Quitting Smoking while changing food/exercise habits

w2bab

I quit the end of October, 3 months before starting a weight loss program, but if you are determined you can probably succeed now. I would suggest deciding ahead of time what activity you will use to fill the 5-7 minutes per cig that you usually spend smoking so you can consciously do that when you get the urge to smoke.

Something that worked well for me (although I realize that group support is much less important to me than it is to a lot of people) was not telling anyone I was quitting. That meant there wouldn't be any judgement if I failed. About a week and a half after I quit my husband asked me if I had. I told him I was working on it and I didn't want to talk about it, so he dropped it. I know accountability works well for some folks, but I'm not into having cheerleaders when I'm trying to do something that is hard for me, and the last thing I wanted was for a bunch of friends and family to flood me with messages about how proud they were of me.

Good luck,

srp2011

I quit smoking January 10, and haven't gained anything. I haven't lost either, but that has more to do with some travel I've been doing, and overabundant conference food with no time to exercise. Basically, I tried to substitute a healthy choice every time I had a craving - either exercising (I started serious 5K training), drinking water, or eating fruit and veggies. So, it can be done, and it is worth it - you will feel so much better knowing you are doing everything to support a healthy lifestyle. I second everyone who has suggested Allen Carr's book, too - that's what did it for me, and I think it made it so much easier to quit. But don't worry if you do gain some weight - quitting smoking is much more important to your health long term.

cantjustcant

I started here on July 31 2011. after I was here for two months I thought...dang I am actually doing this. I haven't gave up or stopped logging food....I am actually getting weight off and working out! I think I will quit smoking now! that was october 1st. I set a quit date of december 1st to quit. On dec 9th I had a half of one so I use that as my official quit date. I used nicorette gum and regular gum and dumdum suckers!

Bad side? I gained 15 and am currently still up 6. BUT I can run now! I ran 4.25 straight the other night without gasping for breath! It doesn't happen over night but 103 days into my smoke free life and I am doing it!

bellanena

I quit smoking exactly 3 weeks ago and started changing my eating and exercise habits about 3 weeks and 3 days ago I didn't smoke much either, I was actually slowly weening myself off the nicotine. Then what I did, was stop smoking when I was triggered to. Biggest things you can change-dont' smoke in your house if you do and don't light up when you get in the car. I was down to one a day, and honestly one day I just stopped, and it's been great. I'm focusing my time on exercise and living a healthy life.

I smoked for about 10 years also. Have to do it so you have the energy to work out and not to mention. Food tastes sooo much better!! GOOD LUCK!!!

clschaan

omg .. being an ex-smoker .. isn't it amazing how much smokers stink? I can tell now exactly who smokes and who doesn't .. grosss .. can't believe i used to smell like that

Dch2012

I quit a pack a day 20 year habit on Aug 28, 2011... My advice is to read Allen Carrs Easy Way to Stop Smoking and also sign up for an account on Quitnet.com, I spent alot of time looking at the forums on that website in the first few weeks. I tried to change all my habits at the same time...Very difficult, I probably gained around 10-15 pounds, BUT I will gladly take those pounds as a non smoker!!!!! Its so worth it, I am now working on the weight and exercise aspect. And my endurance and lung compacity is SOOOO much better its amazing. I had to cut out alot of coffee, I now dont drink it past 2pm at the latest because caffine affects me now like it never had before. I also advice you to stock up on melatonin to help you sleep, I suffer a bit of mild insomnia now but like I said I will gladdly take it over the smoking habit. I love being a non smoker and the best part is that my children are so proud of me, I advice you to do it, make quitting smoking your priority over everything else and once you got that licked then move on to the next on the list. Anyways, feel free to add me if you need support, its hard but not as hard as it has to be.

Excellent advice! Those two things, Allen Carr and Quitnet helped me to quit a 50 year, two pack a day habit, cold turkey! I've been quit now for 27 months. Best thing I ever did for myself. Once you quit smoking you can give your all to getting the weight issue resolved...and you will have the oxygen to really amp up your exercise. :drinker:

I agree, I used quintet and read cares book also. I quit 7 months ago gains 10 lbs in first month then maintained for awhile now weigh less than when smoking.

Cheeta_HH

I agree with the other posters- I consider quitting smoking the most important of the three. I personally was so afraid that if I deprived myself of everything, I'd go back to cigarettes. But that's just me!! If you can manage all three, go for it! I wouldn't think that you are just making excuses if you just focused on one for awhile, though! It will take some time, but you'll learn to change your habits in your own way to get healthier.

On April 6, it will be 3 years since I quit. In the first two years, I gained about 25 pounds even though I walked regularly. In the past year, I've been working to lose the weight by running and tracking my calories. It is a slow process, but I know that I'm better off with some extra pounds than I would be smoking.

Good luck!

cantjustcant

ohhhh I forgot the most important thing! I HATE BURPEES AND JUMPING JACKS! Every time I would have a craving to smoke I would do burpees or jumping jacks for 5 minutes.

itschristine

bump

jaireed

I smoked for 10 years. I quit the day I went back to college. I think because everything else in my life was changing it seemed like the timeI to quit smoking too. The fact that I knew I would have to succeed in school made me feel like I had to succeed at quiting smoking (Even though I was scared to of going back to college!). I did gain a little weight, however, I wasn't dieting. I think that to quit smoking you need a major change in your life! Why not make eating right and exercising the new change to go along with not smoking. I agree with other posts that after a while you will smell how bad they smell. When I quit I'd just be like eeew, yuck, that's so gross, and then you know what, it was. Plus having MFP will help! There is a TON of encouragement here! Good luck!

jjelizalde

Today is my first day not smoking - I'm nervous about that! I am using the Nicoderm patch. I'm trying to change my life starting with my health. I can use any support I can get!

magerum

I quit smoking a pack a day (17 years) and my fitness change on the same day. Best thing ever. It can be done, I did use Chantix though. It's a freaking miracle pill! Expensive though, about $170 a month and most insurance wont cover it.

Good luck!

M

jjelizalde

Day two of being a non-smoker! I read the Allen Carr stop smoking booklet which made real sense to me and dumped the patch!

scapez

I was a pack a day smoker and I smoked for nearly 30 years.

I started MFP in April 2011...lost 20 pounds

I had my last cigarette in January 2012. I've gained a few pounds since then...not much at all. I used the patch and have been off of those for weeks now.

It can be done. Good luck! :flowerforyou:

boyslie72487

I tried to quit smoking 3 times last year before I even started MFP. Now that I'm coming up on my one year anniversary of using MFP I think it's time to give it another go around! Thanks for posting this topic!

awidener86

I recently quit smoking (A week ago today) and I'm still trying to change my eating habits and exercise habits I didn't find it that hard. I did it cold turkey the first day was the hardest then the second day was a bit easier and now I don't reallywant one. I found drinking a glass of water pretty fast helped me when I wanted one and chewing on a straw. Also while I was at work or in the car a jolly rancher helped A LOT! The worst times for me was after I ate or when I'd get in the car to go somewhere because thats when I normally smoked. Or when I was really bored. Needless to say my room and everything is pretty much spotless because I've been keeping myself busy.

FitLink

I have been smoking for about ten years, and while I'm pretty low dependency (5 or less a day unless around other smokers, having drinks etc), I'd really like to give up, for my own sake and for the sake of my asthmatic other half. I've tried before and though I don't smoke that much it's *really bloody hard!* I'm not sure I could do it right now as I'm only a couple of weeks into completely turning my diet and exercise habits around, and I'm worried if it tried to do it all at once the pressure would be too huge and I'm setting myself up to fail at all three.
But when I say to people that I am waiting for a little while for this reason, it ends up sounding like an excuse to put it off. I don't think it is, but then a smoker's brain is a sneaky thing so now I don't even trust my own reasoning!

Anyway, basically my question for other people is have they tried to quit smoking while trying to change their eating and exercise habits at the same time? If so, did you find it easier to wait until the other lifestyle changes had had time to settle before you tried? Any advice/opinions welcome, thanks

It really depends on how difficult it ends up being for you. Most people find quitting very difficult. If you are one of those, I'd put the weight-loss/healthy eating on hold and just concentrate on not gaining weight. OTOH, I smoked a lot more than you--a pack a day for more than 25 years--and I found quitting a piece of cake. I just finished the pack I was on and never bought another. If it's that easy, I see no reason not to do both at once. Whichever is the case, quitting smoking has to be the #1 priority as it's a far bigger health risk.

Hols969

I quit 20 a day 6 weeks ago, also with the Allen Carr book (I did use patches as well but only needed to for the first week), I have put on a bit of weight 6lb but am now working it back off. It changes how you think about smoking which is the main part of the battle (I had quit for 7 years before but then stupidly started and thought I could just have the odd one - I wont be doing that again....). I would also not worry too much diet wise for the first few weeks (make sure you have veg to nibble on rather than biscuits at work) as it does help.

Allen Carr book really is like hypnosis (it is very repetitive but I think that is for a reason!) Go for it, Im so pleased I did.

FitLink

omg .. being an ex-smoker .. isn't it amazing how much smokers stink? I can tell now exactly who smokes and who doesn't .. grosss .. can't believe i used to smell like that

While I agree I can now almost always tell a smoker by smell, I think "stink" and "gross" are pretty strong words. I can smell it, but it's not really a big deal.

81Kyra

I quit about 1 1/2weeks ago(been smoking for 17yrs), cold turkey and I am still losing weight.