I just started my diet four days ago and I am doing well. That may not sound like much but I have usually given up by the first afternoon so this is an accomplishment!

Hubby and I were talking the other day, because cigarettes and even roll your own tobacco prices are about to increase tremendously on April 1st. So we decided that on April 1st we were done.

I am excited about doing that as well, even though I have had many failed attempts at that too, because my mind set this time around the dieting rollar coaster, it is more about health than just getting skinny.

So today, on lunch at work, I was out of cigarettes and I was about to walk to the gas station to get some. (I was going to walk, I was so proud) I decided that I wasn't going. I may as well quit now.

So, am I crazy? Has anyone tried to do both and suceeded? Any tips?

I started losing weight in 8 months ago. I quit smoking 5 months ago. To date, I have lost a total of 104 pounds and haven't had one craving or withdrawal from quitting smoking and I was a 2 pack a day dedicated smoker for over 20 years. It can be done. Good luck!

Hugs
Michelle

Yep...I did both near the same time, as well as drinking alcohol (within a month or so of each other). I figured if I was going to put myself, (and my family ) through h*ll, I might as well get it over with at once. Funny, but I rarely crave a cigarette, even more rarely booze but I always crave chocolate!

I don't think you're crazy at all! It just depends on the kind of person you are. Some people need to take baby steps when it comes to making healthy changes in their lives, but others like to take on everything all at once. If you're determined and committed, I think it's totally do-able! Good for you!

I went back on Atkins in August then quit smoking in October. You absolutely can do both successfully at the same time. For me, the key was, I wanted to QUIT more than I wanted to SMOKE. And I was a pack-a-day smoker (or more) for 27 years. I went cold turkey. And now, 5 1/2 months out, I will never, ever smoke again. I feel fantastic!! Best decision I ever made!!!! You can totally do this.

I also quit smoking about the same time I started eating better and exercising more...I've always felt pretty lucky that it was so easy for me to quit, and it definitely made exercising easier (I can breathe properly again!!), which has contributed positively to my weight loss.

I still miss smoking sometimes, and I do have a cigarette every once in a blue moon, but when I think about quitting as just one part of my commitment to a healthier lifestyle, I definitely find I have more than enough resolve not to pick up the habit again.

You can definitely do it!! Just stay strong! Good luck!!

I quit smoking November 2, 08 and started back on my healthy diet 2 days ago. If you want to make it work, you will! I think it is mostly overwhelming when a person doesn't really want to do it and so they have to consciously think about it more often.

I quit smoking many times over the last 17 years... and only once before without some sort of patch or pill. When I quit this past November, I was just DONE. A pack and a half a day to zero. No help. Yes, I did have some withdrawl but I managed.

I do recommend Chantix though for people worried about cravings cuz I did that once before and wow.. no cravings whatsoever. I hear some people have bad side effects from it but I never did.

You're not crazy for doing this! You made the conscious decision not to get that new pack of smokes! GOOD for you! You can take this on.. you can tackle this one. You obviously want to... and thats the hardest part.

I quit a pack and a half a day habit 15 years ago. When you are done with smoking and I mean REALLY done you will feel SOOOO much better.

It is a myth that everyone gains weight when they quit. The act of quitting doesn't cause weight gain. What happens is our taste buds wake up and food tastes better also because the initial withdrawal (it doesn't last long for most people) it makes you nervous so you have a tendency to munch to do something with your hands and your mouth.

IF you know all this before hand and prepare for it and have lots of low calorie tasty snacks ready you will not gain weight.

In about 3 months your lungs will clear out and you will have better lung capacity to power walk, run on a treadmill or elliptical machine or even jog if you are physically able.

You won't regret quitting smoking, it was one of the smartest things I ever did.

And also when I quit one of the reasons was because cigarettes had just hit $1.00 and I thought THAT was freakin outrageous!

I'm not (and never have been) a smoker, but I think you ROCK!!

Keep it up, you're doing FABBBBBBB!

~ tea

Well, after coming here and reading all these supportive comments, now I feel awful. I came home and rolled my own cigarettes all night. I am not giving up, but I will make a promise to myself not to buy more cigarettes. That in itself decreases what I smoke. Then by April 1st, I shouldn't have as hard a time. At least that's what I hope!

As a side note, 5.5 pounds down since Sunday. I know it's water, but I'll take it! Making it through the first week is such a motivator.

hey. don't beat yourself up too hard about it. in january, i decided to start calorie counting and quit smoking. except i have taken a lot of past dieting failures into consideration and am quitting smoking in a piece-wise fashion. i think it is more realistic for me and will cut down on defeatest thinking which usually leads to giving up entirely or otherwise "binging" followed by a shame spiral. for now i only smoke when i drink. so i've gone from about half a pack a day to about a pack every week or two. we're still not there yet, but i figure, hey, it's a start!

As you can tell by my signature, I'm trying to quit smoking too. A couple of weeks ago I bombed for a few days and put in "DO OVER". From now on though, I'm just not gonna put a "smiley" up if I slip. Last time, though, I really was smoking like normal. Last couple of days, I just had a couple. I don't think that discounts the time I've already put in. Kinda the same way that having a couple bad diet days doesn't return me to my "Starting Weight".

One thing I've decided is that I must have a set menu planned ahead of time so that I don't snack w/o paying attention. I am craving Mamba's really bad. They are these little fruit chew candies. I've kinda let it get outta hand. Now, I've got to get control.

I'm using the patches. I also need to quit trying to get off them sooner than scheduled. With a 15 year old(who is being a teenager, angst and all) in my house, I have to watch out for mood swings. It'll be tough, but, I get a lot of support here and from my co-workers. I can do this too and so can you, BI35.

I also need to quit smoking. Both for health reasons AND the price. however, i was waiting til i lost more weight because i may as well be committed with no food AND no nicotine. i want to.. but im just scared i wont be able to do it. I am thinking about chantix. has anyone ever tried that?

When I quit smoking 15 years ago I dieted AND exercised at the same time. I was successful in quitting smoking (cold turkey) and I did lose 50 pounds at the same time. Each time I felt like I wanted a cigarette, I went out and took a brisk walk around my block instead. Then I came home and drank a large glass of water.
It got easier and easier to quit as time passed. The first 3 months are the toughest IMO.

A year later, I ended up getting a leg injury and the weight came back on (with friends) and I am trying to get that weight off now. I am still smoke free (thank you God!!) and in my heart I seriously believe that if I had not given up smoking, I would be dead by now.

BTW my neighbour recently was taken to the hospital by ambulance. He is a heavy smoker and was coughing up blood. Turns out he had pnuemonia. Sadly he still smokes.

That is so true. I don't miss coughing up crap every day.

Not only do our tastebuds wake up but so does our sense of smell. I remember when I first quit being able to smell flowers coming up in the spring (way cool) and the stink of a muddy field being warmed up by the sun after a heavy rain (not so cool but fun in a weird way).

Exercise certainly helps.

Me too!!

LOL! I quit when a pack of cigarettes got to $5.00 a pack and I thought that was too expensive. I hear they are close to $10.00 a pack now in my part of Ontario.