Advice: weight loss and cessation of smoking.

s_rivera_92

Hello, I have been on and off MFP for years. This is my first post. I have been struggling with my weight for many years. My junior year of high school, I got up to 175lbs after being roughly 148lb for much of my adolescence. I began counting calories and exercising 6x a week and ended my senior year at 118lbs in 2010 (18yo). I am currently 188.6lbs(27yo). I ballooned up to 200lbs in September. Did keto for a month and dropped to 191.6lb. I stopped and then I maintained 191.6lb until last week. I didn't count calories or exercise. Last week, I began consuming roughly 1,200 calories per day and doing between 45-60 minutes of cardio 5x and have lost a few pounds. My goal is to loose 1.5-2lbs a week until I reach 130lb (hopefully in 9 months). I want to incorporate strength training in as well. I am fairly sedentary during the work day, but am lucky to be able to fit in an exercise daily. Is 1,200 too low? Should I be obsessing over not meeting nutrients such as iron and potassium if I'm reaching everything else? What would your top recommendations be?

Also... in the title I mention smoking... I've been smoking since 2011 and have gone up to 1 1/2 packs a day. I desperately need to quit. I honestly think that cold Turkey may be the only way I can accomplish this task, however, am nervous considering that i am starting a new work out routine and changing my diet as well. Would you consider it better to cut down as I adjust to more physical activity, or am I subconsciously making an excuse to continue this horrible habit?

jgchaco47

Dear Stefa, Ditto Ditto. Ditto. However, forget weight loss, cardio, strength training whatever, and GET OFF THE SMOKES. And yes you will probably gain some weight, but smoking is exponentially more dangerous than the extra weight you are currently carrying. Quit cold turkey. Nicotine is highly addictive and there’s no “stepping down” or “gradual cutbacks” with addiction, and many say it’s the worst addiction and by many I mean recovering alcoholics and drug addicts. And you’re gonna support and lots of it. I joined a certain kind of support for quitting smoking that you’re not supposed to talk about publicly 😊 but they have voice meetings several times a day on an app called Paltalk. Listen Stefa, I was a 30-year 2 pack a day smoker. I quit cold turkey in 2010 and haven’t had a smoke since. I gained over 30 pounds and that was really hard because even in my forties people told me I looked like a model. But, for a while, you just have to give up on vanity. The last couple of years I lost over 42 pounds without even trying. And, by the way, I am definitely NOT discouraging exercise. In fact, it can really help, especially getting outside and walking or running. Sorry to go on and on, but I have just soooo been where you are, except you’re addressing it young, which is wonderful! I have no idea how to interact privately on this app, so if you have any questions for me or thoughts, just comment on my comment. And good luck 👍

lgfrie

You already know the answer to your question about smoking; you just have to be brave and quit. No, you should not "cut down"; you should quit. 100 %. No more nicotine, ever, period. Not starting next week or after January 1. Now. Today. When your target date arrives you'll just push it out a little further. As you already know. As everyone knows. There is always, always, always an excuse to smoke a little longer, and you'll find one, just like everyone else does. Just water down all the rest of your cigarettes and throw them out and be done with it.

I'm not coming at this from some judgmental, holier-than-thou perspective. I smoked for 20+ years, pack a day (or more, to be honest). Quitting was the hardest thing I ever did in my life, by orders of magnitude. I totally get it. The craving for nicotine is insidious, and it manipulates your conscious mind into twisting itself into a pretzel to "explain" why you should have some more nicotine. A common explanation the nicotine-craving conscious mind comes up with is "Maybe it'd be better if I reduced in stages, while also pursuing these other life goals..." That's the brain telling itself that it's not only OK but actually beneficial to continue smoking, because in the long run it'll lead to achievement of different, worthy goals, including, ironically enough, not smoking anymore. Your plan will end up being to stop smoking by continuing to smoke. See the problem? That's not you thinking clearly. That's nicotine manipulating your thoughts. That's your brain making excuses for you to engage in a behavior that will give you a heart attack or stroke because it craves that stupid chemical more than life.

In reality, all that's really happening when you try to quit in stages is that you'll have failed to quit smoking. And by the way, while continuing to smoke but also cutting down a little, you'll be constantly overeating to compensate. So you'll probably end up in the worst of all worlds: being a smoker who's packing on weight. Millions have been there, I've been there.

I highly, highly, highly suggest reading Allen Carr's book "The Easy Way To Quit Smoking". In it he explains why cold turkey is the way to do it, and why continuing to smoke "a little" makes everything 1000x harder and more likely to fail. People read his book and flat-out quit that hour, forever. I read it after I quit so I can't say for sure if that is realistic, but that's what many people say. Go check out what people have to say in the Amazon reviews about that book.

It takes around 72 hours to beat the physical addiction to nicotine. Those will be some of the worst three days you can imagine, but it's only three days. After three days the physical addiction is basically over, and then there's a miserable month of emotional/habitual craving. After a month, anyone can do this, though many do relapse. As with weight, a lifetime of diligence and determination will be needed, but the intense craving is really only a few days.

Be kind with yourself about the weight, in the meantime. You are going to gain some weight when you quit. It's virtually impossible not to. Buy some strong mints like Altoids or my favorite, Newman's Own. They really help not only with masking the craving, but also controlling the weight gain. You can probably come pretty close to breaking even that first month with your weight if you have a large enough supply of mints on hand. You might get a cavity or two. But don't expect or plan to lose 10 pounds that month. If you get out of this without gaining more than 10 pounds, that will be a major success, but is doable.

Just quit. Pull the band aid off. Get it over with. And then you can get on with your life, including taking control of your weight. Don't waste ten years half doing it and relapsing and ballooning in weight like I did. That is not a good plan.

Hollis100

stefa_roth wrote: »

Also... in the title I mention smoking... I've been smoking since 2011 and have gone up to 1 1/2 packs a day. I desperately need to quit. I honestly think that cold Turkey may be the only way I can accomplish this task, however, am nervous considering that i am starting a new work out routine and changing my diet as well. Would you consider it better to cut down as I adjust to more physical activity, or am I subconsciously making an excuse to continue this horrible habit?

Congrats on your decisions to improve your health. Best decisions you'll ever make.

I quit smoking many years ago. I quit cold turkey, but then signed up for a 6-week stop smoking class because I knew I would probably start again without support. They helped us to think like a nonsmoker. The class was important to ending my addiction.

Many hospitals have free stop-smoking classes. You might look for one.

If I were you, I would stop smoking, find a support class, do what exercise I could -- which also will give you something to do while you quit, and most of all be kind to yourself while you go through these changes. I wish you much success. You can do it.

ElizabethKalmbach

Quitting smoking is tough, though I found the fidget/habit much harder to break than the nicotine addiction. I found that knitting and folding little origami animals gave me the focal points I needed to avoid eye contact with people, which was more or less why I'd been smoking in the first place. (Social anxiety.) I think having a direct substitution behavior in place might help, and if it's a healthy/productive one - all the better.

As the above people mentioned, I think that giving up the smokes will be the most important thing you do on your list of planned actions. After that, focus on learning about healthy, sustainable weight loss and fixing your eating habits over time. Quitting smoking cold turkey is fine, but crash dieting is significantly less helpful or sustainable.

lillyy23

quitting is hard, what you have to do is get a project or activity that will occupy your mind so that you dont go out for a smoke to throw out the garbage or smoke before dinner, or while waiting for the bus, etc. all those things you do normally but give yourself a filler time for smoke, keep yourself busy so you dont have those extra few mins in between to smoke.. and ABSOLUTELY my number one tip i know this may be hard but you need to be BY YOURSELF. At least until you can trust yourself enough with other people and BE HONEST with yourself. If you know theres gonna be a situation, (like drinks and smoking go hand in hand..) then just say NO. be nice dont need to be rude but just try to avoid your friends or family, sounds awful but it works.. and theres apps out there which help you can talk to other people struggling all this..

i am telling you right now... smoking while your working out feels awful and the whole effects of working out dont feel that good when your gonna smoke right after...and it sounds to me like you keep bouncing back and forth you need to focus on one thing at a time.. if you want to do KETO, then do KETO... if you want to eat clean then just eat clean but stick to it... consistency is most important.. (i really suck with this haha)

1200 calories is too low... look.. everyone is different, so you need to find a calculator .. but generally 1200 is kinda low to start... you want to start with more calories bc eventually you will plateau and then you cant go lower safely... you know what i mean... ? you should do weight training definitely because eventually when you lose all the fat off your body, (muscle burns fat!) so if you burn all the fat then, after your skin will be tighter

amy19355

I can tell you how I quite smoking tobacco and maybe it will work for you.
It was basically a kind a self-hypnosis that worked like this:
1. visualize one of those devices used to smoke meats.
2. when you lie down to go to sleep tonight, repeat the following sentence: I am not a smoker.
3. repeat that sentence continuously, aloud at first, then in your head as you start to drift off.
4. be emphatic in your repetitions, and keep that visual in your mind - you are NOT a smoker. you are a human being with lungs that can process oxygen to support life.

I woke up the next morning and the first thought was "i am not a smoker".
I kept repeating that over and over throughout the first day. Halfway thru that first day, a customer at work ticked me off and I went in search of cigarette to bum. Two drags and my mantra kicked in "i am not a smoker" and my taste buds heard the message as well. Blech, gross, what a nasty taste.....into the trash.

that was 22 years ago.

i have a friend who got on the treadmill every time she wanted a smoke, and that's how she quit the habit.

good luck to you!

s_rivera_92

Thank you everyone for your words and for your support!! I will go cold turkey and suck it up. My husband deployed two weeks ago and he hasn't smoked a cigarette since he's been on deployment. I'm very proud of him and happy for him. I moved in my parents while he is deployed and they're both chainsmokers that roll their own, but limit it to a room in the house. I'll avoid that room at all costs and begin cold turkey today. I'll try and schedule a doctors appointment next week for a routine check up and talk to them about weight loss and a smoking cessation support group if I feel myself tempted to give in. Congratulations to all the former smokers that quit and thank you so, so much for taking the time to respond and leaving your words of wisdom and support (none of you sounded harsh, just realistic and that's what I need)! Also, I'll up my calories to about 1,500-1,600 and see how that works. Going to stick with the basics and aim for multiple servings of veggies and fruits, 2 servings of proteins and 2 of dairy, etc. Etc. Thanks again!

cbailey989

A couple things that helped me when I quit was chewing on straws and eating ice. Something about that kept my mouth busy and helped the cravings. I did gain some weight when I quit but that is nothing compared to the damage that smoking does to the body.

amy19355

stefa_roth wrote: »

Thank you everyone for your words and for your support!! ..... Also, I'll up my calories to about 1,500-1,600 and see how that works. ...

Do yourself a favor and use MFP to calculate your goals and set your calorie requirements for the day. That will take away some of the stress of managing changes in your life, and possibly make it easier to focus on the anti-smoking campaign.

DOn't forget a food scale to use for portion control.

good luck!

Duck_Puddle

I saw it mentioned above but wanted to second the recommendation for the Alan Carr book. It was a tremendous help for me (I didn’t even finish it). I just quit at lunch on a random Thursday almost 6 years ago. I have not had a cigarette or any nicotine since.

It really is the best thing I’ve done for my health (and I was morbidly obese when I started here). It’s also been a huge financial boost. Cigarettes were $10/pack here when I quit (I was smoking about a carton a week). I now use those dollars to fund my health and fitness pursuits (outfitting my home gym, assorted electronic gadgets, race fees, travel expenses for said races, etc.).

I will also second the advice to put your stats into mfp and have it give you a calorie goal for a rate of loss that is no more than .5-1% of your weight per week (so-maybe 1 pound per week). Weigh your food, log your exercise (and eat a reasonable number of those additional calories). Evaluate after 4-6 weeks. That’s a better starting place than just picking a number, and it’s also going to be flexible for days you do more or less than expected.

Good luck!

s_rivera_92

It recommended 1,200, because I said sedentary and wanted to loose 2lbs a week (1% of my current weight being roughly 1.88). I changed it to active (since I'm going to the gym and exercising at least an hour 5x weekly) with the goal set at 2lbs a week and it went up to 1,550.

I'll look for and grab the book! A friend IRL also recommended it.

Duck_Puddle

stefa_roth wrote: »

It recommended 1,200, because I said sedentary and wanted to loose 2lbs a week (1% of my current weight being roughly 1.88). I changed it to active (since I'm going to the gym and exercising at least an hour 5x weekly) with the goal set at 2lbs a week and it went up to 1,550.

I'll look for and grab the book! A friend IRL also recommended it.

You want to aim for a maximum of .5-1%. So you really would not want to be trying for 2 pounds a week. 1 would be best, 1.5 would be a max. There’s a maximum to how much fat your body can actually burn in a day. If you exceed that-you’re gong to be burning muscles and Things you don’t want to lose.

Also-your mfp activity setting does not include exercise (which is different than how many trackers work). You then log your exercise when you do it-and eat the calories.

For example-my calorie goal is 1200 (I work a desk job at home-I am sedentary not including exercise). I am also training for a marathon. So I log my runs-which burn anywhere from 300-2000 calories. So on days i don’t exercise at all, I need to eat 1200 to lose. On days I do a 20 mile run, I can eat 3200 (1200 plus 2000 exercise calories) and lose.

Even though I am very active overall-my mfp setting is sedentary (because not including exercise-that’s exactly what I am).

It’s a little confusing but that is how mfp is built to work-you set yourself up as if you’re never going to do any exercise. Then all the exercise you do is added in when you do it.

s_rivera_92

Duck_Puddle wrote: »

stefa_roth wrote: »

It recommended 1,200, because I said sedentary and wanted to loose 2lbs a week (1% of my current weight being roughly 1.88). I changed it to active (since I'm going to the gym and exercising at least an hour 5x weekly) with the goal set at 2lbs a week and it went up to 1,550.

I'll look for and grab the book! A friend IRL also recommended it.

You want to aim for a maximum of .5-1%. So you really would not want to be trying for 2 pounds a week. 1 would be best, 1.5 would be a max. There’s a maximum to how much fat your body can actually burn in a day. If you exceed that-you’re gong to be burning muscles and Things you don’t want to lose.

Also-your mfp activity setting does not include exercise (which is different than how many trackers work). You then log your exercise when you do it-and eat the calories.

For example-my calorie goal is 1200 (I work a desk job at home-I am sedentary not including exercise). I am also training for a marathon. So I log my runs-which burn anywhere from 300-2000 calories. So on days i don’t exercise at all, I need to eat 1200 to lose. On days I do a 20 mile run, I can eat 3200 (1200 plus 2000 exercise calories) and lose.

Even though I am very active overall-my mfp setting is sedentary (because not including exercise-that’s exactly what I am).

It’s a little confusing but that is how mfp is built to work-you set yourself up as if you’re never going to do any exercise. Then all the exercise you do is added in when you do it.

Okay! That makes so much more sense. Thank you for explaining it so well!

EmilyEnough

stefa_roth wrote: »

Hello, I have been on and off MFP for years. This is my first post. I have been struggling with my weight for many years. My junior year of high school, I got up to 175lbs after being roughly 148lb for much of my adolescence. I began counting calories and exercising 6x a week and ended my senior year at 118lbs in 2010 (18yo). I am currently 188.6lbs(27yo). I ballooned up to 200lbs in September. Did keto for a month and dropped to 191.6lb. I stopped and then I maintained 191.6lb until last week. I didn't count calories or exercise. Last week, I began consuming roughly 1,200 calories per day and doing between 45-60 minutes of cardio 5x and have lost a few pounds. My goal is to loose 1.5-2lbs a week until I reach 130lb (hopefully in 9 months). I want to incorporate strength training in as well. I am fairly sedentary during the work day, but am lucky to be able to fit in an exercise daily. Is 1,200 too low? Should I be obsessing over not meeting nutrients such as iron and potassium if I'm reaching everything else? What would your top recommendations be?

Also... in the title I mention smoking... I've been smoking since 2011 and have gone up to 1 1/2 packs a day. I desperately need to quit. I honestly think that cold Turkey may be the only way I can accomplish this task, however, am nervous considering that i am starting a new work out routine and changing my diet as well. Would you consider it better to cut down as I adjust to more physical activity, or am I subconsciously making an excuse to continue this horrible habit?

I would wean off because the cigs burn a lot of cals. And changing all 3 things (cal intake, cal burn, and cigs) is a bit if a jolt to the body.
Willpower is expendable and you do want to be realistic with goals... id love for you to do it all and you can. But maybe not all at once.

Ive never quit smoking but ive worked with people who did during weight loss. I would personally wait until the better eating and exercise were at least comfy-habitual and then start cutting back cigs.

Also, see a doctor to make sure youre healthy for exercise and during the process. Bodies are complicated lil things. 😘💗

MikePTY

EmilyEnough wrote: »

stefa_roth wrote: »

Hello, I have been on and off MFP for years. This is my first post. I have been struggling with my weight for many years. My junior year of high school, I got up to 175lbs after being roughly 148lb for much of my adolescence. I began counting calories and exercising 6x a week and ended my senior year at 118lbs in 2010 (18yo). I am currently 188.6lbs(27yo). I ballooned up to 200lbs in September. Did keto for a month and dropped to 191.6lb. I stopped and then I maintained 191.6lb until last week. I didn't count calories or exercise. Last week, I began consuming roughly 1,200 calories per day and doing between 45-60 minutes of cardio 5x and have lost a few pounds. My goal is to loose 1.5-2lbs a week until I reach 130lb (hopefully in 9 months). I want to incorporate strength training in as well. I am fairly sedentary during the work day, but am lucky to be able to fit in an exercise daily. Is 1,200 too low? Should I be obsessing over not meeting nutrients such as iron and potassium if I'm reaching everything else? What would your top recommendations be?

Also... in the title I mention smoking... I've been smoking since 2011 and have gone up to 1 1/2 packs a day. I desperately need to quit. I honestly think that cold Turkey may be the only way I can accomplish this task, however, am nervous considering that i am starting a new work out routine and changing my diet as well. Would you consider it better to cut down as I adjust to more physical activity, or am I subconsciously making an excuse to continue this horrible habit?

I would wean off because the cigs burn a lot of cals. And changing all 3 things (cal intake, cal burn, and cigs) is a bit if a jolt to the body.
Willpower is expendable and you do want to be realistic with goals... id love for you to do it all and you can. But maybe not all at once.

Ive never quit smoking but ive worked with people who did during weight loss. I would personally wait until the better eating and exercise were at least comfy-habitual and then start cutting back cigs.

Also, see a doctor to make sure youre healthy for exercise and during the process. Bodies are complicated lil things. 😘💗

What? Huh? No. Cigarettes don't burn calories. That's not a thing. Sometimes people gain weight after cutting smoking because they eat more. But cigarettes themselves don't burn calories.

There's no reason why cutting cigarettes and weight loss can't go together. But if one had to choose one or the other, dropping cigarettes is absolutely the most important thing to do for one's health. The weight loss can weight if absolutely needed. There's no amount of diet and exercise one can do to make themselves healthy if they are a smoker (my grandmother was an active competitive tennis player in her 70s, until the cancer got her even though she had quit smoking 20 years before). The best day to quit is yesterday, but the next best day is today. At 27 you have time to get your diet and exercise in order. But smoking for much longer can cause irreversible long term health problems.

Try to do both. But give yourself grace on the diet and exercise if it doesn't come together immediately. Getting rid of the cigs is most important.

lgfrie

Cigarettes do not burn calories. They just burn previously healthy lung and esophageal tissue.

There is no such thing as "weaning" off cigarettes. You are either smoking or you are not. No "weaner" ever actually quits ... except for the tiny percentage that converts to a Cold Turkey approach one day. Most weaners will never quit because the nicotine is still in their system, manipulating their thoughts and producing the intense, irresistable cravings that self-perpetuate the smoking habit. It's a very, very, very vicious circle and the only way out of it is to get outside the circle altogether.

There is only one way to truly quit: elimination of all products containing nicotine, forever. Otherwise, you're still a smoker.

s_rivera_92

My set cold turkey date was yesterday. I did "wean" from 20, to 10, to 10, to 5, to 5 and had 3 on my "cold turkey date". Messed up after 21 hours and had one. Will being trying again today. It's insane. But it will get better. I've been reminding myself that smokers have more visceral fat, that smoking causes fat to stay in the blood longer, that smoker have a higher fat amount in the stomach region than people of the same BMI/height/weight, and that it does not allows insulin levels to stabilize. Been fantasizing about having a better lung capacity and better skin. It's been rough, but it's an WIP. Thanks again for all those who replied! I hope tomorrow I'll be able to post that I made it the first 24 hours!

lgfrie

stefa_roth wrote: »

My set cold turkey date was yesterday. I did "wean" from 20, to 10, to 10, to 5, to 5 and had 3 on my "cold turkey date". Messed up after 21 hours and had one. Will being trying again today. It's insane. But it will get better. I've been reminding myself that smokers have more visceral fat, that smoking causes fat to stay in the blood longer, that smoker have a higher fat amount in the stomach region than people of the same BMI/height/weight, and that it does not allows insulin levels to stabilize. Been fantasizing about having a better lung capacity and better skin. It's been rough, but it's an WIP. Thanks again for all those who replied! I hope tomorrow I'll be able to post that I made it the first 24 hours!

You can do this. People do this. Throw out ALL the cigarettes. No more weaning. No more giving in. Buck up, grab a battle axe, and slay that nicotine monster. Buy an enormous supply of very strong mints (your choice: Altoids or Newman's Own). Keep eating them for 3 days. Have one in your mouth at all times except when you're asleep, like every minute of the next three days. Meanwhile, read the Allen Carr book mentioned earlier, during that time. Keep chewing on those damn mints, never let them go. As long as your mouth is burned to a cinder with peppermint the nicotine craving will be partially masked around 50-80 % (just making up numbers here, obviously).

You've got to understand that if you have even a single puff off a single cigarette, you are still "smoking" because the nicotine is still hitting your neuron receptors and they are not getting a chance to start resetting; they are simply waiting for the next hit of nicotine. That's why weaning is harder than going cold turkey. Weaning does not get your brain used to not having nicotine; it just makes your brain crave it more. All this is explained in detail and depth in the Carr book.

You can do this, but No. More. Smoking. Gorge on mints. Three days and you will be free.

s_rivera_92

lgfrie wrote: »

stefa_roth wrote: »

My set cold turkey date was yesterday. I did "wean" from 20, to 10, to 10, to 5, to 5 and had 3 on my "cold turkey date". Messed up after 21 hours and had one. Will being trying again today. It's insane. But it will get better. I've been reminding myself that smokers have more visceral fat, that smoking causes fat to stay in the blood longer, that smoker have a higher fat amount in the stomach region than people of the same BMI/height/weight, and that it does not allows insulin levels to stabilize. Been fantasizing about having a better lung capacity and better skin. It's been rough, but it's an WIP. Thanks again for all those who replied! I hope tomorrow I'll be able to post that I made it the first 24 hours!

You can do this. People do this. Throw out ALL the cigarettes. No more weaning. No more giving in. Buck up, grab a battle axe, and slay that nicotine monster. Buy an enormous supply of very strong mints (your choice: Altoids or Newman's Own). Keep eating them for 3 days. Have one in your mouth at all times except when you're asleep, like every minute of the next three days. Meanwhile, read the Allen Carr book mentioned earlier, during that time. Keep chewing on those damn mints, never let them go. As long as your mouth is burned to a cinder with peppermint the nicotine craving will be partially masked around 50-80 % (just making up numbers here, obviously).

You've got to understand that if you have even a single puff off a single cigarette, you are still "smoking" because the nicotine is still hitting your neuron receptors and they are not getting a chance to start resetting; they are simply waiting for the next hit of nicotine. That's why weaning is harder than going cold turkey. Weaning does not get your brain used to not having nicotine; it just makes your brain crave it more. All this is explained in detail and depth in the Carr book.

You can do this, but No. More. Smoking. Gorge on mints. Three days and you will be free.

Thank you!

EmilyEnough

MikePTY wrote: »

EmilyEnough wrote: »

stefa_roth wrote: »

Hello, I have been on and off MFP for years. This is my first post. I have been struggling with my weight for many years. My junior year of high school, I got up to 175lbs after being roughly 148lb for much of my adolescence. I began counting calories and exercising 6x a week and ended my senior year at 118lbs in 2010 (18yo). I am currently 188.6lbs(27yo). I ballooned up to 200lbs in September. Did keto for a month and dropped to 191.6lb. I stopped and then I maintained 191.6lb until last week. I didn't count calories or exercise. Last week, I began consuming roughly 1,200 calories per day and doing between 45-60 minutes of cardio 5x and have lost a few pounds. My goal is to loose 1.5-2lbs a week until I reach 130lb (hopefully in 9 months). I want to incorporate strength training in as well. I am fairly sedentary during the work day, but am lucky to be able to fit in an exercise daily. Is 1,200 too low? Should I be obsessing over not meeting nutrients such as iron and potassium if I'm reaching everything else? What would your top recommendations be?

Also... in the title I mention smoking... I've been smoking since 2011 and have gone up to 1 1/2 packs a day. I desperately need to quit. I honestly think that cold Turkey may be the only way I can accomplish this task, however, am nervous considering that i am starting a new work out routine and changing my diet as well. Would you consider it better to cut down as I adjust to more physical activity, or am I subconsciously making an excuse to continue this horrible habit?

I would wean off because the cigs burn a lot of cals. And changing all 3 things (cal intake, cal burn, and cigs) is a bit if a jolt to the body.
Willpower is expendable and you do want to be realistic with goals... id love for you to do it all and you can. But maybe not all at once.

Ive never quit smoking but ive worked with people who did during weight loss. I would personally wait until the better eating and exercise were at least comfy-habitual and then start cutting back cigs.

Also, see a doctor to make sure youre healthy for exercise and during the process. Bodies are complicated lil things. 😘💗

What? Huh? No. Cigarettes don't burn calories. That's not a thing. Sometimes people gain weight after cutting smoking because they eat more. But cigarettes themselves don't burn calories.

There's no reason why cutting cigarettes and weight loss can't go together. But if one had to choose one or the other, dropping cigarettes is absolutely the most important thing to do for one's health. The weight loss can weight if absolutely needed. There's no amount of diet and exercise one can do to make themselves healthy if they are a smoker (my grandmother was an active competitive tennis player in her 70s, until the cancer got her even though she had quit smoking 20 years before). The best day to quit is yesterday, but the next best day is today. At 27 you have time to get your diet and exercise in order. But smoking for much longer can cause irreversible long term health problems.

Try to do both. But give yourself grace on the diet and exercise if it doesn't come together immediately. Getting rid of the cigs is most important.

Smoking does increase the metabolism. Its a simulant.

I was taught this immediately when working with heavy smokers at the diet clinic.

If you web search Web MD states it too, and consumption of caffeine is often a combo that really messes w the thyroid and metabolism.

lgfrie

EmilyEnough wrote: »

Smoking does increase the metabolism. Its a simulant.

I was taught this immediately when working with heavy smokers at the diet clinic.

If you web search Web MD states it too, and consumption of caffeine is often a combo that really messes w the thyroid and metabolism.

Technically yes, nicotine is a stimulant. However in practice, it's more than canceled out by smokers lacking the lung capacity and fitness both for intentional exercise and, very importantly, NEAT. When I was a 1 pack a day smoker, I'd take an elevator to go up one floor, because huffing and puffing your way up a flight of stairs is torture when you're a regular smoker. Once I quit, I found myself making a zillion micro choices every day, like walking up that flight of stairs or not bothering to find a "good" parking space nearest to a store, things which are completely alien to a smoker. I think the positive impact of quitting on general activity level in NEAT and also ability to do much more intentional exercise more than make up for any stimulative effect of nicotine, which does admittedly exist on some level.