Quitting Smoking...

woodies1
woodies1 Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
I know I'm being a bit ambitious trying to lose weight and quit smoking at the same time, but I have to do both due to health problems. Does anyone have any tips as to how to beat the 'munchies' when you feel like a cigarette, and would normally have something to eat instead? I don't have any choice about this, so I would really appreciate it if anyone has any tips on how to survive the next few months. Thanks :) x x
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Replies

  • MDWilliams1857
    MDWilliams1857 Posts: 315 Member
    Its hard. I've been trying to stop smoking for sometime. For me, I do well until I get around others that smoke. i can go all week without a cig but if I get around people on the weekend that smoke, I break down and smoke. What I did in the beginning was bought flavored cigars that I could just put in my mouth. I wouldnt light them, just kind of nibble on the end. It gave me something to hold in my hand and it mimmicked smoking without actually smoking.
  • SLT01
    SLT01 Posts: 58
    I am also going to quit smoking, my quit date is 1-6-12 ( my birthday). My present to myself! I have no idea about muchies, I was thinking celery sticks and carrots. I was also thinking about learning sign language so my hands will be busy with something else. I am also going to try writing with my left hand. Just to keep my hands busy. I don't think I will have any trouble stopping, its not knowing what to do with my hands..I am also using the patch to help me quit. I work graveyard hours and from 9 pm- 5 am I have only had 4 cigarettes. I wish you the best of luck and understand it will be hard.. but you can do it!!
  • natika33
    natika33 Posts: 154 Member
    Congrats on deciding to follow a healthier path! I have a few suggestions for avoiding the munchies:

    1) Tell yourself you can eat that snack only after you've exercised the same number of calories. Do the exercise, then have the snack (if you still want it).
    2) Have a drink of water or diluted fruit juice or weak tea. Sometimes thirst can mask as hunger.
    3) Brush your teeth.
    4) Eat an apple. They provide crunch so you get that satisfied mouth feeling, they are high in water to rehydrate you, they have a nice amount of fibre to make you feel full and they have enough sugar to signal to your brain quickly that you've eaten something, but they aren't that high in calories overall.

    Hope that helps! Good luck!
  • stephanieseaward
    stephanieseaward Posts: 6 Member
    I was a smoker for 17 years and decided I wanted to quit. Someone suggested that I read "Easyways to Quit Smoking" by Allen Carr. At first I was very hesitant and didn't think a book could possibly help me quit smoking. I WAS ADDICTED, how could a book help???

    My friend who suggested it swore to me that she knew 4 different people in her immediate circle that read it and quit. So...I bought it and read it. It is fairly short, doesn't make you feel bad about yourself, and it works!!!! He tells you to continue to smoke while you read the book. He doesn't want you to use willpower to quit, he wants to teach you a lesson and then you decide for yourself. It is all about the psychology of smoking. All smokers know that smoking is a mental addiciton. He helps you overcome the mental attachment.

    My husband was a smoker too. He only smoked at night as he works in the health industry. If he was so physically addicted to smoking....how could he sleep all through the night, get up and go to work all day without craving a ciggy. He only craved one on his ride home as he knew he was soon able to light up.

    We both read the book and quit. I have been quit for 2 years this week!!! The odd time I still feel like smoking....mostly when sharing a glass of wine with friends but I just tell myself that if I have one puff that I have ruined it all. I know one puff would lead to me smoking again.

    So...I know this doesn't REALLY answer your question about avoiding weight gain while quitting but it kinda does cause once I read this book, I honestly just quit and didn't look to food or patches or gum to replace the addiction. I was over the addiction.

    This book works....for real! Take it from an ex smoker who LOVED smoking. Here is a link to a webiste on the book. As you can see, many famous people endorse it.....including Ellen.

    http://www.theeasywaytostopsmoking.com/books.aspx

    Good luck!!! Your body will thank you for it. :)
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,720 Member
    Tried yesterday. Didn't do so well. But the pack I broke down and bought is sitting at home instead of in my pocket where it would usually be.

    I don't know that I'll be able to do it. Quitting smoking is so hard for me that weight loss is fun by comparison.

    But I am trying.
  • classycouture
    classycouture Posts: 888 Member
    I am also going to quit smoking, my quit date is 1-6-12 ( my birthday).

    Happy Early Birthday!!

    It's my birthday, too :) I really wanted to quit before it, but right now I am in the process of lowering my cigarette intake before I make the plunge.. I'm down to about 5 a day, which is huge from my usual pack a day! Best of luck to everyone!
  • sirihermine
    sirihermine Posts: 123 Member
    i quit cold turkey 74 days ago. Had been a smoker for 10+ years...
    What I did, and my trainer said I should do, was allow myself to eat crap for the first 2 weeks while I was in nicotine withdrawal and purely focus on not smoking instead of losing weight. I was a raging lunatic in these weeks, so low cal food would not have helped. When my physical nicotine dependence was gone, I found that healthy foods and work outs helped me not smoke as well, because it kept me so focused on being healthy.
    I gained about 3 lbs during those two weeks, but got back to business after that, so the weight didn't stay on long.
    And I am still smoke free and thinking less and less about cigarettes.

    Edit: BTW, I have also quit after reading Allen Carrs book in the past, and highly recommend it as the poster above does. (Just don't start again like I did at that time.. I was smoke free for a year first though)
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
    I'm trying to quit too - I'm on day 3. In the past I've tried Allen Carr, hypnotherapy, willpower and medication. This time i'm trying the Paul McKenna book and DVD. I'm not really craving but as I haven't had any alcohol yet this year I haven't really put myself to the test. I always want a cigarette when i drink....
  • stormystrickland
    stormystrickland Posts: 190 Member
    bump
  • leomom72
    leomom72 Posts: 1,798 Member
    im trying to quit too..i usually smoke every hour, but im trying to spread it out to every 4 hours for now..try gum..or go look at a health food store..i got these anti craving lozenges from ours..maybe you can find some near you, if there is one..good luck to us all
  • clocklady
    clocklady Posts: 111 Member
    I agree The Easy Way to Quit Smoking by Allen Carr is great. I tried and failed numerous times to quit smoking, but after ready that book I threw away a half a pack of cigarettes and never looked back. It's been almost two years now. I don't remember munchies being too bad. Gum might help and sipping on something to drink, water, tea, coffee, etc. Good luck! You can do it and you will feel so much better when you do!
  • dinos
    dinos Posts: 1,390 Member
    Bump
  • Hottness4Lyfe
    Hottness4Lyfe Posts: 321 Member
    Bump....
  • angeldelight13
    angeldelight13 Posts: 177 Member
    Im also gearing up to quit smoking... I tried before last year and started again (we was broken into whilst in bed, i couldnt cope with the stress). Last time and hopefully again i used Champex, i know some people wont want to use drugs but this stuff was awesome and at no point did i notice an increse in my eating habbits although i wasnt logging back then =/
  • butterflimom
    butterflimom Posts: 121
    bump
  • AmythistRae
    AmythistRae Posts: 107
    I quit a year ago with a lazer treatment...it may sound crazy but she made the smell revolting and I had no desire to eat when I wanted one...Actually I never really wanted one. It was the easiest thing I have ever done and I was 2 packs a day for 20+years...

    good luck,,You can do it...
  • 8dozendiets
    8dozendiets Posts: 47
    The only way I could be analog free and lose weight is to go electronic. I love my electronics and won't give them up until I lose the rest of my weight. I recommend trying a disposable at first to see how you like it, then HIGHLY recommend the eGo Brand.

    http://tomsvapor.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_40

    I love being able to choose my flavors and nicotine content. I'm down to only 6mg of nicotine and am going to mix the 6mg liquid with the 0mg liquid to get down to 3mg.

    If it sounds confusing, it is....LOL

    But if you're interested, I can help.
  • BuffyKicksButt
    BuffyKicksButt Posts: 95
    Hey all - I will have been smoke free for 6 months on 1/13/2012. I was already overweight when I quit and put it off for the longest time as I was afraid to gain more weight after quitting. The reality is that most people do gain weight regardless of whether your eating more or not. I did some research and smoking does increase your metabolism so when you quit your metabolism is whacked out for awhile and needs to reset. You may be eating the same diet as before but will gain now because your metabolism is slower. I tried to be super strict with dieting while I quit but found I felt deprived of everything I wanted then. So I ate what I wanted for a couple of weeks - nothing crazy - but to get through the nicotine withdrawls I would suggest doing the same for the first couple weeks - after that your blood should be clean and you can start your diet plan.

    I also found that focusing on the lifestyle change helped. I looked at my weight gain as temporary. I am becoming a healthier person. 1st by quitting, now by changing my diet and exercise.

    YOU CAN DO IT!!!! - Good luck and friend me if you need some support!
  • smc1277
    smc1277 Posts: 239 Member
    I'm on day 3 not smoking.Ice Cold Water, Nicotine Gum & Mints are my life right now. I also quit making coffee in the mornings because that triggers my urge. Break routine whenever possible.
  • chipper15173
    chipper15173 Posts: 3,981 Member
    my DH and i quit 5 years (feb 25) ago with chantix. it worked great. we were only on it for a month. after you start taking it a few weeks later you just don't want to smoke. than you realize you quit. we were 30+ yr smokers and up to 3 packs a day sometimes. heavy smokers. tried other ways, didn't work. we crave sometimes. we remember the price of them now and there is no way we will return to it. i chewed on stir straws and sugar free hard candy. changed the living room around so the feeling of sitting and having one were different. also did a deep cleaning and washed everything.

    good luck to you.

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