I want to quit

LilynEdensmom

smoking....I have during both my pregnancy but for various reasons always end up starting back... I'm really enjoying working out but think I will be able to do it longer and feel better, if I quit smoking.

My big issue, every time I try and quit I gain weight, so I start back. Patches and gum give me massive headaches and I have no insurance so seeing a doctor for pills is out.

So I was wondering if anyone here had any advice on how to quit and not gain weight...and advice on quitting in general.

millerll

I can't speak for anyone else on here, but I and many of my friends have quit using an electronic cigarette. It feels and draws like tobacco, but the vapor is harmless. The liquid it vaporizes can be purchased in many flavors, from traditional tobacco to fruits and sweets - anything you like. And it comes in different strengths, so you can gradually wean yourself off nicotine altogether if you wish.

Starter kits can be found online for less than $50. The batteries are rechargeable many times, so it should last a long time, and replacement parts are easily ordered. Basically, you get all the bells and whistles of a cigarette without all the tar and carcinogens of tobacco. You get to feed your craving while your lungs heal. The vapor doesn't leave a lingering smell, and is safe around other people.

Warning - DO NOT buy kits from mall kiosks or radio ads. Those kits are poorly made and way over-priced. If you're interested, I recommend the Joye 510 model kit. It's reliable and performs well. You can Google Joye 510 and find vendors with low shipping costs in the US. Feel free to message me if you'd like some recommended web sites. Also, you should know that I'm not affiliated with any vendors and I have no financial stake in this product. It's just something that I've used for the last year and a half and know a lot about. It truly saved my life. Good luck to you!

Cella30

congrats lilyn! first off, quitting is an amazing feat and I'm so proud of you for wanting to do it. I have been smoke free for 9 months after 10+ years smoking. I quit cold turkey and did not gain any weight. I made sure to have healthy snacks nearby and ate every 2 hours to help curb my cravings and keep my blood sugar level. I also walked every day...

I was a heavy smoker but have decided this is it. I'm finally free of that addiction. You can do it to!

jillich

Since my fiance didn't like me smoking, I limited myself to smokes during work hours only.... One cigarette on the way to work, one for a fifteen minute break, one for lunch, one for another break and finally one last one before I got in the car at the end of the day. No smokes at night, or on the weekends. I still went out to places where I would normally smoke (bars, etc). After about 3 months of this, I got the lowest dosage patch... 7mg (i got headaches too from the patch) and used it for a week before my face started breaking out. Vanity may be the biggest motivator; I stopped using the patch and switched to gum when I would normally have had a cigarette. I've been smoke-free for about two months now, and honestly, this is the longest I've quit for. Strangely enough, I get cravings when I'm doing cardio, but that's really it. Best of luck!

lgbilbrey

I am not a smoker, and have never been a smoker, so I hope this doesn't come off sounding sanctimonious and preachy,. I don't know how hard it is to quit, but I imagine it must be pretty awful. I grew up the child of smokers and I HATED IT. I hated being trapped in the car with smoke, and for my clothes to smell like smoke any time I was around them. As I grew older and realized how harmful it was, I hated that my parents were voluntarily doing it to themselves (and me) and feeling completely helpless to escape it. I am not sure if that helps give you any incentive to quit, but I am 35 years old and despise smoking to this day. Do whatever it takes to quit, do it for your kids.

And my goodness, if you've already lost 20 lbs., I would think that you can do anything you set your mind to - that is outstanding! Congrats.

tracharity

I feel you i'm gonna be trying to stop too in a couple of days as well. I'm not worried cause i have stopped alot of thing while on my journey of losing wt but i would love some ideas too.

lilchino4af

millerll has a great suggestion. My SIL uses one and it's helping her quit smoking, not to mention because it's not the real thing you can smoke it anywhere!

taso42_DELETED

Tell ya what. If you quit and end up gaining some weight, you're still coming out ahead in a the long run. But there is no guarantee that you even will gain weight. Maybe you will and maybe you won't. Just from the fact that you're on MFP, it means you're taking control of your eating and fitness, so I'd bet there's a good chance that you won't gain. But IF you do, consider it a temporary thing. Give yourself a few months to really conquer the withdrawl, and start living life as a non-smoker. Once that big hurdle is out of the way, you can worry about dropping the few extra lbs that you MIGHT have picked up in the meantime.

When I quit, I found this site helpful: http://quitnet.com/qnhomepage.aspx. They send you emails and tell you how much money you saved and how many cigarettes you haven't smoked. It's very encouraging.

speednut

I have been a non-smoker for 6.5 years now. I also could not wear the patch or chew the gum. (nicotine overload!) I was able to get my dentist to write me a prescription for wellbutrin. It is an anti-depressant. You can still smoke while you take it but after about 3 or 4 weeks, most people don't care about smoking and quit. I believe that there is a drug called chantix for quitting now. Friends of mine say the electronic ciggarette is also a good way to help you quit. It took my sister-in-law dying of lung cancer to finally make me want to quit. I did gain about 30 pounds after I quit so be careful.
Good luck! You will feel (and smell) way better once you do!

AnnaPixie

wow, that electonic cigarette sounds good :flowerforyou:

I quit cold turkey 6 years ago but I did have a plastic cigarette I bit on all the time. Also, sugar free gum.

But mostly, Quitnet.com for the community support.

You can DO THIS! Make it a priority. You wont gain the weight if you replace the habit with something other than food! That's why I like the plastic tools!! :bigsmile: Not a fan of anything that contains nicotine tho! I did try that once and just found it frustrating; the hit without the tool basically.

Good luck :flowerforyou:

LilynEdensmom

Thanks everyone...I figure this time next week, my pack will be finished, and I'm going to try the cold turkey thing. I will check the electronic cig and those sites.

LilynEdensmom

On day 3 cold turkey...its not to easy but not as hard as I thought it would be...found out today chewing ice has helped alot with the cravings and well its ice so it is good for me (ish) better than suckers or gum at any rate.