To think I can quit smoking and lose weight at the same time?

[Freddiebump]

Or am I mad? Do you always put on weight when stopping smoking? I need to stop cos my lungs are shot; can't kick this cough and wake up wheezing every morning :( but I'm also determined to lose a couple of stone as, although I've never been "skinny", my weight has crept up and I'm struggling to get in my size 16 jeans (5ft 7 and usually a 14ish which I've always been pretty happy with). I just feel unhealthy and crap at the minute and need to sort myself out!

So, AIBU to think I can tackle smoking and eating at the same time? Has anyone else managed it? Or do I need to resign myself to the fact that I will get even fatter if I quit the evil ciggies?

Hi freddie,

I quit using electric cigarettes, I totally stopped smoking ciggies and just used electric ciggies, but that contained nicotine. I then cut down on my nicotine percentage in the electric cigarette 'juice', until i was not using any nicotine, but still enjoying my electric cig. i now can go days with out 'puffing' on my e-cig, although i stil use it as i actually enjoy it!
oh and i have lost 3 stone this year!

if you fancy trying an e cig i can recommend a company. they look expensive to start with but i have saved a fortune!!

I was always fat regardless of if I smoked or not. The trick (and I have actually studied this because I am that sad and did my degree dissertation on diet and smoking habits of a particular set of people) is not to replace the smoking with something with calories. You can avoid putting weight on, but you need to be careful and have a plan - most people find they need something to do with their hands to replace the ritual they have when they have a ciggy, so decide what you will do. Knit or crochet, or do the crossword or a puzzle or whatever, just don't make it have something to eat. Likeiwse, if you have a coffee and a ciggy at certain times, either forgo the coffee for a while, or make the whole thing different, sit somewhere else, do not replace the cig with a biscuit etc etc - you know all this and I'm wittering, Good Luck - you can DO it I have faith!

Wow!
I quit in January and have put on 2 stone. Not happy. However, I really don't miss the coughing in the morning!
Good luck!

ihateshopping, I've bought one of the e-cigs and I've started using it to cut down. Usually when I first get up, I will go outside and have a cuppa and a couple of fags before ds wakes up, but for the last few days I've been using my electronic one. So far today, I've had one proper cig as oppose to the 4 I would normally have had! What brand do you use?

Where my weight is concerned, I just need to change my habits. I eat healthy meals, just too big portions of them and I'm a bugger for snacking in the evenings. Went out yesterday and did a big shop with no snarky foods so no temptation! I'm hoping that stopping smoking will spur me on to look after myself in other ways! Just so sick of feeling fat and unhealthy all the time :(

*snacky foods! What are snarky foods?? Lol damn autocorrect!

I lost 3.5 stone, decided to quit smoking, then lost another 1.5 stone. The hard and boring way. No junk, smaller portions, weekly treat, lots of exercise. I quit smoking really so that my running times would get faster and I could train harder for a half marathon.

It was easier to already be fully committed and motivated in weight-loss before taking the plunge and quitting smoking too. Trying to do two massive things at once is too hard. You may find that, especially if you integrate fitness into your diet plan (as you should) that the urge to smoke will be less immediately anyway, and you will self-police a bit so that your lungs are able to cope with the aerobic demand.

Maybe lose some weight, feel great about yourself, prove to yourself you can do something hard, then go on to the next step and stop smoking using a nicotine replacement therapy approach (like a patch or tablets or gum) - then you'll be so jazzed and feeling fantastic that you will continue to lose weight, and you'll be able to work out harder and get fit, tight and toned too.

God. If I can do it you can!

I gave up a few months ago and put on almost a stone.
I tried really hard not to, but it happened almost without me realising.

So joined WW last week in order to lose it.

You can, I did. I quit and lost two stone at the same time. Finding something to do rather than eat when you'd usually have a cigarette helps, and monitoring your food.

And plenty of exercise to help flush out the ming.

I quit and lost weight, but I'm one of the weird ones who found that smoking increased my appetite! The e-cigarettes are great, I buy one every time I go home to stop me smoking at home! You can buy cheaper and decent ones in motorway services (e-lites I think?) and they work well enough, one charge lasts a weekend of infrequent smoking.

I use totally wicked tornado tank e cig. Its around £60, but that is for 2. it come with a 2 batteries and 2 atomiser tanks. I like this brand because it is refillable, so saves more money! and also the tank is large, so saves having to keep refilling.

I then use liberro liquid. I use this brand because they do different concentraites of nicotine, so is easy to wee yourself off. a 30ml bottle lasts me around a month.

I found that the highest concentrate of nicotine stopped me having any ciggies at all, and i just lower and lower nicotine.

Personally I think its a big ask to do both at the same time...you need to prioritise. Which is the most important??

I wold say crack the smoking habit first and once you have done that then focus on the weight loss.

You need achievable goals and I dont think the 2 together will be sustainable. Thats why so many diets fail, the goal in unsustainable......be realistic and do one and then the other :)

That's the problem; for my mental health, losing weight is most important as I hate how I look at the minute and my self confidence is at an all time low, but I know the smoking should be my top priority because I feel dreadful. I'm hoping if I start exercising more, eating healthier and cut down or stop smoking, I'll feel more motivated overall to look after myself. Just had an urge for a fag and alo hungry so I've jut been out and vacuumed the car to take my mind off both!

Go for the weight loss first then freddie - both good goals anyway and like you say, when you feel better for losing some weight you'll be inclined to stop smoking.

Good luck, I've done both (not at the same time) so I know how hard it can be.......be positive, you'll be amazed how much easier it is with a bit of PMA! :)