Quitting smoking

For my friend's new years resolution, she decided to quit smoking and lose weight. Now she wants to kill everybody. Just kidding. Anyway, she would like to know what she should do to help fight the urge to not smoke. She chews gum and drinks water...nothing is working. Anyone have any advice before she goes crazy...she already had major road rage today....

She needs help...

Re: Quitting smoking

Also, she wants to know what she should eat...?

Re: Quitting smoking

What day is today? Day 3 was the worst for me and then it started getting easier. The best thing she can do is just try to work through the cravings. She should fill her schedule with doing things that won't allow smoking ... like the movies or shopping. Tell her ...it does get better and much easier...just take it one day at a time.

Re: Quitting smoking

I really don't think anything really helps the urge other than the patches and the gum designed for this...
It really just takes a lot of will power.

And to do both at the same time is very hard...

I would tell her to exercise

Re: Quitting smoking

I sucked on cinnamon sticks...like the ones that you get in the spice aisle...that helped a lot.

Re: Quitting smoking

When she has a craving, tell her to just "get through the hour" ... I used to tell myself at 2 p.m. "just make it until 3 p.m.", buy the time 3 p.m. rolled around I was over the craving. Next time a craving hit, do it again.

Re: Quitting smoking

DH and I are struggling with that as well. We're both fairly moody, but we're trying to fight it off. We've both been munching on junk, and for now, if that's what will keep us from smoking than it's all right in my book.
Tell your friend to eat apples and licorice, they're supposed to be the best when trying to quit smoking. If she's struggling that bad, tell her to get Nicorette gum. DH finds it really helpful.

Re: Quitting smoking

I don't think anything helps that feeling at first...is there something she can do with her hands that would make smoking impossible? Clean something, go to a store, craft type thing, prepare a meal of some sort?

After a while the urge is not that strong and suggest to her that she remember this hell so she won't go back to smoking and go through this again. This is from a former smoker and it's the only thing that keeps me from buying a pack of cigarettes.

I wish her lots of luck!!

Re: Quitting smoking

My heart goes out to her. Trying to do both at the same time is VERY VERY hard. I did it but tell her to be prepared to not lose a drop of weight for at least a month. In fact, she'll probably GAIN a couple of lbs despite her most fervent efforts to lose. Smoking and then quitting plays games with your metabolism and it takes your body a while to get back on track and actually start losing.

The best things I can recommend is to drink ALOT of water to help flush the nicotine out of her system, and to work out first thing in the AM. Also, Welbutrin is wonderful for quitting (and hey, she'll be so happy she won't want to kill anybody considering it is, after all, an anti-depressant ) and the sooner you get the nicotine out, the easier quitting will be. The gums and patches keep you hooked for much longer.