contemplating quitting smoking...need advice

13

Replies

  • jdm120
    jdm120 Posts: 54 Member
    Great update!
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
    I have smoked most of my life but quit about a year ago for 5 months then started again,I have finally lost most of the weight that I wanted to loose but I am worried about gainning it back if I quit smoking ,does anyone have any tips to get me through this without weight gain,I know I will probably want to snack more to find something to do with my hands instead of smoking.help

    I smoked while I quit smoking. :D I recommend it. I didn't quit cigarettes, you see. i quit nicotine.

    The rationale was that if I was merely addicted, the smoking would naturally die away. But if I smoked because I needed to actually smoke, then I would be smoking something that cost half the price.

    Well, I went cold turkey on the nicotine and smoked myself into a coma for the first few weeks, I went through every single withdrawal in the laundry, puffing away on a placebo and it taught me an enormous amount about nicotine addiction. For a start: it lasts maybe 3 months! You haven't escaped till you've been off them for at least 3 months.

    the other was that cigarettes themselves lost their magic, lost their gloss and glamour. My brain no longer associated cigarette smoking with a fix or a kick. So when I stopped smoking it was just because I couldn't be bothered, not because I was denying myself something.

    Totally different mindset.

    My point being I didn't gain any weight. Not an ounce. Whenever I wanted a *kitten* I had one- that was my promise to myself that I kept no matter when others said 'hey, you can start cutting down on these herbals now bridgette, that would be good for you.' yeah, No dice. They didn't know what they were talking about.

    It's been 2 years now and I can sit with smokers and have no problems. I'm totally relaxed. If I want one, I have some herbals in the car but truly, I can't really be bothered going and getting them... or if I want one I do. I think in the last year I've had two? Maybe 3. Don't know, don't remember. The magic of smoking is gone.
  • Stixx28
    Stixx28 Posts: 55
    E-Cig, I quit over 2 years ago, it just worked for me, not the ones they sell in the stores....

    Hats off to you with your quest, It the best thing you can do.

    In a year Cig smoke will turn you off and you will say "thats nasty"

    I use the "Joye510" Ecig and mostly fruit flavors now, but started with Marlboro flavor Ejuice, and you can reduce the nicotine as you go.

    And their are so many flavors to chose from! I don't use it as much now and I'm at 0 nic, but nice to know its there.

    Cigarette smoking for me was one of the hardest addictions to quit. Good luck !


    Also, think of all the $$$ you will save. :)
  • mishmash81
    mishmash81 Posts: 22
    You won't necessarily gain any weight. Because you're in the habit of counting calories now and you're in a current routine. I quit smoking and put on a lot of weight, however I did not have any accountability - I wasn't watching what I was eating before and after quitting... I just basically didn't care about that, all I wanted to do was quit. Now that that part is over (a year later) I am now ready to concentrate on my weight,
    You are doing the right thing, one step at a time. Quitting smoking is breaking a habit, a big one. You just need to be mindful of dropping one habit and picking up another which can also cause damage :)

    I'm in Australia, and the AUS Goverment have been doing a really effective quit smoking campaign over the past couple of years. I found it really motivational. Feel free to check it out :)

    http://www.quitnow.gov.au/internet/quitnow/publishing.nsf/Content/damage-lp

    Goodluck :)
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    So, you may gain weight, but once you acclimate to being a nonsmoker it will come back off. You've done it once, just doing it again.
  • pretentiouskate
    pretentiouskate Posts: 186
    I quit smoking in 2009 after suffering from chronic lung issues such as bronchitis for most of my life (grew up with two smokers, smoked from 20 - 26) and have not been sick since. I was in and out of emergency rooms for most of my early 20's, even though I was thin. I'd get sick around October and STAY SICK until July.

    Quitting was the best thing I ever did for myself.
  • renegadecupid
    renegadecupid Posts: 34
    chantix. 3 pills and done. It's been since october of 2011. I don't even think of cigs anymore.
  • ambeer2
    ambeer2 Posts: 66 Member
    I've been smoke-free for nearly nine months now, though there were two occasions where I did have a cigarette. I beat myself up for it at the time, but realized, "hey, I no longer smoke. This was a mistake." And I moved on.

    Stress will eat at you at first once you stop smoking. You'll notice it more, but you need to replace that habit with other activities to lower your stress. I don't recall if I gained weight after I stopped smoking (I started my new lifestyle a few months after, and I did both cold turkey, ha), but I have lost 29 pounds to date and am in maintenance mode. Without giving up my cigarette habit, I wouldn't have been able to effectively form a new one — running.

    I just completed an 8K race in 10 minutes less time than the prior year, when I still smoked occasionally. I'd say training had a lot to do with it, but being healthy overall helped immensely.

    You can do it. And if you fail once or twice, it's not the end of the world. Just remember all the great things you have done since quitting, and the way it makes you feel to not depend on a cigarette for stress relief, comfort or what have you.
  • questhaven
    questhaven Posts: 109 Member
    I quit a few years ago after smoking for almost 20 years. I quit cold turkey at first but had to start using nicotine lozenges to curb cravings during high stress or social situations. Quitting was honestly the best decision I have ever made (outside of marrying my hubby!) because I can now run, hike, bike ride – all things I couldn’t do before because I felt tired and crappy and didn’t really know why. Sure, I did gain some weight when I first quit but the fact that I can now exercise without feeling like I’m going to die was a great tradeoff because now I can counteract any change in metabolism with exercise. I’ve never felt better than I have since I quit.
  • slhtree
    slhtree Posts: 9
    It is definitely one of the hardest things I ever did! I did it cold turkey with nothing more than determination, and helping to keep my now cancer free fiance healthier too. My last cigarette was Dec 28th 2011. By the end of January I truly felt liberated somehow....I have only had one or two moments here and there where I felt I could enjoy one,but for the most part I am determined to never smoke again. I hope you can do it, I wish there was an easy way and a magic button....but there is not. I think I finally just made up my mind to do it. Exercise has definitely helped...remembering what my fiance went through to survive after having a bone marrow transplant....
    I smoked since I was 18 and will be 39 in June, I just want to be healthier! I have gained weight over the last year and a half from stress but have not gained any more since quitting.....and now since beginning this 3 weeks ago added to the exercise I began 6 weeks ago I have lost a total of 8 lbs since Feb. 1st.
    You can do this!!!!! Good Luck!
  • Deeves58
    Deeves58 Posts: 3 Member
    LIke you I too smoked for many years and quit for 10, then, most unfortunately, started again for about 4 years. This time I have quit and I used Mint Chocolate Chip GUM! It's by Extra. I smoked menthol cigarettes and this flavor gum just worked wonders. I'd pop a piece of gum in my mouth and lost my craving. I went through a LOT of gum but, have now been smoke free for over a year. I also recommend walks and some type of activity you can get lost in ... like video games, reading, anything that you enjoy doing and time flies. Good luck to you.
  • offthedeependay
    offthedeependay Posts: 435 Member
    2 week update*** still not smoking,went cold turkey,,but still not loosing wieght ,,gainning a little,but that wont make me go back to smoking again,,thank God finally over the hard part...thanks for all the tips and support on here..
  • ccadroz93
    ccadroz93 Posts: 136 Member
    I smoked for 20 years before quitting this last time. I have been cigarrette free for almost 5 years. The most I had before that was 7 years. I was a binge smoker which is almost worse than being a regular smoker. This last time I felt I needed help to get off the darn things. I saw "Smoke Away" marked down 50% at Walmart so I got it. I haven't even been able to contemplate thinking about wanting to want to smoke since. I had no cravings and I didn't eat everything in sight either! Good Luck! You can get Smoke Away on-line, its like 60 bucks and well worth it!
  • Begsnapper
    Begsnapper Posts: 26 Member
    i quit smoking and lost 45lbs... i lead a more active lifestyle and i dont snack anymore then i did when i did smoke

    i recommend reading Allen Carr;s "The Easy Way To Quit Smoking" it helped me and has helped a number of people I know, its a great book and it really works!

    Best of Luck! But believe me quitting smoking can be really easy and will lead to a much better life! I promise :)
  • cjpg
    cjpg Posts: 433 Member
    My only advice it to stop 'contemplating' quitting smoking and start 'enacting' quitting smoking.

    If you've always got into your head how many cigarettes you have left with the mentality of 'just one more pack', you will ALWAYS be contemplating quitting smoking.

    If you want to quit, then you have to change how you're approaching this obstacle. Without the correct mindset you will fail. With the correct mindset you will succeed.
  • offthedeependay
    offthedeependay Posts: 435 Member
    My only advice it to stop 'contemplating' quitting smoking and start 'enacting' quitting smoking.

    If you've always got into your head how many cigarettes you have left with the mentality of 'just one more pack', you will ALWAYS be contemplating quitting smoking.

    If you want to quit, then you have to change how you're approaching this obstacle. Without the correct mindset you will fail. With the correct mindset you will succeed.
    I have quit,it has been 2 weeks today
  • DinaLKeil
    DinaLKeil Posts: 95 Member
    If I can quit, you can too. 2 years on April 1st. I used Chantix for about a month. Helped take the edge off for me. It got easier every day....I smoked almost 20 years-at least a pack a day...
  • Nastasha915
    Nastasha915 Posts: 124 Member
    I, too, am wanting to quit smoking. I've have felt that it has stopped my progression in my workouts. I've hit a wall and I would like to do more. Alot more. My goal is to one day run a marathon and I'll definitely never get there while smoking. I've tried to quit 2 times, each time a little longer than the last was. I feel confident the 3rd time will be the charm. I'm just looking for the right method for me to quit smoking. I've tried another brand of drug similar to Chantix, but didn't like the side-effects. I've tried the patch, which was very successful, but I've been considering quitting cold-turkey in order to cut down on the withdrawl time. Good luck!
  • offthedeependay
    offthedeependay Posts: 435 Member
    I, too, am wanting to quit smoking. I've have felt that it has stopped my progression in my workouts. I've hit a wall and I would like to do more. Alot more. My goal is to one day run a marathon and I'll definitely never get there while smoking. I've tried to quit 2 times, each time a little longer than the last was. I feel confident the 3rd time will be the charm. I'm just looking for the right method for me to quit smoking. I've tried another brand of drug similar to Chantix, but didn't like the side-effects. I've tried the patch, which was very successful, but I've been considering quitting cold-turkey in order to cut down on the withdrawl time. Good luck!
    I did it cold turkey but first I changed the times that I smoked to break that habbit,so like if I usually had one first thing in the morning I waited a half an hour then had one,,just break the cycle,,its bee 2 and a half weeks for me now,,no turning back now,,good luck,,
  • CnocNaCu
    CnocNaCu Posts: 536 Member
    I, too, am wanting to quit smoking. I've have felt that it has stopped my progression in my workouts. I've hit a wall and I would like to do more. Alot more. My goal is to one day run a marathon and I'll definitely never get there while smoking. I've tried to quit 2 times, each time a little longer than the last was. I feel confident the 3rd time will be the charm. I'm just looking for the right method for me to quit smoking. I've tried another brand of drug similar to Chantix, but didn't like the side-effects. I've tried the patch, which was very successful, but I've been considering quitting cold-turkey in order to cut down on the withdrawl time. Good luck!
    I did it cold turkey but first I changed the times that I smoked to break that habbit,so like if I usually had one first thing in the morning I waited a half an hour then had one,,just break the cycle,,its bee 2 and a half weeks for me now,,no turning back now,,good luck,,

    Well done you . I quit cold turkey too and I believe it's the only way. Why would you replace a drug with a drug (patch, gum, pills... you name it)
    I also read the Allen Carr book and it was an eye opener.
    Stay quit and enjoy your new life:flowerforyou:
    I'm quit since November 9th and will never ever smoke again. And I'm training for my first 5K :-)
  • Cold_Steel
    Cold_Steel Posts: 897 Member
    I had a friend ask me to help her quit. We walked over to the 7 eleven and I knew she was jonesing for one big time because she had quit cold turkey. She tried to buy a pack and I grabbed her card and stuck it in my pocket. I took her outside and showed her the people that smoke a long the wall across the street at the office and how sad and miserable and drugged out they all looked.

    It was like a scared straight thing. Kinda funny.

    Sometimes people need a support group, I just wouldn't let her buy them. Yeah she was a witchy woman for a few days but she is still sober from the cigs for the last 3 years.
  • sparklyball
    sparklyball Posts: 93 Member
    bump



    how's it going, am stopping tomorrow, april 6, good friday
  • offthedeependay
    offthedeependay Posts: 435 Member
    bump



    how's it going, am stopping tomorrow, april 6, good friday
    do it ,it will be a good friday for you if you do,,it's the best decision I have made in a while,3 weeks on sunday,feel so much better....
  • connie3408
    connie3408 Posts: 18
    bump



    how's it going, am stopping tomorrow, april 6, good friday
    do it ,it will be a good friday for you if you do,,it's the best decision I have made in a while,3 weeks on sunday,feel so much better....

    Congrats on your 3 weeks !! Well Done !! I quit today ....hope I can do as well as you !
  • lrforge
    lrforge Posts: 17
    When my hubby and I quit, we used the Nicorette inhaler and it worked awsome! I was done in 1 week and my husband it took4 months. You use cartrides ( the insurance covered it and we shared it) still gives you that burn you get in your throat from inhaling, we still could do it in the car or at work, etc. and I was never tempted to eat to replace anything.
  • WhittRak
    WhittRak Posts: 567 Member
    Why all the contemplation? JUST STOP! This is coming from someone who smoked for 6 years, and quit COLD TURKEY 8 years ago. You can do it.
  • AmoreCouture
    AmoreCouture Posts: 255 Member
    Weight gain from quitting smoking is usually the fact that people tend to compensate for the loss of cigarettes with food. You should be fine as long as you're sticking to your diet. I quit when I started MFP and because I was trying to eat right, I didn't really gain anything when I quit smoking. I did gain when I quit eating right though.
  • ahealthy4u
    ahealthy4u Posts: 442 Member
    I baked when I quiet never ate much of what I baked I started working out more I also Tried different things like straws that were to mimic cigarettes. Then I just started working out more. I gained weight but not as much as I thought I was going to gain.

    But if you are not ready to quiet no matter what you do or try it isn’t going to work you have to have the right mind set for it to work. I have tried quieting 3 times this will be the fourth time and this time around it doesn’t bother me like it did in the years past. I can watch others smoke and not want where in the past I would crave it. Good Luck to you. I hope you can find something that will help you out.
  • scapez
    scapez Posts: 2,018 Member
    I've not read all of the responses...but my advice is find some tangible motivation to quit. I smoked about a pack a day for more than 25 years...I was pretty hard core. Today is my 99th day not smoking and it's certainly not the first time I've been down this road, but I feel it will be the last because I've taken up running, and I love it. My breathing is SO much better and I don't want to lose that!!!

    Good luck. The way I feel about it is, if I can do it, anyone can! :flowerforyou:
  • JThomas61
    JThomas61 Posts: 892
    I've not read all of the responses...but my advice is find some tangible motivation to quit. I smoked about a pack a day for more than 25 years...I was pretty hard core. Today is my 99th day not smoking and it's certainly not the first time I've been down this road, but I feel it will be the last because I've taken up running, and I love it. My breathing is SO much better and I don't want to lose that!!!

    Good luck. The way I feel about it is, if I can do it, anyone can! :flowerforyou:

    Congrats on your 99 days of success. Your breathing with only continue to get better. Proud of you!

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