Smoking and Weight Loss

hi I stopped smoking cold turkey for a month before I started my weight loss. I have lost 6 pounds in less then a month. I feel so much better. It all depends on how bad you want it, that's how I seen.

Try going to electronic cigs first... still bad for you but "probably" not as bad. I say probably b/c the science hasn't caught up with the technology. That way, you're still getting the nicotine and the hand to mouth habit, but without the tar, smoke, etc... I still haven't completely quit with regular cigs, but I do often use my ecig instead. I did quit once with Chantix, but rationalized my way back into smoking "just socially" and it snowballed from there... *sigh* It's definitely harder to quit smoking than it is to lose weight!

I have an e-cig and I have read some preliminary studies suggesting that using it can cause immediate inflammation of the bronchial tubes. Only when I'm very sick or running do I ever experience difficulty breathing, that was until I smoked my e-cig over several days. I'm nearly a pack a day smoker. I found it was easier to breathe after smoking my cigs than the e-cig.

The effect doesn't seem to be permanent. I would suggest if you are going to use an e-cig to decrease your nicotine dependency, that you do it when you aren't exercising a lot and are focusing more on diet. I thought the e-cig was a great idea, but it hasn't really helped that much. Mostly it helped me cut back to around half a pack a day. I use it pretty occasionally at this point.

I smoked for 30 years, and always struggled with my weight. NO MATTER WHAT you WILL gain weight. Your body is being poisoned, and it is messing with your metabolism.
I quit several times, and FREAKED out about gaining the weight, and started smoking again. If you just eat healthy & exercise A LOT! you will get over the hump.
I didn't listen to my own advice & gained 30 lbs. YIKES. But, the good news is......it's almost gone I have 12 lbs. left to lose, I'm almost 50 years old and I am stronger and healthier than I ever have been in my entire life.

Quitting smoking is hard, Trade that bad addiction for a healthy addiction. Everyone has their own nitch & ah ha moment. Mine was hiking / backpacking I challenge myself everyday over it.

Good luck, quitting will be the best decision ever.

I lost 30 lbs still had plenty to lose and I quit 4/1 of this year. I didn't read all the responses but may I suggest Allen Carr's Easy way to quit smoking. http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Carrs-Easyway-Stop-Smoking/dp/0615482155

I did gain some weight back, kept up on exercise & walking just let my eating slack. I did my first ever 5k which was a zombie mud run in August. I will be honest my lungs were burning when I was done but I think it would have been much much worse if I was still smoking.

A bit of background started smoking when I was 12ish at 16 I was a full blown pack a day smoker. I did quit with my pregnancies but started back up afterwards. I am now 36 and not smoking and it was the first time I quit without being pregnant and the husband still smokes:grumble: out of the house though and not around me.

I only joined today and read your message. I sympathise wholeheartedly with you and totally understand the situation you are in. Last year I tried to diet and give up smoking at the same time and it just does not work. It is impossible to do both together and is asking far too much of ourselves. I feel so down about my weight but I thought the most important thing was to give up smoking first, as naturally I would gain even more weight by giving up and then deal with my weight problem afterwards. I have tried 3 times in five years to give up smoking but always found a reason to go back again, as I couldn't cope without them. I was at a restaurant with my two sisters and it was so hot that we sat outside to eat. I sat on a separate table so I could smoke when I wanted to. The waiter came out and said 'Oh, they have thrown you on a separate table have they?' to which I agreed. He said he had given up smoking for 2 years and now he does 'Vaping' instead. 'What on earth is that I asked? He explained that it is smoking different flavours with an electric cigarette, otherwise known as the e-cig. This means you can still smoke but without the horrible smell and all the nasty and harmful things that comes along with smoking. They come in tobacco and menthol flavours as well as loads of weird and wonderful other flavours and have different strengths of nicotine in them, as well as zero nicotine. The battery when fixed to the cartridge looks like a real cigarette and lights up at the end when you take a puff. Nothing has ever worked before but these did, and I am sure they worked on me because I am still holding a cigarette in my hand and still going through the motions of smoking without getting breathless. I did not like the taste of the tobacco ones so I have the menthol ones and I celebrated on 30th August a whole year without smoking, which is an all time records for me. No patches, gums, or any other non-smoking aid has ever worked before. I feel so much better for it and have saved a lot of money and will save a lot more when I can give up 'vaping' as well.

I have joined here now to lose the weight I so desperately want to get rid of and hopefully I will be able to exercise without needing an oxygen mask at the end, once I have done that, my next aim will be to give up the electric cigarette.

Forgot to mention that I only gained a few pounds after giving up smoking and that I had been smoking for over 30 years.

Hi premaan, I hope I got that right! LOL!
First my name is Lynda, Pleased to meet you! I just read your topic, and I was a bit concerned
that you literally ripped yourself apart ( you are not horrible You have just been living a life style that's
not conducive to who you want to be, and where you want to go! You have the right idea about trying to reach out for a healthy lifestyle, and you can do it!

I recently quit smoking, almost 9 months ago and gained 10 lbs I came on here to lose 10lbs, if I lose more
great, and If I don't no big deal! I saw my Dr. today 10lbs was exactly right. He said that's really not a lot as some people gain much more than what I have! It may not seem like much to him, but it's horrifying to me! I have Body image disorder, and out side of being pregnant, I have never weighed more than 115 in my adult life! So you see what I'm trying to say to you is everyone has their struggles with one thing or another! I have a little granddaughter who just turned one, and I will never call her princess or talk about sizes with her! In this world today it's just too much pressure. My Dr. told me today I look terrific compared to what he saw the 1st time he met me! He said I was scrawny, and emaciated. Nice huh? I weighed 103lb when I got sick with thyroid disease.
Maybe we're just critical of ourselves, I know I am and I'm trying to loosen up! I'm 60 years old for God's sake, so why should I be such a perfectionist? There was a couple of good thing like he said , I lowered my risk of Emphysema, my lungs sound great, My heart is strong Bp 120/80 another good thing! He said to just keep doing what I am, and that he would not change a thing! That was so sweet of him, and it's great to have support, and someone to keep me in check! So I'm just going to pass that on to you! I know you'll do fine, and everyone here is happy for everyone else when the y reach a goal whether it's a small one or a big one, because everything counts! Hope to talk to you again soon! ♥
Lyn

I smoked for about 16 years, and have about 60 lbs to lose. I quit smoking in April, in fact, today makes 5 months! I used the patch. It bothered my skin so I put it in a different spot every day. And took it off at bedtime so I didn't have wacko dreams.

Once I was good and quit I got really serious about the weight loss! I've been exercising about 5 days a week for a couple months, and I feel like a whole new person!

I'm glad I picked one, I couldn't have done both at the same time, they are hard! Good luck!!

I'm sure too that kicking one bad habit completely will give you the confidence to kick the other one, whichever you choose to do first.

I started the same way, but nothing is a better smoking suppressant than working out! No one wants a smokey treat after a 3 mile run! I found myself and ex-smoker without realizing I was quitting! You can do this!

Awesome Angela, It does make a huge difference, and in many ways I sometimes look at the weight gain
as my badge of courage!! LOL That is until I find something in the closet that I want to wear and it doesn't fit
the way I expected it to! That part is depressing, but then I'll put something else on, it looks good, and I'm ok!
We just need to keep our eyes on the prize! We'll be undoing damage and getting healthier! Just stay with it!
I didn't take anything, because I know people who have and they had a lot of problems. Not only that. I have a lot
of medication that I have to take for my thyroid! So you and I are in the same boat!!! LMAO! We can, and will do this! ♥