I quit smoking...

I quit smoking today. I am doing fine so far, but I am worried that I will want to eat everything in sight, especially sugary foods, since your blood sugar drops when you quit smoking. Can anyone suggest any tips for a quitter??

Gum. Gum is your friend. I like Orbit :D

Sweet, thanks

Stay busy.  The first couple of days are the worse.  Then it gets better.  :)

and feel free to whine here when it sucks. Lots of ex-smokers here who can sympathize and truly understand...

Tomorrow is my two year anniversary of quitting smoking. It took me a very very long time to actually quit, quit... I tried several times.

Here's a few things that I've heard and that worked for me. A lot of people recommend Allen Carr's easy way to quit smoking... okay so you've already quit.... but from everyting I've heard it'll help keep you motivated.

For me: yes Gum in your friend... also water..... lots and lots of water. One of the hardest things I found was not beating the chemical addiction (which I was heavily addicted 15 years), it was the psychological additction. I needed something in my hands to fidgit with. The water bottle actually worked wonders. I read somewhere (I think I was actually on a pack of cigarettes... one of Health Canada's suggestions for quitting) that drinking cold water calms the cravings.... in addition to doing that it gave me something to do with my hands and something to stick in my mouth when I was having a fit. I'd tell myself if I could finish the bottle (about 500 ml) then I could consider how much I wanted the smoke after that. I didn't usually want it anymore.

Exercise is great, swimming was the key for me after a great cardio session, and then a nice shower feeling all nice and clean in my now good smelling clothes.... I really didn't want to smoke after that.

Anyways good luck, hope some of this helps.

HK.. Were you a smoker??!!

Nope, but I listen ;)

I've never had a period either, and I know they can irregular. :)

My mom smoked. She struggled with actually quitting for a long long time.

hey! good for you taking this big step!

(Salome laughing) HK you crack me up.

I started smoking when I was 14 years old.  Smoked until I was 24 then I quit before I got pregn. with my first child.

The BEST thing I ever did.

Whenever you want a cig. just let me know and I will tell you about my mom who is battling lung cancer.

Hang in there!

Gum is key - water also.  Some people have swore by taking the Vitamin B12 stress vitamin.  I also would suck on a peppermint or something and then take a deep breath - it felt like I took a drag (I was a menthol smoker).  Try to find something you can do with your hands!! It's that hand to mouth thing - I held a pen and pretended to take a drag from time to time.  I used the patch - are you using any kind of aides?  Stay strong - the first three days are the worse - after that it's all psycological!!  Don't let it get the best of you and fight through it - you have to expect some pain to get over this!  Once I got through the first week, everytime I almost caved I just thought to myself "Do I want to go through week 1 again??"  and the answer was always "hell no!!" 

Now that you are here it will keep you from gaining the weight - just don't eat what you know you shouldn't and exercise!!  You can do this!!

Congratulations babesie, and join the club! I quit smoking on July 1. Check out my profile for a link to a ticker - it is really helping me. I had no idea just how many cigarettes I was really smoking all that time and the MONEY! That's the kicker for me - the ticker tells you how much you have saved!

I've added you as a friend. :D

Feel free to add me too!  (that goes for anyone, btw)

Yea, I was a menthol smoker aswell, so I will try that peppermint advice. Also, I will get that ticker, that sounds interesting. Im doing this with my boyfriend, he quit with me too, we ran out of ciggerettes last night. Hes doing ok so far. He has been smoking alot longer than I have hes 22 and hes been smoking since he was 11 or so, then I have only been smoking for 2 years now. I am really excited, and I need this money that I wont be spending on ciggs for New Zealand!! My boyfriend and I are moving there next summer. Thanks for all the suggestions!!!

babesie - when you put the ticker in your profile, you have to press the <> button to the far right of the dialog box in order to properly insert the HTML code given on the site. I can see where you pasted the code but the ticker isn't showing up properly. Took me a while to figure that one out!!

Oh sweet, I was giving up on that. Thanks

Good for you, just keep strong.

Congrats!!!!! Welcome to the non-smoker club!!!

I highly suggest reading the Allen Carr book 'The EasyWay to Stop Smoking'. That's how I quit!!!! Cigarettes smelled bad right after I finished the book!!! I smoked through the book, but it can help you now too if you need it....Just a little tidbit from the book....the nicotine withdrawal feels like hunger....so that's why people eat all the time after they try to quit and they are never satisfied...it's the body wanting nicotine, NOT food.... So try to eat like normal and hang in there!!!