Is it harder to lose weight or quit smoking?

Question

I've been smoking a pack a day for 12 years. My girlfriend just had a baby 6 months ago and is trying to lose around 50 pounds. Who has it harder? Help us end our argument.

Answer 1

Hmm. Well it really depends on the person to be honest. Some people can lose weight very easily and quickly; while others have to struggle. Some people don't have that addictive of personalities while some people will get addicted to almost anything.

Judging from the information you provided, I'm going to have to say it's going to be harder for you to quit smoking since you've been smoking a pack a day for 12 years. Your girlfriend apparently was somewhat normal weight prior to having a baby.

I tried quitting for quite a while... smoked about 1/2 a pack a day to over a pack a day for 5 years depending on alcohol consumption and peer smoking atmosphere. I tried to quit multiple times. Now I just smoke a cigarette a week approximately. Only in social situations. What got me to quit? Coughing up nasty sputum, dark little bits of nastiness. I also read up on emphysema and lung cancer and pleurisy and chronic bronchitis. Maybe you should do the same; because after finally realizing how much smoking daily was adversely effecting me I figured I was probably due for one of those four things I had read about eventually... it made it a lot easier to quit knowing how truly bad for you smoking is... even if it is enjoyable. You don't need to focus on quitting etc... just focus on how horrible cigarettes really are for most people (some could smoke 2 packs a day and live to be 100 with no problems), if you encounter any adverse effects at all from smoking, just focus on them until it's a natural decision to quit or moderate to a once a week or once a month habit. It makes quitting a lot easier than quitting for someone else or for just the sake of 'quitting since everyone else is'. And if you aren't effected at all by smoking, well try to quit for the sake of your kid not picking it up since he might not be as immune to the adverse effects.

For the weight loss one, if your girlfriend wasn't obese over too overweight prior to the birth, she'll have no troubles at all losing the weight doing cardio five times a week with light weight lifting and something like yoga. Of course she would need to combine the exercise with a relatively sane diet(high protein but balanced with fat and carbs, no Atkins stuff) and nothing eaten in the last 3 hours before sleep. She'll be back to normal in no time.

So between the two of you, quitting smoking will be harder unless you can get your mind to subconsciously make you quit as a defense mechanism, then you'll have a much easier and quicker time than the 1/2 a year it would take for your girlfriend to lose the weight properly(e.g. no stretch marks from super diets[hope she was using lotion during pregnancy]).

Good luck to both of you though. Hopefully my advice can make it a little easier for both of you. It's easy for either of you if you're both in the correct mind frame!

Answer 2

Good Question, In my opinion they are both extremely hard but I had a baby 7 months ago and just started a diet about a month ago to lose the extra pounds. Smoking on the other hand I won't even attempt because It's just too d*amn hard. So the answer would be smoking is much harder. Hope that ends an argument.

Answer 3

I think its equal, neither of you have it harder than the other, instead of arguing about it.. motivate each other.

I recently quit smoking cold turkey.. its not easy, it won't be for a really long time. I have not had a cigarette for about 2 months now, and still have the cravings, that's what people don't tell you, that's why people fail at quitting.. just know it will take about a year to get over the cravings, but it gets easier and easier throughout..
I also used to weigh 340 lbs, and lost 105 lbs at the gym, in about a year, when I went to the gym when I was 340, I went by myself and it was really hard, cause there wasn't really the motivation, my buddy started comin to the gym with me, and it got much easier to keep going to the gym, cause I had someone there with me.. pick up a few hobbies if you want to quit smoking, and include going to the gym with your girlfriend, it will help you quit smoking, and your girlfriend lose 50 lbs...

(I still ate what I wanted too also.. eating also helps you quit smoking, which if you go to the gym it will balance out the eating.. a mile a day on a treadmill burns ALOT of energy)

Answer 4

Cigarettes are more addictive than heroin. It is hard for a woman to loose weight because she is the one who bears children and fat helps protect the child from injury during pregnancy. Men can loose weight much faster than women and women will usually give up cigarettes for the sake of a child either in the womb or out. So why argue about it? Just help each other by understanding you both have a tough job ahead of you and if you work together it will make it easier for both of you. Think of the well being of this new baby. Second hand smoke is really the pits for a new baby...it will make it more susceptible to infections of the ear, nose, and lung...and a too fat mommy will have a hard time keeping up with the toddler in a few months who will want to run and get into everything...so you both now have something to focus on other than yourselves and for the best alternative for all three of you work together!! Good luck...

Answer 5

They are both equally as easy. Losing weight takes discipline, you have to eat less, you can't eat 6 times a day 2 plates per sitting and expect to lose weight, you also can't go to McDonalds everyday. Lower you carbs and calories, eat fruits for your carbs, the sugar in them digests slower so it lasts. For smoking, find what makes you smoke, whether it's driving your car, drinking, or someone really annoying. If you can somewhat phase this out than you can break the "addiction." I don't believe anything is addicting, people are just so lazy these days. But in final, it will be harder for you, she will naturally most of that weight as long as she goes to her diet that she had before she became pregnant. You have done the same thing for 12 years, you have gotten into a pattern, try switching it up, try doing something else, chew gum, hang out with your kid more, do you really want your kid smelling you when you smell like smoke unless you smoke around your kid (Which I really hope you don't) I quit smoking by myself, I just woke up one day and decided that I didn't want to smell like that and I didn't like coughing, flem, dryness, skin coloration, losing weight, tooth coloration, etc., plus I like tasting things, you lose your tasting ability when you smoke. Use the internet, it seems you already spend enough time on it, there is plenty about both of these subjects.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

I have heard that it takes about 7 tries to stop smoking. I buried my boyfriend of 12 years last year because of COPD, a lung disease. He couldn't quit.
I have been on a lot more than 7 diets. I lost weight, but food being my Valium, whenever big, bad things happened, the weight came right back.
A thought: when you quit smoking, you never have to smoke again. When you lose weight, you have to keep eating.
Help each other, but don't nag. Don't make food a reward.

Answer 8

Weight

Answer 9

I think they are both addictions that are difficult to quit. Even though some people might disagree with the food as an addiction, but for some we can't just eat one cookie or have one slice of pizza. We always have to have more, and it never seems to end, and soon you're looking at 10-20 extra pounds. Either way if you like something it's hard to give it up. Good luck to both of you.

Answer 10

Peace be upon you!

Loosing weight is harder than quiting smoking.
Bcz in the holy month of RAMADAN during fast, one can easily quit smoking and drinking and it is also good to quit bad eating habits.