Quitting smoking while trying to diet....

lola99
lola99 Posts: 5
edited September 22 in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone had any success with this? What quitting methods did you use? I need some help here!!

Replies

  • brwnsugababe
    brwnsugababe Posts: 102
    I'm trying to find a method myself. I've been smoking for a really long time and have tried to stop so many times. Only solution that was showing real results for me was Chantrix, but had to stop using because it caused me abdomen soreness. So I'm stuck too... Any leads you find pleaseeeeeee let me know :)
  • adrianhelen
    adrianhelen Posts: 31 Member
    I quit 3 years ago and managed to lose weight while doing so. I quit using welbutrin which kind of gave me more energy. Not to mention I was always munching on carrots or celery. The crunching really helped. I ate so many baby carrots it's a wonder the white of my eyes didn't turn orange. I also made sure I got in a good work out each day. Something that could really wear me out. That really helped with the anxiety and stress along with quitting. Good luck to you. It is hard enough to quit smoking, let alone quit smoking and lose weight. If it gets too hard concentrate on the quitting smoking first. If you put on a few pounds in the process then oh well. That is much better for your health than smoking. Remember it's hard to lose weight if you don't stay active. It's really hard to stay active and work out when your blood oxygen levels are tied up due to the carbon monoxide from the cigs. Not to mention breathing is good to help you live. :smile:

    Look me up if you are looking for some support. I know how hard it is.
  • tjradd73
    tjradd73 Posts: 3,495 Member
    i PERSONALLY do not suggest this idea to anyone! If you are serious about both I would pick which of the 2 is most important and start with that! If you are going to try to be a superhero I suggest the electronis cigarettes so you still have something to do the motion of doing it instead of eating something!! good luck and my best wishes to you and anyone who wants to try this! :)
  • snoyes
    snoyes Posts: 4
    I found motivation in going to the gym and losing weight. It's easier to work out when you're not having trouble breathing and the working out combats the weight gain. I go to the gym or do something really active when I crave one or am stressed out so I don't have cravings. Also, I have the money I was spending on smokes automatically transferred to my savings every week and use that money to reward myself (new clothes, vacation, etc.).
  • kymarai
    kymarai Posts: 3,702 Member
    I'm trying to find a method myself. I've been smoking for a really long time and have tried to stop so many times. Only solution that was showing real results for me was Chantrix, but had to stop using because it caused me abdomen soreness. So I'm stuck too... Any leads you find pleaseeeeeee let me know :)

    I used Chantix 7 months ago to quit. The key is talking with your doctor about any funky symptoms. My only side effect was that I got so cold I couldn't get enough clothes on! He cut my dosage to 1/2 and I did wonderfully on it. Still not smoking, have only had two migraines, and only gained 25 pounds. Ihave tried everything else and this worked best. Good Luck!
  • turbojanem
    turbojanem Posts: 285
    i quit smoking 11.5 yrs ago when doing a Bible based weight loss program. never went back to the smokes. did return to my emotional eating...which is why i am working on going down again.

    my Husband used Chantex (sp?). 3 weeks into the script and he go a bug. nothing would stay in his system, so he stopped the meds, planning to return to the meds after he got better. by the end of the week of illness, he decided that he didn't need the meds. that was over 2.5 years ago.

    i have a Beachbody coach friend that is doing both. she has been smoke free for over 6 weeks now. it CAN be done!!!

    stopping smoking while losing weight will cause you to get to the heart of the eating and smoking all at once. go for it! know that there are emotion "layers" that will need to be dealt with, or neither will stick for the long run.

    send me a friend request if you want another cheerleader.

    cheering you on!
    Jane
  • pmjsmom
    pmjsmom Posts: 1,926 Member
    I quit 6 months ago when I got under 200 (that was a promise to myself) . I used an electronic cigarette and did a lot of walking. I did gain about 6 pounds back and then stalled but the weight is finally coming off again.
    I was told it would take about 6 months for my metabolism to reset itself after giving up the nicotine and I guess they were right!
    The main thing is--I feel SO much better, I haven't used an e-cig in 2 or more months and I have NO desire to have a cigarette anymore!
  • ChattyKatie
    ChattyKatie Posts: 33
    Congrats on quitting. I tried Chantix and it seemed to be working..but had very stressful situation and stopped using it...Have script to try again.
  • stella77
    stella77 Posts: 282
    The Easy Way to Stop Smoking - by Allen Carr.

    My mom stopped after 40 years of smoking using this book and never went back to cigarettes even during really stressful times. My husband stopped 4 years ago - after reading the book.

    I stopped during pregnancy and breastfeeding also using the book - and it really wasn't difficult! (because it is not one of those willpower methods)

    Foolishly - I started again and am planning to stop again - I find it hard to be fit and exercise when I smoke!
    Just got the book yedterday and will do the same thing I did when I stopped the first time around. I actually didn't have any cravings for the whole time even during the really stressful first 3 months after my baby was born.
    I made the oldest mistake in the book of ex-smokers - I had just one - just to see what happens (esp. because I didn't feel any cravings I thought I was safe) and I am back to 10-20 cigs a day!

    Depends which method you use to stop smoking, I would advise against any willpower method, because while you are staying away from the cigarettes, there isn't much will left to keep away from food. Depends also why you want to stop.
    "for health reasons" never really worked for me! And none of the common reasons - like "its expensive, anti social, it makes you smell" LOL! All of those just make me want to smoke more.

    Anyway...check out the book. The good thing about it is that you are advised NOT to stop while you are reading it!

    Good luck!
  • maliblue
    maliblue Posts: 6 Member
    There are these filter tips that reduce tars and nicotine slowly. It takes 60 days for nicotine to clear out of your body.
    Try the nicotine gum or patch. Rice cakes are crunchy and help. Also, for some reason red hot hard candies and chew gum!
    Cinnamon gum was a big help, as it zaps your taste buds. What I found to be a really important help: for at least those first 60 days change all your cigarette associations-that is, if you are used to having a cigarette with your coffee, then change your coffee, for example change it to black if you use cream and vice versa, or change to tea if you can!. Don't sit or go to the same place where you went for your cigarette. If you drank liquor, change the mix or type of your associated drink. It is stimulus-response memory patterns you need to change to help break the craving. Good luck!
  • lola99
    lola99 Posts: 5
    Thanks for all the helpful suggestions! I really want to both lose weight and quit smoking together as part of a plan for total health, but it's tough. I was going to try chantix but I read about it being so similar to an antidepressant and I'm not sure I want to mess with my brain chemistry too much lol! So does anyone know which is better between the gum and the patch?
  • suziblues2000
    suziblues2000 Posts: 515 Member
    For me, what helped a little was the fact that I was trying to lose weight to be more healthy, so why was I still smoking?! Smoking was making me very UNhealthy, I kept getting pnemonia every year and was having trouble breathing. I like to breath!

    Anyway, it CAN be done. You CAN quit smoking and lose weight at the same time. I smoked for 40 yrs. and quit last April. I also lost 25 lbs.

    Good luck to you.

    By the way: if you mess up, don't fret about it, just quit again and again until it sticks!


    PS: if you want to 'friend' me, go right ahead!
  • CroakerNorge
    CroakerNorge Posts: 165 Member
    I've always heard it takes 48-72 hours for nicotine to get out of your circulatory system, after that, it's all psychological.
    I used a quit smoking application on my iPhone, worked like a charm.
  • ardnek77
    ardnek77 Posts: 17
    I quit 4 years ago by using Chantix. I never thought I would ever be able to quit my pack a day habit after smoking for 13 years. I had tried patches, gum and cold turkey methods prior to getting the prescription but failed miserably each time. I was pretty cranky and confrontational for a few days and then I got really weepy but I got through it. I can honestly say that every now and again I will get a craving for a cigarette but haven't and won't give in to it. Good luck to you!
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    I quit using Chanitx. However, I didn't finish the 3 month prescription and now I have relapsed :( So, I started taking the pills again and sure enough, my desire to smoke is dropping every day. Today will be my first day of NO cigs since mid-September.

    It's hard to recommend Chantix to people because the side effects *can* be intense. I actually take 1/4 dose (1/2 pill only at night) because of the nausea, but I still have crazy intense dreams. But for me, anything is better than smoking. I hate smoking so much!!!

    If only I can figure out how to avoid the relapsing...
  • ardnek77
    ardnek77 Posts: 17
    This is weird but my opinion was that the crazy intense dreams I had were a bonus! I usually don't remember what I've dreamt the night before so being able to recall them was pretty cool to me.
    I only took the prescription for a month since my insurance didn't cover it but a friend of mine took it and was able to get some sort of discount plan from the manufacturer's website. I have heard there are some seriously wacky side effects to the drug. It did make me a bit nauseous when I took it in the morning.
  • laurenpence
    laurenpence Posts: 147
    I quit cold turkey...yes it sucked for about 3 or 4 days and I ate everything in sight. It took me one month to gain and lose 8 pounds.....now that it has been a couple of months i still get the craving but all I do it drink about 32oz of water as fast as I can.....it was the only thing that kept me from stuffing my face with food and took my mind off smoking
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