Welcome to the club. I have been walking, I try to walk at least 30 minutes a day. Giving up some of my favorite foods is so hard right now. I would suggest add more physical activity and try to cut back on your daily calorie intake. Every thing in moderation is my motto but I have tried to eat healthier because I do have high cholesterol and I want my kids to eat healthier also (lead by example) I guess our metabolism has slowed down so I guess we have to work a little harder to take and keep weight off. Getting physical is also great for fighting off craves. Good luck.

Hi viv.Congrats on the almost 9 months of not smoking.As for the weight DS does have some other groups that may help you with that,like diets and weight maintenance,fittness goals, and healthy eating.I wish you good luck with all your challenges.Tee

hi viv. i am almost 41 and i enjoy walking. the gym is on the other side of town so it's hard for me to get to. I also don't eat anything after 7 p.m. i was told calories are harder to burn off after seven. i drink more water which helps fight off the cravings.

Hi Viv: I am a diehard walker too! I highly recommend it. I wanted you to know I met a lady in the park yesterday who had smoked for 50 years and quit on June 1st. She also used Chantix. Now she is worried about her weight. She highly recommends Weight Watchers. She became a lifetime member. I don't know much about it, but I thought I would share this info with you. Have a great smokefree day!!

Ugh... you mentioned my new four letter word (or thought anyway)weight gain. It had been the hardest thing I have had to cope with since I quit smoking. I try and run 3-5 miles a day... notice I say I TRY. (Sometimes life gets in the way)

The only advice I could give is eat sensibly and try and exercise regularly. I read somewhere that after you have been quit for 6-9 months your metabolism should level out. You may find it easier now to lose those extra pounds.

Viv, my recommendation is an elliptical machine. It's a great cardio workout that really helps keep the pounds off. I love my elliptical also because I have a bum ankle from a bad break so I can't really run for long distances because of the impact. The elliptical is low impact so it's easy on the joints.

Good luck.

Try cutting out sugar & carbs (yeah...I know, this means bread, potatoes, candy...all the good stuff) and regular exercise.
This has helped me lose about 13 pounds since my quit :)

This subject is close to my heart,...and thighs & stomache & butt.....
I have gained a LOT of weight. Never had good eating habits before I quit and now it is worse. My biggest prob is night eating.Everynight I say, not after 7p, rarely works. I have seen my Dr. and she also said that the metabolism will kick back in at 6 months. I have 2 weeks to go for that. I am trying to eat healthier and I take swim arobics 3X a week.Cutting back on calorie intake and arobics seem good to me.
PS. I went on the 'healthy eating' site on DS. Got no support or even the offer of friendship. Our DS rocks.
Love you all,Deb

You've gotten great responses here. There's no secret to losing weight and to keeping it off: lower the number of calories you consume and increase the amount of activity you engage in. It is a simple formula. Notice I said "simple," not "easy." If you eat bread, rice, pasta, and cereal, I recommend switching to products made from whole wheat and whole grains. They will make you feel fuller and give you more energy, always good if you are cutting back calories elsewhere. They also pack much more nutritional bang for the buck.

Thank you all some really good advice there,so I think its time to drink plenty of water, and start going for long walks on a regular basis, make the last meal of the day 7 p.m. and be careful regarding the foods I eat, and eat healthy. I am going to weigh tomorrow, and then let the challenge begin. Viv

Sounds like you have had some great advice and I would add to eat small frequent meals to increase your metabolism.