quitting smoking and losing weight.

citizencrp

I quit a year ago this week. In that same year I have lost 45 lbs.

It's not easy but quitting does not automatically equal weight gain. I was suffering from daily vertogo and migraines and I was so very sick of being sick all the time. The decision I made a year ago was "to be healthier" so that's what I did. I quit smoking first, but also jump started my weight loss with a couple low carb weeks.

I did have the help of medication, topomax, a medication commonly prescribed for migraines with a known side effect of appetite suppression (for both food and cigarettes), so it worked out in my favor in many ways. I also kept nicotine gum handy and didn't beat myself up if I had a drag pf someones smoke when I was out--but if I had a whole cig--that was it--square one.

I may still be obese, but I feel SO MUCH BETTER! and I can walk up stairs without being nervous that I'll wheeze and everyone will think "Gross, that fat smoker can't even make it up 5 flights without taking a knee". Now they probably think "Hmmm, that fatty can really book it up those 5 flights!"

Anyways..good luck. Use the tools available to you: patches, gum, carrot sticks, support groups, and websites.
Keep up the good work!!!

PS: I smoked for 20 years.

ractrev

Smoker here for the better part of 30 years. I quit in January of this year using an e-cig. So far so good - with the ecig, I did not have the intense cravings for the smokes that make you give up or eat to try to stop them. I know it's not for everyone, but they worked well for me.

The nice part about quitting is that I can actually exercise now. I figured it was impossible because I was just too fat, turned out I was just fat, but the smoking was really slowing me down. Now I can actually run a little bit - there has not been anything big and scary enough to make me run for over 25 years!

Good luck with your quit plan, you can do it.

ffffaaatttt

I tried to quit smoking while I was losing weight. It totally effed me over and I ended up smoking more than before I tried to quit. I ended up completely off track and gained back 10 lbs I lost. In no way am I suggesting that you not even bother trying. Just know you may end up setting yourself back a bit. Be prepared for that. I've decided I will try again after I hit my half-way point. Mostly because you're right... It is difficult to exercise when you smoke. My heart rate goes through the roof, and I feel like everybody in the gym can hear me breathing, even over their head phones. lol Best of luck to you.

mandy0688

I stopped smoking on September 30th of this year, while continuing to lose weight at the same time. I won't lie to you: it is not easy, but the reward is well worth the effort. My appetite, at least for the first 2-3 weeks, was noticeably higher. Drinking lots of water, chewing sugar-free gum, and using breathing exercises helped immensely with this.

The things that got me through it were sheer willpower, a fantastic support group from my coworkers & friends, Allen Carr's book "Easyway to Stop Smoking," and this website: http://www.whyquit.com/ -- which is a great resource to keep you motivated on your quit.

Stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do for yourself, give it your best shot and try not to get discouraged if you falter a bit. Best of luck!

Checked out that website, and it will scare someone to stop. Thanks for sharing that. I am ever so grateful now that I am quitting.

SeahawkFan1

There are meds you can try, Champix starter pack. I heard the nicorette quickmist might help with the cravings you might get while out with friends or away from home. Hope you find something that works

shellebelle87

I'm slowly quitting. I have cut down to 2-4 a day, but since I only smoke at night now when I get home from work, it makes me less eager to go outside and smoke, and because it is late at night, I am less inclined to smoke like I used to. It is hard, but I find cutting down is the best way. Patches made me ill and I cant quit cold turkey, so cutting down is an option. I havnt gained weight, I have lost (but I am also going to a thing right now where i cant eat properly so I think that helps) but the point is, I havnt gained. Just take it slowly and dont hate yourself if you give in. It is a b!tch of a habit to give up!

mandy0688

I tried to quit smoking while I was losing weight. It totally effed me over and I ended up smoking more than before I tried to quit. I ended up completely off track and gained back 10 lbs I lost. In no way am I suggesting that you not even bother trying. Just know you may end up setting yourself back a bit. Be prepared for that. I've decided I will try again after I hit my half-way point. Mostly because you're right... It is difficult to exercise when you smoke. My heart rate goes through the roof, and I feel like everybody in the gym can hear me breathing, even over their head phones. lol Best of luck to you.

I am excercising when I am thinking about a cig. I am tearing sugar free gum in pieces so I am only adding 25 cals a day to my diary.

LeRevCooper

I quit smoking 3 years ago. Add me if you want.

Ally11611

I quit smoking the day I had my daughter november of 2011. Went cold turkey. Was successful until this past summer when my friend started smoking again and I joined the crowd. I've decided to quit again for my daughter's health and my ability to run.

All of my friends smoke and refuse to quit with me. It's killing me. I went 3 days without a smoke then broke down and bought a pack saturday from too much stress.

Any suggestions? Trying to change my life!!

*Add me!*

tellascott

I can say that when i quit on April 27, I lost weight.It's actually what started me dieting. A friend told me i was already wide so would gain more weight and i was intent on proving him wrong, which I have done. The way I have quit, is i just remind myself how much money i am saving not buying a carton every week (95.00 a week) and when the craving really gets to me, I buy myself something with the money I have saved and it makes me all happy again. 100 bucks a week buys some nice things.. like new clothes for the skinnier me. Plus now i can work out and have fun without getting all out of breath.
Practical people will tell you now you can set aside that money for important things like car repairs and rent, I say pshaw...use it for fun things to reward yourself. With Christmas coming up, I sense a nice Christmas present to yourself with the money saved from smoking.
I also took a lot of bubble baths for the first couple of weeks and read a lot of books.

laurenz2501

I'm mentally preparing to quit. I feel like I'm very close to quitting (any day now honestly)...but I'm SOOOO afraid of gaining like 30 lbs. The last time I quit (in 2006) my weight skyrocketed to my highest weight ever (I was also the caregiver for a loved one battling cancer but STILL) I weighed 190...i'm 5'4". It was horrendous. I'm so afraid of that happening again...so this thread is very helpful :flowerforyou:

nonstopper

i cant quit smokin WEED haha (dro)

I do NOT smoke ciggs :sick:

JessieGurlJb

^^^ ha ha ill never give up my ganja! but you could use working out like an animal as a stress reliever to deal with the site effects of quitting.. then you wont gain weight.

laurenz2501

Food tasted good for the first time in a long time!!

that's what happened to me the last time i quit (6 years ago. Quit for a year and started again). I couldn't believe how good pizza tasted. I'm not looking forward to quitting at all, but I know I have to. There definitely isn't a good or bad time to quit. Now is as good a time as any...but it still sucks!

SimonIsChanging

I quit the day i started P90X over a year ago and have since lost Nearly 50LB! Easy

fittertanme

I have been trying for some time but keep falling off I keep saying I will but then when I start to cut down it dont work out that way so I to would like to know how you manage it

Colbyandsage

I quit awhile ago. I didn't gain from quitting smoking. I gained from having babies and using that as an excuse. Oh and just being lazy!

When I quit I ramped up the cardio to help curb cravings as well as lots and lots of water. I still chew a lot of gum and its been like 7 years. I remember that food suddenly taste different, that was a major turn off for me unlike most folks so I didn't stuff my face.

You may not gain is my point! Track calories, burn calories and don't expect quitting to be easy. It's hard! But if it were easy, everyone would quit! :drinker:

TheVimFuego

I have been trying for some time but keep falling off I keep saying I will but then when I start to cut down it dont work out that way so I to would like to know how you manage it

Because 'cutting down' just wasn't going to do it for me ... I was addicted to nicotine, it didn't matter if I tortured myself with 3 cigs a day or toyed with the idea of eCigs or whatever, I still wanted to smoke. I needed a fix, however I justified it.

Once I realised that I didn't need to (or want to) it got a lot easier.

Reading the Allen Carr book (while smoking) made me understand that smoking gave me nothing and took away a lot. You can't crave what you don't want.

To clarify, it gives me nothing.

No stress relief.

No relief from boredom.

No pleasure.

No enhanced powers of concentration/focus.

No weight control magic.

Sometimes I still get an urge to spark up but they are getting few and far between, such is the lingering power of nicotine ...

Good luck with the journey

travel_kat

One year, ten months, one week, six days, 19 hours, 29 minutes and 29 seconds smoke free. 17095 cigarettes not smoked, saving $11,282.90. Life saved: 8 weeks, 3 days, 8 hours, 35 minutes. (silk quit application - free and a great motivational tool).

I actually lost weight afterwards (with no exercise), I used a hypontherapist coupled with going on line beforehand and reading everything I could about the affects of a smoke, I also drank water every time I got a craving. I don't get cravings now (and I smoked heavily for 23 years) but every now and again I remind myself that I love being a non-smoker, that smoking is a dirty disgusting habit and that I will never smoke again for the rest of my life. I find that if you say that to yourself a couple of times it changes how you feel about smokes. Your not giving up something, your releasing yourself from an evil weed.

WendyTerry420

I smoke. Id love to quit...but I want to lose weight before I quit. I know smoking makes certains activites more difficult, But I just dont want to gain 50 lbs.

no offense but this is a very common excuse

the only thing that will make you gain weight is too many calories...is you are using nicotine to curb your appetite, you need to recognize that and deal with it

even if you do gain some initial weight from quitting, at least you won't stink like crap and your complexion will look better with more oxygen

It's my excuse too. And I'm sticking to it for now.




OP, congrats. I hope you are successful.

kooshajan

I quit 6 months ago after smoking for 16 years. Gained 10lbs but I honestly would rather the 10lbs than continuing smoking.
I can confidently say I will never smoke again.

A good app if you have an smart phone is smoquit. You input your info and it tells you how much money you've saved, how much smokes you would have smoked, how long you've increased you life, health improvements and lists month, hour min a sec smoke free.