Hopefully by now you've made it past the 72 hour mark...that's pretty rough. Congratulations on your accomplishment!
I quit on 1/22 of this year, but have been officially smoke-free since 1/25. I have quite a bit of weight to lose, and I made up my mind that I would begin weight loss after quitting smoking -- otherwise, I'd find reasons not to quit.
I was worried about the weight gain, too, but I don't notice a difference in my clothes...but the way I figured it (and hopefully this isn't stepping on any toes) is that the worst case scenario would be that I *would* gain weight...and if I did, I'd deal with that, too, but quitting smoking for me was important enough to deal with any possible consequences.
As a nurse friend of mine put it (who gained considerable weight when she quit), "I've always been a chubby chick. Now I'm a chubby chick who doesn't smoke."
Quitting smoking is the single best gift I've ever given myself, and the feeling of power that comes along with it is immeasurable. It's step that made me feel so much more in control of myself, and my life, and gave me confidence that I would be able to lead a healthier life, and I will be able to lose the weight I need to.
A couple of things that might help:
1) It took me a couple of attempts to quit. If you don't make it, don't give up. Put it down and try again. If you're truly committed, it *will* happen.
2) Sunflower seeds are a godsend. They take care of the hand-to-mouth habit very well. Eat them singly, and take the time to crack, shell, and discard before you actually eat the seed.
3) I had to hide from my smoking friends (and still am from some of them, but that's another issue). I had been sabotaged in the past by "friends," and found it very hard to stick to my plan when I was around people who didn't like the fact that I was changing my behavior.
I wish anyone quitting the best of luck. It's certainly not easy, but it can be done.
|
