Quit smoking, struggling to loose weight...

March 29th of this year I had my last cigarette. I am still faced with cravings (all psychological now instead of physiological) and it is a battle. One that I am proud to fight. There are times though when I lose my fight to food because of the cravings for a smokey treat.

Just remember that everyday is a new day. And this is an opportunity to not only better your life, but to extend it. And be more financially solvent as cigarettes are bloody expensive!

Good luck on your journey! It'll be hard, but I know you can do it!

I wish I could help, I only smoke 3 cigs a day now but am so paranoid of the weight I'll gain if I stop. I have other bad habits too so this may be a pretty minor fear for me, but it still registers as I can't seem to give it up altogether!!! I wish you the best of luck and ill be interested to hear what others say.
Ok Im a bit of a lose. Ive got to refresh my page, I hit reply and now there are several replies. As to the person that suggested live raw food, my prob is I stock up on fresh stuff, forget its there and end up throwing it away threw away 4 tomatoes, a cucumber, and 5 peaches just today!

I feel your pain man. I quit smoking in 2003 and I packed on the pounds big time. But I wasn't being too health conscious back then either.

It's going to be tough for the first few months after quitting smoking. Your body has to have time to adjust to your new lifestyle. Smoking does help prevent food cravings, and now without that mechanism, your body will have more cravings.

These WILL PASS, but you have to first train yourself two ways:

Psysiologically: Get your body used to a nutritious routine with foods that help curb appetite (high in fiber, lots of protein, low sugars)

Mentally: The hardest part of quitting is the lack of habitual putting something up to your mouth. Chewing gum, celery sticks, etc are all like "diets". They work for a little while, but are destined to fail, because they are not the same as cigarettes. It takes 30 days of consistent behavior modification to "break" an old habit, and another 30 days to "form" a new one. So these next 60 days are very important to help not only curb your craving to constantly have something going into your mouth, but to also re-train yourself into healthy habits.

It's tough, but it IS doable. You can do ANYTHING for 60 days. After that, both your body and mind should have adapted nicely to the new you that is beginning to form.

I hope that helps.

Has anyone read the Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking book?

I read that and quit 489 days ago! Didn't put any weight on, he promies you that you won't, and I haven't. It is every bit as easy as he claims and promises.

I think you just have to accept and embrace that giving up smoking is so beneficial to your health - with or without weightloss.

Hopefully your weightloss will follow... Just keep on the going - do not lose heart and do no go downt he route of thinkiing that smoking keeps you from eating less. Smoking is a vile habit and by stopping you are empowering yourself and liberating yourself!

I stopped smoking eleven weeks ago and touch wood I have managed to avoid any gain (I was very close to GW when I stopped though) however I cannot for love nor money shift those last pesky pounds.

Do you know what though - I'll happily stick at this weight and be a non smoker any day of the week!

Has anyone read the Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking book?

I read that and quit 489 days ago! Didn't put any weight on, he promies you that you won't, and I haven't. It is every bit as easy as he claims and promises.

Yep - this is how I stopped.

I read it in one day (despite having had the book in a drawer for years!!) and I stopped 11 weeks and one day ago.

I haven't gained a single pound and I have not missed being a smoker for a single second.

Allen Carr's book is the single most important book I have ever read in my life!

thanks for the tip on the book, I am searching all the threads for stop smoking ideas!