+6lb gain after quitting smoking

 I quit smoking 3 weeks ago today (yay!) however I have had a 6.2 lb gain to date and it just keeps going up. Yes, I'm hungry more but I think most of it is my metabolism slowing down. Has anyone else quit smoking once in Maintenance and if so how much bounce back did you have? 

I quit smoking 20 years ago, so I can't answer your question completely, but have you thought about increasing your exercise? Increased exercise may help to compensate for the loss in metabolic rate. Just a thought

I quit smoking as a condition for my VSG surgery, six weeks before. I also had to do pre-op dieting and lose a specified amount of weight. It was hell. But there was a huge thing that helped me out. The weekend that I quit smoking I went camping for 3 days. Now the place I went camping wasn't like a "real" camping place.

I stayed in a log cabin and there were bathrooms available and a little store; my kind of camping . But it was woodsy and relaxing and beautiful. I can't tell you how much being in a relaxing environment and having fresh air helped me. It really felt WRONG to smoke in such a beautiful environment with the fresh air and breathing so deeply in that fresh air, and the relaxed environment helped me avoid the stress reaction that I normally dealt with by smoking.

I highly recommend something like this like a retreat if you can manage it. The environment also encouraged me to exercise and not eat so much and it was just perfect timing.

Thanks for the replies. It's very hard for me to work out more than I already am. I'm a house keeper 3-4 days a week for 6 hours a day of heavy duty cleaning w/o any breaks. My body aches when I get home and I'm exausted. I also hoop dance (aerobic) for 3-4 hours a week. I have been pretty much eating whatever I want up to this point because I get so much physical activity. Since I quit smoking though I've tried to cut out all the sweets. Even when i'm strict I do low carb instead of low cal. My food today has been

Coffee 2 tbs Ideal 2 tbs half and half
2 baby bell cheeses
2 pieces of beef jerky
1/2 of an apple with 2tbs peanut butter
2oz chicken breast. 
water

I worked for 6 hours today. You know some days I wish I had gotten the DS but then again I know that's a whole nother set of problems. I just don't want to go way back up. 

Food logging would help you to get back on track. Maybe, just eliminating the sweets and other high carbs might be enough to keep the scale from moving up. You seem to have an active lifestyle, so cutting out the sweets and other carbs will probably help. Just make sure that you have enough calories to support your activity level.

Focus on lean, dense protein. Babybel cheese is okay for a snack, but as a meal, they don't go very far. Dense protein will help to fill you up, so that urge to snack will be less.
Can you eat 3 ounces of chicken breast or other protein?

Also, there is a group called "Back On Track" that may be helpful.

gail

I know this is a tough one. I quit smoking 20 years ago and it was one of the most difficult things that I have ever done.

Gail gave some really good advice. I bet focusing on lean proteins and cutting out carbs will be all you need.

 YOU QUIT SMOKING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is bigger then 6 pounds! I know right now it may not seem like it because of the whole forest through the trees thing but really..keep up the hard work!

I quit 10 yrs ago and gained 20 pounds and it was still the BEST thing (and HARDEST) I ever did for myself!

I say as hard as it is..try and relax, be kind to yourself and let the weight do what it will..

You sound like you are doing everything right...

perhaps it is just a water issue as your new HEALTHIER self adjusts...

SO SO proud of you!!!!

I know the smoking issue has bugged you from the start of this journey!

6 pounds vs SMOKE FREE... de nada.... you got this...

keep it up!!!