Do you think its harder to lose weight or to stop smoking?

Question

I try to convince my husband to stop smoking because its scares the crap out of me. He's been smoking since he was 15 and he is now 29. Its going to kill him while he's still young and that really scares me bad. He wants to quit but I can only imagine how hard it is because I have tried for my entire life to lose these 20 extra pounds to no avail. We are trying the nicotine replacements, but it reminds of diet pills as a quick fix that doesn't work. Any insight or suggestions would be useful. Thank you.

Answer 1

Wow! Yes, this is a VERY difficult situation you are both dealing with! I can totally relate because I myself am 26 and have smoked since I was 13. I have recently quit smoking, but I am also very overweight. I don't really have any solid advice to give to you except that your boyfriend is absolutely doing the right thing by quitting smoking. It will surely help prolong his life. If I had to choose though, I would say that they are equally tough things to beat. Good luck!

Answer 2

Some people are just genetically programmed to be a little heavy. It could be your thyroid. They can do tests. Weight loss is otherwise controlled by diet and exersise of course but the third key is determination. You have to mentally force yourself to do another workout and think about every bite you take. Sure, drink a can of soda but pay it back with 50 sit ups. I do three workouts a day, sometimes more if I've eaten too much and it works for me.
Smoking is one of the worst things you can do to your body. Why anyone would suck on poison all day is beyond me. The decision is his to make and nothing can make him quit until he makes that decision. If he chooses to have his lungs slowly fill up with thick gray green mucus till he suffocates, you probably can't stop him. Also consider that you are getting your share of his smoke too. Maybe wearing a respirator around the house will make a point.
If he really wants to quit then he will. I know it isn't easy because tobacco companies put addictive substances in the mix but he's got to force himself past the urges and desires. It might take months to get over it but if he's determined, he will do it.
One thing that might help both of you is to take a long walk every night. This is hard in some areas though. A brisk walk will help your body burn calories while you sleep and the night air will help clear his lungs.
The question you ask doesn't have the same answer for everyone. Some people can drop weight very easy. Some have quit smoking easily. Other people just plain can't. All I can say is set your goals and work tword them. And good luck to you both.

Answer 3

Although smoking is actually an addiction to nicotine I thinks its easier to quit smoking than to diet...smoking is something you can live without and so its easy to stop cold turkey...eating on the other hand is a necessity and so you have to eat...even if you decide you are going to cut right back your body will sabotage you by storing more fat...you body thanks you for not smoking. I actually starting walking then I was starting to lose a little weight I quit smoking...that helped me get in better shape so that I could exercise more...after a few years I was exercising daily and in the best shape in a very long time. I used the patch smoked my brains out the night before...got rid of them all...slapped that patch on and never looked back..I cleaned the house and repainted to give myself extra incentive to stay off the smokes..My brother who was 2 years younger than me was using that mayo clinic diet...he lost about 20 or so pounds in a month and looked good...but I told him the diet didn't make sense to me...he was going to quit smoking too and asked me how I had done it..unfortunately he never quit...he died alone in the night with a blood clot to the heart...probably as a result of the diet and the smoking ...please beg your husband to stop smoking..it doesnt just effect him..good luck

Answer 4

Quiting smoking is more difficult because you are addicted. Losing wt.is tough but if you are not obese 20 lbs. will not kill you smoking will. The patch does work if you really want to quite. It weans you off the nicotine. Diet pills are so often just as dangerous as smoking. If you make a habit of eating healthy, you are not harming yourself. 20lbs suggest that is the way your body is by nature. So don't sweat it.

Answer 5

If he goes cold turkey, it will take about 28 days for the nicotine to leave his body. He will likely be moody and grumpy during that time. Nicotine replacement therapy is a good idea. It is not similar to diet pills. It is a gradual step-down process. And, NO smoking when he's on those replacements!

Answer 6

Both are hard to do because it takes will power, commitment and giving up something you are addicted to.

Make the commitment together and support each other. Don't go cold turkey. Stay away from people that don't support your choice. They will only tempt you. I would seek medical intervention. They can give him sound ideas and methods to quit. Even a plan of steady decreases in nicotine until he doesn't need it anymore. You can also get a healthy plan from your doctor to lose the weight. You can become healthier together.

GOOD LUCK!

Answer 7

Ihave never smoked so It is hard for me to know on a personal level. I dieted a hundred times and when I make up my mind then I just do it. My son on the other hand is struggling so hard with a cigarette smoking problem. He has dieted without a hitch but the cigarettes he cant get rid off.

Answer 8

It is definitely more difficult to quit smoking than it is to lose weight. Smoking is a physical addiction. Eating is a choice. Granted---it is VERY difficult to CHOOSE to eat less, but physically is is easier than to stop smoking.

The nicotine patches significantly ease the transition to quitting smoking. Please do not consider them a crutch---they are a useful tool, which cannot be compared to diet pills.

Answer 9

for me it has been harder to stop smoking than to loose weight.
I can loose weight easily when I am smoking, but when I try to stop smoking, I put on more weight , I found some info about it because I have been smoking for 18 yrs and really want to quit for good.

It is the nicotine in cigarettes that speeds up your metabolism - and keeps your weight down. But, when you give up smoking your metabolism slows down - and you gain weight.

The secret here is for you to get more active and change your eating habits BEFORE you quit smoking, so that you reduce your chances of gaining weight.

Answer 10

Quitting smoking will likely cause weight gain. Quitting eating may make you want to smoke. It's a vicious circle.