Irritability?

[smokenomorelpj]

I've been smoke free for 57 days and counting, but I have become progressively more irritable, especially lately. I live in NYC, and that is a challenge in itself. 

I've bee working out since August but I've put on weight nevertheless, and this makes me angry. 

What advice would you give someone in my state?

Signed, 

Losing it.

Lewis 

[maryfreecig]

Since you asked:

1. Reaffirm that you made the right decision to quit.

2. Double up on quit support including coming to Ex more often, read and blog

3. Affirm that you will work on your diet once you are able to give it the attention it needs--caveat being that NOPE is firm in your mind. Weight tends to come off, but time is required to put quitting first--no ifs, ands or buts lingering about smoking.

4. Gently consider how you might just aim for taking in your daily required (2200?)--try to aim for that first and regularly rather than desperately focusing on dieting to lose weight. One step at a time.

5. Remain calm and know that you are a winner. You did it, 57 days is awesome. High five.

[shashort]

First congrats on 57 days on this journey and be very proud of your success into this freedom life.  I so remember my irritability days like it happened yesterday, it is normal.  Hang in there it is really worth the effort, so first and foremost protect that quit.  Are you just lifting weights? Are you doing any cardio like running or walking to get your metabolism up? You will get the weight off, not worth smoking over.

[smokenomorelpj]

I'm doing core exercises with a trainer, but since I quit, I've hitting the sweets. On Thanksgiving Day, I ran the Turkey Trot, and was so proud of myself; however, I think (I know) I overdid it. Visiting the back doctor next week. This setback caused a lot of the irritability but i signed up for yoga. 

Thanks for the encouragement 

[elvan]

NOTHING is worth smoking over....it's not like you will start smoking and any weight you put on will magically dissolve.  You will still get angry, you will still feel sadness, you will still feel stress...PLEASE understand that you are SUPPOSED to feel those things, we all shut down when we smoked...smoking does nothing FOR you, just TO you.  Take it from someone who knows...I stuffed and stuffed for years, sometimes I might be a little grumpy, I never learned to deal with some feelings...I'm workin'  on it.  I started smoking at 17 and kept it up for 47 years...so I am sort of going through my teenage angst, albeit a bit late.

Hang in there, it really DOES get easier and it really DOES make sense.

Ellen

[smokenomorelpj]

I hear you. That's exactly where I'm at. In a funny way, this vulnerability is a refreshing feeling of sorts. I was numb before but, BOY, now I feel everything. I will be patient with myself. Going to visit family in couple of weeks. This is a challenge since some of them (not all) smoke. I have faced all of my triggers, but this one will be tough as it is highly emotional and linked to grief. However, I have NO intention of slipping,  and I won't. Will try to get my siblings on this website while I'm there. Will have to be a little sneaky. 

Happy Holidays!

Lewis 

[ranjitthewolf]

I can relate to you on the weight gain. Im not sure what your training at the gym is like but i used to run around 10-15 kilometres every day around the time i quit and still managed to gain weight. Come to think of it i never lost any weight after i quit at all. But i think in my case what happened is all my fat on my thighs got converted to muscles which is causing the weight to stay the same. So you might also just be gaining muscle mass.

[Michaelle]

Congrats! You pretty much have this licked!

Sometimes a walk would help. Walking clears the head.  

[Mmyers2001]

Hang in there!! Stay focused on why you quit in the first place when you get an urge!! You got this... I just celebrated 6 months and don't even think about it anymore... stay positive and be proud... 

[elvan]

One day at a time, it WILL get easier the more smoke free time you build up...the Holidays might not be as difficult as you are anticipating.  You won't have to excuse yourself to go smoke, you can spend time FEELING things with your family...might not sound like it is going to be easy and it might not but you will learn things about yourself and about your feelings...things that you have stuffed into smoking.  Getting to know the people we were supposed to be before we started smoking is one of the rewards of this journey.

Stay with us, if you can...stay close to the site when you are visiting family and reach out if you feel challenged.  We have members in all different time zones and there is usually someone here or someone who WILL be here.  You are doing this and you are doing a great job.

Ellen

[IrishRose]

If for nothing else, you are saving $10.00 + for one pack of cancer sticks. 

Irish Rose