Hello. I am a 56 year old very active female. I started smoking at age 15, and quit cold turkey at age 35. I remained totally smoke- free for for approximately 17 years, and resumed an extrememly active healthy lifestyle. I separated from and then divorced my husband of 20 years, and began smoking again- I actually thought i could just smoke casually. In no time, I began to smoke quite heavily, and feel the effects after 4 years. I knew i had to qwuit once and for all & NEVER pick up a cigarette again. The first time I quit wa nearly 20 years ago, and I exercised like crazy. I gained a good 15 lbs, maybe slightly more. It didn t matter what I ate, and how much i worked out- the weight just piled on. Without doing anything different- continuing to exercise and eat as I had, suddenly in 15 months aftger i stopped, the weight just literally fell off. It was amazing. Now- 20 years later, and having smoked again for a much shorter time, but nonetheless, still heavily, I am starting month 8 of being a non-smoker. I am running intervals atg 7.8 mph, I am swiming 1/2 miles, and doing very intensive water aerobics with weights, and also doing weight training. I have incredible stamina and exercise ability for my age- always have. But I am just so disgusted that I have put on 11 lbs thus far. Do I REALLY have to wait another 8 more months for my body to go back tgo a kind of homeostatic metabolism? It s SO unfair. I am killing myself with this exercise, and I am not stuffing my face or snacking . I don t think I can take another 7 or 8 mon ths of this! HELP!