Wow! As an ex-smoker,too, I am so pleased for you.

As for gaining weight post-smoking, which I did too, I suspect there are a number of factors at work.

#1- All those years when I smoked, I didn't have to pay attention to my belly. At a certain point of each meal I wanted a cigarette.

#2- When I was hungry and didn't have the time or food wasn't available, a cigarette was a fine substitute.

#3- I think one's metabolism is more efficient without the drug. When one is smoking, one's whole system has to work harder to extract the nutrients from one's food.

#4- As a smoker, I was used to having my hands in use. That was one of the hardest things for me to get around, after I quit. Food keeps one's hands busy.

#5- Food tastes better.

There are probably other issues but these are the ones I became aware of.

But CONGRATULATIONS to all of you! I quit about 25 years ago. Someone's cigarette outdoors (NEVER indoors) still smells kind of good and once in awhile I think it would be nice to light up but quitting smoking is still one thing I am proud of- I should't have started, I should have quit when my daughter wanted me to do, I could have saved all that money- but HEY! I quit.