Quitting Smoking While Losing Weigt

snickerscharlie

Ms_LisaKay wrote: »

Orphia wrote: »

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.

You're at that awful point where the 'novelty' of not smoking has worn off, and now you're just grinding through the reality of it. I've been there and I know how tough it is!

By all means, go see your doctor! Do whatever it takes to keep on going. There's no shame in it.

thereshegoesagain

atypicalsmith wrote: »

whyquit.com helped me quit cold turkey, which is the only way to do it and not start smoking again. I've know very few people who successfully quit by using a nicotine replacement product. It's like telling an alcoholic to drink beer instead of vodka. The important thing is making the decision to quit. Once you've done that, it's easy. And yes, you will have LOTS of energy!

I smoked for over 30 years and when I quit 9 years ago, I also went to whyquit.com Some days I would go to the sight several times for support and education. It was an invaluable tool for me.

Orphia

Ms_LisaKay wrote: »

Orphia wrote: »

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?

My sympathies. Day 19... that's brilliant! Happy to hear that.

Quitting smoking is very psychological. I geared myself up to thinking it would be so hard, when I finally quit it was easier than I thought it was going to be!

Since you're at half-way to your weight goal, maybe for psychology's sake, set MFP to maintenance mode for a few months?

That would ease the stress of quitting smoking and losing weight at the same time.

dmiivanov

Oh, I've done the same, and it's totally possible to lose weight and quit at the same time! Now quitting smoking does impacts hormones at some level but if you're active aerobiacally and also start lifting (but not overtraining!) then it'll quickly balance 'em out and really soon it'll feel way better than when you were smoking! Good luck, awesome choice!

gulogulo2014

I quit about 16 days ago with the use of vape. The first three days were pure hell but now I'm fine. I do enjoy my blueberry flavored vape pen though. Running has gotten a hell of a lot easier and I don't wake up having to clear my throat every morning. I have saved over 85.00 since then as well. Amazing when you think about it

Ms_LisaKay

Orphia wrote: »

Quitting smoking is very psychological. I geared myself up to thinking it would be so hard, when I finally quit it was easier than I thought it was going to be!

Since you're at half-way to your weight goal, maybe for psychology's sake, set MFP to maintenance mode for a few months?

That would ease the stress of quitting smoking and losing weight at the same time.

Your support is so awesome. I don't know if I will actually change my settings here, but in a way, I am -thinking- in maintenance mode. I figure if I keep those cals to 1700, 1800 a day even if that goes "red" on my diary, watching what happens will help me learn more about what maintenance will mean later.

I think a crucial thing is going to be -staying honest- with my logging. I really resented logging at first, but it has become such a valuable tool for me that I think it will be important to keep it up even on the bad days. I feel even worse when I don't log.

Yesterday I went for a bike ride with my son. Growing up, I loved riding my bike. I bought a cheap bike a few years ago & tried riding, but I literally felt like I might give myself a heart attack after just a short pedal, so I hung the bike up and let it rust. Yesterday, I rode a goodly distance (for me, probably a mile or two in total) and didn't even feel winded. My 15 year old computer game addict son was huffing and panting the whole way. Even 19 smoke-free days gave that joy back to me. It was a real milestone. Maybe a short bike ride is nothing to many, but it was a HUGE win for me. It was something I can really hang my hat on, something I KNOW that smoking was holding me back from that I have reclaimed.

If I keep on track with my weightloss too, maybe my butt will be less sore on the next rides! ;D

PopeyeCT

I quit 4 yrs ago. After trying many different times, I finally used Chantix and it worked.

Part of it was that Chantix wasn't covered on my insurance. When I went to the pharmacy and they said $200 I said keep it. But then I thought about it and I was spending that much a month on cigarettes, so I bought it. I'm still not sure if it was the medication or the motivation that I had just spend $200 and didn't want it to be a wasted effort.

I kept lots of life savers and lemon drops around.

Brans34

I quit in October. One day, I just didn't wanta cigarette. They were sitting outside, and I thought I was going to go smoke....it was habit. Wake up, go pee, go smoke. I was about to go outside to light up, then thought, why am I doing that? I don't even really want a cigarette. They make your hands, breath, hair, clothes, and everything else stink. They make you wake up in the morning coughing up a lung! And they are a HUGE drain on the wallet! I decided I wanted to get a healthy me back. I couldn't walk up the stairs carting a basket of laundry without sitting down to catch my breath for 5 minutes before I could even start folding and hanging. My worst part was the first 3 days. Then, I figured, I made it 3 days, obviously I didn't need one, in just needed to find something to take up the time. In mid February, I got a gym membership and started going every day. Now, it's been 7 1/2 months, and I can't imagine why I ever smoked in the first place! I can now run for 3-3.5 miles straight, and be good as new 5 minutes later, and up for another mile or so. And I had NEVER been a runner before. I feel amazing!
Best wishes!

Orphia

I'm loving these quitting stories! You guys are doing well!

Ms_LisaKay wrote: »

Your support is so awesome. I don't know if I will actually change my settings here, but in a way, I am -thinking- in maintenance mode. I figure if I keep those cals to 1700, 1800 a day even if that goes "red" on my diary, watching what happens will help me learn more about what maintenance will mean later.

I think a crucial thing is going to be -staying honest- with my logging. I really resented logging at first, but it has become such a valuable tool for me that I think it will be important to keep it up even on the bad days. I feel even worse when I don't log.

That sounds like a plan! That, and more bike rides. Very good to hear!