I'm a cigarette smoker and i want to quit.

btfullerton

try not to judge me if you can, i have recently started being really diligent about teaching myself better habits when it comes to how much i eat, paying attention to when i am hungry or just bored. I have a decent grip on the eating part, i want to quit smoking but i am worried that i may tend to eat more in place of smoking. I've tried to quit before and as much i hate to admit it food has taken the place of a cigarette in the past. I i would like to know some tips as to how to keep my eating on track while i quit.

Rocknut53

I have never been a smoker so I can't give you advice, but just want to wish you good luck on your journey.

btfullerton

Rocknut53 wrote: »

I have never been a smoker so I can't give you advice, but just want to wish you good luck on your journey.

Thank you.

Heather4448

Slowly tapering down worked for me. My mom ate hot cinnamon candies. A friend used prescription antidepressants. The one common thread was that we all had attempted to quit many times before. Hope that helps.

sosteach

I quit smoking cold turkey after a 40 year habit. Your mind is the most powerful tool you have so you make the decision and do it. Drink a lot of water and when the urge get bad take a power walk! good luck.

btfullerton

sosteach wrote: »

I quit smoking cold turkey after a 40 year habit. Your mind is the most powerful tool you have so you make the decision and do it. Drink a lot of water and when the urge get bad take a power walk! good luck.

Thank you. that's a good suggestion.

rdmitch

It's really the perfect time to stop!
Think about it...knowing your watching your intake of calories you will avoid eating instead of
smoking. If you were not dieting it would be easy to substitute food for smokes. But now, you are accountable
to the scale.
When I started MFP I quit smoking the same day figured screw it, I'll go for broke. Used the patch and was able to
quit over a month period. You can do it and the weight will still come off just as easily. And when your done not only will
you weigh less, you will be physically in much better shape and mentally you will feel so good !!

Remember...even 1 puff will put you right back where you were.

jgnatca

Dad's final break from cigarettes I called "The patch and three months of grumpiness."

I know a reformed smoker (pre-patch) who chewed on swizzle sticks to help with the oral fixation.

An advantage smokers have is taking regular breaks to stretch and socialize. So grab your water bottle, stretch and socialize.

rogergoyer

I actually took the plunge today and decided to quit smoking. Not too bad...so far. I'm here if you want to chat.

DaddyDunk91

I quit cold turkey, without any patches etc, first few weeks were hard, the urges were bad especially first thing in the morning as it used to be my thing with a cuppa coffee, now it's replaced with a proper breakfast, my son now enjoys having breakfast with me at the table. Now am back into football training and the summer is here, smoking is the last thing on my mind. I gained weight instally, feels fitter, healthier, can breath so much easily now. My son was main motivation, can run all day, playing etc without feeling out of breath.

There will be struggles and you may cave in but in the long run you will feel so much better. If you keep your diet on track as well as your training, smoking will soon be a distant memory..

Lourdesong

I presume you weren't in a place of being diligent in watching your intake when you tried to quit before?
Seems to me that quitting now when you are in a place where you are already mindful about your intake is a good time.

I quit 3.5 years ago, then a few months later joined MFP and lost 130 lbs (regained some since due to pregnancy last year). I felt so much better after quitting smoking, my mind cleared.

Some people can suppress their appetite with a cigarette, but I loved the feeling of a cigarette after eating, so when I wanted a cigarette I would often eat and then smoke. I also loved the combo of booze and cigarettes and would drink to drunkenness and then drunk eat. All a recipe for getting fat.

I quit cold turkey but my husband quit just with free samples of Chantix from his GP.

Good luck to you. You'll feel much better getting this monkey off your back and putting your cigarette money towards just about Anything else.

Katagara

Vape with nicotine, husband quit cigarettes 4yrs ago then quit vaping 2yrs later. No side effects whatsoever, no mood swings, no weight gain, nothing.

Pupslice

I used those nicotine lozenges, and this sounds silly but I also cut a plastic drinking straw to cigarette size and used that as a substitute for the real thing. It helped. Good luck, I know it's hard to quit!

stylistdeb11

I have been quitting smoking my entire life, just recently gave up the last of it, nicotine lozenges, gained 10 lbs. didn't really gain to much when I gave up the cigarettes 4 years ago. I used Wellbutrin and the patch to quit, which I highly recommend! My husband did not have as hard of a time as I did when he quit, just used a patch for a little while. Nicotine affects your dopamine levels so I think you are really trying to give yourself a dopamine boost with food instead of cigarettes. It took a good 10-12 weeks after lozenges to feel better and I could concentrate on diet. Good luck, if I can do it any one can! Mind you, I was a very addicted smoker, ( I don't think all smokers are the same). Also I have lost 5.5 of the 10 I gained since 5/31 and I feel really good! It will be worth it! Deb

Designer20698

I gave them up 32 years ago and it wasn't easy. Some people can go cold turkey while others can not. You know your habits and addictions better than anyone. If you need some professional help, the American Cancer Society can help you with sensation classes that assists you to help 'wean' you off nicotine. People who quit will usually gain 3-8 pounds because the capillaries (blood vessels) are no longer closed and you are actually getting more nutrition and calories from your food intake. Also, your taste returns and food actually starts to taste good again. Using MFP will help keep you on track with calorie intake, (watch those sugars!) while you try to overcome your dependency on nicotine. And yes, I've taught smoking sensation classes. There are LOTS of ways to taper off without going bonkers. Good luck!

bountyftw

Vape helps I had no side effects loved it stopped the vape after 2 years and only use it on the drinking nights know well worth a try

katricianutting586

I'm a non smoker... But I am a daughter of a stage 2 throat cancer survivor. He lost his voice box but he is in remission for 2 and a half years! Your at a good stage at working to take your life back. Cinnamon candies work well. Gum. A good trip to a local gym, or a buddy! You got this! Your strong, you made the decision to quit! You will do it and you will do it successfully! Good luck!

jgnatca

New studies of dopamine indicate it is the anticipation hormone (not satisfaction). I suspect that the routine of smoking gives a whole bunch of pleasurable anticipation. By killing the old routine without replacing it, I imagine it makes quitting all that much worse.

WickAndArtoo

When I quit smoking I would drink plain black coffee instead of having a cigarette or I would go for a walk with my dog.

Good luck, it's totally doable if you really want it!! I haven't had a cigarette in about 4 years, anytime it crosses my mind I think, why bother killing myself with cancer after working so hard to be healthy, and the craving passes it gets easier every day.

Edit: I quit cold turkey

btfullerton

Thank you all for support.

Urtel

Good luck buddy! You can do it. My quitting was a process. Previous attempts failed because I got irritated when I didn't smoke, I felt nasty and horrible. I then started reading up on everything that smoking does to the body, hormones, the brain and why it's a struggle to quit. Then I read about methods people use to quit, support groups and smoking alternatives. I changed brands to a very light cigarette then reduced the amount smoked per day, then introduced Twisp electronic cigarette with the non nicotine fruity flavors. When I was down to 3 cigarettes a day and Twisp, I quit it all. Twisp also made me cough so I figured it's best to quit that too. Then I gained weight and here I am on MFP trying to overcome the food addiction. I love being a non smoker, no smoke smell lingering around me, I don't need to wash my hair twice a day, no more buying of endless bottles of room freshener sprays and landing up at dentist to fix fillings because of the chewing gum to get rid of my bad breath. I use less perfume and can actually wear scarves etcetera without washing it every time. The best feeling is that I don't panic and stress and just have to get to the shop when I'm down to the last of the packet. The best of quitting only came for me after I stopped thinking about cigarettes daily and that took me at least two years. I however like second hand smoking and being around my smoking friends and that is my warning and reminder that I can never have a cigarette again because although I quit, I am still an addict. I wish you so well! It's the best thing to get rid of the habit!