How should I do this?

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donna56
donna56 Posts: 412
in Motivation and Support
Okay, I am trying to get back on track here and lose weight again but I have also quit smoking. The two together are tough to do. They are both very important to me. Please tell me it is doable?


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Replies

  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
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    Wow sounds like its going to take a lot of hard work and self control this. But if you love yoursellf and you think you are worth it (which I know you are) - then you will stick to it for a healthier happier you!

    The road to success will be bumpy - but you can do it!
  • tacey21
    tacey21 Posts: 73 Member
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    It all starts with mental preparation. There are a lot of steps, but this is the first! And really the most ignored.

    I too am a smoker, and I've decided not to stop yet... one because, well... i really dont want to. I only know I should. So the mental preparation could take some time.

    Anyways...

    Approach both challenges with the same plan of action.

    Mentally prepare yourself for change.
    Gather your resources -- with your diet, you'll probably prepare meal plans, shop, etc. Do the same thing with smoking. Decide how you're going to quit (patches, gum, electric cigs, or just cold turkey) and gather everything you will need ahead of time to make the transition as easy as possible.

    Just some advice, if you plan on quitting cold turkey, WARN FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
    You may get UBER cranky!!!

    If you smoke on work breaks, try getting a CD: Guided Meditation for Busy People. I know when I stopped smoking at work (company regulations) i had nothing to do and nowhere to go to get away from everybody and the stress on my breaks. I'd go out to my car and listen to that CD. The meditations are only 6-8 min increments and really help with stress.

    It is possible. Just may be hard, but will be worth it. :)
    Good luck!
  • LittleSpy
    LittleSpy Posts: 6,754 Member
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    I quit smoking 2 years ago and didn't really gain weight because of it (even when I wasn't watching what I was eating).
    People smoke for different reasons. Mine was mainly an oral fixation & mental addiction (I felt like a cigarette would always de-stress me. But really taking several deep breaths works just as well). I had smoked since I was 15 (8 years). Sometimes as much as 3 pack/day.

    So, my tips are know your triggers. If it's an oral fixation, chew on straws or buy some low calorie suckers (I used dum-dums).
    Focus on what you love about not smoking (I LOVE not smelling gross!! I LOVE being able to breathe better! I LOVE being able to run longer! I LOVED getting off of my prescription allergy medication!).
    When I quit smoking, I almost felt like I had lost an old friend. I had lost that thing to do in awkward social situations (2 people sitting in silence is awkward but 2 people smoking in silence is just fine). I had lost that routine thing I did as soon as I woke up, right after eating, while driving, etc.

    I think one reason people gain weight when they stop smoking is because they no longer have that thing they do right after eating, so they just keep eating. The possibility to stop eating and light up isn't there anymore. Pay attention to that. Eat slowly, drink water with meals, and stop eating when you're not hungry anymore.

    Good luck! You can do this! And take it from this ex-smoker -- IT'S SO WORTH IT!!!
  • Jillian
    Jillian Posts: 88
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    I think it's doable. I quit smoking and started dieting too. I put on 10 lbs. but I have to keep telling myself overall my health is better BECAUSE I quit smoking, and started exercising. Don't get discouraged, just keep at it. It will all work out in the end!
  • guidosgal
    guidosgal Posts: 581 Member
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    It totally doable. I quit smoking and started my new healthy life style at the same time. When I wanted to smoke I thought about how to eat better and when I wanted to fall off the wagon and eat wrong I thought about how well I was doing not smoking. I guess doing both at the same time gave me two different thing to think about instead of obsessing on one. I know that it take lots of hard work but you can do it.
  • geicko
    geicko Posts: 151
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    I'm also proof it's definitely doable :smile:

    I quit smoking 10 months ago. I didn't gain any weight and have even lost almost 15 poubds now. It was my second time seriously trying to stop. The first time I stupidely went back to smoking after 6 months because I was depressed by the weight I had put on. Of course, smoking did NOTHING on the newly gained weight, and I even continued to put on weight. So this time I was decided I would not put on any weight and I even wanted to lose the weight from the previous try. And you know what ? I think it's a good strategy ! I started to exercise to aid my weight loss and to get my health back, build some muscles, and after a little while I enjoyed being able to workout and exercice so much it helped me clear my mind from the idea of smoking again. If I were to smoke, I wouldn't be able to do more than 5 minutes of my 45 minutes cardio. Last summer I went mountain climbing, and bicyle riding for long hours and I was able to do it without getting out of breath and without any pain. This is priceless.

    So I'd say start to exercics ! You will feel so proud of yourself, and so free in just a few weeks !

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