Which is worse Smoking or Binge Eating Junk food.
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The real challenge is to learn to deal with your emotions without turning to either food OR cigarettes.
I'm sure that you will get there soon! Best of luck to you.
I agree. i came to the conclusion that both a equally bad but i was just wondering which you guys thought was worse to choose and why.0 -
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say and this is going to be completely offensive:
This is your addict brain talking. You are justifying one addiction for another. This is an excuse.
You need to take a look at what is going on why you are emotionally or physically vulnerable and learn to start giving the love that your body is really craving.
Hope you read this in the spirit it was meant.
THIS!0 -
It shouldn't be a choice between bad things. Not eat at mcdonalds vs hit yourself in the thumb with a hammer. Don't internalize your stress. Don't take life's negativity out on yourself. Figure out how to filter it back out through meditation, journaling or something positive (even a workout). I can't stress this enough, something will work just keep looking.
Speaking as someone who quit smoking years ago gained a bunch of weight in the process then little by little just had 1 because ____ or only smoked when with _________ or at _______ all the way back to being a smoker again...I say DON'T SMOKE EVER!!
I thought as long as I "wasn't addicted any more" I could have one once in a while with no harm. That was the addiction talking. I can NEVER smoke again. I am wary to drink through a straw now as it might set me back. Quitting the first time I felt empowered and like I was making a good choice. Quitting again now I feel like a weak idiot. It took 2 years of little by little to regain the habit and I am hoping to be smarter this time.
I can't smoke a little bit or have a few chips or a small mcdonalds or watch a minute of garbage tv and feel satisfied because my brain and body isn't craving these things to feel better. It craves them to feel worse or deadened.0 -
Smoking. Gross.0
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How often is the binge?
Almost never. since i quit buying packs and decided im quiting for good. i've had 2 slip up cigarettes. The last one was in october. the 2nd one was yesterday. all due to stress that is beyond my control.0 -
I would have to say smoking is worse because nicotine is so highly addictive that just that one cigarette can get you hooked. You say you quit "a year or two ago." Which is it? A year? Or two? Yesterday was my 1 year "quit" anniversary so I know how long it's been for me and personally, just the thought of smoking one grosses me out. If you can quit a year or two ago I would recommend just quitting for good before it hooks you to the point of no return. Eat instead!
I honestly cant remember a date. i dont like to count things like that because the longer it feels like it's been the more i will think its ok to do. i know it sounds stupid but i dont like remembering days like that for things like this.
such as when i "quit" coffee on new years. knowing a month passed made me want to have a month anniversary cup of celebration just because i was able to go with out a month and deserved it. i know it sounds totally counter productive and stupid. but i cant help how my brain thinks lol.0 -
if it is a single cigarette vs a single binge, then neither of them are bad for you. it isn't until you binge all the time or smoking enough to do significant damage before they are bad for you.
interesting.0 -
Honestly, I smoke... I've been smoking since I was 12.... I know, sucks, but...
I'd vote that binge eating is worse....
I have the same problem. i rationalized it this way at first because i started when i was like 15-16. i've always been an on and off with it due to stress. but i decided to quit for good and have only had 2 slip ups since then0 -
So are those of you who are saying that binge eating is worse than smoking... I have to say that I 100% disagree.
My mom, who was my best friend and only true girl friend, died unexpectedly last June, and it was TERRIBLE. Still is, in fact. I was so F'd up at first that there was no reasoning with me. I thought about going back to smoking, remembering how that relieved stress for me years ago. I thought about turning to food, remembering how easy it was to supress emotions with overeating.
I chose overeating. I gained nearly 50 pounds in a couple of months, and am now working on losing it back. I was able to stop the binge eating completely only recently.
I don't regret the decision of choosing binge eating over smoking. Sure, I would perhaps not have gained the weight back if I had turned to cigarettes instead of food. But I believe that I would still be a smoker right now. And the damage to my lungs, my teeth, and every other thing that cigarettes kill would be possibly irreversable.
I'm losing the weight in a healthy way now. And I've learned to not use food OR cigarettes for emotional needs. And I'm proud of myself. And I love my body and myself as a person more now than ever before in my life. I doubt that would have happened had I chosen cigarettes.
One, I would probably still be smoking. Two, I would probably quit eventually, only to swap cigarettes for snacking, and still end up gaining the weight.
So.... I guess I'm done. I just thought that I should share this viewpoint.0 -
I did something naughty yesterday. I bought a cigarette off a lady in the street i saw smoking. I smoked it before i went into the gym because i was very stressed out and angry. Im not proud of this at all... im very very mad at myself for this because i quit a year or two ago. I was happy however that i didn't buy an entire pack at least.
however after i did that i thought to myself... "hey at least i didn't binge eat at McDonalds"
then i started thinking that this thought and rationalization of a cigarette over food isn't healthy...
In your opinion which is worse.... binging junk food because of stress. Or smoking 1 cigarette when stressed? and why?
How much food are you considering a binge?
about 1500 cals worth0 -
Eliminate the stress so you do neither.
Or go binge on lettuce and water. (notice binging isn't the problem it's what you binge on)
i wish i could eliminate stress all the time. i found that that was they key to quitting cigs in the first place. and changing my diet too for that matter. but the truth it somethings are beyond your control. you cant predict everything thats going to happen all the time.0 -
Smoking; black lungs, cancer, death, second hand smoking can lead to asthama, allergies etc. smoking while pregnant can lead to a birth defect in the baby, or premature birth and the child being dependent on smoking
binge eating: obesity, heart attacks, diabetes, strokes etc
when you really think about it they are both equally bad . people tend to want to minimize one thing not looking as bad as the other. but the reality is there are no catergories as to small, medium or large mistakes. a mistake is a mistake.
I like this answer0 -
I don't think it's even close, smoking hands down worse. At the very least, even McDonald's provides some macros and can fuel a workout. I wouldn't recommend it, but one binge at least has some merit but one cigarette, to an "ex-smoker", is a door begging to be waked through. If you were an "ex-binger", then a binge could be too, but IMO, smoking is far LESS healthy than binge-ing.
im both a ex binger and smoker.
i do like this response as well though0 -
Smoking now questions!! I packed up 9 years ago and gained 70lbs but my doctor said It's better for me gaining this weight than if I'd still been a smoker!!!......BUT and here's the but, I HAVE to lose this weight as well!! :laugh:0
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Forget that.
I go all out.
After this I hit up Subway.
^^TOBACCO
Lord i found that easier to quit than cigs haha0 -
Smoking is far worse0
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The real challenge is to learn to deal with your emotions without turning to either food OR cigarettes.
I'm sure that you will get there soon! Best of luck to you.
^^ My thoughts too.
However, the actual question is
Kinda like asking which way is better to die? Car accident or drowning? Rather irrelevant. Dead is dead.
BOTH are roadblocks to a goal of living a healthier life.0 -
she wanted 50 cents. i gave her a doller and then she told me to take two because she didnt have 50 cents to give back to me. to my credit i told her to keep the entire doller and that i will just take one.how much did you pay for the cig?0 -
You look at me right this minute.
Don't smoke another cigarette.
I thought it'd be alright to try too. 17 years later and I'm still struggling to quit them. I get winded faster. My clothes and home smell like smoke. I spend a fortune on a habit that brings me little pleasure.
Not another smoke for you. Period.
i will try.0 -
Binge eating is worse.
Smoking is a physical addition. Binge eating is just being an emotional *****.
Disagree. Both can be a physical addition.
Personally, I think smoking is worse. It is gross.0 -
have you tried to binge on smoked sausage?0
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So your trying to determine what bad "habit" you should turn to? it seems you want validation? It's your life, you can justify whatever bad decision you want to, however you want to.
As a habit both options suck *kitten*. Either once in awhile won't kill you, but you are a former smoker, so that is dangerous territory. I say neither as a habit, but a binge on pizza, wings and beer every now and then having a good time with friends, I say is a must.
no in my original post i said:then i started thinking that this thought and rationalization of a cigarette over food isn't healthy...
i realize that both are bad things and i shouldnt be doing either one of them at all. but it happens we are all human. i was just curious to read opinions on it. thats all. im not trying to get any validation. im angry at myself for what i did to my body. and im also angry that my brain wanted to justify it by thinking "hey at least it wasnt mcdonalds" i recognize that there is a problem with my thinking and wanted to hear what other people had to say about it.0 -
I smoked for close to 25 years. Quit roughly 4 years ago. I was a 'militant smoker' I LOVED my smokes, I absolutely hated those x-smokers who were all sanctimonious about my habit. I'd use cigarettes as an appetite suppressant and a way to elevate my very low blood pressure. Eventually the chest pains forced me to quit. I'm happy I didn't turn into one of 'those' x-smokers. One of my friends recently confessed to me that he smoked 1 cigarette recently - after having been smoke free for close to 2 years. It happens. Giving up an addiction (be it food or smoke or drug or alcohol or whatever) is damn hard and if you slip from time to time it's OK, just don't give up!
As far as which is worse.. it's hard to say. When I quit smoking I was lucky that I had also just recently started working out so I didn't gain weight (though I had the few times I had tried quitting before that period) When I smoked I would always say that smoking kept me thin - and it did for a long time. But I think that is because I never knew really HOW to keep from eating without having to depend on some crutch. Now that I have quit and have also gotten a handle on my food I find that I have a lot less stress related binges. I still have stress but now I don't turn to food/cigs for comfort.when you really think about it they are both equally bad . people tend to want to minimize one thing not looking as bad as the other. but the reality is there are no categories as to small, medium or large mistakes. a mistake is a mistake.
I agree with this
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I think it depends on which affects your self esteem more. For me personally, binging would likely set me up to get discouraged & start eating like I did before. At this point in my life, losing weight is very important to me. I think we all need an occasional guilty pleasure to get us through....whether it's a doughnut or a cigarette or an unnecessary purchase. The worrisome part is trading one addiction for another (swapping a food addiction for a smoking addiction). Just be conscience of what you're doing. If it's an occasional guilty pleasure, I wouldn't worry about it.0
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I'm going to go out on a limb here and say and this is going to be completely offensive:
This is your addict brain talking. You are justifying one addiction for another. This is an excuse.
You need to take a look at what is going on why you are emotionally or physically vulnerable and learn to start giving the love that your body is really craving.
Hope you read this in the spirit it was meant.
i did. i appreciate this comment alot for what it is worth. i wish i could control the stupid things that happen to me but you cant always do that. im still young i agree that i need to find something better to do than eating and smoking to deal with it but i am working on it.
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have you tried to binge on smoked sausage?
yes its freaken Delicious!!!! i have been known to do that at barbecues. i love sausages! haha0 -
Honestly, I smoke... I've been smoking since I was 12.... I know, sucks, but...
I'd vote that binge eating is worse....
I have the same problem. i rationalized it this way at first because i started when i was like 15-16. i've always been an on and off with it due to stress. but i decided to quit for good and have only had 2 slip ups since then
Rock on, erickita. Respect to you. I've tried quitting many times over the years.0 -
thank you for all of the responses i've received you are all awesome 0
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So your trying to determine what bad "habit" you should turn to? it seems you want validation? It's your life, you can justify whatever bad decision you want to, however you want to.
As a habit both options suck *kitten*. Either once in awhile won't kill you, but you are a former smoker, so that is dangerous territory. I say neither as a habit, but a binge on pizza, wings and beer every now and then having a good time with friends, I say is a must.
no in my original post i said:then i started thinking that this thought and rationalization of a cigarette over food isn't healthy...
i realize that both are bad things and i should be doing either one of them at all. but it happens we are all human. i was just curious to read opinions on it. thats all. im not trying to get any validation. im angry at myself for what i did to my body. and im also angry that my brain wanted to justify it by thinking "hey at least it wasnt mcdonalds" i recognize that there is a problem with my thinking and wanted to hear what other people had to say about it.
Good answer. Just remember, don't beat yourself up. A lot of times we turn to being "hard" on ourselves in the thinking we have to be to stay inline. This is NOT the answer. Feeling bad leads to making bad decisions for temporary relieve, which leads to more shame and guilt, and more bad choices.
Brush it off. Today is a new day, and not one single choice you have ever made defines you. Make the right choice next time, and validate your strength.
I highly recommend the book The Will Power Effect. It's amazing! Good luck.0 -
You look at me right this minute.
Don't smoke another cigarette.
I thought it'd be alright to try too. 17 years later and I'm still struggling to quit them. I get winded faster. My clothes and home smell like smoke. I spend a fortune on a habit that brings me little pleasure.
Not another smoke for you. Period.
^^THIS!!! These are the reasons I quit....been off them for 8 years now and I feel better than I ever have!0
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