Cigarettes and Losing Weight

lindz69
lindz69 Posts: 1
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I have a question if Neone out there can help me...back in March I quit smoking. I smoked for 7 years - or since I was 15. I started exercising and making healthier decisions in September, and for the past 3 weeks - ive started smoking again!!! I want to stop again, but for me I find it really hard not to smoke while Im "dieting". It gives me something to do besides eat....neone have ne tips? (I can't chew gum - tried licorice and mints already)

Replies

  • epoeraven
    epoeraven Posts: 458 Member
    When I quit smoking I chewed on drinking straws. For me it was the fixation of having something to with my hands. I know it sounds silly but it worked for me.
  • CrystalT
    CrystalT Posts: 862 Member
    It's tough. I started losing weight before I quit smoking and I was really concerned about gaining. I'm so glad that I have done as well as I have. Not only did I not gain, but I kept losing. The hardest thing for me is missing that after meal cigarette. It makes the meal feel unfinished and I have found myself looking through the pantry for something to make it feel finished.

    For an oral fixation, I like the straw idea. If you don't want to use straws you could use tooth picks. I personally wouldn't suggest replacing it with any kind of food. My best friend used Twizzlers and had to eventually work to reduce her "Twizzler habit".

    If it a problem of just needing something to do, you could always do a few quick exercises or take a walk. It will help to relieve stress and hopefully take your mind off of the cigarettes.
  • not for nothing but i'm currently trying to quit as well.....the chewing straws is a great tip....i do that sometimes. also i've made it a habit of using hand sanitizer right after or painting my fingernails with clear polish (to keep my hands busy) failing that, i go brush my teeth.
  • agarlits
    agarlits Posts: 429 Member
    I have a question if Neone out there can help me...back in March I quit smoking. I smoked for 7 years - or since I was 15. I started exercising and making healthier decisions in September, and for the past 3 weeks - ive started smoking again!!! I want to stop again, but for me I find it really hard not to smoke while Im "dieting". It gives me something to do besides eat....neone have ne tips? (I can't chew gum - tried licorice and mints already)

    You could try sunflower seeds, that helped my friend quit smoking. Now he chews seeds like crazy but its alot better than smoking.
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
    what about the nicotine inhaler?
    carrot sticks
    celery sticks

    Or get pregnant!! worked for me and I never touched a cigarette again!
  • April0815
    April0815 Posts: 780 Member
    what about the nicotine inhaler?
    carrot sticks
    celery sticks

    Or get pregnant!! worked for me and I never touched a cigarette again!

    I don't smoke. But I have seen so many people that couldn't quit smoking until they got pregnant. It's just amazing how your whole frame of mind changes.
  • CasperO
    CasperO Posts: 2,913 Member
    I have a question if Neone out there can help me...back in March I quit smoking. I smoked for 7 years - or since I was 15. I started exercising and making healthier decisions in September, and for the past 3 weeks - ive started smoking again!!! I want to stop again, but for me I find it really hard not to smoke while Im "dieting". It gives me something to do besides eat....neone have ne tips? (I can't chew gum - tried licorice and mints already)

    Ok, hang on. You quit smoking. Back in March. You didn't smoke for what (Mar to Sep,,, count on fingers) 7 months,,, and then you started smoking again. Well why the heck did you do that? Did you like, accidentally have a cigarette? You were looking for your toenail clippers and accidentally wound up sucking on a Marlboro? :noway:

    I smoked for 28 years, used chantix and quit a couple years ago. Now I'm phobic of cigarettes. I'm terrified that if I ever smoke one I'll be a drooling addict again - so I just don't smoke them - ever - for any reason.

    Anywho,,, whatever you did to quit back in March - do it again. You have to quit smoking again now. Good luck, and try not to make that mistake again. :bigsmile:
  • shortwasp
    shortwasp Posts: 37 Member
    I use electronic cigarettes, not because I smoke, I never have, but to give my hands and mouth something to do while I'm at the computer or watching TV. I use non-nicotine liquid and fill my own cartridges. I used videos from Youtube.com to learn what to do. I really like it. You can start with nicotine if you like and cut it down until you are smoking, actually "vaping", no-nicotine liquid. And no, it's not "antifreeze". The liquid is propylene glycol, a safe additive in medicines and food products that is also used in antifreeze to make antifreeze less dangerous to children and pets. If you like, you can used vegetable glycerin instead of propylene glycol.
  • ittybittybadonkadonk
    ittybittybadonkadonk Posts: 11,634 Member
    I wanted to get healthy all the way around so i put my last cig out on sept 3, 2009... 1st 3 days were hard .... my bf smokes but he is a truckdriver so he is only home one weekend a month .. and he smokes outside sooooo when he is home i dont go out there with him .... what helped me was to chew on the end of a pen eat frozen grapes drink lots of water and workout more ..... GOOD LUCK TO YOU
  • FireMonkey
    FireMonkey Posts: 500 Member
    Some people can quit cold turkey and never look back. Others have to try several times before they can make it stick. I'm with you; I've quit about 7 times, the last time was twenty years ago. The important thing is to learn from each attempt. What worked, what didn't? What was the trigger to start again? It helps to keep a log and to remind yourself of your reasons for wanting to quit.

    Smoking is a psychological habit as much or even more so than an addiction. You get over the nicotine craving in about a week, but then there are all the habits. First smoke in the morning with your coffee. Smoke after a meal. Smoke when hanging out with certain people. The way I finally managed to quit was by changing those habits, but it took time. And all my family, extended family and friends got handmade afghans that Christmas :laugh:
  • auntyali
    auntyali Posts: 3 Member
    I began to use |Zyban to quit about 4 years ago. It wasn't the Zyban that did it but a link from their site to a book called "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" by Allan Carr. It will change the way you look at smoking. For me it was amazing I quit a 30 year, pack a day habit and have never looked back.
  • sara21
    sara21 Posts: 37 Member
    The patch worked for me.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    Or get pregnant!! worked for me and I never touched a cigarette again!

    Same! I wouldn't really recommend it as a quit smoking tool though. lol I quit when I got pregnant 15 years ago, and haven't had a puff since then.

    To overcome an addiction, you have to find a new healthier addiction to replace it with. You have to find something you love and do it.

    Also, this is one place where negative reinforcement can work wonders. Pull up some pictures of black lungs and mouth cancer caused by smoking. Those images aren't for the faint of heart, but it's the reality of what smoking does to your body.

    http://www.snakemannn.com/0nosmoke/11257767.JPG

    I'll take the nice healthy pink lungs any day.
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