quitting smoking and weight loss

i want to do both!  i've been trying out the idea of quitting smoking for quite a while but now since i'm thinking so much about getting healthy and working so hard to get healthy, diet and exercise-wise, continuing to smoke seems even stupider than it normally would.  i'm quitting smoking today... had a trial run on not smoking last night and this morning, then like an idiot had a few more.  but last night and this morning i survived, and so i am finally ready to do this.  i've had my last cigarette.  i named it "marge" and said goodbye to her

i've been on-again off-again on calorie counters, this time i've been on for a little over a month now.  so i'm watching what i eat, drinking lots of water, and last week i started the couch-to-5k beginning runners program to get back into running.  hopefully the combination of being committed to weight loss and being committed to quitting smoking will work hand in hand.

who's with me?  or has words of advice or encouragement?

i know it won't be easy.  i'm hoping to find some people in the same boat or further along so we can support each other. 

yay!  are you using anything?  i did a month of chantix in the spring and got down to 4 cigs a day, then i let a visit to my mother derail my efforts, and then i quit the chantix.  this time i'm going cold turkey with no meds.  i've ready that one thing that's important is to keep your blood sugar regulated, eating smaller meals more often, i'm going to try to do that.  i have a bunch of apples and bananas in the fridge, and some celery for munching too!

edited because it was confusing at first :)

CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS!!!!!!!!!!

Good choice on quitting and getting healthy! I quit smoking nearly 5 years ago (10/10/03) and haven't looked back since. It's the best thing ever!!! (and no I never crave anymore). You're body will go through a lot of changes over the next year and you'll feel pretty weird for a few months, but it passes. You *might* gain 5 or 6 pounds from your metabolism shifting, but if you're adding an exercise program it will be easy to prevent that and even to loose weight (hey, ya can't smoke while running on a treadmill!). I highly recommend you checkout www.quitnet.com - it's an awesome resource and support community.

YAY QUITTER!!!

Congrats for quitting!  I quit last year and also started running too.  I found that running was constant reinforcement on how bad smoking really is, since the couple of times I relapsed I couldn't run for days or I felt like I was going to pass out and die...

GOOD LUCK!!

A family member quit smoking.. and she unfortunately packed on 20 pounds despite eating even less than normal. So don't be discouraged if you start gaining weight! It happens. She's currently trying to lose that weight and though the scale hasn't budged she has an awesome glow to her. =) Totally worth it! She doesn't smell bad anymore and she has a little extra money now. =) Advice: KEEP PUSHING!

Good for you! I just quit and the weight lose thing was next on the list.  I used to cheat with the smoking and just smoke when i was upset or something like that but then my boyfriend was like it's all or nothing so pick.  So I did, I feel alot better (had no idea smoking made me feel terrible to begin with) and it's kind of nice to know that you can overcome something like that.  Many props and good luck!

8/4/08 was 6 months of no smoking for me. It really does make you feel better, and I crave it alot less than I thought I would. I want to smoke sometimes when I see someone smoking on tv/in a movie but it goes away alot faster. I have been sick (just common colds) twice since quitting, and I was sick for less time, and didn't have horrible retching coughing fits like I used to every time I was sick. It's great!

Good Luck

thank you for all your encouragement and stories of success!!! that gives me hope!  i didn't make it yesterday, i bought more and smoked them all.  but what i realized is that anymore i don't go buy cigarette's when i'm having nicotine cravings; i buy them out of habit. 

so, new rule: no more buying cigarette's!  so far today i have had three and those were bummed from bf, who is at work now.  so i don't have access to his since he's at work, and i'm not going to buy anymore.  and just having the three today is a success, because usually by now i have half a pack; i get up, get my coffee and sit on the couch with coffee and smokes, watching the news until it's time to get stuff done. 

i can beat a habit... if i have a nic craving i will log on a read your words of encouragement, but a habit, anyone can beat a habit! 

ok, i'm going to go get my water bottle out of the fridge and start trying to flush this crap out of my system.

thanks again!  i will keep posting my progress, hopefully this time tomorrow i will be able to say it's been 24 hours! 

I was doing so well with quitting...and then i went through a horrible break up and my god father died, i decided that right NOW is not the time to quit.

amonaco, i'm sorry to hear about your godfather and your breakup.  be kind to yourself; you'll quit when you're ready. 

i'm just hoping this is the time i'm ready.  i bought 4 different kinds of gum yesterday, right now i'm chewing raspberry cube something or other :)

also, two of my friends just quit.  one had to quit for some medical testing and as of tuesday could have started back up; she had been looking forward to smoking again but decided why bother, it's better to stay quit.  good for her! i do wish it were another reason she quit though, wish she weren't going through what she is right now.  and the other called me last night to say she and her hubby just found out they're expecting!  so she quit as soon as they found out.  that's 2 of my smoke-buddies.  come to think of it, i think that means all my gf's are non-smokers.  maybe there's someone else who smokes, but if so i can't think of them at the moment.  so, for people i usually smoke with/around, that just leaves bf.  although "just" doesn't cover it, since we live together.  still, with everyone around me quitting, it appears the stars are aligning for success!

sybil878, thanks for the link.  i joined quitnet this morning.  it looks like an awesome support.  i've cut back but when i make it 3 days without one cig i will post an update.  yay me!  hopefully i can repost monday 1st thing in the morning.

thermal, how soon after you quit did you feel the difference in your running?