struggling a bit

[nsd_user663_22748]

in 8 days I'll have been quit 6 full months! I never thought I would get here but now I have I am so proud of myself. However, I'm having a hard time with the weight gain..... I'm not fat - far from it but I have knee problems and am feeling every pound of the stone and a half I have gained so I need it to drop again.

I have kept a food diary and I don't eat any more now than I did as a smoker so the only difference i can spot is the lack of trips to the back door for a fag!

Anyway, I've been winding myself up for the last week that if I smoked again the weight would miraculously drop back off and I wouldn't have this horrendous pain in my legs every time I try and take a step! Every day I have told myself I'll start again tomorrow and then if the weight doesn't drop again in a few weeks I'll quit again but I'm still smoke free so I'm obviously still in the right frame of mind.

I've had a chat with my GP who confirms the worsened knee pain is down to the extra weight but she was no help with a solution! I have health issues and am pretty immobile so I can only do gentle exercise so hitting the gym harder isn't an option!

Does anyone have any advice on when the weight stabilises itself out? I have Googled it and found that smokers metabolism is faster due to increased heart rate from the nicotine and that stopping smoking causes the metabolic rate to crash and it takes a while to kick start it again which in turn causes weight gain but does anyone know how long it takes?

[nsd_user663_5920]

Hi, Welcome

Firstly, huge congrats on a near 6 month quit :cool:

I too put on approx 1.5 stone and if memory serves correctly I began to shift the weight, and feel it shift with relative ease, around the 8 months mark. However, that time coincided with a big increase of exercise along with taking Sea Kelp supplements from Holland & Barrett. The Sea Kelp I took to help kick start the metabolism. I'm really not sure how much can be contributed to any one of those things :confused: They all had their place.

Thinking back on the folk from October 09 who I quit with, I'd say 5 to 9 months is a reasonable time to expect the metabolism to normalise.

Certainly stick with and increase, time wise, the current exercise your able to do, it can only help All the best with reducing the weight and the knee problem.

Pol

[nsd_user663_15147]

Hi Tamwill,

I'm at nearly 11 months and am in (almost) the same situation as you. Whilst I'm frustrated as well as I see nothing come of my efforts I never think that having a fag with solve things... Its the thought of never smoking again that keeps me going with my dieting and that actually Because it makes you think aobut how much you were messing yourself up by introducing all sorts of stuff into your body 15/20 times a day.

Now, I have to apologise for highjacking this thread a bit but - Pol, how much do you reckon the supplements have worked? I go to the gym 4-5 times a week (for proper full-on exersise) and eat healthy home-cooked meals. I've done the calorie counting thing to make sure that I'm not over or under eating and I'm STILL gaining weight! I even did the special K diet and ended up gaining 1.5 kilos instead of losing them! I'm going to the doctor today to find out more... but I'm interested in learning where you heard about these supplements from...?

Thanks

[nsd_user663_20978]

i am month 7 and the scales are heading down slowly and i am not doing anything different to last month i seemed to go up for about 5 months 1.5 stone in total [which seems average] i leveled and didnt gain in month 6 and now starting to lose in month seven

yeee haaa

keep going

[nsd_user663_15147]

So happy for you boo Must be great to see the scales changing without having to change your eating/exercise habits! Hope it carries on x