suggestions to help focus on better habits, while i await surgery

[Fab50]

I have been following everyone's excellent advice for several weeks now. I am finally brave enough to ask for help, from veterans as well as newbies.

I am still probably 6 - 8 weeks out from surgery. March 1 is my 90 day Insurance requirement of supervised weight plan. From there we submit and then get a surgery date.

Anyway.....I have been working on meal portions and playing around with recipes for smoothies and other things I will eventually get to eat down the road. I have lost 39 pounds and that has relatively been easy. I am now watching my protein and carb intake and trying to keep it at the 60/60 my Dr says to stay in the range of.

My problem is......I do smoke less than 7 cigarettes a day. I have been trying to cut that back. I am surprised it is much harder than changing my eating patterns. I went 42 hrs and I had no cigarettes.....however this morning, I had 4 puffs and put it out. My Dr is a NO smoking what-so-ever (and I understand the reasons why. especially with healing)

I would like suggestions on what to do to occupy my time. As you can tell by the so few I smoke, it is more a habit thing......what can I do to fill the void?????? I try crocheting, reading, sleeping (LOL), cleaning....... I probably should take a walk I'm not much for exercise and it's in the teens here, but I know I will have to exercise after all this anyway

I think I'm just so bummed.....I have given up food, pop, alcohol & smoking.....I need a healthy vice lol

[Luv49ers19]

You are doing great!!!! Yeah sorry to say walking is your best bet. I know it is cold...it is 0 here right now. If you have to go walk in the mall or store do it. That is my only suggestion. Keep up the good work!!!!!

Great job on the weight loss so far. I lost 51 pounds before surgery. Gave me a great head start!

[Fab50]

You are doing great!!!! Yeah sorry to say walking is your best bet. I know it is cold...it is 0 here right now. If you have to go walk in the mall or store do it. That is my only suggestion. Keep up the good work!!!!!

Great job on the weight loss so far. I lost 51 pounds before surgery. Gave me a great head start!

Yes.....I figured the more I could get off prior to surgery, the better. I'm hoping my weight loss will be more than if I hadn't already shred some pounds.....but maybe that's being too greedy :-) I feel better already, that's all that matters, I guess :-)

[mandyjdc]

That's tough. I know it's a poor substitute for smoking itself, but does chewing gum help?

I'd have to second Cody, maybe distract yourself by driving to a nearby shopping center and walking there?

Good luck!

[Stacey03]

Hi, congrats on having some great new habits. Smoking arrrghhhh, I get it, I used to smoke a ton in nursing school, we would all sit out on the back steps smoking and complaining about the sister in charge lol! It is really hard and there are a load of routes to stopping but they don't even like you to have nicotine replacement for this surgery I think. As you don't smoke much hopefully it will be easier to just ditch it. Maybe a quit app on your phone or a national support service. Maybe clear out your wardrobe and the house to get you busy and have a very tidy house for after surgery. Addiction is hard whatever form it takes. You have to go through the hard bit. I get it though and send you tons of love. You can do it but seek support. Allen Carrs book on stopping smoking has healped loads of people, I think you can get it on audio book and listen while you walk :-)

[Ann2]

Cindy, you are VERY SMART to get a head start on everything you're working at. I did that, too. Not just what I ate, but HOW I ate -- more slowly, chewing more, not drinking 15" or 30" after meals, no grazing, etc. You already know much of the drill.

Some of the other things I did pre-op included:

* Buying and wearing a Fitbit -- to see how much more I could walk over time. First day I counted my steps they were a whopping ... wait for it ... 900 steps. Didn't matter -- at least I was on my way.

* Drinking more water.

* Logging in My Fitness Pal daily to learn more about the nutritional components of the foods I was choosing. I thought I knew everything there was to know about calories, carbs, protein, etc. Ha! I did not!

* Weighing every day (that's what works well for me). It helped me get over the anxiety of "What will I weigh today?!" It started to become part of my eventual New Normal Lifestyle.

But, honestly, the biggest benefit I gained of doing the kind of things you're now already doing was that I began to feel like I could be successful in changing and controlling my behavior. I wasn't "perfect." Still am not "perfect." But I can control so much more now than I could four years ago. Oh, my God! So much more!

So just keep doing every day what you need to do that day. That's all you EVER have to do. For the rest of your life.

Welcome!

[Christie13]

Definitely start to make exercise a habit. There are tons of ways to exercise. And exercise will help you look toned after surgery and help with the appearance of loose skin.

[WandaGettinFit4life]

Hi, congrats on having some great new habits. Smoking arrrghhhh, I get it, I used to smoke a ton in nursing school, we would all sit out on the back steps smoking and complaining about the sister in charge lol! It is really hard and there are a load of routes to stopping but they don't even like you to have nicotine replacement for this surgery I think. As you don't smoke much hopefully it will be easier to just ditch it. Maybe a quit app on your phone or a national support service. Maybe clear out your wardrobe and the house to get you busy and have a very tidy house for after surgery. Addiction is hard whatever form it takes. You have to go through the hard bit. I get it though and send you tons of love. You can do it but seek support. Allen Carrs book on stopping smoking has healped loads of people, I think you can get it on audio book and listen while you walk :-)

I am a reformed smoker and the first couple of weeks was the hardest because it is a habit like what to do when you're done eating, when you're using the bathroom, when it's time to get in the car just certain times make it more difficult.

When I wanted to smoke I focused on exercise or something my affirmations and I did a lot of praying. I drew on the fact that God has brought me through so many things and giving me so much strength he surely will give me strength over this cigarette and I only did it for that cigarette for that moment then those moments got farther in between and smoking wasn't a constant issue.

After a while I only struggled at stressful moments I mean seriously stressful moments like marriage problems or financial problems and I had to find ways to work through those things and not run back to a cigarette.

[Dutchie]

One thing I wished I had done pre op, is getting used to not drinking while eating.
That actually took me a look time to master.
No drinking 30 minutes before till 30 minutes after eating.

[Aussie Girl]

When I gave up the cigies (2001) I ate a green apple when I had a craving but that was combined with shear determination not to spend any more $ on the filthy things. It helped that by the time I gave up I really didn't actually like smoking - it was just the habit.

Keep busy, do something else when you get a craving, good luck, you're doing great !!!!

[Pudsley]

Hi Fab50,

I have a fake cigarette called a nicolite - I got it in the UK looks like a cigarette but you can vape with it if you wish. I used it to stop which I did over a year ago. But I still put it in my mouth even though it does not work anymore.
It saved me I only did abut 5 a day but it was a comfort thing.
I also used a coffee lolly stick that you get for stirring your coffee from Starbucks and I sometimes put that in my mouth like a child would when they are pretending to smoke.
Still do it - I drag as if it was a ciggie and then a couple of pretend puffs and I forget about it until the next time.
Don't know why it worked for me but hope it might help you or someone else.
I smoked 5 a day for over 20 years.
Good Luck.
xx

[Dutchie]

About the smoking: I quit smoking cold turkey, a long, long time ago.
From 1,5 packet/day to nothing, zilch, nada.
Just go for it!

[AnnieG]

Tagging on to Ann02's encouraging and spot on thoughts, I find that journalling works; I find it reduces my "antsy" anxieties that I don't acknowledge. I was never a smoker, so that's a thing I can't experientally speak to...but for me, journalling has been a good substitute for counseling.

I have had counseling for other issues, but its a bit hard in my community; having been a MH professional, I know everone on a personal level and some things we keep to ourselves. My eating issues were a combination of medicene interactions, chemo & eating to squash down some old PTSD.

That said, you are on the right track and being SO proactive! Well done! And you'll figure out what works best for you. Trust you feelings about what you're doing.

[Fab50]

I want to truly Thank each and everyone of you who took the time to respond to my post. Every response was fantastic and has made a difference for me. This forum is definitely going to be a life saver for me during this Journey!! THANK YOU!!!

[sraebaer]

If you start walking now, you'll be in better shape for your surgery, making recovery easier.

The hardest part of walking in winter is getting out the door. Dress in layers. I have an amazing down coat from Land's End that keeps me warm no matter what. I'm a skier, so have all the long undies, down vests, neck warmers, everything to keep warm. Typically by the time I get to the steep hill in my woods I'm sweating!

The only thing to worry about is ice. I have these "spike" things ($10 from Costco) that just strap on my boots which I use anytime I'm out in the ice or snow. I'm too told to fall. (Been there, done that.)

Good luck! I have never been a smoker, but know how difficult it is to quit.