Smokers who have quit while losing their weight?

somethingvague

Okay, so I've smoked heavily (pack a day or more) for 10 years. I have made a few attempts to quit (the longest being two months). I've been eating well and exercising for about 2 weeks, and feeling so much better. However, I still feel pretty gross from smoking...it slows me down when exercising as well. I want to feel good overall and be truly healthy, so I need to quit.

I really want to quit, but am hesitant because I don't want to jeopardize weight loss.

I know other people have done both at once, so I would love some tips.

My go-to food when quitting smoking before was always shelled sunflower seeds, but I know they're full of sodium/high in calories. What are some other ideas of things I can eat (in large quantities when I get monster nicotine cravings, haha) that won't put too much of a dent in my daily calories?

And as a side benefit to being healthy, It'll also really help me financially. I'm not sure if cigarettes are as expensive in America as in Canada, but I pay about 12 dollars a pack(so, 12$ a day!!). I'm done paying people to help me die!

Thanks guys!

nica8605

when my aunt quit smoking she started eating alot of those spearmint round mints u can buy in bulk.. I don't know the calorie intake on them but they helped her with cravings

dfwtxmissy

Dang...12.00 dollars a pack..
I am on my second week of no smoking but am also taking Chantix prescribed by my doctor. I am not craving nor eating anything as a replacement...lucky few I guess.
I feel better and am able to swim about 5 laps in the pool at my gym.

You will find as you quit smoking, you can do more and breathe easier.

shell1205

I'm anxious to see the responses... I smoke, too, and do not want to quit while eating healthier/less... but when I jog, I still get winded and I'm sure smoking is why. I've been smoking for 20 yrs (minus about a year while I was pregnant).

$12?!?!?!?! Holy Crap!! I thought it was bad here in the US!! I smoke a generic brand and pay $5-$6 per pack.

Good luck!!

Learning2LoveMe

Gum, Suckers (works great for the hand to mouth), Fruit, Veggies.

Don't worry about the weight gain from quitting. I gained 6 lbs when I quit, and those 6 lbs came back off so easily. The benefits you gain from quitting are far greater than a few pounds you may put on from doing it.

Before I quit I was spending $14 a day on smokes (2 packs a day split between my fiance and I). Talk about a money saver!! I can actually afford food now!

aippolito1

The lifesaver mints are about 14 calories each. There are other things to keep you from smoking, don't TRY to find a food to replace it 'cause then you'll really be in bad shape.

Tell yourself you'll do one thing every time you get the urge to smoke. Do one sit up or push up, go for a walk, snap a rubberband around your wrist, drink a glass of water, etc.

mamaturner

I started losing weight Sept of last year and quit smoking Jan of this past year.. if I can do it you can do it!! My husband is still smoking and was the whole time I quit.

I felt so much better exercising after quitting and all around better. I'm here for any questions or support!!

Shan80

This is something I've been worried about as well. I smoke too and have wanted to quit for even longer than I've wanted to lose weight but I just haven't been able to! I'm getting to a point now though that I can wake up in the morning and go till nearly noon without even having one and then it just hits me - I gotta have it. BUT I get about 1/2 way through it and it just tastes so gross and I throw it out. I have stopped smoking in my house completely. I used to just not smoke in the house durning the day when the kids were here (I do a daycare) but really what was the point if I was smoking in the house all evening and night long and on the weekends? So I stopped smoking inside altogether and I think that has helped. I hate having to go outside to do it for one thing. Winter is fast approaching so that will suck even more! I hope to have completely stopped by the end of the year. I was up to nearly a pack and a half a day - then was down to about 10-12 a day and now I'm down to about 6-7 a day. Next week I will only have 5-6 a day and so on. I have found by just cutting one or two out in a day really helps too. If I have a really bad urge - I smoke one - If I feel like I can curb it - I do 50 sit ups or walk - I feel so accomplished afterwards! MUCH better than I probably would feel if I sat on my fat butt and smoked a cigarette!

I was worried about gaining weight as well but like someone else above posted - the small gain is worth the health benefits we will all get from quitting!

Good Luck to all of you who want to and are trying to quit!

PurpleGem

I made the decision to quit smoking at the same time as losing weight.
I figured since I was already trying to be healthy by eating healthier, why was I smoking then.
So about 4 weeks into eating healthier, and basically having control of my eating habits, I decided to quit smoking cold turkey. I will be honest, the first week was horrible (just because of the cravings) but eating wise it was great. Because I had already told myself that I could only eat so many calories a day and what I was allowed to eat, ect, I just wasn't eating badly after quitting smoking.
So to sum it up, I have been eating healthier for 110 days (33 lbs lost), and I have been smoke free for 79 days.
It definitly makes it easier to work out, and go for walks once you quit smoking. You will feel great about yourself and your body.
So if you have control of your eating habits, I'm telling you it is the best time to quit smoking because you have already proven to yourself that you have willpower, and you will be able to quit!
Good luck!!

cuppycake22

I am trying the same thing as I smoke a pack a day as well .... I would love to hear as well what other people have done

bjshooter

I stopped two days ago and I put on 2lb in two days, this made me feel so bad I have now smoked. Don't want to be putting on a lb a day :O I havent eaten anything different and have exercised more. Would love to hear more peoples stories, because atm I dont think I can do it

lizzys

i don"t know if this will help anybody but it work for me :noway: frist i went on the hcg diet and stayed on the 500 calorie phase for about a week :sad: alls i could think about was food not cigs. after i got my energy back :huh: i started to exercise alot and drink alot of water . i feel so much better than i did after 32 years of smoking . its a littel scary because im only on my 25 day but i do think i have it whipped. i hope you quit to

luckyinlife

P L E A S E read the book, The Easy Way to Stop Smoking by Alan Carr....at least look at the reviews on Amazon!!!!!
God bless you all that are trying to quit!!! I smoked for 21 years and know exactly what hell you are going through!!!!

AnnaPixie

I'd say the BEST time to quit smoking is when you are on a diet and have your food intake under control. I didn't do it that way, but wish I had. I know plenty of people that did, and there wasn't a problem. You see, the MAIN reason (there are others) you put on weight when you quit smoking is because you just naturally reach for something to take its place; that is usually food. If you're in a place, mentally, where your eating is out of control anyhow, then you wont mind doing that. At least when you are watching your weight you will be utterly conscious of not going there

The other reason you put on weight is because your metabolism naturally slows down for a while, while your body adjusts to losing the stimulant of nicotine. Again, if you are at MFP where you already making changes, with diet and exercise, to increase your metabolism, then this won't kick in half as much, or even at all, like the lady said a few posts ago, you definitly CAN quit smoking AND lose weight

The BEST thing I ever did in my life was quit smoking. That was nearly 6 years ago. Do it now!!! You won't regret it I promise. :flowerforyou:

Oh!! And if you like support communities like this one, then you will LOVE Quitnet.com it's a community for smokers who are quitting/quit. It kept me totally focused and, literally, saved my life!!

GO FOR IT!! :bigsmile:

Oh! And chewing sugar free gum was the best non-calorie crotch I had - and wine, but we wont talk about that one...lol :drinker:

LIVE LONGER - QUIT SMOKING!!!!

angie0184

I've been quit for exactly 3 weeks, 4 days, 4 hours & 13 minutes. I agree with a couple of the other posters, I would definitely not seek a food as a replacement, you're just setting yourself up for weight gain that way. If you absolutely can't help it, do carrots or celery sticks. I used weight gain as my excuse to not quit smoking for close to 8 years and I finally woke up one morning (suffering yet again from one of my chronic headaches I got from smoking) and realized how goofy that sounded. I don't want to gain the (at most) prob 15 pounds I could put on from quitting, but I'm willing to continue to let cigarettes ruin my health and my bank account? I haven't actually put on any weight on in the almost month that I've quit, but I'm feeling a teensy frustrated tonight because I haven't lost a single pound since i started this. I wish you the absolute best of luck, both with the weight loss and quitting smoking. I've only been off them for less than a month, & yes the cravings hit (very lightly and go away quick), but it's been the absolute best decision I EVER made.

SageGoddess320

I quit smoking (and went veg) a few months ago. I'm not trying to scare you, but I've gained almost 30 lbs since. It's weird because I'm eating better than I ever have my entire life...and exercising to boot :noway: I think it has something to do with metabolism or something...who knows. What I do know is....I am not going to start smoking again!

somethingvague

It might also be because of being veg? I know when I first started being veg I gained a tonne of weight, when I was expecting to lose! But that was because I didn't really know what I was doing at first, and instead of replacing meat with tofu, fake meat, veggies, etc...I replaced it with junk and carbs. I know a lot of people who had this problem at first...but since you said you're eating better than ever, I assume it's probably not it.

msbanana

I quit smoking in January. I was a pack a day smoker too and yeah, they were about 8 bucks a pack.
I didn't replace smoking with food. I replaced smoking with BREATHING. When I would start to nic out I did some deep breathing exercizes and if that didn't work I'd take lap. I get up and walk around the office or go outside. I tried really hard not to replace it with food. If you need to satiate the oral fixation I found chewing on straws or sugarfree gum really helped.

I haven't had a cigarette since Jan 8th 2010. I ran my first 5K in June and am going to run another in a couple weeks. I couldn't imagine going back. Just quit. You don't need them as much as you need your life and your health.

You can do it we're all here for you!!
:drinker:

AnnaPixie

I've been quit for exactly 3 weeks, 4 days, 4 hours & 13 minutes. I agree with a couple of the other posters, I would definitely not seek a food as a replacement, you're just setting yourself up for weight gain that way. If you absolutely can't help it, do carrots or celery sticks. I used weight gain as my excuse to not quit smoking for close to 8 years and I finally woke up one morning (suffering yet again from one of my chronic headaches I got from smoking) and realized how goofy that sounded. I don't want to gain the (at most) prob 15 pounds I could put on from quitting, but I'm willing to continue to let cigarettes ruin my health and my bank account? I haven't actually put on any weight on in the almost month that I've quit, but I'm feeling a teensy frustrated tonight because I haven't lost a single pound since i started this. I wish you the absolute best of luck, both with the weight loss and quitting smoking. I've only been off them for less than a month, & yes the cravings hit (very lightly and go away quick), but it's been the absolute best decision I EVER made.

WAY TO GO Angie!!!! :flowerforyou: I agree its the best decision you've ever made :bigsmile: Dont' worry about the weight. I know its frustrating but I guarantee it will start dropping off again. Perhaps try upping your exercise and eating more frequently. The main reason is to increase your metabolism. Oh, and green tea is good for that. Or even coffee if you can't handle green tea (green tea is healthier than coffee). Anyway, caffeine is a similar stimulant to nicotine. But please dont get me wrong, I'm not trying to turn you into a caffeine addict instead. I'm just saying add one or two cups per day to try and stimulate your metabolism. (God, I can feel a telling off coming now from someone.......lol.....sorry to anyone in advance if you think I'm advocation caffeine addiction.....)

All the best and CONGRATULATIONS on your month.......that's AWESOME!!

oh, and join Quitnet.com if you haven't already. I joined it on day 26 and it saved my life!!! I'll never forget it, that was the night I was just about to go and buy a packet..........six years later and I'm smoke free because I logged into quitnet instead......YEAH!! :bigsmile:

somethingvague

Thanks everyone! And major props to everyone who has quit!

It's funny because my Mom quit almost 2 years ago (and also lost 60 pounds..so proud of her!!) and she constantly tells me to read her Alan Carr book and go on quitnet.com, but I never listen...but this site is really helping me with my weight loss journey, so I think I'll check out quitnet for sure.

So tomorrow is going to be day one! Cold turkey (I don't want any nicotine in my system if i'm doing this), so cross 'em for me!

Time to go spend all of my money on healthy food, so even if I want to buy smokes - I won't be able to! Haha.

AnnaPixie

I quit smoking (and went veg) a few months ago. I'm not trying to scare you, but I've gained almost 30 lbs since. It's weird because I'm eating better than I ever have my entire life...and exercising to boot :noway: I think it has something to do with metabolism or something...who knows. What I do know is....I am not going to start smoking again!

Jeez!! That's rough hun. I dont know anyone who put on that much, even if they stuffed their face for a couple of months!! Are you sure it isnt the change of diet, to veggie? You might be eating some unknown quantity that is spiking your body. Or perhaps its just been TOO much change for your body cope with. Dunno! Sounds like a bit of a coincidence tho.

All the best :flowerforyou:

Learning2LoveMe

Thanks everyone! And major props to everyone who has quit!

It's funny because my Mom quit almost 2 years ago (and also lost 60 pounds..so proud of her!!) and she constantly tells me to read her Alan Carr book and go on quitnet.com, but I never listen...but this site is really helping me with my weight loss journey, so I think I'll check out quitnet for sure.

So tomorrow is going to be day one! Cold turkey (I don't want any nicotine in my system if i'm doing this), so cross 'em for me!

Time to go spend all of my money on healthy food, so even if I want to buy smokes - I won't be able to! Haha.

Best of luck to you! Remember, a craving only lasts 5 minutes. And the next couple days may be hell for you (I'm not gonna lie... I was a zombie for 3 days), but after you get through that you will begin to feel so much better everyday. I quit June 17th and I feel so good now, I often ask myself why I was stupid enough to smoke in the first place.

And please don't be discouraged or give up if you gain some weight. Like I said, I gained 6 lbs at first but after 2 weeks I started working out and have been losing ever since. Throw out your scale for a week or two if you have to :laugh:

sassiebritches

Yup I quit...was hypnotised and it worked, my husband got hypnotised 1 week later and has also been smoke free. No cravings, no weight gain. Look at it this way. My doctor said to me straight up............................"I would rather you be fat then smoke, smoking is far more dangerous"....................so now to work on the fat.

Good luck, you can do this!

sassiebritches

Yup I quit...was hypnotised and it worked, my husband got hypnotised 1 week later and has also been smoke free. No cravings, no weight gain. Look at it this way. My doctor said to me straight up............................"I would rather you be fat then smoke, smoking is far more dangerous"....................so now to work on the fat.

Good luck, you can do this!

Mrbackslap

I quit and its funny I still crave and its been like 5 months i think.
Being from NYC I just couldnt spend so much on ciggs 12-13$ a pack is murder.
I ate like no tomorrow but its better then smoking.
Smoked for 16 years started at 235 3 months ago im currently 195.
I can run 10 miles now but I know theres still damage from all the years of puffing away.

angie0184

Good luck again! It's not an easy road, the first week or so was suuuper rough for me. The depression was the worst, feeling like I was "losing my little buddies" but once I fought past that and quit trying to let my brain rationalize my smoking, I was fine. I hardly think about them anymore :happy:

angie0184

I've been quit for exactly 3 weeks, 4 days, 4 hours & 13 minutes. I agree with a couple of the other posters, I would definitely not seek a food as a replacement, you're just setting yourself up for weight gain that way. If you absolutely can't help it, do carrots or celery sticks. I used weight gain as my excuse to not quit smoking for close to 8 years and I finally woke up one morning (suffering yet again from one of my chronic headaches I got from smoking) and realized how goofy that sounded. I don't want to gain the (at most) prob 15 pounds I could put on from quitting, but I'm willing to continue to let cigarettes ruin my health and my bank account? I haven't actually put on any weight on in the almost month that I've quit, but I'm feeling a teensy frustrated tonight because I haven't lost a single pound since i started this. I wish you the absolute best of luck, both with the weight loss and quitting smoking. I've only been off them for less than a month, & yes the cravings hit (very lightly and go away quick), but it's been the absolute best decision I EVER made.

WAY TO GO Angie!!!! :flowerforyou: I agree its the best decision you've ever made :bigsmile: Dont' worry about the weight. I know its frustrating but I guarantee it will start dropping off again. Perhaps try upping your exercise and eating more frequently. The main reason is to increase your metabolism. Oh, and green tea is good for that. Or even coffee if you can't handle green tea (green tea is healthier than coffee). Anyway, caffeine is a similar stimulant to nicotine. But please dont get me wrong, I'm not trying to turn you into a caffeine addict instead. I'm just saying add one or two cups per day to try and stimulate your metabolism. (God, I can feel a telling off coming now from someone.......lol.....sorry to anyone in advance if you think I'm advocation caffeine addiction.....)

All the best and CONGRATULATIONS on your month.......that's AWESOME!!

oh, and join Quitnet.com if you haven't already. I joined it on day 26 and it saved my life!!! I'll never forget it, that was the night I was just about to go and buy a packet..........six years later and I'm smoke free because I logged into quitnet instead......YEAH!! :bigsmile:

6 years!! That's amazing, congratulations to you! I haven't actually joined any other forums, but I check them frequently and use them to remotivate me when I start trying to trick myself into smoking. I think I'm struggling to actually lose numbers because I'm already within my normal/healthy BMI for my height. On the plus side though, I'm going to start measuring instead of using the scale because I went to put on my fave "fat girl" jeans (the ones I can barely wear because they look spray painted on) and they were hanging around my hips!! Definitely the loosest they've been in years :bigsmile:

erica79

i quit back in January. I used the chantix too but it gave me bad side effects so I stopped taking it right after I quit smoking. Quitnet helped more than anything else. It was soooo helpful being able to go read others posts on how they were feeling. It made me remember I was not alone. Plus I could see how much I saved, how long I had quit, and how many years were put back on my life. One day while reading everyones posts on quitnet I saw someone talking about how they were trying to lose weight too and how they had found MFP and thought I'd check it out. So glad I did
good luck with your quit:flowerforyou:

malboroman

As my name suggests, I was a 20-30 a day guy but quit 3 days ago. I definitely think MFP has helped me not go nuts on the snacking, so hopefully the scale will still like me come Friday!

stormieweather

I smoked for 34 years. 2-4 packs a day, non-stop. Last May, I decided I wasn't going to buy my own excuses as to why I "couldn't" quit any longer. I was 40 pounds overweight whether I quit or not. So, I picked a day and announced it to God and the world and on that day, put down the smokes and haven't touched them since. With the money I was saving, I joined a gym and started logging on MFP. I lost 15 pounds and 2 pants sizes within 3 months. It was very much worth it!!!

I used tic tacs, hard candies, intense hobbies (jewelry making), and lots of motivational self-talk to get me through it. My own inner voice was my worst enemy, as it gave me tons of excuses to not do or stick to it right then. I refused to allow a habit, a vice, to CONTROL me any longer. I was (am) in control....and I DO have the power to say no. The cravings eased after 3 days and I no longer wanted a smoke at all after a week. I still like the smell and still go on smoke breaks with my friends, but I don't light up. I can do 4x as much on the cardio machines now as I could do then, too. Feels great! Wallet is thicker too