Well, given up the ciggies, (25th day)..........

Well done for giving up. I think weight gain is normal and not as bad for your health as owing. Could you try sugar free sweets? What about carrot celery and Cucumber batons to crunch on?

I found cinnamon sticks quite good for keeping my mouth occupied.
The proper ones, all gnarly, so that some sections taste stronger than others.
Well done on quitting!

Congratulations!

How about having a drink of tap water when you feel hungry? Water has no calories (I think this is right) but it will fill you up and possibly put you off wanting to eat.

Congratulations, X

Take up knitting to keep your hands occupied (or crochet or macrame, or anything that keeps your fingers otherwise occupied)

Well done. I have been on a diet for a while and find that some fizzy tonic water with lemon mixed with cold plain water takes away a lot of food cravings. I read somewhere that sometimes when you feel really hungry it's actually your body wanting water. I have tried this and it seems to be working. Good luck.

Sipping on a bottle of fizzy water I’m told is good. Or Tictacs.

I stopped smoking when I was first pregnant as it tasted foul, but I guess that suggestion isn’t practical.

Nearly 3 years for me now!

But I do vape

Congratulations! Keep up the good work.

Well done!
I've seen quite a few people with e-cigarettes here.
Our neighbour smokes one which smells of blackcurrant jam.
I don't know if they're completely nicotine-free, or just low nicotine . If low nicotine that might not be a good idea for you.
When I gave up I used to chew gum, but then got a mouth ulcer.

Well done Alima. Take it day by day. you are now a non smoker! Good recommendations for fizzy water etc. Try to change your routine, particularly around the times you'd normally smoke.

well done Alima. Do not be led into those substitutes. If you have been nicotine free for 25 days you are well on the way.
I stopped decades ago when I had a bad bout of bronchitis, and realised I hadn;t smoked for over a week as I could hardly breathe. I decided it would be silly to go back, and have to do it again some time.
I can't help with the sweets, that was my problem too :-) Keeping your hands busy is a very good tip.

Drink when you feel hungry - tho' not alcohol or sugary drink!

I just wanted to send you huge congratulations. I have never smoked, but do know from friends that it is fiendishly hard to stop. I am so very impressed that you are doing so well with this.

I stopped 3 months ago,I wasnt planning to as I enjoyed smoking. I was going to a place I knew smoking would be difficult so I bought a vape, the day after buying I tried it and have not smoked since. It was only after I stopped that I realised how bad the smell of a smoker is when you walk past and I can walk up the hill to my house without getting breathless. If you get tempted to smoke again get a vape instead.

Well done Alima a few extra pounds will do you less harm than the fags. It should even itself out when you get used to it.

yggdrasil - that's how I gave up.

Well done Alima, I've never smoked but struggled watching my Ex's attempting to give up, neither managed to kick it permanently and went back to smoking after a couple of years. My fault apparently, yeah cause it was. Seriously good luck and I hope you're a lifelong achiever.

Thanks to all for some great hints and tips here. Definitely think the carrot batons and celery are good to try, sips of water too. I really thought that the hand to mouth thing would be really hard to crack but have found that not to be the case. Consequently I don’t want to go down the vape route. Hopefully, now that breathing is a lot easier, when the weather cools a little I will be able to go for longer walks and crack on with some housework which may help disperse some fat cells!