I quit smoking over 30 years ago. I too am a type 2 diabetic. When I quit, I went 'cold turkey' and it was a struggle. But, I knew I would make it after a few weeks, when I went into a bar with a friend and had a few beers...I made it through that day and was able to resist smoking, dipping, or chewing. I finally thought, I can do this! Yes I put on weight, but later I learned some things about eating as a diabetic.
What I learned is that when you cut carbs, guess what, you get hungry, real hungry. And when you quit smoking the same thing happens you crave food, 'carb-y food'! Fact is you have to cut carbs to stay healthy as a diabetic, if you don't you will have complications...it is just a matter of time. When you cut carbs you will lose weight, and lose it fast. But you will be crazy hungry, craving all kinds of bad carb rich food.
What is really happening is you are starving your body of fuel, it is used to carbs. The trick I learned is you have to replace the low carbs with fat! Yep, you have to eat high fat foods, you know, bacon, ham, steaks, hamburger, eggs, avocado's, Heavy Whipping Cream (HWC-is both low carb and high fat), Salads with Blue Cheese dressing (also low carb, high fat if you get the good stuff). Fat does not make you fat! That's the magic! Do your own research, they now know that the old "don't eat fat or you get fat crap" is just that, crap! It is just not true. Replace your low carbs with fat and you will not crave after a few days (2-3)! Is their a downside, some will say yes! I say no!
Eating any form of animal fat can cause you 'bad' cholesterol to go up. What I found out is as a diabetic who is eating low carbs, replacing that with fat foods, my cholesterol is stable and did not go up. I have low cholesterol and I get it checked once a year.
Oh and you want a snack, how about some fried pork rinds, dipped in Salsa (low carb of course)! Salty, crunch, goodness high in fat with very low carbs. Other good options, eat walnuts or pecans, even Spanish Peanuts and good snacks that are high fat low carbs. When you crave, eat..and you will lose weight and stop craving. I lost over 50 lbs, 17 the first month. My A1c was at 6.8 on average during this effort. I ate all I wanted, stopped craving...it was a life saver for me. I have never touched another smoke or any other type of tobacco.
One book that is good to help answer questions it Blood Sugar 101 What they don't tell you about Diabetes, by Jenny Ruhl Check it out!
Good luck, quitting smoking is the most important health thing you can do. It is also the most difficult....My Mom, Dad, Sister, Grandfathers, Grandmothers, and two Cousins all died before turning 70 and where smokers! I quit smoking at 34 and I am going on 73, and other than diabetes, I am in excellent health. All my relatives died of Heart Attacks or Emphysema... Stay the Course --
