I have a good friend who I care a lot about. Naturally, as her friend who cares, I am concerned that she is a smoker. Now and again when I think she is open to feedback, I suggest that she consider quitting the habit.
Up until recently, every response was the same, “I’m already overweight. I’m not going to quit smoking just to gain even more weight. What am I gaining? I’d then be even more overweight and depressed on top of it!”
As I mentioned, in this instance she brought up the subject with me.
My friend had seen a commercial with 3 beautiful models walking across the screen in skin-tight jeans and looking coyly at the camera. As the models turned, running down the back leg of each model where different smoking related diseases, written in cursive down the jeans, “Emphysema,” “Lung Cancer,” “Heart Attack,” and the like.
My friend told me that this was the first time that it really brought it home for her, that smoking was not a diet aid.
The conversation that followed was extremely educational to both of us.
My friend explained to me that she had tried to quit smoking before and weight gain had occurred almost immediately. When I asked how much, she also volunteered that looking back, it wasn’t that much. This was reinforced by the fact that not only had she not lost the weight once she took up smoking again but she had added a few over the next couple of years.
While my friend indicated that she had made a plan to stop smoking and not gain weight: Stop smoking, go on a diet, exercise – she failed to consider moderation in these things.
As she explained later, “It’s no surprise to anyone, least of all me, that smoking is an addiction; however, no one told me I’d simply transfer the addiction to my lifestyle change, even if it the change appeared to be healthy going in.”
What could make a second attempt at smoking work for my friend? To answer that question, we decided to take a look at what went wrong with her first attempt:
Stop Smoking – My friend went “cold turkey” because research does indicate that the highest percentage of people quit for good this way.
What she failed to plan is how this habit she was simply giving up was more than just nicotine addiction. Wake up – smoke. Smoke on the drive to work. Mid morning coffee break and cigarette. After lunch smoke break. Smoke on the way home from work. Smoke after dinner. Smoke before bed.
This habit was ingrained in her routine so much so that when she removed the cigarette, in most of the situations listed above, she substituted food. Food in car to replace cigarette. Food with coffee instead of cigarette, etc.
Go on a Diet – My friend chose a low carbohydrate option that has seen much success for her friends and colleagues. While I don’t argue its merits, it wasn’t the best option for my friend, as she does not eat most meats. Some fish but even that’s limited.
She found herself eating a salad for most meals of the day and getting bored, bored, bored. Added to the stale routine of the new diet, was the fact that she was eating more to replace the missing cigarettes in her day.
Exercise – My friend again, thought she had a plan, she researched and purchased running shoes (not walking shoes – she learned one can lose weight faster running than walking), bought the latest high intensity workout tape with steps and weights and set a schedule to work out twice a day, 5 days a week.
Given that her daily exercise routine before she initiated this exercise routine was walking to/from her car to work each day, she soon realized that not only was the exercise schedule difficult to follow for longer than a couple of minutes at a time, she also soon injured herself due to the fact that she was overly ambitious about her short term exercise goals and chose a level she was not yet equipped for.
Research has taught me that this is a failing of many non-smokers who attempt to lose weight or get healthy, let alone smokers. A common but I hope not trite phrase is, “Moderation in all things.” This must be stressed when changing your lifestyle, even in the healthiest of ways.
Let’s again address what my friend was trying to accomplish with some tips on how to plan better:
Stop Smoking – Yes, quitting all at once does hold the highest long term success percentages but take a moment and look at other important things to do besides just “quit”.
Pick a date to quit smoking. Research again tells us this is important for long term success. Start reducing the amount of cigarettes you smoke daily in preparation for this date.
Start out by making an effort to avoid one of the cigarettes in your schedule each day and build from there. Also, have a plan for if you do have a bad day and these other ideas are failing. Pick a quitting partner or someone you trust to support you.
Go on a Diet – First see a natural health focused doctor. Mention your plan for a change in lifestyle but don’t be afraid to mention your previous failing(s). Also mention your fears of weight gain and discuss what is expected and when to be concerned.
Your doctor can first determine if you are healthy enough for an exercise program and can refer you to a nutritionist to evaluate your individual preferences. A diet that doesn’t “bore you to tears” will be easier to follow long term.
Exercise – Be honest with your doctor about your fitness level.
Start out slowly and make many short term goals on the way to your long term fitness goal. Have a plan to deal with short term weight gain but really consider what experts mean when they say to go by how your clothes feel, not the scales – Muscle DOES weigh more than fat and it takes up less room.
The scales, while accurate, won’t explain your added muscle mass. If your budget allows, hire a personal trainer. He or she will have the benefit of experience when you explain what your goals are and also be there as support when you need it.
Most of all, I recommend my Weight Loss Breeze Program. This includes exercises almost anyone can start doing regardless of your current physical fitness, but yields amazing results. It’s especially effective if you smoke or have smoked because it includes special exercises that cleanse your lungs and body and increase your oxygen level (and oxygen is something that smokers absolutely do not have enough of).
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