What's harder? Quitting smoking or quitting overeating?

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  • lisaanne1369
    lisaanne1369 Posts: 377 Member
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    my husband is doing an 11 day clense and I am ready for a divorce! when he quit smoking at least he had the chantex!
  • blobby10
    blobby10 Posts: 357 Member
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    I've never smoked but would imagine that, even though both are really hard, dieting is harder simply because you HAVE to eat to live!
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    I've done both and quitting smoking is WAY harder, no doubt.
  • redmagpie91
    redmagpie91 Posts: 77 Member
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    It's not really comparable because when you quit smoking, you quit smoking. You don't have a drag three times a day and tell yourself you've quit. You can't quit food. You have to still eat you just have learn to eat differently and in moderation and that is absolutely the hardest part .

    I smoked once a day, only on the weekdays for several years. I never smoked on the weekends and when I left that job where there were smokers, I completely quit and never had cravings.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    I did both at the same time and giving up the smokes was by far harder. Curbing my consumption was only difficult when I started out and had too aggressive of an energy deficit...once I realized that a 1,000 calorie per day deficit was simply not something that was going to work for me and adjusted that back to 500 calories per day, it was pretty easy...cutting out 500 calories per day is as easy as cutting out a snack or having a single serving at dinner rather than going back for 2nds or skipping desert on certain days, etc...I thought it was really easy.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
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    With all of the misinformation about dieting I think stopping over-eating is the hardest thing for people until they learn about calorie counting. The media and shows like Dr. Oz would have you believe that the only way to lose weight is with some pill or magic supplement, and shows like The Biggest Loser advertise the only real way to lose weight is to kick your *kitten* hard at the time and starve yourself. At least with smoking there's a nicotine patch FDA Approved and lots of media encouraging people to quit smoking and how to do it.

    Now if you can get past all of the junk that the media has taught you then you can lose weight and I think it's easier than you think with calorie counting and proper MACROS. Forget everything the media has taught you and count your calories and eat at a calorie deficit.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Quitting smoking was much harder for me. I still remember those first couple days like they were yesterday.

    Changing my diet was (and remains) a struggle, but it's nothing compared to when I stopped smoking. I went cold turkey. I don't know if it makes a difference because I haven't quit all the different ways and can't compare them.

    Both things got easier with time. When I smell smoke, I am a little disgusted now. When I see people having cheeseburgers, I'm so glad I stopped eating them. I feel better now that I don't put any of it in my body. I'm glad to be done with it.

    I no longer want a cigarette or a cheeseburger. Both were tough to eliminate at first, but the cigarettes were tougher.
  • jasonmh630
    jasonmh630 Posts: 2,850 Member
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    OMG Smoking. Smoking is my crutch when I want to eat. Vicious, vicious cycle.

    I can identify with this like you wouldn't believe.
  • Veil5577
    Veil5577 Posts: 868 Member
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    I know how you feel, I am fighting both of these battles right now.

    I quit smoking using Nicorette gum, but the gum is too expensive for me now, and since I'm fighting the overeating I'm smoking again. I can't fight both battles so right now I'm concentrating on the lifestyle change of changing my eating habits and reaching my goal with weight loss and no more binge eating. And once I have achieved that I will start fighting the other battle.

    I tried to quit smoking while doing this and found myself starting to lean towards binging again.
  • JDKD82199
    JDKD82199 Posts: 106 Member
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    Another Okie girl here (Claremore)! For me, smoking was easier to quit but I quit several years ago when I found out I was pregnant so that made it easier. Since then I only smoked when I would drink (which was maybe once every three months) and it has been three years since I have drank. In stressful situation I still do crave a cigarette but nothing bad enough that would make me actually want to go smoke one. Food on the other hand, like many others have stated, is more challenging for me because we have to eat. I also have a job where I am on my feet most of the time and I use the excuse that I dont have time for a sit down meal and just grab whatever junk is laying around or in the vending machines. I have started taking my own healthier snacks to work recently and trying to prep my meals. I find working nights is better since I can't go to the cafeteria to gorge myself on unhealthy crap (they have healthy alternatives but the bad stuff smells too good to pass up).
  • Artionis
    Artionis Posts: 105 Member
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    Really, what difference does it make which is "harder"? And so what if it's "hard"? What of value in your life have you ever accomplished that wasn't "hard"? A fellow named Erik Weihenmayer climbed to the top of Mt Everest. And he is blind. OK, that was "hard".

    I read the success stories - people who had hundreds of pounds to lose, and they took their life back and succeeded. How proud they are and should be of that accomplishment. Was it hard? I believe it.

    Self talk matters. If your self talk is "but it's so hard", that is gazing down the path of quitting because "it's too hard," If your self talk is "I've made a commitment to a healthy lifestyle change. I won't be perfect, I will stumble along the way, but I WILL accomplish my goal", that is gazing up the path to success.
  • MrsC1st
    MrsC1st Posts: 45 Member
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    I tried to quit smoking on three different occasions, but the fourth time was a charm. On October 21, 2010, I quit smoking cold turkey; on all of the other occasions I quit due to pregnancy. Both addictions are hard to kick, but as someone else stated above that anything worth having at all; is worth working for and waiting for. I have made a concious decision to take my life back from obesity. Everyday, each meal, sometimes even moment by moment I dwell on being in the moment and rely on my positive self talk. I use to do a tremendous amount of emotional eating, now when I'm tempted to overeat due to stress, boredom, anger, fear, or any other human emotion; I stop to ask myself, why am I wanting to eat and deal with the issue instead of eating. I pray that you don't take this post the wrong way, because I do understand our struggle. Hang in there! It does get easier when you deal with the emotional side of things.I log into mfp everyday...feel free to friend me or personal message me anytime for support. Everyone need support at some point in time.
  • Phanntom
    Phanntom Posts: 28 Member
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    As one that did one, (quitting smoking) cold turkey and is currently doing the other....quitting smoking is far more difficult. As a doctor told a friend of mine that was hooked on prescription drugs after an injury, ominously told him..."the brain NEVER forgets". Especially things it found pleasurable.

    My "overeating" has been a two-fold problem. First, was all the wrong foods, and second was portion sizes. An easy to devour lunch for me might be 2 McDonalds Double Cheeseburgers, a medium fry and a medium coke. I haven't actually checked but I'm willing to bet that lunch exceeded my entire daily caloric allowance. My daily caloric intake was likely between 3500 and 4000...in the range of what most professional athletes need during their season. My exercise level could've been described between non-existent and very little. I'm not sure who or what to thank for the fact I don't currently weight 750 pounds like those you see on various programs...by comparison I'm a svelte 240 pounds, and the fact, I don't have diabetes.

    I've tried eating better over the years for short periods but have always reverted back to my old ways. I elected to retire early and I'm currently on an odyssey traveling the country's backroads in my RV. The advantage of this is I have access to many, many farmers roadside stands. So...now, I'm taking advantage of this to actually eat better and I'm cutting portion sizes and incorporating in some cardio exercise and some dumbbell strength training.

    I'm really not trying to cut anything out of my diet. I know from past experience....that will result in me failing. I love food and that will probably remain as long as I live....but I'm adapting that to less of it and adding healthier things into the equation...then by nature...I won't be eating AS MUCH of some of the other things. The last couple times I've dined out....rather than ordering the largest steak on the menu....I'm ordering the smallest and sides are now asparagus or broccoli in place of mashed potatoes w/gravy or a baked with "the works". Hopefully, these little changes in my lifestyle will turn out to be keepers and over the long haul will make for a lighter, healthier me.

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