1 week today. Feeling HUNGRY!

[annimarlee]

I am feeling very good today on my 7th day of no smoke.  I am using NRT patches at the highest level of nicotine and having very few serious craves, experiencing the crazy dreams and difficulty sleeping that they warn us about, and generally having a pretty predictable quit.  HOWEVER I did not expect that I was going to be this hungry.  I feel almost insatiable in appetite.  My best strategy seems to be lots of clean protein - chicken mostly, or eggs and cheese, and hot salsa to get my tastebuds all worked up.  I hope this passes quickly - I have gained about 3 lbs already in this 1 week, and I cannot continue this pace of weight gain.  Does anybody have any expreience with this?

[Ms.J_11-10-2013]

Oh hell ya~ it comes with the package.. Just keep eating right and healthy.  And remember it is better to carry around a few pounds then an oxygen tank!

Jackie

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!

[Thomas3.20.2010]

My favorite goto food was fresh crispy crunchy vegetables and fruit - carrots, apples, jicama, celery, etc.... You can eat all you want and the noise and crunch are very satisfying.

[JonesCarpeDiem]

Your body is craving dopamine that it is not getting from smoking. Food causes dopamine to be released.

There was a recent study that says looking at pictures of foods causes the same release of dopamine as eating the food. In fact, they said that the dopamine is released BEFORE you even eat the food.

I liked little 25 calorie jello cups or single popsicles. You can also get artifically sweetened stuff but I always taste the the rest of the day so I never use it.

Also laughter, music, dancing, sex and chocolate release dopaming.

[annimarlee]

AHA!  The dopamine explanation makes perfect sense.  Thanks you guys!  The positive feedback, and empathy, and ideas all make me feel better and less frustrated.  I am so glad that we have each other to bounce this stuff off of.  I won't give up.  I just hope it doesn't last very long!  🙂   And that I don't have to buy any bigger clothes.  Haha!

[Thomas3.20.2010]

Statistically young women gain about 2.3 percent in BMI within a month after quitting smoking, up to a maximum of 5.2 percent between 3 and 6 months after quitting. BUT you don't have to! Increase in exercise and careful cut back of what you eat will protect you from gaining weight. Even if you do gain a little weight it is soooooo much healthier than smoking on every level! Keep on track! Never doubt that you're making the very BEST decision for your Health and Happiness!

[LouiseR]

I gained some weight at first then started walking alot and drinking more water and it came off.  Don't get discouraged but get active!  Congrats on 7 days and keep stacking those days!

[sparky26]

Yes annimarlee , no one told me I would be soooooo hungry either, LoL.

But for me that settled down after week 3. Also , I started to remember my dreams again, lots of vivid dreams. Are you ?

[cookie804]

I have gained 7 lbs. in my quit so far which was July 6th but I did some of that on purpose. I was under weight and ate junk food instead of a cigarette. now I am at the weight I want to be the snacking will be healthy food.

I had trouble sleeping and had night mares when I was on the patches. What  I did was to take it off when I went to bed and as soon as I got up, I put on a new one. That worked terrific.

Keep on adding the days.

Carolyn and Cookie

[annimarlee]

5.2% BMI?!  Ack!  Well, this is my excuse to drink more water and get back into the gym for real.  I've been so crazy busy I haven't had time for either of those things, so now, I guess this is the way of making it a priority again.  Yes, Sparky, CRAZY weird dreams that are vivid and frustrating and completely indicitative of the path I am currently on in my various situations.  Thanks, Cookie for the advice about taking it off at night.  I have thought about doing that too, but I have been reluctant because I don't want any "surprises" concerning my super addict inside, for instance, waking up to her crazy BS demands!  Haha.

[Junior7]

I am on day 39.  Gained a total of six pounds, but the weight is starting to come back off slowly.  Exercise is they key for me.  Congrats on seven days!  It gets better from here!

[stadtlerj]

you made it through the hardest part, you should be very proud of yourself it will start getting easier and easier just stick with it, you know you can do this