I QUIT!!!

SunLove8
SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
edited September 26 in Motivation and Support
Smoking that is! This last episode with a sinus and chest cold really was the cherry on top. Plus, I love to run now and I could feel it starting to effect how long I could run without running out of breath. The only fear I have is gaining back some of the weight I lost. I think I won't weigh myself this week because I don't want to get discouraged and all.

Ex smokers' losing weight; can you tell me how it went for you when you quit smoking while on this journey of losing weight? Did you gain? If so how much? Any advice would be appreciated too!!! =)
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Replies

  • Twylyght
    Twylyght Posts: 224 Member
    I quit smoking before I started trying to lose weight and get back into shape, so I don't really have any good advice for you, but I just wanted to say....Good for you trying to help your health in one more way!! Way to Go!!
  • CTK3989
    CTK3989 Posts: 109 Member
    Good for you!! I can't answer about quitting smoking.
  • Begood03
    Begood03 Posts: 1,259 Member
    Very good! Stay strong!
  • srobinson1217
    srobinson1217 Posts: 13 Member
    Way to go!!! Smoking is very hard to give up and is no easy feet, so kudos to you that is great!
  • staciekins
    staciekins Posts: 453 Member
    Keep a dark chocolate bar on you. Just nibble on a piece throughout the day (don't just eat the entire bar) Rich in antioxidants and helps boost metabolism. :)
  • mrphil86
    mrphil86 Posts: 2,382 Member
    I actually lost weight when I quit smoking. But a lot of people deal with the cravings by eating. You just have to watch yourself.

    Now I'm not saying this is a good alternative but what really helped me was the e-cig. Basically water vapor and some nicotine that you can step down. I still use mine but with no nicotine and a little menthol, works great for me.
  • ezreka
    ezreka Posts: 53 Member
    I also quit before I decided to loose weight and yes I did gain 17 lbs........BUT I don't think you will gain that much if you are exercising and eating properly. When I quit smoking I started drinking DR. Pepper like it was water, I am sure that is why I gained so much. Once I stopped with the DR. Pepper I lost the 17 lbs. Good luck! It will be hard, but just take it a day at a time or an hour at a time OR a minute at a time :laugh:
  • liscar
    liscar Posts: 311 Member
    make a plan ---- I didn't gain once I quit, but I focused on eating good/clean foods and ramped up my exercise program. Set a goal like a 10k or something that will be more motivation to not smoke ---
  • SoCalWoman
    SoCalWoman Posts: 2,384 Member
    Congrats!! It's one of the hardest thing I've ever done.
    I quit before I started losing weight. Well, actually, part of the reason I'm trying to lose weight now is because of the pounds I've put on since quitting 3+ years ago.
    I can't imagine trying to lose weight while trying to quit, but I know it's been done.
    I would think exercise is a huge factor. If I had exercised or replaced my urge to smoke with something other than eating, I might not have quite so much to lose now. Sounds like you already do that, and love to run..so you're on the right track.
    Well done!!
  • Ms_Natalie
    Ms_Natalie Posts: 1,030 Member
    You should be feeling incredibly proud! Well Done :flowerforyou:

    I quit for a year and put on a lot of weight...HOWEVER, I didn't make a conscious effort to keep my weight in check. I then went back to the things and it is a huge regret. I am now feeling ready to quit again, espcially with a very close family member going through a health scare at the minute.

    Stay close to MFP and log your calories to help you along the way.

    Good Luck and once again, well done :flowerforyou:
  • kmunis
    kmunis Posts: 48 Member
    I quit years ago and it did contribute to my overall weight gain. Without the cigarettes I felt more hungry plus you need something for your hands to do since there's no longer a cigarette there to keep them busy. Try to keep a lot of healthy snacks around so when you do get a craving and use food as a substitute for smoking like most people do, at least it will be something healthy or low calorie. I know some poepel who took up eating sunflower seeds because its so much work shelling them that it occupies your hands.

    Good luck - its an awesome move to give it up and it gets easier every day so stick with it!
  • qtpiesmom
    qtpiesmom Posts: 394 Member
    Ok I will step on my soapbox to help you stay on track
    YOU HAVE QUIT GOOD FOR YOU!! Its all mind over matter truly. YOU WANTED TO QUIT SO YOU HAVE!! NEVER GO BACK! YOU ARE A NON SMOKER NOW! BELIEVE THAT SAY IT AND MEAN IT!
    Drink COLD ICE COLD water when you get a craving it will stop the craving and flush the crap out of your system.
    Breathe Deeply
    Chew gum keep it with you all the time
    Learn different ways to keep busy. For me my house was never cleaner than when I quit smoking anytime I felt stressed upset or bored Id go clean something.
    If you need something to help you stay quit then use it.
    Dont choose food as a replacement thats why the gum chew chew chew.
    Exercise go for walk and breathe deeply.
    Stay busy it wont take long and then you will be through the hard time.
    Keep the reasons you have thrown that little evil stick away in your mind.
    Tell yourself all the time it will not win over you you are stronger, healthier, better because you ARE a non smoker
    Soon you will smell people smoking and it will make you sick.

    GOOD FOR YOU BE PROUD
  • kaylenlawrence
    kaylenlawrence Posts: 211 Member
    when you feel the urge to smoke..EXERCISE!
  • slyder432
    slyder432 Posts: 475 Member
    Make a plan to tackle the cravings!! I quit before my lifestyle change and MFP. P90X was also an incentive. Find a cardio workout program. That will change your mind for sure!!!
  • emariec78
    emariec78 Posts: 530 Member
    I quit about seven years ago and I lost a little weight oddly enough. I actually was afraid to eat because I thought it would trigger me to want to smoke! Best advice I got that seemed to help (aside from using the patch) was to find something to keep your hands busy. Don't know why but that really seemed to help. I picked knitting for some reason and knitted a huge square of nothing in my first couple weeks and it really did help me not think about smoking when I was doing it. I also ate a ton of low cal mints-that was my answer to people always saying you should use suckers or hard candy. Good luck, it will be tough but you can do it!
  • Terri73
    Terri73 Posts: 238
    I'm in the process of quitting too so if you need to vent i'm here. I found taking a swig of water when i want a cigarette or unhealthy food the craving goes. That way you drink plenty of water.
    I also got to a point after a chest infection and the new inflated price rises that was it time to quit.
  • nauticalxstar
    nauticalxstar Posts: 32 Member
    I gained weight when I quit smoking..doing both at the same time is very hard! Kudos for doing it! I came to realize that it wasnt so much the ciggs i was addicted to it was the act itself..as long as i kept my hand occupied i didnt want to smoke! Weird huh? It worked for me hopefully you will find something that works for you! GL! =)
  • gbtesq
    gbtesq Posts: 84 Member
    I also quit smoking first and then started my weight loss journey. I did gain 10 lbs before leveling out. But, I find that exercising and drinking tons of water is very, very helpful.

    The best advice that I can give you is to chew sugarless gum. I buy it by the case at Sams or Costco and I chew gum like it is going out of style. For me, it has helped with the lack of something to do with my mouth and it also keeps me from sticking food in there every time I turn around.

    You will also notice that after a few weeks, you will be able to tackle a flight of stairs or an exercise routine with less strain and your breathing will be much better. That alone will be a positive motivator to keep it going, too.

    Good luck! You can do it!! You only get one you and you're absolutely worth it!!!!
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
    I quit 3 weeks ago... it's still tough. I actually use my mid-morning snacks as craving busters; just making sure they're healthy snacks (almonds, low sodium trisquits, etc.), which has really helped at work. At home, if I crave, I get up and exercise. By the time I'm done with 10 or 15 minutes of pushups, planks, grapevines, and such, I no longer want a cigarette, just water. :bigsmile:

    Congratulations on the decision. I'm sure you can do it! :flowerforyou:
  • Terri73
    Terri73 Posts: 238
    I came to realize that it wasnt so much the ciggs i was addicted to it was the act itself..as long as i kept my hand occupied i didnt want to smoke! Weird huh? It worked for me hopefully you will find something that works for you! GL! =)

    I'm finding that or its the trigger moment eg i talk on the phone i have a cigarette once you get past those *kitten* triggers its easier
  • JodiS75
    JodiS75 Posts: 284
    I quit one year ago this coming Tuesday the 12th! :drinker: This was before I started losing weight. I didn't gain any weight from quitting, but did start gaining a few months later when I changed jobs. You'll do a great job, I'm sure of it!
  • patsyanne
    patsyanne Posts: 111
    I quit many years ago. I threw darts at the dart board as a stress release. I also ate twizzlers and pretzle rods, cause they kept my hands occupied for periods of time.
    Good luck cause quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for yourself, try to watch what you eat at the same time but dont stress over it. Eat sensibly and get out there exercising.
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
    WOW, GREAT advice and such AMAZING support!!!! Thank you all so much. I really want to comment on each invidual comment right now because you all made me really think and feel great. Funny thing is a couple people mentioned gum and someone even mentioned Costco. I am actually leaving in a few to go there and I think I'll pick up some gum! Thank you everyone. I'll be watching this post like a HAWK, for it's very encouraging. XO
  • mariaroslaug
    mariaroslaug Posts: 4 Member
    I didn't gain any weight when I stopped. I tackled the cravings by excersizing, even just for 5 minutes with short sprint running to get the pulse up. For me that extinguished the craving.
    When you smoke, your basal metabolism speeds a little up, so when you stop smoking the metabolism slows a bit down. It is generally thought that when you stop smoking your metabolism slows down to the equivalent of 240-300 calories per day for the first few months and then it reaches balance.
    So if you just plan ahead and count in those extra calories per day (increase excersize to 300 calories more) you can successfully quit smoking without gaining weight.

    Good luck in your endeavour :)
  • Zoe9636
    Zoe9636 Posts: 56
    I quit smoking about six weeks ago when I started getting serious about my health, I have lost 14 pounds during that time so you can do both at the same time. It is still hard but I just have to remind myself of why I need to change and that has kept me on track. Best of luck
  • kartunes
    kartunes Posts: 46
    I smoked for two years and three weeks ago I quit! It was surprisingly easy, I did not have any massive cravings.
    Now I feel good when I can run a mile without feeling like I'm going to die.
  • jazgal
    jazgal Posts: 122
    I quit in January ... I still find it hard ... I try to stay away from smokers since I still get the urge.. so have lost friends along the way .. I hate it when my hair smells like cigs .. wonder if when one quits it makes us moee sensitive to the smell ...
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
    Keep a dark chocolate bar on you. Just nibble on a piece throughout the day (don't just eat the entire bar) Rich in antioxidants and helps boost metabolism. :)

    Don't do this. I quit smoking 12 years ago and did not gain weight as a result of quitting. I had just stopped doing WW and I kept the weight off until I got pregnant 7 months later.

    The thing is cigarette smoking does cause a rise in your blood sugar, when that rise starts to fall that is when you crave another cigarette. If you raplace the cigarette with sweets it causes the same rise and fall in your blood sugar and you will have more cravings rather than less.

    Try chewing sugar free gum, or sipping water. The hardest thing for me was filling the time when the habit arose, like when I got to the car. I used to, as soon as I got in light up. It took a while to get over that. You need to prepare for your trigger moments so they dont' catch you off guard.

    Best wishes, you can do it.

    The thing that kept me goind. I never wanted to start over. Once I made it 30 days I never wanted to have to quit for 30 days again, the same for 60, 90, etc. The longer it went the easier it got. I never would want to have to go 12 years all over again.
  • bionicdiver
    bionicdiver Posts: 198 Member
    Smoking that is! This last episode with a sinus and chest cold really was the cherry on top. Plus, I love to run now and I could feel it starting to effect how long I could run without running out of breath. The only fear I have is gaining back some of the weight I lost. I think I won't weigh myself this week because I don't want to get discouraged and all.

    Ex smokers' losing weight; can you tell me how it went for you when you quit smoking while on this journey of losing weight? Did you gain? If so how much? Any advice would be appreciated too!!! =)

    I was working out before I quit. So, when I finally did put them down, I didn't gain because I was at the gym already.

    If you don't want to gain, make it a habit to go to the gym and use MFP to count your calories. If you do that, you won't gain (or you won't gain much). If you feel like you need to have a smoke, just get a piece of gum instead. It will work. Will power is the key.

    Great job for quitting! That's the first, best step you could make!
  • bs_price
    bs_price Posts: 12 Member
    i kept about six different types and flavors of sugar free gum on me at all times popsicles help at night get sugar free they are better for you and just get ur head in the game it sucks to quit but u have to really want it for it to work also if ur having a lot of issues talk to ur doctor about different meds to help you
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