I quit smoking and need advice

VanessaVegana
VanessaVegana Posts: 36 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I quit smoking yesterday cold turkey. I bought one of those e-cigs so when I really have an urge to smoke I just take a puff off of that. But, yesterday I also ate about 6(large) meals...it was the worst binge I've ever had. I was just wondering what you guys think would help stop my constant urge to eat now I stopped smoking. I thought about maybe just doing a liquid diet for a few days so that way I could constantly be drinking something but it would have fewer calories. What do you guys think would work?

Replies

  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,893 Member
    Please don't think I am being rude, but I think the easiest way to quit doing anything is to just stop. I have had a lot of friends try the e-cigs and they found them to be unsatisfying and just went back to smoking. All of my friends who have successfully quit smoking did so without using e-cigs or vaporizers. I had one friend who used the gum, but she (and her pug) ended up addicted to the gum for 3 years after she quit smoking. I have had a couple friends swear by some of the prescription meds, but they had some side effects, too. It is awesome that you have quit, though and I hope it does work for you.

    As far as the binge eating goes, try pre-planning your meals and snacks for the next few weeks or months until you get a handle on it. If you have in your mind what you get to eat and when you get to eat it, that may help keep you from standing in front of the fridge and gorging yourself with food.

    Good luck and congrats on making the decision to quit.
  • lgoldfarb
    lgoldfarb Posts: 76 Member
    I quit smoking for almost 2 years, started back up again unfortunately, but getting ready to quit again. When I quit I used Nicorette tablets (the mini ones) for about 3-4 months. Dum Dum lollipops and sunflowers seeds in the shell really helped with cravings. Might not be the best diet wise, but I figured that it was better to that short term than smoke long term.
  • tracie_minus100
    tracie_minus100 Posts: 465 Member
    I quit smoking on Champix (it's called Chantix or something in the states I think?) and have been happily smoke free for 5 years. I found the Champix really helped with the side effects (I quit cold turkey years prior but was ravenously hungry among other things and started up again after 10 months) but I just always made sure I had something to chew on. Sounds strange, but chewing on coffee stir sticks (I bought a box) helped a lot. I also stepped up my exercise a bit to help keep me motivated.
  • burnsgene42
    burnsgene42 Posts: 102 Member
    I quit in 1982 after smoking for near 30 years after starting as pre teen.
    At home when I couldn't stand it anymore I would take a cold shower (hard to smoke in the shower:smile: ). The point is that the "Urge" will pass.
    I agree about the E-cigs. they just keep you addicted .
    After all this time , sometime, I still feel the urge to reach for my shirt pocket when I've finished a meal.
    After quitting I started gaining weight. Started an exercise program (running) Got Fit! , never felt better.
    You and I are still nicotine addicts ,and will always be. The addiction is waiting for you to take the bait. It will fool you.
    Promise yourself you won't smoke today.
    Then, do it again tomorrow.
    Good Luck with your effort. If I could do it YOU CAN DO IT! :smile:
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    First of all, a huge congratulations on quitting smoking. Breaking an addiction can be one of the biggest personal hurdles to accomplish, and only truly strong and dedicated people can hack it.

    Second of all, a liquid diet is the worst idea on the planet, please don't try that.

    Thirdly, many, many people gain weight when they quit smoking. It is the body's natural reaction to want to replace that hand-to-mouth repetitive action, and what easier thing to replace it with than food?

    Personally, I recommend focusing on quitting smoking first. If you gain a few pounds in the process, so what? Big deal. You can always lose a few pounds; you can't exercise away lung cancer or emphysema. Do what you can to curb cravings, keep your purse full of sugar-free hard candies, gum and suckers, but don't get after yourself if you gain a few. Put first things first, and get "smoke-free" checked off on your list. Then you'll have more energy and feel better when you can focus more attention to getting super fit with those clean, tar-free lungs!
  • cnave99
    cnave99 Posts: 63 Member
    I quit seven years ago on Chantix... If you're still smoking Ecigs, you're technically still smoking- its just less hazardous.

    Anyway I gained 40lbs when I quit smoking, because I replaced the smoking with eating which is a REALLY bad idea. Quitting smoking was way easier than stopping binge eating, for me. I used 12 steps to help me stop using food emotionally. I know its not for everyone, but it is working for me.
  • emkelsall
    emkelsall Posts: 39 Member
    When my brothequit smoking he took the ink out of a Bic Biro pen. It is approximately she same size as a cigarette, I swear he had that thing in his mouth for 2 months. But he stopped smoking and he never started again and that was over 20 years ago.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I sucked on Twizzlers, then I started eating them, lol, so I switched to gum chewing.

    The cravings and fidgetyness go away after 2-3 weeks.

    Days 1-4 are the hardest.

    It's like losing weight, though. You have to want to do the work to meet the goal. Any half-hearted attempt will fail.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    Focus on one thing right now. Quitting smoking is a challenge in and of itself; add in dieting and you'll go mad. Work on quitting, then get your diet in order.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
    Focus on one thing right now. Quitting smoking is a challenge in and of itself; add in dieting and you'll go mad. Work on quitting, then get your diet in order.

    Yep.

    Also, exercise helped me quit because it frustrated me that I couldn't rock the cardio.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Get a decent vape pen setup and some vapor liquid with the highest nicotine content. Gradually step down every few weeks or so.

    The challenge for smokers is not only the nicotine, but the ritual and the feeling of the smoke. Not everyone can cold turkey it, so give a few methods a try.
  • lkbrummett
    lkbrummett Posts: 5
    Congratulations on quitting. I too quit yesterday (again). Before I quit for 7 months then went back for 5 months. I am also on the Atkins Diet which is working very well for me. I have lost 22 lbs in 48 days. What is helping me is the Nicoderm Patch. It helped me quit last time and it seems to be helping me again. It's a mind over matter thing for me. If I truly want to quit smoking, I will and there is the determination. I refuse to gain any of the 22 lbs back and right now I have stalled for 3-4 days. So I need to change it up so whenever I want a cigarette, I take a walk around the block in the amount of time it takes to smoke a cigarette. That way I am getting more exercise and not giving in to food or the cigarettes at the same time. This is what is working for me.
  • ericarfloyd
    ericarfloyd Posts: 93 Member
    I quit smoking on Champix (it's called Chantix or something in the states I think?) and have been happily smoke free for 5 years. I found the Champix really helped with the side effects (I quit cold turkey years prior but was ravenously hungry among other things and started up again after 10 months) but I just always made sure I had something to chew on. Sounds strange, but chewing on coffee stir sticks (I bought a box) helped a lot. I also stepped up my exercise a bit to help keep me motivated.

    I used Chantix to quit too . . .a couple times! It's too easy to quit using Chantix and went back but have finally committed to quitting for good!! It does have some strange side effects! I've been smoke free for a year at the end of the month. I heard there is a hunger suppressant in the Chantix that helps with the hunger that kicks in after you quit smoking.

    Those that never have smoked will never understand how difficult it is! At any rate, the gum and e-cigs are better than smoking by all accounts! Personally, I'm not sure about the e-cigs but only time will tell about what's in them but it cannot be any worse than what is in cigarettes.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    I quit cold turkey, and I chewed a lot of gum. This may sound silly to some, but to keep my hands busy at all times, I picked up sewing. It worked for me.

    I also had to disassociate with some of my friends that were smokers, but only until I got to where I could handle being around them again. I also gave up sports bars, clubs, etc. where smoking was allowed.

    Basically, take away any opportunity you have to smoke. As for the binge, I don't have much to tell you other than keep yourself busy. Instead of eating, do one set of bodyweight exercises or something. If you feel you must eat, at least do your best to make it something low-calorie and try to control your portions.
  • Eudoxy
    Eudoxy Posts: 391 Member
    I quit smoking on March 15th, I haven't had a cigarette since. I used the e-cig, and it made it a lot easier. I too was worried about gaining weight, as I'd been trying to lose for quite a while but it had been creeping up.

    I started dieting at the same time I quit. The ecig helped with the cravings and I had no withdrawals. I started exercising (running) right away, which of course is great for weight loss, but will also make you super psyched to not be smoking. You will quickly notice the difference in your lungs and capabilities, it's awesome! I have lost over 20 lbs since the day I quit smoking.
  • EvaStrange
    EvaStrange Posts: 59 Member
    When I quit smoking five years ago, I satisfied the urge to constantly be putting something into my mouth by eating lots of chewy candy. The excess calories didn't matter that much because I also kept physically busy. Outside of school, I think I rarely ever sat down the first few weeks. Once I'd finished dinner, I'd jump up and go on a bike ride (easier on the stomach than running) instead of sitting down and having an after-dinner smoke or three. Exercising was a distraction from smoking, but it also became more fun and easier after I quit smoking. I didn't even have to push myself particularly hard to get it done; moving became a substitute for smoking (along with the candy, of course). I also did lots of things that kept my hands busy, like deep-cleaning my flat, redecorating, mending clothes, … I went temporarily hyper-active. It's nice to see how much you get done when you're not spending that much time smoking. :happy:

    It took me about three hard days to get over the worst craving. After that, it took another two months or so for me to get over the habit of constantly reaching for a pack of cigarettes that wasn't even there anymore. But that wasn't hard, just annoying. I think it's harder to get into that frame of mind in which you honestly want to be free from smoking than it is to actually quit. Hang in there! Just a couple more days and it will be over! :flowerforyou:
  • Raclex
    Raclex Posts: 238
    Please don't think I am being rude, but I think the easiest way to quit doing anything is to just stop. I have had a lot of friends try the e-cigs and they found them to be unsatisfying and just went back to smoking. All of my friends who have successfully quit smoking did so without using e-cigs or vaporizers. I had one friend who used the gum, but she (and her pug) ended up addicted to the gum for 3 years after she quit smoking. I have had a couple friends swear by some of the prescription meds, but they had some side effects, too. It is awesome that you have quit, though and I hope it does work for you.

    As far as the binge eating goes, try pre-planning your meals and snacks for the next few weeks or months until you get a handle on it. If you have in your mind what you get to eat and when you get to eat it, that may help keep you from standing in front of the fridge and gorging yourself with food.

    Good luck and congrats on making the decision to quit.

    ^This. I also quit cold turkey after many years of smoking, reading a book from Allen Carr. Seriously. It's so well explained, it was my go to for a while, after day 1. Best advice I can give you is take it one moment at a time. One day at a time. It's amazing how good you will feel, in such a short period of time. Amazing stuff starts happening to your body and mind literally, 24 hours after you quit. I found that understanding this made it a little easier. I didn't crave food but I knew that the changes in my body were going to be drastic and I was going to hold on to water while it transitioned. That's what happened. So I drank water, ate mints and exercised more mindfully, if that makes any sense.

    Try this link.... it was very informative and a big help while I quit. Tons of info and lots of quitters that can help you :-)

    http://whyquit.com/joel/Joel_03_02_cold_turkey.html

    Congrats and never underestimate your quit!
  • free1220
    free1220 Posts: 416 Member
    Good luck in your effort,I have recently quit too for a month now.Once before I quit for a year and went back to it but this time I QUIT.I did gain back some of the weight I just lost but I am adressing that too.The urge does pass but you do have that crave the rest of your life I believe.It doesn't matter though because the nasty health effects it causes is driving me to quit.I don't want to rot away from cancer like so many others....ugh! Hang in there is does get easier.
  • mynameisoliverqueen
    mynameisoliverqueen Posts: 63 Member
    I gave up at the end of June this year and have not looked back. Best to just go completely cold turkey after a couple of days of using tobacco replacement products else you are just putting nicotine into the system as smoking a cigarette but without the actual smoke. It is the nicotine that you are trying to give up but are still putting it in to your body.

    To keep my mind off cigarettes, I went to the gym or used the punch bag for 15 minutes when I started craving.
  • Amanda4change
    Amanda4change Posts: 620 Member
    I totally understand your plight in quitting, I've been there. For myself I have a huge oral fixation problem, and no matter how long it's been since I smoked it's still an issue. I constantly suck/chew on pens, sugar free dum dums , I would bite my finger nails as well (though that finally stopped when I put acrylic nails on). To get through the munchie part of quitting I would eat plain popcorn, dried fruits, and nuts. I overall gained 5 pounds in the first 3 months of quitting, but have taken that back off.
  • MsJulielicious
    MsJulielicious Posts: 708 Member
    I tried a cpl different times, different methods. Cold turkey was the only thing that worked for me.
    Be easy on yourself. This is hard, but achievable. If you gain a few lbs they will come back off.(I can tell you from experience) One thing at a time, and best wishes.
  • patb987
    patb987 Posts: 44 Member
    I am using a Vap pen for a year now, yes I still get nicotine but without all the other stuff. I don't smell like cigs, I don't hack up nasty stuff in the morning, I don't cough all the time. It is about the 3rd of the cost of smoking so I have saved money, and a week after quitting I double my run distance, oh and I didn't go through a mean stage or a over eating stage. Cold turkey just didn't work for me, so if it doesn't for you I suggest trying this, at first you cough on every drag but that goes away after a day or two of use.
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
    I could not do the e-sticks as a have a reaction to the suspension fluid and personaly it's freakin' nasty @ss stuff, I needed Chantix to actually quit smoking for good and I've been quit for about 3 months now with no cravings and no urge to stuff my face.

    When I tried to quit last year, I blew up like a balloon because I was wanting to cram stuff in my mouth all the time, as my body was withdrawing from the nicotice and other chemicals and I was eating to get that endorphin release. The hand-to-mouth habit is something that takes a while to get over.

    Usually they say that you should worry about the weightloss after you've quit, because that is more fixable long term than getting COPD or cancer from smoking.
  • VanessaVegana
    VanessaVegana Posts: 36 Member
    Thank you everyone for your advice and support! :) It means a lot and is really motivating me and I will think about it every time I have the urge to grab a cigarette.

    I was worried about gaining the weight back that I had recently lost, but after reading everyone's replies I realized the weight isn't as important as quitting smoking is right now. So I will focus on one thing at a time and become smoke free first and then lose the weight after the urges stop.

    :smile: :flowerforyou:

    Thanks everyone!
  • Eudoxy
    Eudoxy Posts: 391 Member
    Yes, just do it, let the chips fall where they may! ;) whatever works, just remember - you're a non-smoker now. :smile:

    Stay away from anything that will make it harder, but really. Smoking is not an option, just acknowledge the craving, wait it out. It'll pass. Getting your head right is half the battle here. Sounds like you're committed so good job and good luck!

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