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Here's a thread where I "fit in."

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 5

Hi there, been reading your posts and thought I'd join in for a thread or two. I quit smoking on Monday March 26 and also started my diet on March 11. I'm down a total of 12 pounds, I've only had a few smoke cravings (ok one was a major one but I got thru it) and food hasn't bothered me as much. I have a total of 50 pounds to loose and I am determined to loose the weight and stay off the smokes for ever. If you want a buddy to do both, I'm here just let me know. All the best, Karen

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2830

SammiJo, I'm betting that the weight gain is muscle. Muscle weighs 4 times as much as fat, so you may very well be losing fat, but gaining muscle, and still gain weight because of the density of the muscle. Don't stress out too much. I used to tell people who were first starting an exercise regime to not look at the scale, not even once, for the first couple months. I doubt anybody listened to me because I'm sure that's a hard thing to do, but honestly hun, when you're first starting to exercise, you're gaining muscle like crazy! After a while, you start to not gain as much muscle, but still continue to lose fat, and then the weight will start coming off. There are way better ways of measuring progress than weight. Weight is such a funny thing. If you want to not "weigh" as much, go to the moon! You'll only weight 1/6 of what you weigh here! So weight isn't a great indicator. Try measuring yourself and see for yourself how the inches come off. Get a friend to help you measure yourself, not just your belly region, but take measurements of all over (arms, legs, chest, etc...) and track progress that way if you want to. Really, try not to stress over the weight gain too much. Chances are, you ARE losing fat, but are gaining muscle, and that is putting on the weight. Crave the Quit! Pam [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 6/17/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 650 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 16,260 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $2684.5 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 46 [B]Hrs:[/B] 7 [B]Mins:[/B] 9 [B]Seconds:[/B] 15

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 292

[quote] Are you feeling better? Are you breathing better? Are you riding that bike better? [/quote] Alohakeia - yes. Yes. and YES!!! Wooooohoooo! Without a doubt, I feel better, stronger, and healthier, than I did back in '06 when I was a smoker! Thank you so much for reminding me of that and for your encouragement! P.S. Is there another way to dance?!? :p [quote] Sorry for the long post, this just hit a nerve with me. [/quote] freebird - I'm so glad that this "just hit a nerve" with you, because your post was exactly what I needed this morning! You're so right, health is NOT all about what that scale says! I posted after my trip to Kansas City about how my husband and I got out in the snow and made snowmen and had snowball fights and went for walks and explored... while our friends (who smoke) stayed inside. She's way thinner than I am yet who was out there MOVING?! Incredibly, when I woke up this morning, my scale said I'd gained three more pounds. I laughed at it, got off, got back on, and laughed again. In the last two days I ate 1400 calories a day and biked a total of 7 miles and gained three more pounds?!? (I'm assuming it's a that-time-of-the-month thing.) But I walked to work this morning and the sun was shining and the breeze is gorgeous and I feel GREAT!! THAT's what matters today. :) [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 87 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,620 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $261 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 8 [B]Hrs:[/B] 23 [B]Mins:[/B] 40 [B]Seconds:[/B] 50

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 154

Don't judge your health factor on weight alone. I know plenty of people that we call "thin people" that I hung out with when I smoked and are not in shape. After 6 months of not smoking, I opened my eyes as to the difference of looking healthy and being healthy. Just because someone looks healthy does not mean they can bike 4 miles, or jog 1 mile or do whatever we are doing to get our bodies back in shape, not just the physical but the internal parts that no one else can see. Our organs, mental health, accomplishments of beating this nasty habit, and feeling good about ourselves. I look at some friends that still smoke and noticed that if you saw this person for the first time and didn't know they smoked, you would think they where the model for health, from a visual standpoint. Yet we go do sports, softball, football, and ony other physical activity and they can't keep up with me now. They need to take that breather and gasp for air, like I used to. It's only been six months for me, but I went from getting on a treadmill and running/jogging/gasping to do a mile in 20 minutes. To running/jogging/breathing doing 3 miles in 20-25 minutes. Regardless of how I look, I FEEL GREAT! Yes, stick with it the weight will come off, but remember the little things as you go through this. Going up a flight of stairs, walking to your car from the store, playing with your kids, think of how you feel now compared to when you quit. Sorry for the long post, this just hit a nerve with me. Freebird ~'~ [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/24/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 186 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 5,590 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $781.2 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 26 [B]Hrs:[/B] 9 [B]Mins:[/B] 44 [B]Seconds:[/B] 24

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 3207

SammiJo Good thing Butterfly didn't kill ya...lol it's not about the weight..it's about how you feel and how you move. Are you feeling better? Are you breathing better? Are you riding that bike better? Then you're making darn good progress, girlie! let me know when you're dancing with abandon! -aloha [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/22/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 7 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 287 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $47.6 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 0 [B]Hrs:[/B] 23 [B]Mins:[/B] 43 [B]Seconds:[/B] 1

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 292

Just an update... tonight my husband and my youngest son (he's 14) went bike-riding to the grocery store and back. It's about a mile and a half from our house, so altogether it was a three-mile ride. It was nice, though. My legs are feeling stronger every day. My bathroom scale still says no weight-loss - but - no gain, either. :confuse: [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 87 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,610 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $261 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 8 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 48 [B]Seconds:[/B] 58

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 292

Lainey - Thank you for your kind words and for your encouragement! Oh, and BIG congratulations on your 23 days quit! Woooohoooo! Thanks, Josie. :) angelcapp - By all means, let me know how you're doing! Yeah, and you can do the Pilates thing and I'll do the bike thing and we'll both trim those extra pounds away! :p Windy - Cool story, about the guy you met at the gym. I'm really looking forward to feeling more and more able to MOVE. Already I'm feeling the difference, and being able to breathe is a big part of it. Thanks for the encouragement!!! Butterfly Swimmer - Hey, it's ok, ya didn't kill me or anything, LOL. Thank you, though, for the correction. Nonic - thanks for the warm message, made me feel good. [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 1/1/2007 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 87 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,610 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $261 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 8 [B]Hrs:[/B] 22 [B]Mins:[/B] 48 [B]Seconds:[/B] 19

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 813

Sammi So good to have you back...You are always so entusiastic and creative...thanks for posting again... nonic [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 12/25/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 93 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 2,252 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $651 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 17 [B]Hrs:[/B] 10 [B]Mins:[/B] 25 [B]Seconds:[/B] 3

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2830

SammiJo, I'm SO sorry! I screwed up my numbers! Something didn't sound right to me when I was saying 180 minus your age... I kept thinking "that's just not right!" And it's not! It's 220 minus your age... and then multiply that number by .6 and .8 for your minimum and maximum heart rate. I'm SO sorry! Crave the Quit! Pam [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 6/17/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 649 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 16,245 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $2680.37 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 46 [B]Hrs:[/B] 6 [B]Mins:[/B] 5 [B]Seconds:[/B] 31

17 years ago 0 +0 / -0 2631

Hi SammiJo - I'm glad you posted because it puts my own program into perspective. I spend alot of time celebrating each step of progress mainly because I honestly believed that there was no way that I could do it. I don't have any children so, although not rich, I do have a gym membership. The thing was that I had the gym membership long before I quit smoking but I would every time I exercised my heart rate would go through the roof and I would be totally out of breath. The reason that I am so excited is because I am getting healthier and fitter each day. I'm not a smoker anymore and my heart and lungs are starting to work again. You are doing an awesome job! I was sitting beside a fellow in the gym afew months ago and he told me about his journey. Although he was not a smoker, his health had been in serious jeaprody. He started off with a physiotherapist at home just doing very light stretches...Gradually he progressed to some light exercise in the pool and gradually to walking on the treadmill. He told me about how much he had accomplished and about the impact on his health. I was so impressed with him. I really do believe that we're all in this together. Our quit comes first...everything else comes second. Congratulations on 85 smoke-free days! Windy [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 9/11/2006 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 198 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 3,974 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $990 [B]Life Gained:[/B] [B]Days:[/B] 19 [B]Hrs:[/B] 8 [B]Mins:[/B] 34 [B]Seconds:[/B] 7

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Here's a thread where I "fit in."