Quit Smoking and Dieting! TOUGH!!

alejandralozano89
alejandralozano89 Posts: 6
in Introduce Yourself
Hi everyone! I'm new here!
I just quit smoking and I thought the best thing I could do is start watching what I eat because I don't want to gain weight.

Let me tell you, THIS IS TOUGH! I was a pack a day smoker for 6 years, but I made the decision to quit, and i couldn't be happier. But i still get cravings EVERY DAY, several times a day actually. And because I didn't want to replace the cigarettes with sweets or other unhealthy food, I started a new healthy lifestyle.
I'm a dancer (mainly the reason why i wanted to quit smoking) i feel like i have so much more energy now to workout, and i'm very enthusiastic about this new life style changes! I just NEED to stick to them!

Any smokers or ex-smokers or trying-to-quit-smokers here?

I could really use your support!

Replies

  • paintlisapurple
    paintlisapurple Posts: 982 Member
    Ex smoker here too. Still in the process. This is one of the toughest things I've ever had to try and get through. If you're looking for a support buddy, here I am. We can certainly help each other through these trying times.
  • cowboy032587
    cowboy032587 Posts: 24 Member
    ex smoker here. I gave it up over three years ago. I wish i had the self control then that you do now because i gained so much weight when i quit!!!! I was in pretty good shape until and i feel like my really bad eating habits came from trying to control the urge to light up another cigarette. So here is to new healthy life styles. Good luck!!!
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,511 Member
    I smoked a pack a day for almost 20 years. I will be 4 years free next week. It does get easier. I can't remember the last time I had a craving. I did gain weight when I quit, but I had a whole lot of other things going on at the same time. Honestly, it was worth the extra pounds I put on. At least now I can breathe while I take them off again. :wink:
  • bgpeck2
    bgpeck2 Posts: 28 Member
    Just started trying to quit smoking again...not sure how it's going to work out for me though...been a pack a day smoker for quite some time now...I'm trying a e-cig to cut down on the real stuff and to prevent me from gaining weight rather than losing...
  • mamabearbartlett
    mamabearbartlett Posts: 17 Member
    I am a quitter.... on the smokes for a couple of months now. I could use some encouragement as well. :)
  • melb_alex
    melb_alex Posts: 1,154 Member
    good on all of you smoking is definitely the worst thing that you can do but I am not here to judge.

    I wish you all well
  • bgpeck2
    bgpeck2 Posts: 28 Member
    The smoking part is what is going to get me though...I haven't had any trouble controlling cravings for food or the like..but the cigarrettes...that's another story....
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 7,080 Member
    I think you're being very smart doing both at the same time, as tough as it is! You CAN do it!

    My 5 years was a month ago, I'm still surprised! I quit right before having back surgery as I was having a double-fusion and my bone needed to grow in those areas, and smoking keeps oxygen from the spine. I thought going on the patch was fine but it was too close and I had to be off nicotine, so I was cold-turkey in the hospital and unable to move at all (two part surgery), it was awful. I had problems with the hardware that supports the spine while the bone grows and ended up unable to do PT until it healed on it's own, which was a year. I think I normally would've gained some weight, but being unable to move much and going through withdrawals I suspect I was eating when I was having cravings. I kept healthy food around too, but lots of fruit is lots of fruit, same with other healthy foods as they still add up! BTW, when I posted I was having back surgery on a quitting smoking site I spent time on right after quitting, over 50 ex-smokers quit when they had surgeries of some kind too, many spine-related and likely since it's so tough for oxygen and nutrients to get there, smoking could have been a factor.

    I would recommend to anyone quitting that it's a great time to start working out, even if it's daily walks, as I think it'd help with both the cravings and the weight gain. I also think keeping track of your eating is smart (if you snack once an hour, you'll know why!). I wish you the best of luck, you can do it!
  • mahanaibu
    mahanaibu Posts: 505 Member
    Good for you for quitting smoking and taking such great charge of your health! Having recently lost a beloved coworker and lifelong smoker to emphysema, I'm thrilled to hear about people who refuse to let the tobacco companies steal their well being and their lives!

    I quit 24 years ago, never touched another one and now am one of those people who can't stand being around cigarette smoke. Send best wishes to all who are on this road. It can be so hard at times, but you CAN do it. get help if you need it; success rates are higher with quit-smoking aids, though I was able to do fine without them.

    Dont' let some profit-motivated high-paid executives who made their bucks by hooking you on the means to your own early death andn who don't care how people suffer as long as they get rich get away with it!
  • bgpeck2
    bgpeck2 Posts: 28 Member
    Long and short of it...if you are trying to quit smoking while trying to loose weight at the same time, hit me up with a friend invite...I can use all the smoking cessation support that I can get...and who knows, maybe we can help each other out...
  • volume77
    volume77 Posts: 670 Member
    JUST ADDED U
  • DistractedGrace
    DistractedGrace Posts: 31
    Yep...ex smoker here. I was a pack and half to two packs a day. I quit on January 22, this year because I had became so sick that I couldn't smoke. I am trying to change my lifestyle, not smoke, learn what to eat with my stupid new diagnosis of diabetes.

    It's hard....you can do this!

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