Feb-20-07, 23:36
hk-lowcarb hk-lowcarb is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 936
 
Plan: Atkins - O.W.L.
Stats: 197/172/150 Female 5 ft 5 in
BF:
Progress: 53%
Location: Hong Kong
Default

I quit in August and started exercising to boost my metabolism, but I still gained weight. That's why I started the LCing thing last month. So far it is working, although I'm now in the "slow down" phase after the initial so-called-Whoosh.

I generally feel healthier and exercising is easier since I don't huff and puff so much.

So, I try to be patient.
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  #9   ^
Old Wed, Feb-21-07, 05:09
CNYMom's Avatar
CNYMom CNYMom is offline
Currently Fascinated
Posts: 3,370
 
Plan: M&E/Atkins
Stats: 225/150/125 Female 5'2"
BF:Quite Possibly
Progress: 75%
Location: Central NY, USA
Default

I quit smoking 18 months ago. I gained 40 pounds. I gave myself permission to eat whatever I needed to to get through it for 4 months, but when I tried to lose weight (went on Atkins' induction, actually) I couldn't lose a thing in several months. My "helpful" doc put me on an antidepressant - lexapro - after about 2 months, and I actually gained... boy, I was tempted to smoke again (It raised my metabolism, so maybe I should just smoke again long enough to lose weight... heh)

Anyway, it's a year after that now. I took myself off the antidepressant (definitely necessary for some, even me for awhile years ago, but... "Doctor, I'm depressed because I can't lose weight. Help!" ... "Here, take this pill" ?? (I guess it worked in that while I was still fat, I just didn't care.) Anyway, got off of that, onto metformin because of a borderline blood sugar reading, and I finally managed to lose some weight. I finally did the M&E diet for a few weeks (still mostly M&E) and a good round of vitamins and supplements, and I'm now off metformin, too, with normal BS readings.

Quitting smoking definitely messed with my metabolism, but I'm getting around it. It takes work and a lot of trial-and-error, but you can do it. Better that than giving in to the nico-demon.

Robin
543 days, 7 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds completely smoke free.
16,299 cigarettes not smoked.
$4,488.00 and 4 months, 4 days, 12 hours of my life saved.
My quit date: 8/26/2005 11:00:00 PM
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  #10   ^
Old Wed, Feb-21-07, 17:01
Mangaw's Avatar
Mangaw Mangaw is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 346
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 182/182/135 Female 63 inches
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Default

Robin: My doctor also prescribed an anti-depressant! Why do they do that? We're depressed because we're fat, not because of some chemical imbalance! Geez!

But, as you said, it's better than giving in to the nicodemon. Now, on to conquer the flabbodemon!

Deb
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  #11   ^
Old Thu, Mar-08-07, 00:05
Kandra's Avatar
Kandra Kandra is offline
One Bite At A Time
Posts: 1,265
 
Plan: South Beach Phase II
Stats: 232/183/130 Female 62 inches
BF:67/34?/20
Progress: 48%
Location: USA
Default

You know that you can do what you can do. If you beat yourself up over weight loss or smoking it becomes this catch 22, damned if you do and damned if you don't. The worse thing you can do is become overwhelmed and then drop both. Maybe focus on quitting for a week or two, and give yourself permission to gain a specific amount, say 5 pounds. You can take those off after your body adjusts to you being a non-smoker

I figured I'd gain during my quit so I choose to quit before I started the Atkins WOE because I know I have this carb problem....all connected with serotonin levels that nicotine also releases.
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  #12   ^
Old Mon, Apr-16-07, 16:38
MsMaryMack's Avatar
MsMaryMack MsMaryMack is offline
New Member
Posts: 15
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 184/179/135 Female 5'4"
BF:
Progress: 10%
Default

I quit smoking Dec. 9, and have gained 10 lbs since then. In a way, this is good - those last 10 lbs were finally enough to get my booty back on plan ;-).

I'm 2 pounds down, 6 days back on Atkins - so it seems to be working fine.
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  #13   ^
Old Tue, Apr-17-07, 09:49
cochise cochise is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 41
 
Plan: atkins
Stats: 314/284/160 Male 5'10
BF:45.1/40.7/23
Progress: 19%
Location: Illinois
Default

I quit in 2002. since then I gained almost 100lbs. Someone told me that the more weight you gain the better the chances are of staying smoke free. I bet Ill be smoke free for several lifetimes. I ate and ate and ate some more when I felt the urge to smoke. Now im doing the low carb thing and just staying off of sugar and starches. At least Im avoiding the stuff that made me gain.
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  #14   ^
Old Tue, Apr-17-07, 09:54
cochise cochise is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 41
 
Plan: atkins
Stats: 314/284/160 Male 5'10
BF:45.1/40.7/23
Progress: 19%
Location: Illinois
Default

By the way...wellbutrin or Zyban the antidepressant is prescribed in lower dose than for clinically depressed people and works very well according to studies. It takes the pleasant taste/effects of smoking away. I couldnt keep up with the pill because of a habitual tendency to forget about taking medication...
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  #15   ^
Old Wed, Apr-18-07, 15:01
FabByFifty's Avatar
FabByFifty FabByFifty is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 9,031
 
Plan: Atkins~Modified
Stats: 173/173/145 Female 5' 6" and growing!
BF:26.6%/
Progress: 0%
Location: Akron Ohio
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by cochise
I quit in 2002. since then I gained almost 100lbs. Someone told me that the more weight you gain the better the chances are of staying smoke free. I bet Ill be smoke free for several lifetimes. I ate and ate and ate some more when I felt the urge to smoke. Now im doing the low carb thing and just staying off of sugar and starches. At least Im avoiding the stuff that made me gain.


I read this and laughed! Ecspecially the part about being smoke free for several lifetimes! Too Funny!
Congratulations for staying smoke free even though the weight gain. That might have did me in quick! Pat yourself on the back. You have done a great thing for your health and now you are doing something to make it even better by following a low carb life.
I did quit last year, and did not gain. I picked the stupid things up again, and put on 30 pounds!
I guess that when you do gain after giving smoking up, You just have to find a way to kick that metabolism back into shape. I think what saved me was I was low carbing long enough that I did not gain, because I stuck to it after the fact.
I want to congratulate all of you that has kicked the habit and stayed smoke free. I am sure even though there are drawbacks you all feel 100% better. And you should.
Brenda
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