Quitting smoking and losing weight

Lithium_Laced

Hi, I'm 21 and from New Zealand, and on a journey to quit smoking and lose weight. I've been using the app for quite a few months, but really serious now, Haven't had a smoke for 2 days, and it's hard! I'd like to find some friends to do this with! I have 40kg to lose, and am aiming for April next year to be down 25kg.

kinmad4it

I'm on my 13th day of not smoking today. I'm taking the cold turkey approach too, no substitutes or replacements other than normal sugar free chewing gum and finding it hard, but the reward is just so much better than any craving I'm having in the long run.
I was on about 17 or 18 a day when I was smoking and the hardest times I have now are usually just after eating and late evening. I don't struggle too badly in the morning once I've got going and into my new no smoking routine.
Good luck with your commitment and journey.

buffywhitney

I am 29 days smoke free today. It takes strong will power to lose weight and stop smoking but it can be done! My weight loss did slow down after I quit but I will not let that get in the way of quitting. You are going to need healthy snacks and lots of them, just nibble. I have been using nuts and grapes lately. Just a few at a time to occupy my hands and mouth until the craving for nicotine subsides (And it always does). Rest assured that it gets easier. You CAN do this and oh the rewards you will receive. Don't give up! I'll be rooting for you!

Lithium_Laced

Thanks guys!
Yeah I was chewing sugar free gum for a while there, but it' wasn't saving me any money so I stopped! It's been a week and a half now and I feel fine without having a smoke, I quite often forget!

ladymm40

Good job to all of you....

I quit smoking on June 16th 2012. I used the lozenges for the first 4 weeks and then weaned myself off of them.

I wish I had paid more attention to my weight while I was quitting.....I am here now because I put on a ton of weight in the last 14 months.

Mary

PS...I would highly recommend the site Quitnet....it is what helped me finally quit smoking.

tekwriter

Quit net is good and another site that is great is whyquit.com that site will explain all that is happening during the first few months of smoking and what you can expect. 7 years quitter here.

xapril77x

I really want 2 quit smoking but am scared that all my hard work of losing weight will be for nothing & I will gain... & I can't get me husband 2 get on board with me so it makes it that much more difficult! I envy any1 that has been able 2 find the willpower 2 quit!

CrazyC

My hubby and I quit smoking about 5 years ago. Luckily, for me, I quit cold turkey during my pregnancies and only dabbled in it again from my first daughter to getting preggos with me son for approximately 9 months because I BF (breast feed both of my children and didn't want to pass it to my daughter or son). Thus, good motivation to quit. And, I told God to make it taste and smell NASTY. And, it happened. I was a fairly heavy smoker for 20 years. (1-2 packs per day, especially if I drank). I do NOT miss it and it was the best decision I could make for myself, hubby and kids.

However, all of that said, it was TOUGH, but it's doable. The addiction part, nicotine leaves your system in ONLY 21 days so if you can make it that far, the rest is mind over matter. And, yes, I thought cold turkey people were nuts, but they were RIGHT!! I truly believe that is the ONLY way to quit and how to do it successful and long term. I STRONGLY suggestion, you also stay away from friends and family and social enteractions where smoking is involved for a bit too, or at least I had to because of temptation.

Just don't subsititue food for cigs (the hand to mouth thing) because you will gain weight. Just take baby steps and have support. GL!!

Shy_Yogi

I quit smoking over 6 years ago (I smoked for over 20 years). I did it cold turkey but it was very hard. I used exercise to help curb the cravings however I still get cravings for cigs every now and then...especially since my husband still smokes.

Good luck to you. Just keep at it. I had to remind myself that I am not a non-smoker but an ex-smoker. Once before I tried to fool myself into thinking that I could "smoke just one"...I didn't completely quit and give into it until I realized that just one smoke is a slippery slope that leads right back into smoking.

Good luck to you!!!

pwnderosa

Wow, congrats to all the quitters in this thread, yayyyy!!

You can do it Lithium! I would advise against pushing yourself too hard on weight goals with a time-table at least for the next month while you are still adjusting to life as a nonsmoker, when I quit I would do ANYTHING it took to distract me from getting cigarettes, eat, drink, all that mattered to me was that it wasn't a cigarette. But I also found tea, walking and dancing to be a great distraction so I didn't really gain weight with my quit either. Good luck and congrats for taking such great care of yourself - you deserve it!!

Shelby1582

Glad to see all of the people on here who recently quit smoking! I quit Jan 7 of this year. I was really afraid I would gain weight but I was conscious of it and didn't use food as a substitute. I started working out more and would work out and stay busy when I was craving. The cravings go away, it's so worth it.
Try reading whyquit.org, there's some stories on there that will help with your resolve.

sarahmax0817

Yeah!!! This is the only time I would say yeah for quitters!!! Congrats on dropping the smoking habit and working towards a healthy lifestyle. I have never smoked but can only image how hard it would be to stop and I applaud you all for your courage to break the habit. Quitting smoking is good but quitting your health/nutrition plan is bad. The best advice I have for you is to simply keep going no matter what. Even on those days you don't want to do it, just do it! and if you flub up forgive yourself. It is okay We all do it every now and then but just put yourself quickly back on track. You can do both, break the bad habits and gain some new healthy ones.

emc916

I'm coming up on 2yrs of not smoking.. I used to be the Marlboro man! I chewed gum a lot on my first few weeks.

When I quit smoking I immediately picked up running to test my breathing/endurance. The huge steps you can take in your exercise routines after you quit smoking won me over.

GOOD LUCK!

WDEvy

One year smoke free as of this past Sunday! You can do it!

Soulpaint

I quit for good in May and although it may sound odd I found coffee straws to be an enormous help in getting over the habit after the initial addiction phase passed. They would be at my desk, in my car etc and I would grab one (sometimes without even realizing it) and hold it like a cigarette, put it in my mouth, chew on it and it seemed to help get me over that habit of hand to mouth and holding something in my hand for certain tasks that I was used to. Really helped me to get over the need to have a cigarette in my hand and after a while (don't remember anymore....maybe a month) I realized it had been a while since I grabbed a straw to chew on or play with so I them out too.

Seems strange but it definitely did work