Advice to quit smoking please?

mommy8777
mommy8777 Posts: 15
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,
I've gone cold turkey in the past (as soon as I found out I was pregnant) and I wound up replacing that bad habit with hard candy, gum, and food. Like a moron, I started smoking again 6 months after my son was born. My kiddo is now 2 and I'd really like to quit again because I felt so much healthier and want to be around for a long time for him but I'm worried that I'll cave into the same "replacement habits" as I did before. So, my question is, does anyone have any tips on how to go about kickin the butts while not resorting to food as replacement? I figure sugar free candies can be a fall back but all that fake sugar isnt healthy either. Any ideas or tips would be greatly appreciated :flowerforyou: Thanks!
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Replies

  • hhayes06
    hhayes06 Posts: 189 Member
    Chew on straws or toothpicks.
  • erinsueburns
    erinsueburns Posts: 865 Member
    Check out electronic cigarettes. ape all the delicious flavors people tend to cut out while dieting, with none of the calories :)

    http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/

    Honestly, I have been off traditional cigarettes for a couple of years now. I personally do not choose to decrease my nicotine consumption, but many people I know have stepped down their nicotine levels to zero.
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
    Last time I quit I did it cold turkey for the most part. I did keep a few of the Thrive lozenges or gum around just in case. Whenever I Had a craving I would hop on my exercise bike, clean the bathroom, go for a walk, etc. Keep yourself busy. Eat carrot sticks (take the big carrots and cut into thin strips)... cucumber strips... etc. Chew on a straw or a pen. I also would snack on sunflower seeds in the shells. Takes time to eat... or a pomegranate. Drink water when you have a craving. Garden, do yard work, do anything to keep yourself busy.
  • iamjocanadian
    iamjocanadian Posts: 4
    I second the e-cig suggestion. I have been using one for 3 years now and the difference is absolutely huge.
  • pmastro724
    pmastro724 Posts: 122 Member
    There is an e-cig call Blu - had the best "pull" in my opinion. You can get them at Walgreens. I also recommend reading a book by Allan Carr - the Easy Way to Quit Smoking - or something like that . It has been in publication for over 20years. The guy who wrote the book smoked like 4 packs a day! Its an easy read - I highly recommend it.
  • CookNLift
    CookNLift Posts: 3,660 Member
    I am currently going through a similar dilemma. What I plan on doing is quitting cold turkey and using my will power to avoid smoking. Whenever I get the urge to smoke I am going to chug a glass of water and read a book or go exercise. (The water will satisfy my oral fixation without causing me to navigate to gum, candy, etc.)

    I personally tried the electronic cigarettes, and I felt myself puffing on them way more often than I would a regular cigarette. The only supplement I heard that is amazing was the nicotine lozenges.

    Whenever you get stressed out and want to smoke, try and think about why you're quitting in the first place. If it gets that bad just realize that you're doing it for your kid.

    I wish you the best.
  • kcamp79
    kcamp79 Posts: 24 Member
    www.greensmoke.com

    best e-cig on the market. i love it and it comes with a life time warranty and they are amazingggg
  • choosingsara
    choosingsara Posts: 98 Member
    There is an e-cig call Blu - had the best "pull" in my opinion. You can get them at Walgreens. I also recommend reading a book by Allan Carr - the Easy Way to Quit Smoking - or something like that . It has been in publication for over 20years. The guy who wrote the book smoked like 4 packs a day! Its an easy read - I highly recommend it.

    I used to LOVE smoking, read this book 5 years ago and quit.... don't miss it a bit!
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    I quit cold turkey and just changed my addiction. After 3 days its a struggle, but you can do it.

    For me, I replaced smoking with being obsessive about running.
  • Lochlyn_D
    Lochlyn_D Posts: 492 Member
    You have to want it more than you want the cigarette. I quit ten months ago and I haven't really thought about it since. I had become so disgusted by the habit and the cost that I just decided I was done. Never looked back.

    After 24 hours, the addiction is all in your head. Keep yourself busy. Think of yourself as a non smoker, just as right now you consider yourself a smoker. You will be a new person.

    Good luck.

    Cold turkey really is the best way to go. Why quit smoking if your just going to replace the toxins with a patch or a gum or a fake cigarette?
  • BreeFeelinFree
    BreeFeelinFree Posts: 48
    I quit a year and a half ago a lot of gum, water and lifting. Now when I drink I have an e cig, best investment ever. You should check them out!
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    Exercise might be a good habit! Or you could become a daytime drunk. Nah, stick to exercise.
  • Maryaly40
    Maryaly40 Posts: 551 Member
    cinnamon Trident!!!!! I quit 3 years ago and have NEVER looked back!!!!

    Good luck to you!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • ekz13
    ekz13 Posts: 725 Member
    if you're ready, just go cold turkey, it sucks in the beginning, but best way, replace it with exercise, eventually you will feel so much better and you won't even miss it.

    excellent website for support btw

    http://www.quitnet.com/qnhomepage.aspx
  • rassha01
    rassha01 Posts: 534 Member
    I used Chantix and it worked great. I would recommend sunflower seeds. 20 pounds is what I gained when I quit but I have lost that and more, to me the short term weight gain is well worth it espicially here in Minny where they are raising the price another $1.60/pack!! It is going to be around $8 and no way in !@#$ I can afford that.
  • pandsmomCheryl
    pandsmomCheryl Posts: 168 Member
    Just do it. Smoking is gross, smelly and will kill you. Pick up healthy habits instead. I smoked a pack a day for 18 years and I've been smoke free for 10 years. As you can probably tell, I'm the world's worst x-smoker. But really, just give it up. It's bad.
  • angryguy77
    angryguy77 Posts: 836 Member
    Check out electronic cigarettes. ape all the delicious flavors people tend to cut out while dieting, with none of the calories :)

    http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/

    Honestly, I have been off traditional cigarettes for a couple of years now. I personally do not choose to decrease my nicotine consumption, but many people I know have stepped down their nicotine levels to zero.

    This.
  • ambrosdm
    ambrosdm Posts: 21 Member
    I quit about 10 years ago. I really wanted to quit, so I cut back a lot until I was down to about 4-5 cigs per day (was smoking almost a pack). THEN I got hypnotized. One live session for about an hour, but I bought the CD too. The CD was basically a 20 minute relaxation exercise with some "suggestions" at the end when you are in a relaxed state. For the first week I listened to that CD 2-3 X per day (every time I really felt the urge to smoke -- after a meal, at night, first thing in the morning, etc.). It took about two weeks, but then I was over cigs and haven't gone back! Anyway, it worked for me.....Good luck!
  • Kxgz
    Kxgz Posts: 198 Member
    Smoke free almost 4 months here. I ate a ton of jjerky and cashews. A Ton. After a month I started logging calories and got an elliptical and launched myself into healthy eating and loving working out. Besides the water weight I gained from that jerky....no gain! I did use the patch for a month.
  • angryguy77
    angryguy77 Posts: 836 Member
    You have to want it more than you want the cigarette. I quit ten months ago and I haven't really thought about it since. I had become so disgusted by the habit and the cost that I just decided I was done. Never looked back.

    After 24 hours, the addiction is all in your head. Keep yourself busy. Think of yourself as a non smoker, just as right now you consider yourself a smoker. You will be a new person.

    Good luck.

    Cold turkey really is the best way to go. Why quit smoking if your just going to replace the toxins with a patch or a gum or a fake cigarette?


    The only "toxin" in an ecig is the nicotine.....which btw, isn't as bad as you may think.

    You "quite or die" people need to realize not all people want, or will quite the habit totally. I've used a ecig for over a year now and my lung capacity has improved as well as my health.
  • Cliffslosinit
    Cliffslosinit Posts: 5,044 Member
    It takes a made up mind!! Then self control for the little things(snacks) It is the hand to mouth habit. Change that. Good luck.
  • arllorens
    arllorens Posts: 2
    I have not smoked for 6 months. The e-cigs are great and lots of water. You can do it!
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Honestly? It's just like when it comes to working out....


    Just. Do. It


    Make a commitment to yourself and follow through. I did it cold turkey, chewed a lot of gum and baby carrots and exercised. No tricks, no gimmicks. It sucks and is hard as hell but worth it.
  • Samenamenewlook
    Samenamenewlook Posts: 296 Member
    I too started smoking again after all three of my kids. I finally quit cold turkey 18 months ago. I replaced it with exercise. Everytime I ran I was reminded of how much more I could do and how better I felt. The cravings start to wane after about two weeks. I'm not going to lie, I still have urges once in a while, usually when I have a drink, or see someone with one but can't smell it. (I can't stand the smell now). You have to find what works for you. Weight loss followed as I started running instead of smoking and it was wonderful. I don't believe in replacements ... letting it and all triggers go is best. Keeping them around usually leads to smoking again. People telling you its gross will never help you. Find your own reason, your own goals - and keep them in mind. I wish you the best of luck!
  • Sublimely_Self_Righteous
    Sublimely_Self_Righteous Posts: 429
    Find another thing to orally fixate on to take your mind off cigarettes. It's all mental, and you just have to figure out how to beat it. I know it sounds dumb, but when I quit I switched to chew. Why? Because it gave me the nicotine but I HATED the chew in my mouth. So it got to be a trade off and I eventually just said "*kitten* it" and stopped. It worked for me, but may not work for others. It's just how I beat that mental battle.
  • gaylynn35
    gaylynn35 Posts: 854 Member
    bump
  • LBNOakland
    LBNOakland Posts: 379 Member
    When I quit probably 20 years ago, I stepped my self down. I went from MArlboro lights to ultralights, then Benson & Hedges to Lights, to ultralights. I looked for brands that were lighter and lighter til I was practically smoking air. That worked for me.

    My mom quit after 33 years of smoking. Actually, she hasn't quit. She gets up everyday and decides not to smoke today. She has been deciding not to smoke today for about 15 years! LOL It works for her!

    Good luck!! Keep in mind that your kids mimic you. That may help. I smoked because my mom smoked. My kids have never seen me smoke and think it is a very nasty habit. They were schocked to hear I ever did it. I have 3 teens and none will even consider trying it.

    On the other hand, my husband dips and we have already caught our son dipping. Daddy basically said do as I say not as I do. Think that will work? Bad habits can be caught rather than taught. Do you want your child to have to break a smoking habit? Perhaps that will help motivate you.
  • GIAngel222
    GIAngel222 Posts: 227 Member
    I quit by keeping one cigarette in a pack and it was for "emergency purposes only". I held onto that pack for two weeks and kept telling myself that I am strong and that it was mind over matter, that as long as my mind kept telling me not to smoke the cigarette than it wouldn't happen. I also (because of the severe dry mouth that makes you keep wanting more cigarettes) sucked on Halls Vitamin C drops, they also helped with the oral fixation too! I think this went on for about 6 months - a year.

    I don't know if this helps you but I have been successfully smoke free for 10 years, 2 months and 6 days!
  • oiseau17
    oiseau17 Posts: 142 Member
    I was in the same boat (started again after my dd was born and I felt terrible about it). I've been tobacco free for nine months now using an e-cigarette and it was the best decision I've ever made. I've been slowly stepping down my nicotine and I'm almost rid of that now too. If you want a wealth of info, google "e-cigarette forum" and you can find out everything you'd ever want to know and more. Depending where you are, there maybe vape shops in your area as well. Hands-on help when you start out is really helpful. I wish you all kinds of good luck quitting, whichever method you choose! And feel free to message me if you need any e-cig advice :)

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