how to quit smoking and maintain it without gaining weight
galooh
Posts: 10
I'm in this tiring cycle of going off and on smoking. I'll quit smoking for 2 months then I'll be on it again, I'd start with one stick a day and gradually go by a pack a day again,,, then i'll stop for a month, and when work stress overloads, i'll be back on a pack a day again. And when I'm not smoking, my weight would blow up cause I'd just be munching on junk food just to make myself happier for a moment (but we all know that's just gonna kill me in the long run anyways). For those who's been off smoking and maintaining it while losing weight, how do ya'll do it?
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Bump!0
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I quit smoking three years ago, and started grad. school 2 years ago - between these two things, I gained 30 lbs. However, when I quit cold turkey and told myself I could eat whatever I wanted for 1 week to get past the "bad cravings," and then after that I had to go back to eating healthy and exercising. The 'going back to health eating and exercising' never really happened (until now, lol)... so I don't suggest taking this route. Honestly, I probably should've used the patch or gum...
Ultimately, my fiance was a huge support because he quit with me. Also, after quitting I started noticing a difference in my lung retention - I could hike with less shortness of breath, my cardio at the gym got better, etc... this was motivating for me. I started exercising when I was stressed (instead of smoking). I also got addicted to ginger candy chews (2 pieces for 40 cals) - you could use any candy really as long as you log it. Careful with too much sugar free candy or gum though because it'll give you the runs.
Good luck, you can do this!0 -
Hi,
This is a great question, the fear of gaining weight while quitting keeps a lot of ppl smoking even if they would like to give it up.
When quitting any habit/addiction, it's important to understand what that thing does for you. You said you smoke in response to stress, so it clearly helps soothe you in some way. Do you also smoke when you're hungry? After eating? Happy? Sad? Angry? Self-hating? Uncomfortable? Do you smoke when you leave or arrive somewhere? In the car? When you're alone? With friends? Out of boredom? Do you smoke because it's the only way you can get a little 5-minute break?
Once you identify the reasons why you smoke (there could be dozens), you can start to conceive of other ways to meet those needs. If your concern is that you sometimes smoke in order to have something to occupy your hands & mouth, then healthy low-cal snacks are a good replacement. Or let's say you smoke because you need a break - try taking a bottle/glass of water, going to a space where you can be alone, and slowly drinking it, telling yourself that it's your time away from everything. Thinking about each situation, you can create plans for what to do OTHER than snack.
You also might find it helpful to ask yourself WHY you want to quit? What's wrong with continuing to smoke your whole life? You undoubtedly have some very real reasons why you don't want to continue smoking. Try writing all of them down and reflecting on it. This will give your motivation a stronger foundation. You can also tie in losing weight to this type of exercise: why do you want to lose weight? What will change for you if you do? How are your smoking & eating connected?
Since you've noticed that work stress triggers you to start smoking again, you need to do some work to prepare for that stress. What is another, healthier way you could cope? Could you make changes at work to reduce your stress? Is your stress predictable (ie. month end, certain clients, etc.)? Or is it unpredictable? Do you know how to recognize the signs in yourself that you're reaching that point where you'll have a smoke?
My personal coping skill was to do tons of yoga and breathwork. I joined YogaGlo so I could afford to do as many classes as I wanted, at any time. I gave myself the freedom to drop everything and go do a quick yoga practice. This helped when I was itching to have a smoke or cram junk food in my mouth (because you can't do those during yoga.) After the physical exercise, the time-out, and deep breathing of my practice, I usually felt like a new person. Over time, my obsessive yoga dropped off (after about 6 weeks) and by then I had developed healthier habits.
I know this is long, but I really believe quitting smoking is a very personal process and although it's great to hear tips from others, it's most important to get tuned in to what YOU need in order to be successful with your smoking and weight loss goals.
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I quit smoking nine months ago when I switched to an e-cigarette and have now almost finished weaning myself from nicotine. Contrary to popular belief, nicotine is not what makes cigarettes so addicting (nicotine is mildly addictive much like caffeine). There is a tobacco alkaloid present in cigarettes that acts as an MAOI anti-depressant. Couple that with nicotine and you make for a very addictive substance that treats depression and anxiety. The e-cigarette allowed me to get myself off the tobacco alkaloid in a much less painful manner since I was able to maintain the hand-to-mouth and the nicotine. I have easily decreased my nicotine over time and my next step will be zero and I've lost 55 lbs during that time as well. I think it's a great option for people who struggle with cold-turkey and other quit methods (I always swore I would die with a cigarette in my hand! I never knew I was self-medicating my depression with cigarettes.). I wish you much luck with quitting, however you decide to achieve it!0
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Bump...need all the help I can get with this!0
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I've stopped and started so many times I can't count it anymore. I tried this silly hypnosis app that I found for free and listened two times. I have now been smoke free for 3 months which is the longest ever. I don't feel like I'm missing a thing anymore. I haven't lost any weight but I have not gained a single pound either.
I can't say it will work for everyone but if you're willing to quit then give hypnosis a try.0 -
I quit a heavy smoking habit 3 years ago using the medication champix eventually did it for me.
The problem i faced was that each unsuccessful attempt to quite i gained a stone (14lbs) and by the time i actually managed it i was 5 stone heavier.
The most important thing i can advise is that you can allow your self a certain gain, once you've quit you can focus on losing but don't beat yourself up over gaining because it WILL most likely happen. You can help to limit how much you gain with diet and exercise but you will no doubt feel like you're swimming against the tide (well i did). So MAKE THIS TIME COUNT!!
It's ok to gain 15 pounds if it means you manage to quit that's a small price to pay and easily fixable. Just don't make the same mistake I did and do it over and over until you're trying desperate to shed 80lbs and your health is as much at risk as it was when you smoked......0 -
I quit smoking three years ago, and started grad. school 2 years ago - between these two things, I gained 30 lbs. However, when I quit cold turkey and told myself I could eat whatever I wanted for 1 week to get past the "bad cravings," and then after that I had to go back to eating healthy and exercising. The 'going back to health eating and exercising' never really happened (until now, lol)... so I don't suggest taking this route. Honestly, I probably should've used the patch or gum...
Ultimately, my fiance was a huge support because he quit with me. Also, after quitting I started noticing a difference in my lung retention - I could hike with less shortness of breath, my cardio at the gym got better, etc... this was motivating for me. I started exercising when I was stressed (instead of smoking). I also got addicted to ginger candy chews (2 pieces for 40 cals) - you could use any candy really as long as you log it. Careful with too much sugar free candy or gum though because it'll give you the runs.
Good luck, you can do this!
Candy is not working for me unfortunately. I'd finish 2 packs of tic tacs a day and I know its not good for my teeth, I can feel it already
I just started joining the gym this week, been going there every day but in the end of the day I'd treat myself a ciggie (i know right like wth). So I guess exercising won't help me get through the stressful times. BUT I did realize that I'd be out of breath easily on the treadmill compared to others around me. Others would sprint, I'd just be power walking for an hour cause when I tried sprinting i just couldnt take it, I was just gasping for air. I always thought it's cause I'm trying to lift up my gigantic thighs constantly in a fast pace, but i didnt really consider smoking as another factor for me to not sprint. I guess if I quit smoking i could've burn more calories by sprinting. And probably it'll help me walk up the stairs to my office without crawling halfway. Well now I got one motivation for me to quit. Thanks for sharing and the support
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I had to quit due to asthma. A pack a day wasn't good. I did that D method. Deep breath,delay,drink water,distract yourself. Didn't work for me. Lol.
I bought a packet of lollipops. Every time I wanted to smoke I had one. Needless to say I don't recommend this. I was hyper and I felt terrible for my teeth. I tried patches and pills. The patches made itch and the pills gave me seriously vivid dreams. Fortunately for me,the lollipops work.
Good luck!!! Quitting is so hard. Especially around other smokers( not to mention while having beers) figure out hat works for you. I wish you all the best 0 -
Hi,
This is a great question, the fear of gaining weight while quitting keeps a lot of ppl smoking even if they would like to give it up.
When quitting any habit/addiction, it's important to understand what that thing does for you. You said you smoke in response to stress, so it clearly helps soothe you in some way. Do you also smoke when you're hungry? After eating? Happy? Sad? Angry? Self-hating? Uncomfortable? Do you smoke when you leave or arrive somewhere? In the car? When you're alone? With friends? Out of boredom? Do you smoke because it's the only way you can get a little 5-minute break?
Once you identify the reasons why you smoke (there could be dozens), you can start to conceive of other ways to meet those needs. If your concern is that you sometimes smoke in order to have something to occupy your hands & mouth, then healthy low-cal snacks are a good replacement. Or let's say you smoke because you need a break - try taking a bottle/glass of water, going to a space where you can be alone, and slowly drinking it, telling yourself that it's your time away from everything. Thinking about each situation, you can create plans for what to do OTHER than snack.
You also might find it helpful to ask yourself WHY you want to quit? What's wrong with continuing to smoke your whole life? You undoubtedly have some very real reasons why you don't want to continue smoking. Try writing all of them down and reflecting on it. This will give your motivation a stronger foundation. You can also tie in losing weight to this type of exercise: why do you want to lose weight? What will change for you if you do? How are your smoking & eating connected?
Since you've noticed that work stress triggers you to start smoking again, you need to do some work to prepare for that stress. What is another, healthier way you could cope? Could you make changes at work to reduce your stress? Is your stress predictable (ie. month end, certain clients, etc.)? Or is it unpredictable? Do you know how to recognize the signs in yourself that you're reaching that point where you'll have a smoke?
My personal coping skill was to do tons of yoga and breathwork. I joined YogaGlo so I could afford to do as many classes as I wanted, at any time. I gave myself the freedom to drop everything and go do a quick yoga practice. This helped when I was itching to have a smoke or cram junk food in my mouth (because you can't do those during yoga.) After the physical exercise, the time-out, and deep breathing of my practice, I usually felt like a new person. Over time, my obsessive yoga dropped off (after about 6 weeks) and by then I had developed healthier habits.
I know this is long, but I really believe quitting smoking is a very personal process and although it's great to hear tips from others, it's most important to get tuned in to what YOU need in order to be successful with your smoking and weight loss goals.
I used to smoke anytime, anywhere in many situations (happy, angry, before a meal, after meal, in the car, etc.) but I've cut that down already. So now I see myself smoking when work gets to my head, I'll also still smoke when I'm having a beer, and also when I'm ('scuse me) taking a crap. But I just feel that smoking is bad for me and I know it, but no amount of warning signs would stop me from smoking, not sure why. And when I try to stop smoking, I'd grab a chunky kitkat and stuff it in my mouth and that's still not good.
Well so far I got one motivation to get me going,which is to build up my stamina.
But I feel that I need more reasons than that as well, especially when I'm stuck in the office late at night and my eyes has been staring at the computer screen for hours and a ciggie and my chunky kit kat bar would be my only best comfort mates. The work stress level in where I work is unpredictable and clearly I cannot change that cause some people are just egomaniacs here. And apparently I bloat like crazy, especially during pms, I'd eat a lot and smoke a lot.
I guess this quitting process can be different for every indivual, as in my case I guess it's something I just need to try harder to get through but eventually will be there (hopefully). I might pick up yoga tho. I've done it before when I was still studying my degree, but I had a lot of free time back then. But I guess I'll try to spare some extra time for yoga after the gym.
Thanks a lot for sharing your tips and directions. Really do appreciate it 0 -
I quit smoking nine months ago when I switched to an e-cigarette and have now almost finished weaning myself from nicotine. Contrary to popular belief, nicotine is not what makes cigarettes so addicting (nicotine is mildly addictive much like caffeine). There is a tobacco alkaloid present in cigarettes that acts as an MAOI anti-depressant. Couple that with nicotine and you make for a very addictive substance that treats depression and anxiety. The e-cigarette allowed me to get myself off the tobacco alkaloid in a much less painful manner since I was able to maintain the hand-to-mouth and the nicotine. I have easily decreased my nicotine over time and my next step will be zero and I've lost 55 lbs during that time as well. I think it's a great option for people who struggle with cold-turkey and other quit methods (I always swore I would die with a cigarette in my hand! I never knew I was self-medicating my depression with cigarettes.). I wish you much luck with quitting, however you decide to achieve it!
So you've been on those e-cigarettes? is that the same as vapor cigs where you can change flavor and charge them to work? I've been quite skeptical towards those products, whether it'll be safe or not. Then again a real cigarette would also kill right. :P So I guess the e-cigs clearly worked for your case (which is great!). But how's your breathing? Cause your inhaling somthing that's generated electronically (am i saying this right?). Would like to know more. Thanks for the info and the support 0 -
I've stopped and started so many times I can't count it anymore. I tried this silly hypnosis app that I found for free and listened two times. I have now been smoke free for 3 months which is the longest ever. I don't feel like I'm missing a thing anymore. I haven't lost any weight but I have not gained a single pound either.
I can't say it will work for everyone but if you're willing to quit then give hypnosis a try.
a hypnosis app to stop smoking? cool, I'd like to give it a try. what's the app called?0 -
I quit a heavy smoking habit 3 years ago using the medication champix eventually did it for me.
The problem i faced was that each unsuccessful attempt to quite i gained a stone (14lbs) and by the time i actually managed it i was 5 stone heavier.
The most important thing i can advise is that you can allow your self a certain gain, once you've quit you can focus on losing but don't beat yourself up over gaining because it WILL most likely happen. You can help to limit how much you gain with diet and exercise but you will no doubt feel like you're swimming against the tide (well i did). So MAKE THIS TIME COUNT!!
It's ok to gain 15 pounds if it means you manage to quit that's a small price to pay and easily fixable. Just don't make the same mistake I did and do it over and over until you're trying desperate to shed 80lbs and your health is as much at risk as it was when you smoked......
Well i dunno if I can get this medication champix here where I'm at but still, thanks for the advice. I'll keep your words in mind.
Cheers 0 -
I quit smoking a month ago and I'm not looking back. I read a book called easy way by Allen Carr. Remember that nicotine leaves the body after just 2-4 days. After that it's all in your head. After my third week of quitting I stopped having urges. Gaining weight when quitting is a myth. The fact of the matter is you should be more healthy and active, now that you quit. Get out and exercise. Celebrate the fact that you quit and test your new found lung power.0
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gaining when quitting is not a myth - stopping smoking can drop your TDEE.
you will need to watch the scale and drop your calories accordingly.
your TDEE will drop due to your heart rate being lower, as after your smoke you heart rate kick off big time, which is how smoking gives you heart disease cause u wear it out.0 -
I had to quit due to asthma. A pack a day wasn't good. I did that D method. Deep breath,delay,drink water,distract yourself. Didn't work for me. Lol.
I bought a packet of lollipops. Every time I wanted to smoke I had one. Needless to say I don't recommend this. I was hyper and I felt terrible for my teeth. I tried patches and pills. The patches made itch and the pills gave me seriously vivid dreams. Fortunately for me,the lollipops work.
Good luck!!! Quitting is so hard. Especially around other smokers( not to mention while having beers) figure out hat works for you. I wish you all the best
Lollipops ey? the only time I take lollipops are when I'm at a rave :P But I guess I can try it out. And for the pills, what pills were you taking cause I've been trying to lucid dream this whole month, haha.
Yea quitting smoking is difficult especially when you're surrounded by other smokers. but hey thanks for sharing and thanks for the support. Take care of yourself yea..0 -
I quit smoking a month ago and I'm not looking back. I read a book called easy way by Allen Carr. Remember that nicotine leaves the body after just 2-4 days. After that it's all in your head. After my third week of quitting I stopped having urges. Gaining weight when quitting is a myth. The fact of the matter is you should be more healthy and active, now that you quit. Get out and exercise. Celebrate the fact that you quit and test your new found lung power.
Nicotine leaves the body after 2-4days? never knew that. but ok I'll try to check out the book you've mentioned. Thanks for the info 0 -
So you've been on those e-cigarettes? is that the same as vapor cigs where you can change flavor and charge them to work? I've been quite skeptical towards those products, whether it'll be safe or not. Then again a real cigarette would also kill right. :P So I guess the e-cigs clearly worked for your case (which is great!). But how's your breathing? Cause your inhaling somthing that's generated electronically (am i saying this right?). Would like to know more. Thanks for the info and the support
My smoker's cough was gone within three weeks of switching, my breathing and oxygen level is normal again, and I didn't get bronchitis for the first winter in ten years (I smoked a pack a day plus for 13 years). The ingredients in e-cig liquid are Propylene Glycol (used in asthma inhalers, medical breathing treatments, and hospital ventilation systems because of its antibacterial properties), vegetable glycerine (which is safe to consume), nicotine, and food grade flavorings. You're basically inhaling a vaporized mixture of these ingredients. There's a battery which heats a coil and creates the vapor. If you want to read more about e-cigs, their safety and use (as well as a ton of success stories), google "e cigarette forum." It's a huge forum with many helpful people and a ton of info and updates on the latest studies and safety.0 -
I just quit smoking in June of last year after smoking for 35 years. I shared the same fears of gaining weight that you do and those fears had sabotaged every other effort to quit prior.
What was different this time is I found My Fitness Pal and about 6 weeks prior to quitting smoking I recorded everything I put in my mouth and kept my calorie intake to 1200. I also started exercising, which for me was a joke. My stamina was nil but I continued to push forward a bit at a time. I wallowed the first time I walked a 1/4 mile and back When I finally chose my quit date I was about 12 pounds down. At first I did not limit my calorie intake but I continued to record everything I ate and I pushed ahead with exercising.
Today, nearly a year later, I am still 10 pounds down from my starting weight when I quit. I exercise 4 or 5 times a week and I still use My Fitness Pal. AND...I feel a thousand times better! LOL You can do it too with desire and determination.
Good luck to you!0 -
I switched to the ego-t electronic cigarette and haven't had a real cigarette in 2 years. My main thing was just to get away from all the harmful carcinogens in the real cigarettes more than actually quitting. However they have levels of the juice you put in the ecigs that you can use to ween yourself off of the nicotine much like the gum or the patch (with out the side effects - i got extremely sick on both of those when i tried to quit). You may want to give that a try and see if it works for you. I was an avid 2 pack a day smoker for 10+ years and switched to this like it was nothing. My husband finally switched over this year in January and hasn't had a cigarette since either.0
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So you've been on those e-cigarettes? is that the same as vapor cigs where you can change flavor and charge them to work? I've been quite skeptical towards those products, whether it'll be safe or not. Then again a real cigarette would also kill right. :P So I guess the e-cigs clearly worked for your case (which is great!). But how's your breathing? Cause your inhaling somthing that's generated electronically (am i saying this right?). Would like to know more. Thanks for the info and the support
Yes, You can choose your flavors. I used to smoke menthol cigarettes but I've just found a new flavor that i absolutely LOVE. It sounds horrible but tastes simply amazing. Atomic menthol. It's a mix between atomic fireball and menthol. As for the breathing I have asthma really badly or did when I smoked. Used to have to use my inhaler quite a lot back when I was smoking 2 packs a day. Now I only seem to have to use it when i'm sick with a respiratory infection. I can hop on the treadmill and walk/jog or exercise with out problems as long as i don't over-do it with no problems. I love my e-cig it has helped me get my life back while I still have my nicotine when i need it. Plus as an added bonus I can still "smoke" indoors LOL. If you want any info on the e-cig i use just shoot me a msg on here and i'll give you any of the info i have on the one i use. I tried quite a few before i found the one that works for me. Everyone is different and what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. But I was a heavy smoker and the one I have works great for both me and my husband.0 -
I quit 6 years ago using Chantix. Best decision I've EVER made. It was much easier than I anticipated it to be. I was very ready to quit, so I'm sure that was the key. I actually only took the Chantix for 2 weeks, and I've never had the desire to smoke since then. I actually barely even remember being a smoker, which seems weird, but maybe that's because of how the medicine works - it blocks the receptors in your brain that makes smoking pleasurable. I gained about 9 pounds, but 9 pounds I can take off. I can't add life back onto my years that I was was taking off as I kept smoking. Now I weigh less than I did then, my lung capacity is better, I feel better, and I waste a whole lot less $$! 0
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Before you take any advice from e-cig people, remember they are still drug addicts. They still suffer the negative effects of nicotine and are much more likely to start smoking real cigarettes again. Set yourself free of the drug entirely, its not hard.0
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I just quit smoking in June of last year after smoking for 35 years. I shared the same fears of gaining weight that you do and those fears had sabotaged every other effort to quit prior.
What was different this time is I found My Fitness Pal and about 6 weeks prior to quitting smoking I recorded everything I put in my mouth and kept my calorie intake to 1200. I also started exercising, which for me was a joke. My stamina was nil but I continued to push forward a bit at a time. I wallowed the first time I walked a 1/4 mile and back When I finally chose my quit date I was about 12 pounds down. At first I did not limit my calorie intake but I continued to record everything I ate and I pushed ahead with exercising.
Today, nearly a year later, I am still 10 pounds down from my starting weight when I quit. I exercise 4 or 5 times a week and I still use My Fitness Pal. AND...I feel a thousand times better! LOL You can do it too with desire and determination.
Good luck to you!
I had smoked for 19 years. I, too, used the "weight gain" excuse as one of my rationalizations against breaking the habit. What helped me was I started logging in a notebook (pre-MFP, early Internet days.) what I was putting in my mouth. Also, I wrote down trigger incidents which would have me smoking more - going out to drink, living with a smoker, stressful work situations, being hungry, having an argument, etc. - and the moments when I would just reach for a cig without any external influences - watching TV, reading, hanging around the house, etc. and all the nonsense excuses for why I wouldn't give it up.
Next educated myself about smoking, the biochemical effects on the body and the brain.
Once those were in place, I established "rules" and "permitted places" for smoking - smoke outdoors regardless of the weather, everyone has to smoke outside at my place, don't have a roommate who is a smoker, drink non-alcoholic drinks at bars/clubs/functions, don't roll your own cigarettes, smoke at work during morning and afternoon breaks only, no substitutional tobacco (chew, snuff, etc.) e.g. - lessened the frequency of smoking. I was eating the same amount but smoking less. At this time I gave up using motorized transport to get to work and became a bike commuter. (No more standing around smoking waiting for the bus...)
Finally, after whittling a pack/day down to 3 a day, going total cold turkey was easy. Breaks at work meant a walk around the block to the local coffee place, I was able to start drinking in social situations without craving the cigarettes, didn't have to stand in freezing rain anymore, no more stained fingers, nails and teeth. The house didn't have that yellowish dinge on the walls, windows and furniture.
Earlier cold turkey attempts failed within 2 days typically.
It took about 2 years to break it completely.
As a earlier poster had said, there is a drop in TDEE. Whenever one smokes, one of the biochemical responses is a shot of adrenaline. Adrenaline increases metabolism across the board and it is also why cigarettes can be habit forming. The higher adrenaline level becomes the "norm" for the body. Going cold turkey without first minimizing the frequency and dosage level can be very rough and the body attempts to restore that "normal" feeling by going to caffeine, sugars, starches, and other energy burst items to compensate.
Basically, you are trying to wean yourself off needing higher levels adrenaline and dopamine to function. The body will try to fill that gap with substances that can satisfy both the sustained flood of sugar in the blood stream (adrenaline) and the pleasure gained from smoking (dopamine.) More than likely food as a solution. Exercise can handle the dopamine side and re-align the blood sugar to a more effective use. Something cardio, initially, to help heal and rebuild the lungs and circulatory system might be best.
My advice is to be forgiving to yourself for your relapses but persevere on attaining fitness. You will make your larger goals by setting and achieving smaller goals as milestones. Make stopping smoking as your first larger goal, by using a log like MFP and exercise as a leverage to break the habit, and next, seek where and how you can disrupt the routine of smoking. Then, once the smoking habit has been satisfactorily minimized or broken, next concentrate on improving the diet while continuing to exercise. Worrying about both will be not only confusing but also distracting and ultimately, disappointing and disheartening. It is ultimately about attaining fit-ness. Sometimes the journey is a bit more roundabout than a straight line.
Disrupting the routine and ease of smoking had been a major key to breaking the habit.
Being aware of trigger situations, particularly moments of high stress like job loss, loss of a relationship, death, helped lessen the number of times when I would relapse, and when I did, got me back to not smoking quickly and easily. I would say hypnosis and reading supportive materials can help make you an un-smoker but you might find the unexpected, unwanted, life moment has you reaching for cigarettes to help you through troubling times. And then all that work might seem for nothing, like I did. (Don't give too much power to that form of negative thinking.)
On a last personal note, by using the log, it made me realize "the why" of my smoking habit which helped me truly overcome it. I haven't craved or touched a cigarette for over 12 years now. And, I expect, I never will for the rest of my life no matter what comes my way in life, good or ill.
I wish you the best of luck!0 -
You may not be able to. The stress and withdrawals of quitting smoking are terrible, as I'm sure you know. It may just be too much trauma on your body to quit smoking AND lose weight at the same time. You might be setting your quitting goal up for failure.
I would actually not worry about weight gain at this point. You are brave and strong enough to want to quit smoking, so focus on that. Once you've tackled that dragon, then worry about weight loss. If I had to choose between being a healthy-weighted smoker, or a chubby non-smoker, you bet your life I'd choose chubby non-smoker. Fortunately, you don't have to be either/or, at least not for very long. Put one goal at a time, I think you'll have more success with both of them if you don't do them concurrently.
Good luck. And congratulations on wanting to quit!0 -
I have had the same off again on again issues with smoking and booze. The time I was most successful I
-1- made the decision to quit then proceeded to the bar, I picked up a 6 pack and a pack of cigs.
-2-upon arrival at home I cracked the bottle of wine I had in in the fridge
-3- while smoking my cigs and drinking my wine and beer I wrote a list of why I smoke and drink and why I love it. On the other side of the paper I wrote all the reasons I shouldn't smoke and drink and why I hate it!
-4- I smoked plenty of cigs, polished off that bottle of wine and 6 pack.
-5- when I was ready for bed (more like ready to pass out) I savored the last beer and enjoyed my last cig ( the rest of the cigs went into the toilet )
-6- I woke up at the butt crack of dawn made a veggie and protien packed breakfast and went for a terribly winded run.
To avoid temptation for the next few days I
1- began running (more like a slow winded jog)
2- cleaned my house from top to bottom- scrubbibg every nook and crannie ( the house was not dirty to begin with but I had to stay busy) I even painted the foyer
3-exercised on my breaks at work
4-ate extremely healthy
5-when I was not exercising or running around like a maniac I was passed out.
6-I also avoided friends who smoke or drink for the first month or 2
I was crazy for about a month but it lasted 2 years0 -
the quitting lasted 2 years not the crazy:bigsmile: and I lost weight0
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Before you take any advice from e-cig people, remember they are still drug addicts. They still suffer the negative effects of nicotine and are much more likely to start smoking real cigarettes again. Set yourself free of the drug entirely, its not hard.
Wow, what a ridiculous thing to say, especially considering both of us who brought up e-cigs specifically mentioned weaning yourself from the nicotine over time (much like someone using the patch or gum).0 -
i wouldnt recommend the e-cigs to anyone, theyre currently undergoing testing... i used chewing nicorette gum previously to quit and after a few days i then swapped them for normal chewing gum.. alot of it is to do with habbit. i was curious myself about quitting smoking causing weight gain because of the effect it has on your heart rate etc.. ive been reassured it wont happen, fingers crossed and good luck.0
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It's not ridiculous at all, let me explain. Nicotine leaves your system between 2-4 days. It leaves very quickly so there is no need to ween yourself off of it. The addiction pangs are very mild compared to most drugs, coffee is much worse. Maybe the e-cig helped you quit, but I would argue that you quit despite the e-cig.0
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