I've found it really easy to cut back, but my problem is that my mom smokes, and when ever she smokes around me the smell wafts over to me and it triggers a craving. As long as I'm not around it, I don't crave one except for when I'm really really stressed out.
I hear you on the Menthols, though... so freaking delicious. Every time someone says they have one, I want one. It's SO hard to turn them down!
One of my friends once told me that menthols are like "smoking a peppermint patty"
I don't really smoke a lot as it is. Maybe a pack or two a week. So, I don't want to start taking pills like Chantix or anything. I've tried doing other things with my hands, but it hasn't ben very effective. I think I need to either get some will power or start with one anddo the other later. I might try to lose my half my weight (25-30 or so pounds) and then maintain while I try to quit smoking. And then once I quit lose the other half. I dunno. I don't know that I'm ready to do both at once.
If you can't do both, quit smoking before you lose weight. It's more important to your health than getting rid of 60lb.
Quitting smoking is harder than quitting food. Even if I put 100% effort in to try to quit smoking, I don't know how successful I would be because it helps to ease my stress more effectively than anything else. I'm going to try to cut back more. I know it bugs my husband when I smoke, so I need to stop smoking around him so much anyway. And it is pricey so I'll be forced to cut back a little due to finances. I don't know that I'm necessarily ready to quit smoking completely yet anyway, though.
ETA: I mostly posted this for advice seeing as I know I need to quit smoking soon. Not necessarily right this very second.
Last edited by BananaMontana; 03-07-2012 at 11:33 PM.
If you're not ready, no one can force you. But when I talked to my DF about quitting himself, 3 weeks after I quit, what made an impact on him (enough that he quit two days later) was when I asked him if he wanted to quit someday. When he said "yes, of course", I simply asked him "then why not now? What is stopping you from doing it now? It's only going to get harder, possibly while you get sicker, the longer you wait. "
I'm not trying to sound holier than thou, really I'm not. I am just so HAPPY as a nonsmoker that I wish you could feel this way, too. Yes, it is hard, but it gets easier! Every day it gets easier and easier to say "no cigarettes for me today, please". Every day I wake up thankful that I found and am keeping my sticky quit. I hope you find yours.
I quit smoking ten years ago. It was hard: I had been a heavy smoker for nigh on 30 years and I am positive I would not have succeeded without the aid of nicotine patches.
There are a few tricks. Firstly always keep a glass, or bottle, of water with you and take sips everytime you reach out expecting to find your packets of fags next to you. Take sips when you have a craving. Secondly get a `worry stone' .. this is a smooth flat pebble that you keep in your hand and rub. Rosary beads would also do.
You have to change your habits somewhat. Decide when you usually wanted a cigarette, like first thing in the morning, or after a meal, or while using the computer or watching television. Find an alternative thing to do ... just get up and walk about, wash the sink, pull a few weeds in the garden; just for those minutes. And take sips of water.
Get through the first two weeks of not smoking and, while you still are struggling, you know you can do it.
You are giving up an addiction and your body will argue with you about it because you have to get past the cravings.
I wish, when I was giving up, that I had dieted and been helped with it more. I put on three stone in a very short time. I used to be able to eat quite substantial meals while I smoked and I continued to eat in the same way ... and then suddenly I `blimped out'. This alone should tell you just how bad smoking is for you ... not because you eat so much, but because your addiction is falsely starving you.
Please find that strength within you that encouraged you to start this process, both of giving up smoking and to change your lifestyle and shed weight. It does get better and these steps are ensuring you save your life and enjoy future good health and happiness.
There are a load of giving up smoking online communities who can share your journey and offer the support and help you need for this. And you can find a giving up buddy to exchange thoughts with every time you have a craving, even if you just give each other a `don't do it!' poke.
I will say this ... giving up smoking is hard, at times excrutiatingly so, but losing weight is much harder. Please trust me when I say you can not only get through this but in not too long a time those cravings will simply go away. There is no voodoo to this, it is just an addiction and lots of people groan about how they still crave a ciggie after years ... not true. Once the nicotine is out of your system you are home and dry on physical cravings... the rest is psychological so if you are set on this path, you will arrive safely.
I firmly believe that deciding to quit smoking is a lot like deciding to try to lose weight. It's a moment that's hard to describe but you just know that you're ready. Call it a turning point, last straw, whatever. I don't think you should feel guilty for not being at that point. A lot of it is mental and it takes some preperation. If you ever want to talk to someone about it or ask questions, feel free to pm me.
As Sinoia said, look into online communities when you're ready. I found them really helpful too.
One thing that I found that helped me that I've never seen mentioned before was air quality. This sounds weird but hear me out. When I got the urge to smoke I would purposely put myself in a place with different air quality and breathe it. That sounds so silly and I feel kind of embarrassed to talk about it but if it helps anyone else then I guess it's worth it. Anyway, sometimes I went outside because it was winter and the air was crisp and cold. Sometimes I ran a bath so that I was in heavy, humid air. Sometimes I'd go for a run or dance around the room to get my lungs working and burning. Sometimes I just lit a candle and breathed in that scent. Like I said, never heard it mentioned before, but it may help when you're ready.
My problem is that when I am wearing the patch, I can't exercise. The only time I don't wear the patch is when I sleep, and some mornings, um....most, mornings, I can't get myself together enough to do any exercising.
I'm a HOT mess, first thing in the morning.
Think....making coffee with no water in the coffee maker, type of hot mess. Lol.
I also snack a lot more, just because I used to smoke on my breaks at work which took up most of my break time. Now, I have time to grab a snack.
I'm making them healthy ones though.
It's tough to quit smoking, much less when you are trying to become a healthier you. Much more tougher when you doing it cold turkey.
Even if I put 100% effort in to try to quit smoking, I don't know how successful I would be because it helps to ease my stress more effectively than anything else. I'm going to try to cut back more. I know it bugs my husband when I smoke, so I need to stop smoking around him so much anyway. And it is pricey so I'll be forced to cut back a little due to finances. I don't know that I'm necessarily ready to quit smoking completely yet anyway, though.
