Just as every person is different and every quit, so is every aspect of improvement when we quit. That's why it's hard for us to give a timeline to everyone for these milestones. My sense of taste and smell improved very early in my quit - which, as you have found, is a good AND bad thing! There are certain smells I have noticed that I could do without - and food tasting better means, well, it tastes BETTER!
I actually didn't so much like the taste of my coffee using ground beans when my taste improved. Had to start grinding my own beans. I cannot IMAGINE how awful Maxwell House would be (and I drank it from ground for MANY years). I had it again when I was still a smoker and it tasted like I imagine contaminated river water might have. NOT going to try it now!
For the weight gain, you need to eat 200 LESS calories a day just to maintain your pre-quit weight. I don't recommend dieting, per se, but would suggest you watch your portion control, and sub low calorie snacks in between the more calorie-filled one. Frozen grapes were one of my go-to's, and I kept a water bottle with me at all times from which to sip.
Keep going! You are doing GREAT!
Nancy
