113 Days since my last smoke... BUT...

mike4lorie

mike4lorie

SF VIP
Location
Brockville, Ontario, Canada
Yes, today is 113 days since my last smoke... (May 16)... But now almost 30 pounds heavier... Being diabetic... I should NOT be eating the things I am eating LOTS of, such as carrot, and pumpkin muffins Oatmeal raisin cookies, Shoe String licorice. Then my sugar rises to numbers where in no way it should be... Then I am exhausted cuz my sugar is very high... I then get everything straightened out and feel better. Then a day or two goes by, and I get a withdrawal, and not from smokes, but from sugar... It's driving me crazy...
 

Hang in there. You have overcome the worst of the smokers withdrawal.
As far as sugar goes, perhaps you might benefit from fresh fruits ? I know exactly what you are going through. I have been smoking 2 packs/day for the last 51 years. AND I have a sweet tooth. Also diabetic. Extremely difficult to go a day without Pepsi and chocolate.
I wish i could quit smoking , but I am incredibly addicted to tobacco. The only time I went 3 days without tobacco was when I was in hospital with a broken back and a shattered wrist and Dr kept me loaded with morphine drip.
 
I hear you, @senior chef, this is not the first time I have quit... I have quit many times but never got into the sugars as I have this time around. For quitting, the last time I quit for the longest time I told myself I wasn't stopping, but giving a day's rest of smoking, and I said this for the first 2 months... And that time I gave it up for almost 2 years... Then I was out having a few drinks with the boys... and someone who didn't really know me offered me a smoke... and it was just like I never quit before... But this time around, as I said, I am replacing it with sugar... and am putting on huge weight amounts...But Buddy, You are right, YOU can't give it up till you are ready, and nobody can tell you you have to quit, you gotta do it, cuz YOU want to do it...
 
NorthernLight said:
Maybe try Zevia (stevia-sweetened soft drink)? Best wishes.
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Yup, doing that now... I never ever drank soda pop... ever, but now drink 2 -3 diet tonic water or Freshca...
Pinky said:
Good for you, Mike! Just hang in there. How about keeping veggie sticks & dip in the fridge for snacks? Maybe unsalted pretzels?
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Yeah, Pinky, doing my best... But the weight is really scaring me these days... I walk more now than I ever did, but can't run because of a broken leg a few years back... and can't do the in-deep exercise because of the car accident a decade earlier... But doing the things you suggested, but now I am having bigger withdrawals than the smoke...
 
I feel for you, it has been 14 months for me, Yes I have put on weight. Not fun, but I am not diabetic. I have eaten what ever got me through for a while. I have recently started to keep better options to snack on. Carrot sticks, cucumber slices, kosher dill pickles, olives. I have also started to keep broccoli and cauliflower, cut up and seasoned with olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. I can grab that and throw it in the air fryer to roast in no time. Also, chick peas are good drain, season and put in the oven until crisp for a crunchy treat.

I know some fruits are higher in sugar but sometimes you need just a couple of bites to calm that sugar craving. Try the sugar free jellos and puddings as well. My diabetic friend ate those. When I quit I bought a box of straws and cut the in half. I put then in a cup on my table in the den, chewed on them the all the time and even pretended they were smokes. You have done this before, you can do it again forever.
 
oldaunt said:
I used sugar free Halls cough drops. Strong flavored enough to help fight BOTH cravings. And helps stop the weight gain.
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That's a great idea, going to try that tomorrow when the stores open... Thank you @oldaunt
Blessed said:
I feel for you, it has been 14 months for me, Yes I have put on weight. Not fun, but I am not diabetic. I have eaten what ever got me through for a while. I have recently started to keep better options to snack on. Carrot sticks, cucumber slices, kosher dill pickles, olives. I have also started to keep broccoli and cauliflower, cut up and seasoned with olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. I can grab that and throw it in the air fryer to roast in no time. Also, chick peas are good drain, season and put in the oven until crisp for a crunchy treat.

I know some fruits are higher in sugar but sometimes you need just a couple of bites to calm that sugar craving. Try the sugar free jellos and puddings as well. My diabetic friend ate those. When I quit I bought a box of straws and cut the in half. I put then in a cup on my table in the den, chewed on them the all the time and even pretended they were smokes. You have done this before, you can do it again forever.
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Congrats on the 14 months @Blessed, and thank you very much for the ideas... Not smoking doesn't bother me at all these days, it's the sweet withdrawal... It's weird, never gone through this before...
 
mike4lorie said:
Yes, today is 113 days since my last smoke... (May 16)... But now almost 30 pounds heavier... Being diabetic... I should NOT be eating the things I am eating LOTS of, such as carrot, and pumpkin muffins Oatmeal raisin cookies, Shoe String licorice. Then my sugar rises to numbers where in no way it should be... Then I am exhausted cuz my sugar is very high... I then get everything straightened out and feel better. Then a day or two goes by, and I get a withdrawal, and not from smokes, but from sugar... It's driving me crazy...
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i find eating crunchy things helped. eat some raw carrots.
 
mike4lorie said:
That's a great idea, going to try that tomorrow when the stores open... Thank you @oldaunt

Congrats on the 14 months @Blessed, and thank you very much for the ideas... Not smoking doesn't bother me at all these days, it's the sweet withdrawal... It's weird, never gone through this before...
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Old Aunt is right about the cough drops, and there are lots of sugar-free hard candies out there. Try different ones and find a favorite.
 
Your story sounds very familiar, Mike! I quit smoking and ate tons of sweets just to get me through those first months. Yes I gained a lot of weight. I used to say I traded a two pack a day cigarette habit for a two pack a day cookie habit. It's now been almost thirty years since I quit smoking.

I have lost all the extra weight by giving up sugar completely (anything containing more than two grams of added sugar.)

Also, like you, I broke my leg and can no longer run or walk far for exercise. So it has to be weight loss through diet alone.

Of course, over thirty years time I have gone back to sugar, regained, and had to give it up again several times.

One thing is certain, you're better off overweight than smoking. I probably would have COPD by now or have died from cancer or heart disease if I was still smoking. My doctors always tell me my extra weight isn't anywhere near the health risk of smoking.

Anything with artificial sweeteners triggers my cravings so I just go cold turkey. I just put up with the depression that comes with the drop in dopamine and after a week or so, that's gone, and I'm off and running. I'm doing it right now, gave up sugar six days ago and this time I'm not giving in just because it's Christmas/my birthday or whatever.

Congratulations on the stop smoking, Mike. If you can give that up giving up sugar will be a snap.
 
Della said:
One thing is certain, you're better off overweight than smoking. I probably would have COPD by now or have died from cancer or heart disease if I was still smoking. My doctors always tell me my extra weight isn't anywhere near the health risk of smoking.
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It's 40 years since I gave up smoking and I would certainly agree with the above statement.
 
You are doing just fine. Nicotine is the most addictive narcotic in America. You need to find a substitute for your sugar. Have you tried sugar substitutes? Sweet and Low, Equal, etc. are the better, safer choices. Muffins and such contain high amounts of fructose and brown suar and even maple sugar. Muffins can be one of the worse things to be eating.

Many people have an addiction to sugar, Try Stevia or even unsweetened applesauce or Yacon Syrup, which is my choice. Yacon syrup, tea or any other product will not raise your glucose numbers, tastes good and gets rid of your sugar urge.

As a last resort, you could join the military. We no longer allow tobacco use almost anywhere while in uniform.
 
Hey Mike ,good for you,just keep thinking postive
I quit 'cold turkey' in early 90's {pack cost $1}wasn't a heavy smoker,took me 2-3 days to finish a pack. I knew this was bad habit I wanted to stop doing. At the time there was no nicotine gum or patch on the market. I chewed pencils,gum. I gained 10 pounds but I took it off by walking,watched what I ate,I felt better and my clothes didn't smell of smoke The smell of cigarette smoke has bothered me ever since Sue
 

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