Quitting Smoking While Losing Weigt
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Liftng4Lis wrote: »Quit cold turkey after 30 years in July. It CAN be done.
Yep same here , was easier than anticipated after 30 years. I also feared piling on the pounds but as I had already been here sorting diet and such it wasn't a problem
edit for spelling
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I just passed my four year anniversary after having smoked 1- 2 packs a day for40 years. If I can do it, anyone can! I used the patches to help me quit. Good luck to all of you on this journey. It is *so* worthwhile!0
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Erm... yesterday was a total failure. Today was either a partial failure or a partial success depending on how you want to look at it.
On Tuesday, I barely lasted until after breakfast and then smoked a whole pack. Today, I made it until after lunch and have kept my total down to three.
So, I did better today. Just not as well as I had hoped. If I do better tomorrow than I did today, I'll count it as a very small victory and a step in the right direction. More importantly, I haven't quit trying to quit.0 -
I recall times when I was quitting that I had to literally get through it a minute at a time. But when that minute passed, so did the craving. Even if the next one was only minutes away, I knew that it, too, would pass. My mantra was "For today, I am a non-smoker." This worked for me because it was more honest and less intimidating than saying, "I am a non-smoker." Semantics, I know, but it worked for me. Those smoke-free todays piled up end-to-end and I was finally *real* a non-smoker.
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Ohgee yes today was a sucess! You kept at it and will do it! I remember times feeling like I was trying to quit every day. With the help of the gum and that BF I finally made it down to just chain smoking through my lunch break, then just one at lunch then none...aside from the physical it had been such a mental habit. I smoked after everything. I get in car, smoke. Eat, smoke. work, smoke. I had to think "I get in the car, put music on" "eat, drink tea" "work, call friend"0
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I went the prescription path. One month on Chantix, can't even think about smoking ever again. Sometimes I think about smoking like a long, cherished memory, but I'll never go back, too disgusting to my mind now to consider picking it up again.0
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I quit yesterday. Since MFP has helped me lose weight, I got a different app for quitting smoking. It has a variety of tickers that will reset if you answer "yes" that you have smoked (I think, I have done well so far, 38hrs smoke free & counting). I am also using nic losenges. I have been too ashamed to start this topic on MFP, but when I saw your thread, I wanted to be here with ya. Today was not a great calorie day and I was too distracted to do my whole workout at the gym. Hopefully, tomorrow is better. I am making sure to take my protein and crunchy veggies to work and will have them at home too. I feel like my success on MFP is going to give me an edge on the quitting thing. I really do (finally) want to be healthy overall. I definitely plan to both quit & keep moving forward with the weight loss. I am sure it can be done. Good luck!
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I quit three and a half years ago using hypnotherapy (I was sceptical of it myself, but I haven't had a cigarette since). Also, I really didn't want to quit. Smoking was my favourite thing, it was really a financial thing for me at the time, and yet it was still really effective for me. Exercise is actually a great coping mechanism when you're quitting, it really helps to work off all of that inevitable nervous energy/blind rage. I think one of the most important things is to tell yourself that you're not "quitting", you're not an "ex-smoker", you do not smoke. For me that made navigating conversations with smokers and offers of cigarettes a lot easier because it just shuts it down. I still do get the occasional craving, but I know to just let it pass - it will! And think about how much easier it is to not have to plan my day around every cigarette, or go on slightly long train/bus journeys
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The first time I quit smoking it was so easy. I went to the emergency room with a horrible pain in my side and they told me I had kidney stones, and guess what, your pregnant. Surprise! They couldn't give me drugs to break up the stone or do sonic blasting because of the baby. Instead I got an operation and 4 days of morphine. By the time I got out of the hospital, the morphine had got me over the worst of it and I knew I couldn't go back to smoking.
This time I'm doing it that hard way, but once its done I'm never going back.0 -
How are our new non-smokers doing?
Cheering for you, guys!0 -
How are our new non-smokers doing?
Cheering for you, guys!
60.8 smoke free hours here. How was your day, @ohgeeque ? I am a crabby mess. Driving past convenience stores just makes me grit my teeth and pop a nicotine losenge. I feel guilty about using them, but there is nothing about smoking I don't feel guilty about. So I feel less guilty. Sort of...I have not told my husband that I quit. I know that sounds weird, but I have always failed before. No need to get his hopes up yet.
I was so distracted & cravey last night that I didn't even finish my workout at the gym. That was disappointing; I was really hoping exercise would get my mind off things. Hopefully tomorrow's workout will go better.
It is super nice of you to ask, @Orphia
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Ms_LisaKay wrote: »How are our new non-smokers doing?
Cheering for you, guys!
60.8 smoke free hours here. How was your day, @ohgeeque ? I am a crabby mess. Driving past convenience stores just makes me grit my teeth and pop a nicotine losenge. I feel guilty about using them, but there is nothing about smoking I don't feel guilty about. So I feel less guilty. Sort of...I have not told my husband that I quit. I know that sounds weird, but I have always failed before. No need to get his hopes up yet.
I was so distracted & cravey last night that I didn't even finish my workout at the gym. That was disappointing; I was really hoping exercise would get my mind off things. Hopefully tomorrow's workout will go better.
It is super nice of you to ask, @Orphia
When you quit smoking cold turkey, without any aids, the nicotine is COMPLETELY OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM within 48-72 hours. After that, it's all mental. Popping nicotine lozenges, using patches or Nicorette, or swapping to e-cigs just prolongs the agony because the nicotine still rules instead of YOU. If you really want to quit, you HAVE to get the addictive agent - nicotine - completely out of your system. It doesn't take that long. Two days for me, and I smoked two packs of cigarettes for 35 years. I cried for a week after I quit because after the first couple of rough days, I was so damned free and wished I had done it years before.0 -
Some of you have nerves of absolute steel..... Serious kudos.0
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You can do it, Ms_LisaKay!
When I quit, I didn't tell my workmates until I'd gone 3+ days. I knew the nicotine was out of my system and I was so proud of myself I felt like I wasn't going to go backwards.
It's nice to get support from family and friends. Yay for the quitters! Let us cheer you on, and give you sympathy for your grumpiness!0 -
ogmomma2012 wrote: »I went the prescription path. One month on Chantix, can't even think about smoking ever again. Sometimes I think about smoking like a long, cherished memory, but I'll never go back, too disgusting to my mind now to consider picking it up again.
This is what I did as well. I started the medication and by the end if the first week I was down to 1 or 2 cigs a day They didn't even taste or feel good anymore. By the time my quit date rolled around it was no big deal to give it up because the Chantix took all of the fun/relief out of smoking.
My other tip would be when you feel tempted just remind yourself that you don't smoke. Not that you quit smoking but that you simply don't smoke. When people first quit and they are offered a cigarette they will often say "I'm supposed to be quiting" opening up the door to caving in and smoking. If you say "no thanks, I don't smoke" you leave the door closed.
I have been quit for almost 2 years.0 -
I'm having kind of a first world problem, i smoke too little to quit maybe one every other day.
I suddenly get the urge to smoke, so I do. but it's not really a problem for me (health issues aside) and i can quit whenever I want, I. Just. Dont. Want. To..
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Thank you, all of you. You have given me some very important insight. I think it will be very helpful. I'm going to quit tomorrow. Go to bed a smoker and wake up an x-smoker. I have gum, water, and celery sticks. I took the day off from work, I plan to clean, walk, walk the dog, knit, read, clean some more.
Like weight loss, it will be a process that takes more than one day and like weight loss if I never start I'll never finish.
Right now, I'm an addict but I won't be one forever.
Thank you again for your help and good wishes.
You will always be an "Addict" you just won't be an active one.
I am a former smoker, but will always be an addict because all it will take is 1 cigarette to get me smoking again...and I know this. I tried several different ways to quit smoking, but Chantix was my life saver.
Recovering
Former
On the Wagon
pick what ever word works for you.0 -
It took me three running starts to quit. Finally managed it 4 years ago.
My advice- note your triggers. I'm a classic stress smoker. To quit, I have had to find ways to deal with my stress. You may be different, but if you figure out what routines or triggers in your environment make you think "you know what I want right now.." then you can find a way to deal with them before the cravings start.
Also depending on how much and long you smoke (and how you quit) you may want to increase your fibre and water intake for the first week or so. I won't be graphic, but nicotine has an effect on your intestines and removing it completely from your system could cause some minor issues. Finally please talk to your doctor before trying Chantix. It's helped my sister, it caused her bf to have a psychotic episode. It is a medical drug and you should way up the potential side effects with your gp before trying it.
That being said there is this lovely information: of what happens to your body whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Benefits_Time_Table.html
You can do this.0 -
You can do it. Just pick whatever method works best for you. Part of smoking g for me was the hand to mouth habit. I was mildly successful with the nicotine gum, but I chewed it so much that my jaw hurt really bad. I switched to a vaporizer (and use the yummy candy tasting eliquids) and I'm at 8 nocotine now. It's been over 2 years cigarette free. It probably has helped me not to crave sweets as well. Now the smell of them being smoked or the smell on other people's clothes make me nauseous.0
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My quit day is coming soon. I'm reading this thread for inspiration.
My dad quit 10 or so years ago and is still on toothpicks. That's the thing he found that helped.0 -
I have lost 20 pounds, about a third of my goal. With that loss I am already feeling much better but my original plan was to quit smoking at 25 pounds. However, as I near that point I become more concerned about the effect it will have on my weight loss progress. That is stupid. I know that to stop smoking will be a greater benefit to my health than losing more weight. I am trying to build a better me.
I want to quit. I want to quit now. I need to know what to expect and how to counter it.
So, has anyone quit smoking recently? Do you have any warnings? Any advice? Tips?
Help.
I quit 6 years ago and it was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life BUT it was also the best thing I ever did as well. I tried many times before that with gum, patches and or cold turkey. I used to smoke almost 2 packs of menthol a day.
What really worked for me is the combo of the patch with the occasion piece of nicotine gum. Be very careful to not have too much nicotine but it really helps you get through the intense cravings. I did that for about a week and then stopped the gum and started chewing like 4-5 packs of regular mint gum a week. It was crazy! haha! I went through the full 3 months of patches in which each month you had less mgs. This was 6 years ago but I remember we bought ours at target and it was the store brand. I think that was the best price of most of the stores out there. Also, in my state, Maine, has a program they will give you patches for free. You might want to check that out in yours. My husband only used the nicotine patches the first month then stopped and he had a much harder time not smoking for the next year but he stayed strong and he is still a non smoker. I truly believe that you need to follow the program through because I had very little to no cravings after that.
I think the turning point for me was when I was driving in my car and dealing with something (I cant even remember what it was) and I wanted a cigarette really bad. I just had this thought "Cigarettes are not going to take this problem away, the problem is still going to be there after I smoke so its not the solution" and that was my go-to thought anytime life got a little crazy.
Also, when I was on the patches after a while I found that my mood leveled out because I had a continuous stream of nicotine in my system. I didn't have those moments where I got stressed out and was wondering when I would get my next fix. That was pretty freeing.
As far as not eating too much, especially sugar, there are some really yummy sugar free candies out there. I love sugar free jolly ranchers that are 35 cals for 4 of them. SF candy has come a long way and doesn't have that nasty aftertaste like they used to years ago. Popping one of those in your mouth instead of diving head first into a cake is the way to go haha
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atypicalsmith wrote: »When you quit smoking cold turkey, without any aids, the nicotine is COMPLETELY OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM within 48-72 hours. After that, it's all mental. Popping nicotine lozenges, using patches or Nicorette, or swapping to e-cigs just prolongs the agony because the nicotine still rules instead of YOU. If you really want to quit, you HAVE to get the addictive agent - nicotine - completely out of your system.
Please stop! I'm so glad that you were able to quit cold turkey. Good for you! But it honestly doesn't make you any better than all the people that also stop smoking using the various cessation aids that are available. All that matters is that they become non smokers!
There's enough pressure on people when they quit, they don't need to be made to feel like they're somehow weak, inferior or lacking in determination on top of it all unless they go cold turkey. That's just like the 'natural' birth peeps who go all self-righteous on women who opt for an epideral during delivery.
The only thing that matters is the end result. 0 -
atypicalsmith wrote: »Ms_LisaKay wrote: »How are our new non-smokers doing?
Cheering for you, guys!
60.8 smoke free hours here. How was your day, @ohgeeque ? I am a crabby mess. Driving past convenience stores just makes me grit my teeth and pop a nicotine losenge. I feel guilty about using them, but there is nothing about smoking I don't feel guilty about. So I feel less guilty. Sort of...I have not told my husband that I quit. I know that sounds weird, but I have always failed before. No need to get his hopes up yet.
I was so distracted & cravey last night that I didn't even finish my workout at the gym. That was disappointing; I was really hoping exercise would get my mind off things. Hopefully tomorrow's workout will go better.
It is super nice of you to ask, @Orphia
When you quit smoking cold turkey, without any aids, the nicotine is COMPLETELY OUT OF YOUR SYSTEM within 48-72 hours. After that, it's all mental. Popping nicotine lozenges, using patches or Nicorette, or swapping to e-cigs just prolongs the agony because the nicotine still rules instead of YOU. If you really want to quit, you HAVE to get the addictive agent - nicotine - completely out of your system. It doesn't take that long. Two days for me, and I smoked two packs of cigarettes for 35 years. I cried for a week after I quit because after the first couple of rough days, I was so damned free and wished I had done it years before.
This is a true statement; nicotine will clear from the body in 48 hours or so without renewal.
This does not mean that the pleasure centers in the brain stop seeking their boost in 48 hours. Indeed, they cry out ever more loudly. Day 3 of a quit attempt is always the hardest for me and the day I most often falter. I am almost -guaranteed- to falter on Day 3 when I go cold turkey.
But so long as you stick to medical facts & your personal experience and stop (just) short of telling the rest of us to accept that we are powerless over our addictions and we need to turn our helplessness over to the Higher Power of Our Understanding, I guess I can't take too much offense at your proselytizing.
How was your weight after quitting? Did you keep the weight off? OP & I (and others on this thread) are curious about cessation & losing weight. Any experiences to share?
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How are our quitters doing?
Been thinking of you.
Turn your helplessness over to the higher power of Yay!s from a groupie! I'm a fan of people who try.
You can do it!0 -
I quit smoking cold turkey 18 days ago, I started exercising 13 days ago and started dieting 10 days ago. It can be done all at the same time and if you're watching what you're eating, it shouldn't affect your weight loss. I experienced rather strong nicotine cravings but I sort of rode them out with cherries and other fruit. However, I did stop smoking last year for four months using nicottine gum and I would really recommend it as it will take the cravings away and you won't think about food as a way to cope with them. I didn't gain any weight then. But, I only used gum when I indeed had a strong craving that I couldn't resist so I basically used 7-8 gums during the first week and then threw them away. I didn't want to prolong the nicottine addiction and wanted to get it over with. This time around, I went cold turkey and felt everything, from absolute rage to crying a river to pride etc. but I knew it was just my hormones which were being messed up. Last craving I had was basically on day 10 and so far so good. The advice I can give you from my experience is - your own mind will insidiously try and trick you in every possible way to have just one more ciggy = ignore it. The first few days will be difficult but it will be difficult now, and if you cave in, then it will be difficult the next time you try to stop. It will always be difficult, so you better just get it over with. It takes a week of persistance, and then everything will be much much easier to deal with. My mistake last time was that, after 4 months, I just wanted a puff.. and then I started smoking again. Good luck and just be stubborn about it. Sorry for the long post 0
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I've quit smoking several times. The most recent was six years ago and I lost weight (approx 40lbs) at the same time. For me, smoking, overeating, and not exercising all went together. After changing those habits I've continued the exercise and haven't smoked, but the overeating got hold of me again, so here I am.
If you really can't face going cold turkey, I always found the nicotine patches were the best for taking the edge off without developing some other undesirable habit.
The most helpful thing for me, though, was the Alan Carr book, The Easy Way to Quit Smoking. It really changed my perspective on the whole habit so I no longer believe I'm depriving myself by not having a cigarette, or missing out on something enjoyable. This time I don't feel I'm using willpower to keep from smoking; I just genuinely don't want to.
I can't imagine myself ever smoking again. If we all found out the world was ending tomorrow I would not want a cigarette.0 -
I am 163 days cigarette free as of today. Yes I am vaping so it does make it easier than cold turkey.
I recommend vaping as you can lower your nicotine.
Based on studies I've read nicotine isn't as addictive as some of the other chemicals in cigarettes...something to think about. Most if not all studies involving nicotine were in conjunction with cigarettes...think about it.
Anyway for those thinking of quitting or trying to and feeling like failures...try vaping...just make sure your "juice" is from North America and from a reputable source. Do not order it online from China or some place like that.
I loved smoking...the social part, the "break" part etc now I have all the emotional aspects of smoking but without the 4000 known chemicals going into my now healthier body.
I even run now....working up to a 5k and guess what ...my lungs can take it.0 -
I went cold turkey on the 29th July 1990. Then I was able to taste food and then I gained weight! I am 67 next month. I have been trying to lose weight since. Now since November last year I have lost 35lbs with MFP!0
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When I quit smoking 4 years ago, my doctor knew it would be a very big struggle for me. When I asked her about potential weight gain, she said, "Let's deal with one thing at a time." Just recently at my physical four years later, she said, "Okay, *now* it's time to deal with the weight issue!" LOL. I joined MFP that same day.
Not saying it's impossible to lose weight and quit smoking simultaneously, *but for me*, it would have overwhelmed my resolve and probably caused me to fail on both counts.
Knowing your weaknesses is your strength. 0 -
How are our quitters doing?
Been thinking of you.
Turn your helplessness over to the higher power of Yay!s from a groupie! I'm a fan of people who try.
You can do it!
You're a peach.
Today is Day 19 (I think, quit date was 5/5). It sucks. I wish I could be one of the positive people, but this quit is no picnic. I realize how much I was actually self-medicating for depression using nicotine. After the first two days and my last post to this thread, I got off the losenges. I have been irritable, sad, enraged, distracted, lost, etc etc etc for 2+ weeks. I feel so bad I am almost ready to go to a doctor, which I generally avoid at -all- costs.
As for the weight, I find it difficult to stay on track. I go to the gym & cannot concentrate on my workouts, so I have been slacking on going. My weight is basically the same, but since there is no loss, I am not putting in a weight on my "progress" chart here. I nibble more and TRY to keep it to carrots or berries, but the evenings and weekends when I am home and bored, I get into breads, cookies, chips or that sort of things and don't log them. I kind of don't care. My husband says that I have to do whatever I have to do to quit smoking. I do NOT want to lose all the work I have done on weight loss, but it is hard to concentrate OR care right now.
How you doing, OP?
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