If you recently quit smoking and cannot lose a single pound, read on!
A few months ago, I wasn't sure that I would be prepared or willing to changing at all. Ever. I really liked smoking and eating. Or eating and smoking - either way.
I guess it started on my last birthday, when I said I would quit and told everyone. Then I kept smoking and didn't even attempt it, but kept promising that I would at least try. Christmas came and went. Then New Years (what a good time for a resolution, but who wants to fall victim to resolutions. Aren't they so dumb?!), and then finally, my daughter's birthday in February. Faced with the request to quit smoking from my 5 year old sucked. She asked me so sweetly.
I bought an e-cig (which you should get if you are still smoking) and kicked it around for a while. I half assed my resolve to quit and clung to my cigarettes. But then one morning, I didn't have any left and I have never had another one. I kept it up with the e-cig for about a month until I realized that I wasn't even really smoking the thing anymore. So, I stopped - that was over 3 months ago now. Yay me!
During that time and against my better judgment, I weighed myself. You may not be surprised to know that I didn’t like the number, and I certainly didn’t want it to go up. I started a healthy eating regimen. Mother’s day came and my wonderful husband bought me a fitbit! The best present I have ever received – it has totally changed my life.
My excuse has always been that I am a busy, working mother – I have no time to work out! The fitbit suddenly made me aware of all the extra time I was wasting by sitting on the couch or not walking the dog.
So, after all of these actions: quitting smoking, changing my eating habits, reducing calories by a minimum of -1000/day, walking 10,000+ steps a day, I cannot lose a single pound.
I want everyone out there who is struggling as I am to know they are not alone. It is the worst feeling. After researching many, many hours, it is very hard to find information about this problem. Many websites discuss weight gain after smoking, but don’t explain why it happens. Or they estimate that your metabolism slows by an average of 200 calories a day. If that were true, I would still be losing weight. Many forums that I have found with a history of similar questions/comments being made about quitting and not losing are followed by a huge number of people saying it’s not true. It’s what you’re eating. It’s because you are not exercising enough. They just quit smoking and have been losing weight no problem.
Well, I’m not imagining things and you aren’t either if you are still reading along. I’ve found out that it can take anywhere from 6 months to a year for your metabolism to recover. I’m sure this varies from person to person. I’m hoping I’m around the 6 month mark!
Let’s use this discussion to post new information or strategies on how to increase our metabolism again and to make it through without having to pick up another cigarette!
AUG 2017 UPDATE!!
I see that people are still responding to this post, so I thought I would update it. It's been over 3 years since writing it, and a lot has changed for me. First of all, my body has healed and I can now lose weight normally again! For a while there, I sort of gave up. I knew it wasn't going to happen and I decided to give my body a rest. I would say that it took 2 years from the time I quit to where my body started functioning normally again. I highly recommend taking probiotics (24-48 billion) per day, as I believe this would have helped me with my gut bacteria even faster. I still take probiotics everyday now. I made some half hearted attempts at weight loss during then and now, which were mildly successful and only failed because I stopped. Now I'm down 27lbs after 4 months of keto and feel great.
For all of those just starting the non-smoking life, be patient. I know it's hard, but you will recover. You will flourish and you'll be healthier than you've ever been before! Give yourself time to heal. The body is amazing, just think of how long you've been smoking and how short a time it will take to heal from that. Amazing!
