To attempt to diet and quit smoking at the same time...

[thesqueezedlemon]

Over the last few years I've put on ALOT of weight. I started the 5:2 diet last week and it's going well. Today I realised I've been living under a rock when I found out the cheapest cigs are going up to £9 a pack from tomorrow.
(Don't need a lecture on smoking btw)
I planned on establishing my diet before quitting smoking and then quitting in 6 months or so. I really need this diet to work. I really need to lose the weight.
I can't afford £9 a pack -i can barely afford the £7 I'm paying at the moment. So I'm going to have to quit now.

Is it possible to do bot? Have people radically changed their lifestyles in one go?
Is it possible to not put on weight and even lose weight when quitting smoking?
AIBU to think this is possible or am I kidding myself?

Yes! Complete lifestyle change!

You wake up tomorrow and you're a new person.

Go you!!

Are the cheapest cigarettes really going up to £9 a pack? All of them? If so that's just the incentive to quit that I need so thank you for posting!

I gave up smoking but vaped for five years prior to, (very foolishly) starting again about six months ago. I didn't have weight to lose, but I didn't gain anything while I was vaping if that's any comfort to you.

Unless your so big you need to be lifted out of your house with a crane I would prioritise giving up smoking and then step up the diet. I smoked 20 a day and it was a struggle to maintain my weight to be honest. I ate raw veg every time I felt like a cigarette. Cherry tomatoes, carrot batons, peppers, cucumber. If you took up running at the same time it might help.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that didn't know. I think when the shops run out of the current pricemarked cigs they'll all be £9+.
I vaped for a few months years ago and stupidly started smoking again when my dad died. I don't want to vape as I think they contain sugar. I can't win!

If the sugar is the only thing putting you off vaping, maybe have a look and see if there are any sugar free liquids about? I am a huge fan of vaping, I had never been able to give up smoking for so long before I started it, and was using the nicotine free liquid for the final two years. So annoyed I ever started smoking again. It was depression and struggling with my dd that made me start again... Well it was me that did it, but you know what I mean.

Do you get fat from gaping then?

Aren't you just breathing it in? Not actually drinking it?
[clueless nonsmoker emoticon]

Get some Senna, though. Everyone I know who quit smoking got weirdly constipated.

I quit smoking with vaping and I use a lot of cake/biscuit/sweet flavours. No weight gained at all

I quit smoking and started getting fitter two years ago. I vape but use the rechargeable ten motives one with the replacement capsules you buy in a lot of supermarkets.

I think it's about finding the right product and as a menthol smoker it was quite difficult but I did, lost weight and got fit without the battle to give up a 'habit'

Go for it x

I hope so. I don't think I can go cold turkey. It's never worked before.
My heart sank when I found out they were going up so much. I thought I'd have more time to concentrate on the diet before I tackled the smoking.

I can't do cold turkey either. My will power is shit. Have you ever read Paul Mckenna's book 'How to stop smoking'? That may not be his name. When you finish reading it, you don't want to smoke anymore. The last time I quit cold turkey I did it reading his book. I only lasted a week or two and think it would have been much better if I'd got on to vaping then, but it really did kick-start me into stopping and it wasn't long after that I stopped using ecigs.

Anyway...the point I'm trying to get to is that I believe he also has a book called 'How to stop smoking without gaining weight.' which might be helpful for you. From what I remember of the book I read he was against using nicotine replacement therapy and was advocating cold turkey but if like me, can't do cold turkey than I think vaping is the next best thing.

I realise you vaped before... In case it sounds like I'm vape-splaining.

Gah sorry for my third post... When I said "it wasn't long after (reading his book) that I stopped using e-cigs." I meant, it wasn't long after reading his book that I quit smoking and started using e-cigs.

Sorry reread and realised it wasn't at all clear.

I think I'm going to have to get an ecig and monitor the weight to see what happens.

OP I started vaping a year ago and without even TRYING I lost a stone! I think it's because I felt so much better that I started DOING more. More housework and more walking.

I tell you...it's WONDERFUL! You need to use a bit of willpower because vaping isnt quite the same as smoking but after a while you will prefer it.

I did have some days where I smoked...but the crucial thing is not to stop vaping compeltely.

Do it daily and one day you will realise it's been months since you smoked.

Didn't drink or smoke until my twenties, now do both in early thirties and am slightly, ahem, plump as a result.

I don't care what anybody says, smoking is fucking marvellous. It is an absolute nightmare stopping. I agree with PPs that vaping does help a lot. You have to be prepared for it to be "different" to smoking, and treat it like a brand new experience and not a replacement for smoking (it is, but if you compare it to smoking you won't stick to it.)

Good luck!

Eliquid does not contain sugar and vaping will not make you put on weight.

People tend to put on weight when they quit smoking, partly because they substitute smoking with comfort eating (and they can taste things again) and partly because nicotine increases your metabolic rate slightly.

Vaping can help you avoid this because you still have the comforting hand-to-mouth thing, you have loads of yummy flavours and you still get the nicotine (which you might or might not want to cut down in due course - don't rush it).

Good luck

Seriously? £9??? That's me done then. This is just the kick I need - no way can I justify that! I have a vaper I've been ignoring for months so time to dust it off.

just quit smoking after another bad chest infection that led to breathing problems no doubt caused by smoking.
I have moved onto vaping like another post said it's not the same as a fag and I do miss smoking but for health reasons I have no choice.
looking forward to saving some cash as well. I would concentrate on diet or quitting smoking but not both together it will be to hard.

I had an horrendous chest infection/ virus earlier this year and was off work for 5 1/2 weeks. Throughout it i still smoked a few fags a day tho not as many as normal. They tasted foul but i kept on with it until one day i thought it was ridiculous, i had a golden opportunity to stop , as i could hardly stagger outside to smoke. It was hard as hubby still smoked but i told him not to leave me any and got an e cigs and nicotine mints instead.
He also decided to give up and he's done really well. We have an occasional one if someone offers us one but we've not bought any for months. Mind you I'd kill for one sometimes!
I lost a lot off weight because I was ill but getting better and not smoking soon put it back on, plus about half a stone. I'm now working on getting that off but to be fair I was already slim. I found one day of fasting a week is working for me.
It's hard but the health benefits off not smoking are immense ( but i still want one!) I know it sounds simple but don't buy any. If there's some in the house I'll smoke them, although my friend has to have an unopened packet in her car in case. It's been in the car for 8 years!
Best of luck x

Just a bit of an update. I'm currently 23 days into my diet (5:2) and in the end I decided to quit with the use of an ecig and haven't had a proper cig in 5 days. I seemed to have cracked it and now just seem to be addicted to the ecig but hoping I don't be using it for long. I've managed to lose half a stone since I started the diet, losing another 2lbs this week while I've not been smoking so I'm pretty happy. I just need to keep this new lifestyle up.

Won't* be using it for long.

My phone doesn't like the word won't.

Fantastic!

I smoke roll ups, and I'm planning to quit after this pack of tobacco. I've also started dieting this week, and I'm down 7lb (fair bit to lose though!) I'll be following with interest as I'm scared the lack of smoking will hinder the weight loss.