To consider re-starting smoking?

[SuperEkstra]

Three years ago I was a size 10. I ran 10ks 4 times a week. I looked great. But I smoked.

I quit smoking. It was really hard. And I'm now a size 20. I've put eight stone on. I've tried every way to lose weight. Everything's great for a week, then I can't stick to it.

Please don't recommend diets that have worked for you, as I guarantee I've tried them. I can't make it last. I feel like I need the dopamine 'high' from smoking which has been replaced by food.

I'm honestly at the point that I'm considering starting smoking again - I'm going to die of obesity at this point anyway, so I guess I'd rather be happier and thinner in the mean time.

I know it's a stupid idea, but I'm so so miserable. I hate myself and my inability to stick to a reasonable about of food. I'm disgusting.

There's definitely more going on here than just not smoking and eating more. In your case I'd approach my gp and ask for help as you seem to have replaced one addiction for another

I was going to say the same thing. You need to tackle the root cause of your addiction. Swapping one out for another is not going to do your mental or physical health any good.

Giving up smoking is so miserable, why put yourself through it again, which will have to at some point?
I gave up before vaping existed but it's worth a try or how about nicotine gum?

Do you exercise at all anymore? If you start smoking you're just going to feel even shitter. Sounds like you've replaced one addiction with another, you need help to get over the addiction, not replace it, could you look into cbt?
And honestly, I'd much rather be around a fat person than a smoker, I dont socialise with smokers at all, my mum recently restarted and then quit again, I made it clear she wouldn't be getting in my car if she smelled of fags,, especially me being pregnant. I wouldn't let a smoker hold my baby or anything. It's disgusting and affects the health of those around you aswell as your own.

Surely you understand the health benefits of losing weight would be entirely cancelled out by smoking? What would be the point?

Do you have family or friends that you can ask for support. To do walks with you or just help provide what you need to feel better within yourself.

Also maybe stop focusing on the fact you were a size 10 and find a goal that is more useful. I’ve recently started trying to eat better and loose weight with a view to getting back down to 9 stone which was my weight through my 20s. Thinking about it last night I realised that maybe 9 stone is not realistic anymore as most people settled at a heavier weight as they get older etc so I’m thinking of readjusted what I am aiming for to be more in keeping with what is probably going to be achievable.

My OH started smoking again after six years and did not lose any of the weight he had put on. So YABU if nothing else because it might well not work.

If you don't mind me saying, is part of the problem that you can't stick to any eating changes or something like couch to 5k for running because you are stuck on this idea that it's all because of the smoking? It sounds like that idea is stopping you from moving forwards.

I am an ex-smoker by the way and I loved it so much and still look longingly at people smoking as I walk by.

I desperately miss smoking OP. I know I can't afford my Marlboro lights, that my clothes smelt, the health problems etc. I have had to stop watching older and most french films as I feel stupidly sad seeing beautiful skinny women smoking. I have insulin resistance so my diet that "worked" for many years was red wine, diet coke and cigarettes. My insides are possibly 20 years older than my actual age so maybe the damage is already done? I do briefly start smoking again when visiting Asia as the cigarettes are so cheap and everyone seems to smoke (including inside restaurants, hotels etc).

I agree with pp that it sounds like your injury and stopping exercise is probably more of a factor- and exercise would be a great way to get the “high” you talk of. Smoking is so expensive, could you put the money towards getting a personal trainer or a piece of exercise equipment for home or a fancy gym membership?

You're not too big to run, it will be the lack of exercise that is causing the weight gain (assuming you don't do any exercise now, sorry if I missed an update). That and the addictive food habits. As echoed above do speak to a GP to find a method that will work for you; best of luck

You are both YABU and YANBU

Quitting smoking was the hardest thing I have ever done, I went to vaping and then eventually quit that too (which was even harder, weird)

I have gained around 1.5 stone on average more than when I smoked.

It is hard, but you could potentially pick up smoking again and then still be overweight. Smoking is so so hard to quit, once you do your brain and body will always try to get you to start again.

I'm nearly 10 years out of smoking and 7 from vaping. It was only a few years ago I realised I'd changed from an 'Ex-smoker' mentality to a 'non-smoker' (as in, I don't crave it, don't ever even think about having one even when stressed)

It takes ages to get there, don't throw it away especially now with Covid - don't give your lungs more things to fight

To correct - I do exercise, 4 days a week at the gym doing a mix of things. I'm not running 10ks because of the impact. But, you can't outrun a bad diet

Ie, food is deffo the issue, not exercise

You'll die of obesity AND smoking if you do this. It won't make you skinny.
Actually hopefully you won't die of either but if you start smoking as an obese person you are an unbelievable idiot generally and especially now in covid times. Go get some therapy, it will cost the same as starting smoking.

My mother smoked all her adult life. I realised a few years ago that she was doing it to keep her weight down.
She died at 67 and her last months were horrible as the cancer was eating her brain. But she did look tiny on her deathbed, and wore a size 10 in her coffin.
I am struggling with binge eating. I am miserable because of my weight. But please please please do not start smoking again.

YANBU if you are alone and no one cares about you.

YABU if you have any relation alive or friends or a partner or children who care about you.

I know I am selfish saying this as a non-smoker but both my parents smoked, my Mum developed lung cancer and had to go through chemo, lost all her hair, every bit of hair, pulled her knickers down one morning and all her pubic hair was sitting in the crotch of her pants. She was 61.

The worst part was seeing how devastated not only my Dad was when they told her she was terminal, but seeing my siblings in pain, my BIL and SIL plus my own husband and worst, the grandchildren. We, as her children, held her hand as she died, not peacefully because her diseased lungs made her breathing awful. We endured that for days on end. I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone.

If you think the dopamine seeking is the problem, have you ever looked at something like ADHD? It can cause what they call addictive personality where you're always seeking dopamine from somewhere because (they reckon) you reabsorb it too quickly so it can't be used correctly. Also associated is lack of ability to stick with habits. Because there is medication for it you can use that in order to (somewhat) fix the dopamine cycle and therefore (in theory) stop self medicating with things like smoking, binge eating, endless facebook.

You don't need to be running around in circles like a hyperactive five year old to have it. It was something I never ever considered until I was really struggling to hold anything together, and I randomly came across a description of the primarily inattentive type. Other symptoms that I (personally) have are disorganisation, losing things, being a bit "off" socially, being late for everything, house is a mess, constantly fidgeting.

I don't smoke any more primarily because I have a 12yo who is extremely impressionable and a 2yo I often co-sleep with. Which means it's out for me for a long time. I occasionally miss it and think I will probably have the occasional one when the DC are all grown up. I have tried vaping but it is totally wrong and doesn't hit the same buttons for me, at all. It really was never about the nicotine.

To have put on that much weight after quitting smoking is really going some OP! Do you think it’s the fact your boredom’s eating now and just shoving food in instead of fags? Or do you feel that smoking suppressed your appetite?

I can’t see that starting again will see you lose eight stone. Personally I’d be seeking out some therapy and my recommendation to you is low carb.

Problem is now you've replaced smoking with another bad habit, if you start again, you'll just have 2 bad habits. It won't work the way you think it will.

You'd be better off getting your high with exercise. This will have more of an influence with your binging.

How the fuck do you put 8 stone on?!

Try hypnotherapy?

how about nicotine gum

🤮 The worst thing I put in my mouth ever. I rather went through proper withdrawal than put these in my mouth again👀

Bolivian marching powder is your friend here! You’ll be much thinner. Worked for me in my twenties. I barely ate from Friday night to Sunday morning

But seriously, don’t smoke, you’ll really regret it. Do couch to 5k and start running again. If you feel embarrassed go early in morning or late evening when there are less people around. Once you start running for a couple of weeks and see the results it will spur you on to keep going and eat better. Have a look at what you’re eating and see if you can swap for a lower calorie option. For example, I used to snack on popcorn and rice crackers and they filled me up but weren’t calorific. Also drink shit tons of water as soon as you feel hungry, that will leave less room for food.

@glasgow357 don't be so fucking rude

You’re right is the food not (lack of) exercise which makes us get fat. The best way I found to control what I eat is to not have crap food in the house. Whether you order online or do one big weekly shop in store, only purchase healthy stuff.

What I’ve been doing for lunches is getting some bags of wholemeal wraps in and loads of fresh salad bags - then combine loads of salad with chopped boiled egg and out on wrap. Add some mayo or sauce of choice (don’t go overboard) and theres lunch. I throw on loads of jalapeños too.

If I want to eat crap, I have to actively go out and especially buy it - especially not fun right now. And even then, I only allow myself the small, standard bar of chocolate or whatever. Willpower is a myth. You need to try to make indulging your bad habits more effort/tiring than following healthy ones.

If you buy loads of crap and put that in you’re fridge/cupboards ...you’re going to torture yourself a bit and then you’re going to eat it. You need to cut it off at the source. That works for me anyway. They key is whenever you DO get munchies and go on a crap food run, only buy what you’re going to eat Right Now. If you don’t finish it in 10-20 minutes the rest has to go in the bin.