I quit smoking (tobacco) and I've been gaining weight.. I don't know what to do. Advise?

[Anonymous]

So its been about two and a half months since i quit smoking and well i have been gaining weight (6 1/2 pounds.. in the past month...) now i never noticed that i really cared about my weight or my looks but i guess i do.. but i dont like that i am putting on weight but i believe ir was the right choice cause i had chronic bronchitis and acute bronchitis twice.. and the last time i had it 10 months ago i nearly died on chirstmas eve... and its been an on and ofd process.. these past few months... i start craving sweets then some thing tragic happens then the slightest things agitates me then drives me to want to smoke and then i crave it then i end up falling to temptations... e. g. i bought a pack and had two or three out of it and flushed the rest twenty minutes after i bought them... and now i am craving smokes and been on my mind or i see or smell it... (the smell bothers me but... I don't know...) not to mention i realized that ever since i quit smoking i have been doing some snaking out of boredom and to satisfy the cravings... i honestly dont know what to do... bout a lot of things...

I started smoking about 7 years ago... and before i quit i used to smoke two to three packs a day... marlboro red 100's or L&M red 100s

[legs_n_sheets]

Ex-smoker here. I smoked for about 7-8 years and a year more where I went on and off. The only way for me to break the habit was going to the gym.

I've been active for years, but smoking was a terrible addiction of mine, and not the skating, the hiking or the ocassional surfing helped me reduce smoking (frankly it was worse because lots of the surfers and skaters smoked weed and tobacco).

Being introduced to the gym and the overall fitnesslifestyle was my saving grace. I used to be pretty active at some point in the gym, and though it was worn off through the years I still go irregularly to keep the best shape as I can between college and work.

It sounds generic but exercise was the only thing that helped. Hope this helps.

[legs_n_sheets]

it has worn off*

[Asker]

Another thing is my job keeps me away from home and only food that fits mt schedule is fast food and etc.. i only have 30 minutes for lunch and breakfast i get up around 11:00 am and dont have time to eat breakfast so i eat lunch and dinner but i dont have time to eat till like 8 pm or 9 pm or later... and i live in a hotel two weeks and go home for a week and live in a hotel for two weeks...

[legs_n_sheets]

I have a tight schedule too, but you have the problem you're usually not home. Any gym nearby? You could also consider taking 1 hour everyday doing home exercises. I had to live very far from home at some point, in a very shitty place so I lifted in my apartment 45/1 hour a day. It helped me go through that time and helped me releave lots of stress.

[legs_n_sheets]

45min

[reptocarl]

Nicotine is a very addictive stimulant or speed. People say "a cig makes me feel more calm" It's because you get your fix. It's short acting which is why you have to have a fix so often. Weight gain is very common because you're used to having something in your hand or mouth. The stimulant effect of nicotine is no longer speeding up your system so your body can't burn off the calories you're taking in. Know this, smoking is far more hazardous and deadly than extra pounds. After the withdrawals and physical cravings are over then you can do something about the weight gain. You're to be congradulated. I've known crack and meth addicts that have said cigs were the very hardest addiction to kick.

[Phoenix98]

Workout and eat right I hear those work great.

Also if you need to get off of cigarettes I hear smoking pipe tobacco helps a lot since it's not addictive at all and it helps you transition then once your off of cigarettes quieting pipe smoking is as simple as putting it down if you choose to. I talk to a lot of pipe smokers and none smokers who used to smoke cigarettes and it helped them.