Giving up smoking

[Bagpuss]

why is giving up smoking linked with weight gain?

Think about it, your cardiovascular system works harder when you smoke. When you stop you need less calories to operate and your metobolic rate drops. Additionally some people substitute food for fags, so it's a double whammy.

[XTC]

Hi All,

I'm trying to pack in the fags today (for the umpteenth time!)

I was just wonderring how everyone was getting on who packed in at New Year?

Cheers,
Sal

So how much weight have u put on since?

[BoredBloke]

You could kill two birds with one stone if you had your arms amputated.

1 - it would be pretty much impossible to smoke.
2 - the weight would literally drop off you.

[Burdock]

Hey Sal,

I think you should enter the Great North Run! This would act as a tremendous motivational aid to give up smoking, and counter any weight-gaining effects.
Plus, the more unlikely that people view you do it, the more motivation it gives you to prove them wrong. Plus they give you loads of sponsorship!

I did the GNR in 1999, and people thought I was nuts as I was a bit tubby beforehand. By the day of the race I was a well-honed greyhound!! (unfortunately me and my mate went for a steak and beers in North Shields to celebrate after...and it's been downhill since )

[Diestl]

I stopped about 3 years ago, I used the chewing gum which I became addicted to but helped wean me off nicotine.

[SallyAnne]

Hey Sal,

I think you should enter the Great North Run! This would act as a tremendous motivational aid to give up smoking, and counter any weight-gaining effects.
Plus, the more unlikely that people view you do it, the more motivation it gives you to prove them wrong. Plus they give you loads of sponsorship!

I did the GNR in 1999, and people thought I was nuts as I was a bit tubby beforehand. By the day of the race I was a well-honed greyhound!! (unfortunately me and my mate went for a steak and beers in North Shields to celebrate after...and it's been downhill since )

Well unless giving up smoking makes my baps shrink, I doubt running will ever be an option! I'd get chin chaff!

[threaded]

Here's threadeds bicycle method: every time you fancy a fag, go for a trip around the block on a bicycle.

[Burdock]

Well unless giving up smoking makes my baps shrink, I doubt running will ever be an option! I'd get chin chaff!

don't worry about that, I'll sponsor them as well

[Bagpuss]

IMHO the best way to give up is not cold turkey.

Start by tapering down the dose if you smoke 20 a day try to drop 2 per day. Substitute the dropped fags with gum to eventually you are just taking the gum. After a month or so you wont need the gum.

[BoredBloke]

"IMHO the best way to give up is not cold turkey"

Worked for me - the benefits of cold turkey are that it cuts the addiction. I tried reducing the number, but when you go from say 20 a day and get to say 5, those 5 are really hard to give up because you tend to look forward to them more. I figured that stopping dead and not buying any was the best option. Pubs are hard though as beer and cigs go well together and they sell both in one place.