Stimming as a program for weight loss?

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I'm thinking outloud here. Tell me if I'm onto something.

I've smoked for almost 4 decades. No, I am not preparing to recommend it for weight loss. Just stick with me for a minute.

I tried to quit a couple of times when I was younger, then I settled in and just accepted it.
I couldn't explain it and expected no sympathy, but in my own mind I considered it a form of self-medicating. It's a quality of life issue. I still don't believe it's any more dangerous than the crap a shrink can give you.

I've recently discovered the electronic cigarette, which seems to be working as an acceptable alternative. [If you're interested, check out http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum. It's very subjective and it matters which brand you pick, so do the research and don't be in too much of a rush to throw away money.]

Also new to me is the whole idea of stimming. My fairly recent self-diagnosis of Aspergr's has made me aware of it and I can see now that smoking is a form of stimming.

This place has lots of threads about stimming. Like this one:
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt7413.html

I get the feeling that a diagnosis of Asperger's gives you permission to reconsider and re-examine behaviors that have been forbidden all your life, but are actually harmless. The toys discussed around here are certainly healthier than smoking, dangerous medications and excessive eating. Some toys or behaviors are more socially acceptable than others. Some are easy to hide. Some might be totally weird, but they can remain your dirty little secret when you're at home, which is probably the most tempting time for eating.

Anyway, the question is: Should stimming be considered good medicine?
Can giving yourself permission to be weird be used as part of a program for weight loss?

Last edited by Tahitiii on 26 Aug 2009, 8:25 am, edited 3 times in total.

I thought of an article I saw a long time ago about how fidgeting burns calories. XD;; But I see you mean it as more of a preventative thing. Yeah, I think it's a good idea. I've actually been looking for things to chew on since I like to chew on stuff and that might be why I end up snacking a lot of the time. (I used to suck on jawbreakers a lot at school.... oooh, maybe I should start doing that again, it would take me like a month to finish one.. probably not good for your teeth though....) I bet if they made well-designed stim toys for stuff like that and other common actions, a lot of people would use them, even regular people.

Also I wonder what could be done to encourage more active stimming too. Like I've seen really extreme autie people rocking WAAAY back and forth, and it looks like you'd get tired sort of quick from it, LOL. But like, there are probably ways to help accentuate or exaggerate less extreme stims so they're sort of exercisey, don't you think? (and if someone does a certain stim quite a lot, it could actually make a difference.. maybe not as weight loss, but to keep your muscles in shape.) I don't know what yet though, I'm thinking out loud too, LOL. I am also newish to this.

PS that's... a long time to have been a smoker, lol.



Edit: I just watched that electronic cigarette video, that's so crazy. It doesn't smell like anything? What's the vapor/smoke like? Man, I don't even smoke and I'm kind of tempted to order the no-nicotine one in one of the fruit flavors. XD;;;

I say "no."

Stimming, while it does burn calories, likely does not work your body up to a point where it is as effective as a long, brisk walk, jogging, or any other aerobic exercise.

If your stimming is that intense, you would have known something was wrong with you for a very long time.

I hate typos. No, I have not been around for 40 decades.
I don't think I could handle this world for that long.

Hmm. What gave it away? I'm from the planet Crypton. But I've always known that people wouldn't be able to accept that, so I've been keeping it to myself.

Without cigarettes, I would weigh about 500 pounds. I put off smoking when I was pregnant, and both times it took two years to get back to my normal weight. That's just not an option to me.
Don't. For one thing, the do-gooders would very much like to make it illegal. Between a tobacco industry that doesn't like the competition, the FDA that likes to control everything so they can make more money out of the deal, and a general lack of tolerance in modern culture, the electronic cigarette industry could easily be banned in the near future. It's already illegal in some countries. The only thing that's saving us now is that the US government is inefficient, for good and for evil. The lawyers and politicians are battling it out as we speak.
Also, it's not really cheaper. The components burn out. You never get finished upgrading and buying replacement parts.
If you've managed this long without it, there's no point in starting now.
They can't. Not for lack of trying. See Link above for the WP thread about stimming toys. Everyone is eager to make a buck, but this area is too subjective and individual. You have to find something that works for you. Something other than food, smoking, prescriptions or street drugs.

Stimmercise! I love it!

There was a little book called Punkercise. You put on thrash music and danced around like a fool. Fun.

I don't see stimming as burning enough calories, or elevating the heart rate enough. But it can keep the muscles loose and keep you from being glued to the chair. And it can help reduce nervous eating.

I pace and rock and play with squeezy hand exercise balls. It's partly stimming and partly common sense.

Try one of those big excercise bouncy ball things, its relaxing and burns some calories!
Some people use those instead of a regular chair at a desk to tone their body, then you can bounce/roll/stim all day.
If it is uncomfortable for your back, there is a special chair you can get that has a holder for the ball.