Tips please - quitting day TWO
 

Good morning ladies -

So after talking about it & talking about it, I FINALLY built up the motivation to quit smoking yesterday. I just turned 28 and that means I've been smoking for TEN years [where does the time go], up to 1/2 pack a day. I hate it, the way it smells, the things it does to my body etc. etc. I had bronchitis two weeks ago and got a chest x-ray and the tech said he could tell I was a smoker - like my bridesmaid dress fiasco w/ my weight - that was the last straw for me.

However...this is NOT easy - it's only day two and all I want is something in my mouth - I bought a bunch of gum but it's starting to hurt my teeth -

Does anyone have any tips from when/if you've quit while also trying to lose weight?

I'd be SUPER greatful for any tips, suggestions, motivations etc.

THANK YOU!
LC



UPDATE: 4/16/12
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND I made it a week!!! I have been DYING to post this time!! One week strong NO smoking from 1/2 pack day habit!! Yes!!!!!

OMG, I feel so proud!! I was worried about the weekend and decided not to drink b/c I really didn't need any triggers so I went running Fri night - made it 3.5 miles which is .4 more than any run I was able to complete while I smoked and then I made it to kickboxing Sat and Sun - I feel like I can breathe again! To stay motivated, I signed up for this thing called runanuck in June - it's a 5k with a bunch of obstacles you have to complete in the mud so I'm really hoping that keeps me on track.

Eating hasn't been too bad - I was worried I'd be shoving everything in my mouth and that really isn't the case - I mostly just use gum/breath mints. I made this "healthy" cookie recipe [choc chips, corn flakes & coconut w/ light butter & sugar] so I've nibbled on a few of those but I'm not going to worry as long as I don't see some crazy spike in hunger/chocolate instead of smoking.

THANK YOU again for everyone's tips, I have tried each & every one of them~!

I know it's only a week but I know if I stay strong these weeks are going to turn into months...can't wait!

First of all, congrats on taking this huge step! As a former smoker I know how tough quitting can be. It's a rough battle but you can come out on top!!

Sugar-free popcicles are good for the "hand to mouth" habit that you get with smoking. Otherwise I just tried to keep my mind off it. Get absorbed in a book you love, play an engaging video game, solve a problem at work, meticulously clean your bathroom..... Anything that will keep you engaged in the present and you won't be thinking about going for a smoke. The first few days are the roughest physically - within a few days the nicotine addiction should be past and then you just battle the psychological/habitual addiction.

Good luck, it can be done, you can do it!

hi! i quit smoking in 1997 but you don't want to quit the way i did: i had the mother of all chest infections. i couldn't get air into my lungs, i certainly didn't want cigarette smoke in them and after 3 days of that, i figured i'd quit my three-pack-of-john-player-special a day habit.

the time before that, however, is probably more likely: i was 24 and had joined teh gym after dropping from 220 to 155 and finally looking pretty darned good in a spandex catsuit. i got out of the gym after my toughest cardio session yet and i remember i felt SO good - i was literally vibrant with good health! - and then ...


i lit a smoke and took a long drag.

it was like all the air had been let out of the balloon - pftftftfttftftftff,..... and i felt like crap again. i was so mad i threw the smoke on the ground and started walking home. cpl minutes later, i lit another one. it still tasted terrible - i threw it down. cpl minutes later, because i'm stupid that way, i lit another one; took a drag; and tried to wipe the taste off the roof of my mouth with my tongue - threw the smoke down.

they tasted WAY more awful than i remembered from the morning - i couldn't figure it out but this went on all the way home and when i stopped at the lights, i looked back and there was this trail of still-burning smokes all the way up the block and - i kid you not - an old homeless guy, filthy-dirty, busily picking them up, pinching off the ember, and sticking them in his pocket! i walked up to him and said "here, knock yourself out" and gave him the rest of the pack. after that, it was just a matter of keeping busy and keeping in mind how awful those smokes had made me feel after feeling so good coming out of the gym. it's important to keep that in mind - that smokes make you feel like dirt in the cat's litterbox.

that held for 10yrs until my dad was involved in a spectacular traffic accident on the way back from florida with my kids in the car - nobody told me anything. i found out when i got a phone call asking for authorization to perform emergency services if required and informing me there'd be a bill for air lift with lift support coming in the mail. i'm just lucky i started smoking cigarettes and not heroin!

The first couple days are the roughest. Get through them anyway you can. I stuffed a bit of cotton in the end of a straw and dragged on that to give me the breathing and activity of smoking, which helped soothe the need for at least the ritual of smoking. I also kept telling myself that I was now a nonsmoker, and reveled in the idea that after I stopped smoking I instantly became a nonsmoker. That mantra kept me going through the hard first few days because I didn't want to stop calling myself a nonsmoker. It just sounded so victorious. It's been 13 years since I quit, and other than getting a fleeting craving that passes within seconds a couple times a year, I never think about smoking anymore. It is liberating. The thing that did it for me was a dream where I was using a bottle brush to scrub out my lungs. I figured that was my inner self trying to send a message to my conscious self to quit. You can do it. You have the discipline to lose weight and pass up tempting foods when you need to; you are powerful enough to have control over cigarettes too. Good luck!

Quit buying cigarettes and if you have any in the house or in your purse throw them out. That is what I did, but then i bummed cigarettes from co workers until they started making comments about it, finally I quit, one day at a time, i didn't think of it as forever but just one day. One day became two , etc. You can do it !

I've never been a smoker, so I have no advice on quitting, but I want to support you in your efforts - it's a great step for your health to quit! -

I can, however, tell you that my best friend SWEARS by Chantix. However, I understand it's pretty expensive.

At any rate - GOOD LUCK! - YOU CAN DO THIS!!!! :carrot:

I have friends who have had success using the electric cigarettes. It gives you that hand to mouth action without it being food or an actual cigarette.

good for you!! i have never smoked, i absolutely hate it.

did you know that if someone is smoking in the car in front of me and they have their hand out the window, that it can come through the vents in my car and i can smell it strongly? i actually speed up and get in front so i don't have to smell it.

when my co-workers come back from their smoke breaks the smell permeates them, even if they wash their hands.

it's vile..good luck on your quitting!

Im on my 4th day since quitting and because im off work im bored.Having major debates with myself over whether or not to go and buy a pack and maybe quit when I dont have so much free time.

don't! there's probably never going to be a "good time" to quit. stay strong.

I bought a quit-smoking hypnosis app for my iPhone and listened to it every night for a week after I quit. Every other night for a week or two after. I believe it REALLY helped. I have a night out this week with some people I used to smoke with. I'm going to listen to it again for before I go out.

It only supplements, but it must have really got into my head because it created a feeling of revulsion when I think about smoking again that I never had before.

You can do this! I too, am a former smoker and my husband quit smoking when he had a heart attack last year. I used Wellbutrin and he went cold turkey and the first few weeks were pretty rough going cold turkey but he did it and I am so proud of him. My last memory of smoking is gagging as I took my last drag - it was so gross.

I know this is a physical addiction, but try thinking about this: Think about all the money you spent on the smokes over the years so some fat cat tobacco executive could pull up to go to work in his high rise office in a limo and leaves to spend weekends in a fabulous country home with his beautiful wife and oh so popular kids, all because of you buying his cigs to make it all happen. Use that money for things you need and want. Every time I get a craving (been six years, I do still crave them sometimes) I think about that.

about the physical addiction part? that's the easy bit - physical side effects only last about 3 days, assuming you're not taking stuff like wellbutrin or chantix, which can actually extend the withdrawal period.

the worst part is the psychological addiction and just the habit.

celery sticks - chop up a crapload of celery sticks and smoke 'em if you got 'em.


my aunt in finland and her husband are *heavy* smokers (and paying the ultimate price for it now, or at least she is) - every time they bought a pack of smokes, they put the same amount in savings. every year, they went on a 2mo vacation in the bahamas.

i think that's kind of scary and not a little sad.

First of all, congratulations! You can do this! It's hard at first but rest assured it does get easier. You've got to figure out what works for you. If it's gum and celery then work with that. For me it was the act of inhaling. If I'd known about gardendiva's trick with the straw I'd have been all over that. As it is I just put myself in situations with different air quality and would inhale deeply. I probably looked all kinds of silly but you do what you've got to do.

Remember that the wanting and craving aren't signals that your brain is sending you voluntarily. That's the addiction. It wants to convince you that you want it. You don't! Not really.

I managed to do it without gaining anything. I stalled for a bit and then lost at a much slower rate that first month. The only advice I can give on that end is to be extra vigilant about what you're putting in your mouth. You've got to be even more strict with yourself than usual because appetite does increase (at least mine did), but it's for just a short period of time and you'll get through it.

Congrats!
I quit using Champix (Chantix) and didn't find it extend my withdrawal period. In fact, for me, I felt significantly less withdrawal symptoms than when I quit cold turkey (lasted 10 months) several years ago. Back then, I experienced all the typical symptoms - was cranky as heck, wanted to eat everything in sight, etc. Champix was amazing for me. I still had withdrawal symptoms of course, but nothing like I experienced in the past. I've now been smoke free for over 2.5 years now, after smoking a pack a day for 13 years.
Anyway, Champix isn't for everyone - I'm just saying it was wonderful for me. I don't know if I could have quit successfully without it. That's just me though. I'm not trying to push it on anyone!
Just remind yourself that if you cave and smoke, you'll likely not enjoy the cigarette anyway, and then you'll have to re-do these two days again.
It gets easier, I promise!! Don't give up. Your body and your wallet will be grateful. :)

Do you happen to know the name of the app by any chance? I didn't even think of checking i-phone apps - that's next!

YOU ARE A MIRACLE! I just tried this and it is honestly amazing - and because of the cotton it feels like you are inhaling a cigarette - THANK you so much, more than you know, thank you.

Thank you again everyone.

We all have different motivators to quit. I am a logical, practical thinker- Take a look at this website- you might have seen the commercials. It's pretty impactful on the damages of smoking. Actually, looking at it to pull the address for you reminded me once again why I stopped.

UGH- Cant post links... let's see- either google tobacco reality unfiltered or go to reality unfiltered . com

The "needing something in the mouth" thing is part of candy addiction, too. I'm not sure if it'd help in your case, but have you thought of having herbal/flavored unsweetened tea around you? I get a cup every time I have a sugar craving so I can keep my mouth (with the cup) and my brain (with the flavors) busy.

Note that I have never smoked, I just thought the mouth thing sounded like a familiar habit.

You just made my day. I feel so glad that I was able to help. Hang in there. It's worth all the discomfort you may be feeling in the beginning.

That is so great that gardendiva could pass along such a helpful tip! How are you doing?? I am a reformed smoker from a long time ago, I quit when I was early 20's and am SO very glad I did. I was newly pregnant so that was my motivation. Our state offers free help; patches, gum... Is that a resource available for you?

best wishes on your success!!

Hey - DAY FOUR!!! I'm actually doing pretty ok, no cheating or anything - I've been doing really intense workouts which help to remind me why I'm quitting - I tell myself I can go longer & be stronger when I quit. The weirdest thing is forgetting - it happens a few times a day where I'll be about to walk outside and wonder where my pack is - then remember/remind myself that I quit! Haha. Also, I'm wearing the patch 24 hours which has caused some weird dreams/sleeplessness so I think I'm going to start taking it off before bed despite a spike in the cravings in the a.m.

Thanks so much for checking in - the support on this site always makes me really happy and not so alone - this is SO hard. I'm not even close to attempting to drink or go for a long car trip yet- I'm almost afraid of those situations but altogether I really really am happy with myself and I KNOW I really really want to quit for good so I'm hoping that [and the patch] will see me through! One big reason to quit is that I too would like to get pregnant within the next year so I definitely don't want to still be focusing on this when that time comes! Can't wait until I'm a week in...then two...etc.

I quit when I found out I was pregnant with my first and did it cold turkey because I didn't trust patches, medications, etc. I had dreams for the longest time about smoking. I would dream I was with DH and smoked a bunch then I'd wake up intensely guilty until I realized it wasn't real! :lol:

I'm super out of shape and fat and I can't imagine being this way while still smoking. I feel so much better without smoking as I can vividly remember the bouts of coughing and bronchitis at the ripe old age of 21! Now I can smell people in the cars around me smoking even if my windows are up and think "God, that stinks!" My husband finally quit because he'd go out and smoke then come to bed. Even after brushing his teeth, mouthwash, the works, he still STUNK! I wouldn't give him a kiss because it was so revolting. He finally got tired of that. ;)

It is hard but SO worth it for your health and financially. Congrats on making the choice to quit.

Every time you want to smoke, expose yourself to sound recordings or videos or pictures of people with lung disease. You cannot listen to the sounds of death and still smoke with a clean conscience.

That being said, I need to quit too...

Good for you lm3898! I'm glad you posted an update. It's really great to read that you're doing so well. Congratulations on DAY FOUR!

Yay for you! I was wondering how you were hanging on! I was on the patch for a while at first too and I remember the weird dreams. Each day will get easier and easier as you keep going. Hang in there!

I cut down over a month ago I havent had one rolled cig, which is what I got a hit off and had a connection to a bought a 20 pack of regular cigs and smoked about one a day and then I went without for a week but then bought a pack of menthol and have one or two every couple of days, last night I have one two nights before I had two so I am saving them until I feel like im about to buy tabacco which is what I get that buzz off.

Saying that apparently every time i smoke again i am reactivating the addiction so I need to stop but manage this new level of every couple of days and then make it 3 days then 4 and once I can get past 7 days and to the second week I'm clear because ive tried twice before and I really know on that 7th day i get spooked.

I never want to go back to the start where im trying not to buy tabacco so thats enough motivation for me.

Update
 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND I made it a week!!! I have been DYING to post this time!! One week strong NO smoking from 1/2 pack day habit!! Yes!!!!!

OMG, I feel so proud!! I was worried about the weekend and decided not to drink b/c I really didn't need any triggers so I went running Fri night - made it 3.5 miles which is .4 more than any run I was able to complete while I smoked and then I made it to kickboxing Sat and Sun - I feel like I can breathe again! To stay motivated, I signed up for this thing called runanuck in June - it's a 5k with a bunch of obstacles you have to complete in the mud so I'm really hoping that keeps me on track.

Eating hasn't been too bad - I was worried I'd be shoving everything in my mouth and that really isn't the case - I mostly just use gum/breath mints. I made this "healthy" cookie recipe [choc chips, corn flakes & coconut w/ light butter & sugar] so I've nibbled on a few of those but I'm not going to worry as long as I don't see some crazy spike in hunger/chocolate instead of smoking.

THANK YOU again for everyone's tips, I have tried each & every one of them~!

I know it's only a week but I know if I stay strong these weeks are going to turn into months...can't wait!

LC

Congratulations! Keep it up and dont give in. I envy your discipline.
I've been smoking since I was 16. I'm 25 now, and approaching that 10 year mark myself. Its very depressing to think that I spent 10 years destroying my body. My mother in law use to be a smoker. She now has COPD, is.on oxygen 24/7, has to do breathing treatments every three hours, and she is on the waiting list for a lung transplant. I started my diet almost a year ago. And ive lost a good amount of weight in that time. I feel better about myself, but, I hate that I cant kick the smoking habit. Its obvious that my smoking hinders my exercise. I can hardly finish a work out without feeling like i'm dying. I went to visit my mother in law yesterday, I help her with things around the house that she can no longer do for herself, like run the vacuum, sweep, mop, do the laundry. After I had some of it done, I told her I was going to go downstairs to smoke. She never complains about my smoking, and she didnt this time either, instead she looked at me and smiled. She said you look so good Ash, youve lost weight and you just look happy. You know that they are coming tomorrow to fit me for a wheelchair right? I was devistated to find out that her breathing was now confining her wo a wheelchair. She has gained so much weight over the years, because of her inability to move and now she will be moving even less. I really think thats what she was hinting at when she mafe her comment. I went down stairs, but I didnt smoke. I just sat there in the fresh air and thought how my life would change if I were in her shoes. And I decided that I want to quit. But I dont know where to start.
Do I toss all of them that I have and go cold turkey? Because ive tried that in the past. I quit cold turkey when I found out I was pregnant, both times. And both times I lit right up after that 9 months was over.
My husband suggested that I start limiting/ reducing the amount I smoke each days, like 4/day for three days, then 3/day for three days... And so on.
I really want to quit. What would be the best way to approach it?

I have to say, I've heard "limiting the amount" just doesn't work - you have all this junk in your system so it's constantly going to be pointing to you to smoke. I think that would be harder. I also think cold turkey is just HARD haha - I couldn't do it that way.

I can't advise, esp. b/c it's only a week, but I personally am using the patch and I love it. It' s a steady stream of nicotine released throughout the day - I don't feel like a spike in cravings or anything while I'm wearing it.

The patches are 24 hours but I don't wear them while I work out or to bed so I've been wearing them about 12 hours a day and I really really like it. It's keeping me on track. So if you haven't before, perhaps you can try that. Let me know what you decide!!

I used to hate reformed smokers who got in my bus, so I'm def. not trying to be that, but I have to say, even one week in I notice so many health benefits - I get to sleep easier, I work out harder, my eating is actually better [b/c I want to be really healthy while I quit]...I just keep focusing on the positives and it's helping a lot. Good luck!

I am so happy for you! YOU ARE A NONSMOKER. Just savor how that sounds. You are an inspiration. I have been faltering a little with all the leftover Easter food laying around last week, and seeing you conquer this makes me re-motivated to be strong and just say no to Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs.

Really, making it through the first week is so amazing. You've got this.:hug:

Your mother in law is a wise woman. Somehow, through what she did and dind't say, you were led to the place where you are ready to quit, without lectures and doing it "for someone else". You are ready, I can see it in the determination of your words. I think the difference this time versus the times you quit when you were pregnant, is that subconsciously you probably told yourself it was only a temporary quitting, so as soon as you gave birth you weren't in the right "headspace" to continue the nonsmoking.

Obviously you have the determination and willpower to say no to smoking, since you've done it twice already. You just have to tweak the script a little bit and tell yourself this time that it is for good. Good luck!

You are so sweet thank you!!! Your tips helped get me through so you motivate me as well both in terms of quitting AND weight loss!!