Quitting...Again

I have been smoking a pack a day for four years. I manage to quit every 6 months but only for 3 months! I started smoking again after cracking once more at the three month mark 2 weeks ago, and I would really like some help. I don't want to smoke I don't like the way it makes me feel and that I am dependant on them. My problem is is I have an eating disorder. I am a total freak about weight and when I gain it I can't handle it. It happens every time I quit. I found an effective low stress way of quitting, thank god. I am just looking for tips to make this time around stick, and also how to keep from gaining weight while quitting. I need support! : )

Lacie

Hi Lacie,

The weight gain fear is one of the biggest reasons people fail in their attempts to quit.  In order to beat the weight gain you have to understand why it happens.  I would highly, highly suggest you visit whyquit.com. The whole website is amazing but in particular there is a weight gain section that explains exactly why people gain weight when they quit smoking.  Much of it is physchological but there is some physiological reasons too and knowledge is power.  Second piece of advice is to use your workouts to your advantage.  Kill two birds with one stone.  Stone = work out and bird #1 = weight gain and bird #2 = stress from trying to quit. 

When I quit smoking about 20 months ago I would get so frustrated from the stress of quitting.  I learned to release that stress by going to the gym every night and would just pound the crap out of whatever machine/bag I was using.  Before i knew it I actually started losing weight!!!! 

good luck in your quitting journey.  I can tell you that it is absolutely, bar none, the best thing i ever did for myself.  I went from an absolute obsession of quitting smoking where it occupied every thought for days and days and days on end.  however the longer i was quit the more i was able to see that with each day the thoughts became less and less.  I was a member of the about.com smoking cessation forum (totally rocks!!!) and one thing i remember thinking in the beginning was that every single veteran non-smoker said the same thing  'it gets easier with time and eventually you WILL reach a point where you suddenly realize you haven't thought about smoking for weeks"   I figured they couldn't ALL be lying. 

Hi Lacie,

Another thing to keep in mind is that quitting and losing weight don't have to go hand in hand. I've also quit several times, and lasted only a couple months, but I haven't ever gained weight because of it--not even a pound. The only substitute that works for me at all is tea without any milk and sugar--not sure why this is the only thing that works, but adding green tea can only help your body.

Another thing that helps me--it's much easier for me to get exercise when I'm not smoking a pack a day. Obviously.

"Quitting Again..."  I've been saying that for the past 5 years.  For the past year, I've been cheating, and in denial.  Smoking only on football sunday w/ beer or wine, and good food or sneaking (from my husband - a non-smoker) a smoke with coffee after he leaves for work (which is easy for me to do because I work from home).  But alas, I have put down the smoking again... and I have a gut feeling it will be for good.

I guess I would consider myself an exteam person.  All or nothing.  Since I was smoking, sneaking or not, I didn't have the confidence in myself to get to the gym consistantly or even motivation to lose weight (smoking inhibits motivation and creates feelings of tiredness). Since joining CC only a few short days ago (Oct. 14th, '08) I have been working out twice a day (weights then running) and logging every single thing I eat (with the exception of spices, water, and tea w/ one splenda pkt). 

I have never even stepped foot in a gym prior to getting married, and afterwards only once in a blue moon.  I'm tired of making excuses and exceptions for my smoking. I'm scared to die of heat disease and all other related cancers... I want to run for 45 minutes without stopping!  That is my challenge. 

So, I smoked my last 4 ciggarettes yesterday morning (before 10am :/ - gross). I resisted the urge to buy a pack as a reward for after the gym (unbelievable that I would use THAT as a reward, lol). I wanted one so bad this morning that I only had one cup and made it kind of unenjoyable which made me not want a (delicious) cigg to go with my (delicious) coffee.  I made it with only one teaspoon of dry, plain, coffee mate creamer and one splenda packet. That was pretty dark for me.  Before CC, I would pour liquid fat free Vanilla International Delight creamer for three seconds... pretty creamy! and now I realize, also pretty fattening!

So - here's my point.  I've realized what's working for me is 1. this website for holding me accountable to track and stick to my plan.  I want to lose 15-18 lbs.  2. Quitting smoking - being determined, strong willed and finally making up my mind to get in the best shape of my life!!!

You have to WANT this soo bad.  You have to wake up thinking of things to keep you occupied.  You want to be occupied with things that you can't multi-task with smoking.... like cooking (my favorite thing to do), take your dog for a really long walk (I just did 3.5 miles this morning - power walking - arms swinging and all ;) ), drink tea instead of coffee if coffee makes you want one really bad.  Buy/rent some work out videos to get inspired, build strength, and build your motivation.  I am really digging the cardio videos by Juillian Anderson (from the biggest loser) and, Jerri Love (Get Ripped 1000) <--- that one is my fav and not boring.  Good work out that makes me drip sweat.

I've been trying out new fitness magazines as rewards, like, Women's Health and, Oxygen.  I'm going to reward myself with a years subscription after one month of consistantly going to the gym 5 days a week.  See... kind of extream, I know.  But that's what works for me! You have to find what works for you as motivation and decide what it is YOU want as badly... more that smoking.  For me - A hot ripped body that I have never had.

Good luck Hon!

Original Post by laciep:

I have been smoking a pack a day for four years. I manage to quit every 6 months but only for 3 months! I started smoking again after cracking once more at the three month mark 2 weeks ago, and I would really like some help. I don't want to smoke I don't like the way it makes me feel and that I am dependant on them. My problem is is I have an eating disorder. I am a total freak about weight and when I gain it I can't handle it. It happens every time I quit. I found an effective low stress way of quitting, thank god. I am just looking for tips to make this time around stick, and also how to keep from gaining weight while quitting. I need support! : )

Lacie

Well, I'm still trying to quit myself, so take this with a grain of salt...

...but one thing I've found is that, yeah, when I quit smoking, I gain five pounds.  But do I lose five pounds when I start again?  Nope.  Sure don't.

So if I feel the urge to pick up a cigarette, it helps to think in terms of: okay, so in three months when you quit, you'll gain five pounds, and then you'll be five pounds heavier than you are now.  You want that?

Hi laciep, I just wanted to let you know that it is possible to maintain or lose weight  and quite smoking at the same time. 

I lost 90 pounds (over 107 from my max weight) and quite smoking at the same time.  I would necessarily recommend trying to lose and quite but I believe that as part of a lifestyle change managing your weight through the process can be beneficial.

When quiting, one of the hardest thing to deal with (besides cravings) is the lack of copping mechanisms.  When you quite smoking you tend to turn to other things to deal with stress.  Most people go to food given it is easy to get to and is a very good payoff in terms of copping.   For me I made sure to log all my food, drink plenty of water and get out and walk every day. 

The logging kept me focused on what I was eating, drinking water helped to keep me from feeling hungry and walking gave me a chance to get out and enjoy my surroundings.  Walking also helped remind me how much better I could breath, which helped motivate me to stay an ex smoker.  As you will see from my bio I also picked up running and have since completed a marathon with a qualifing time for Boston.  Definitely not something I would have been able to do if I had continued to smoke.

Best of luck, quitting has the power to change your life!  It changed mine.

one tip, something i did different last time...i wasn't so hard on myself but at first when i wanted a smoke, i would bum a cigarette but only have a few puffs. i did not buy a pack, MIND YOU!   i did this 2-3 times and the last time i regretted totally.  there were times i was weak, but all i did was stand by my smoking friends and did a little second hand inhaling. soon enough i could not even stand the smell!  when you are tempted to smoke again, just remember what it took the last time. believe me, i will not ever go through that hell again!  the weight gain has to do with a slowed down metabolism, but some may have to do with depression, anxiety etc. professional smokers tend to deal with such only too often. this is why wellbutrin works so well for many.