anyone quitting smoking?

jim9097

I don't smoke cigarettes, but I did chew Copenhagen for many years. Quit that Cold Turkey almost 2 months ago. Aug 7th to be exact. I don't really have cravings but I get this feeling like I am forgetting something every now and again. Those times are because of mental triggers that tell me to have the chew. So I just move on to something else when that happens.

Good Luck.

cj0725

I quit a year and a half ago after smoking for over 25 years. I quit by using patches. I did it for my son. I think by doing it for him, I would feel too guilty to start up again. I previously quit during my pregnancy, but started up as soon as I was done breast feeding - don't even know why I started up again. Good luck to you!

MizTerry

My doc told me to pick one, not to try and do both. I quit smoking first, then a year later began my trek into weight loss.

Do I still want a smoke? Every single day. BUT, I am in a position now (a year and 9 months later) to be able to say no. It gets easier with time.

Edited to add that I was a pack a day smoker for 32 years.

floop1207

many people miss 'something' when they give up cigarettes too. i realised that i missed the hand to mouth thing. obviously i didn't want to start eating more so i have an ecig - but most of the time its empty. i just find it comforting to have in my hand :blushing:

DanL66712

I'm in the same boat as you. Diving in head first tomorrow, quitting smoking and getting back on track with weight loss and getting generally healthier!

This is going to suck...

floop1207

I quit a year and a half ago after smoking for over 25 years. I quit by using patches. I did it for my son. I think by doing it for him, I would feel too guilty to start up again. I previously quit during my pregnancy, but started up as soon as I was done breast feeding - don't even know why I started up again. Good luck to you!

i did exactly this. i quit the day i found out i was pregnant and started again when i finished breastfeeding. big mistake. i looked at my son one day (many years later) and thought 'i really hope you never start smoking' then realised how hypocritical that was of me so i stopped right then.

punkinkat

I've been trying to quit, mainly because the cost is bloody well breaking me! I could go on a really nice vacation with what I spend on smokes in a year...

I'm kind of afraid to try again now that I'm trying to lose weight, as I fear that changing too much too soon will result in me wimping out and changing nothing. But thinking of all the extra lung power I could have for my newfound love of running is a nice counter-argument.

floop1207

I've been trying to quit, mainly because the cost is bloody well breaking me! I could go on a really nice vacation with what I spend on smokes in a year...

I'm kind of afraid to try again now that I'm trying to lose weight, as I fear that changing too much too soon will result in me wimping out and changing nothing. But thinking of all the extra lung power I could have for my newfound love of running is a nice counter-argument.

do it. really. in my cigarette free 6 months, i have scraped enough together to take my son away for a week. for me, my weight has crept up slowly over the last couple of years and due to health problems limiting exercise, i know i'm not going to lose 30+ lbs in a few months but the benefits of stopping smoking begin straight away. my different way of eating is an ongoing thing.

kristen2713

this is fabulous!! I've never heard of this book, but you can be assured I'll check it out of the library asap!!! I've been committed to getting healthier and dropping weight for over a year now, and now I've been trying on and off very hard to kick this last habit too and unfortunately, much more off than on It's awful, because I know just how gross it is and contradictory to my new lifestyle it is, yet I struggle endlessly. Thanks to the OP for the posting and good luck to you!!!

Morninglory81

I have created a group called "Kicking the addiction" if you or any friends want to post your struggles with addiction please feel free to start a thread. I will offer all the support I can and hope as this group grows others will do the same.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/16817-kicking-the-addiction
Edited by Morninglory81 On September 30, 2013 10:25 am

aprilwilliams2729

I quit over 3 years ago. I took Wellbutrin to help with the cravings. The one thing that helped me was having a short straw around. I actually inhaled through it when I got a craving for a cigarette and it really helped (I cut them about the same length as a cigarette
and held it the same way). I read somewhere that when you're quitting smoking sometimes you actually forget to breathe deeply!

You can do this!!

joni92258

I stopped smoking last Monday, the same day that I decided to join myfitnesspal. Figured I'd knock both my bad habits out with one fell swoop. So far, so good.

SouthernCountryGirl

I smoked my last cigarette yesterday. I've quit twice before once using Chantix, once cold turkey. I'm 50, have smoked 30+ years. I remained smoke free for about 4 months and I'll be the first to admit I loved not smoking. But habits are hard to break. You have some bad days. Anybody that says you don't is not being truthful. Today is my first day smoke free. I hope to make it one of many. I wish you the best of luck, strong will and determination

Tarabobera

me and my husband quit smoking july 10th and gained some too, wasn't with this program yet started it 9/6 --6lbs of it gone for now, you might gain some to begin with but you can work it off once the cig cravings die down. (I agree with most things said here too)
The biggest thing that helped me though was praying to God I felt at 7 and 14 days quit some really bad cravings I'd smoked from 14-38 years old chain smoked mostly too, but I felt a peaceful feeling come over me when I felt that God was showing me some things about it..
like how it controlling your life and realizing that it does actually makes u want to quit, gives you motivation and during a really bad fit both me and my husband were having at 14 days I felt a comfort in thinking, you know if we go buy them and smoke em up we will still be craving them just poorer-- and defeated... either way we gonna want em so which way is better? that actually helped us both forget about them crazy as it sounds and then I felt more like inserting more exersize and getting healthier weight wise too.
Both of us hated water when we were smokers, went with coffee or mt dew.. now it's 1 coffee in the am, water all day and one crystal lite at night
I hope and pray for anyone who 's trying to quit it's not an easy battle but supporting each other sure does help

harleygroomer

I gave it up 13 years ago and I can tell you it was not fun for the first month. BUT after coughing up all that disgusting tar from my lungs, nothing on this earth will ever make me pick up another. I spent my last month cutting down on ciggies and then got to the point where I maybe had 1 or 2 a day and then---what was the point?? But like I said--I had to cough up all that gross stuff and you will too so be ready. NOW??? I hate the smell, and have no desire for one. You can do this, just take it one day at a time and cut down until you don't need them.

Lkkiser3

I was a smoker ( pack a day) for 11 years. This November will mark 1 year since I've quit. BEST DECISION EVER. Its kind of like losing weight.. you'll make it happen when your ready. I woke up one morning and decided I didn't want to smoke anymore. So I just didn't. Took a lot of pacing through the house and lots of chewing gum, but I did it. Its definitely worth it. GOOD LUCK TO YOU!

floop1207

also, be prepared to feel bleurgh at times as all of that rubbish has to come out of your system. i felt like i had a heavy cold for a week or so.

iwillbeoneday

I am 6 weeks smoke free today. I had tried quitting a few times before but this time I truly wanted to quit and I think that's why I've been able to easily stay away since going cold turkey. I did notice a very noticeable bloat going on all over but mainly in my stomach. Did anyone else have this? I did see (Google search) that this is a side effect for some. My stomach would look 7 months pregnant... not the most comfortable of feelings. I can tell that I've gained weight by scale and the way clothes fit. I'm know quitting takes a hard hit to your metabolism so I'm trying to be patient while it rebuilds. Did anyone else gain weight once they quit? Once it the amount of food that needed to fixed or what helped you get over the hump?

ladymm40

I highly recommend the website Quitnet.com. I joined it 471 days ago when I decided to quit smoking. It is a wonderful, helpful site. I could not have quit without it. I used the lozenges when I quit, they were really helpful.

Good luck you can do it....Add me if you want.

spookiefox

I'm diving in the deep end, diet starts tomorrow, also exercise/toning up, and I am cold turkey quitting.

Anyone else quitting smoking? Would love some ex smokers or currently quitting peoples to talk too!

I quit 10 years ago. I realized it was costing me enough to buy a couple of nice new computers a year, and the computer geek in my decided that was way better than the enjoyment I got from smoking. So I finished the pack I was in the middle of and just quit. Never had another. Bought a butt-load of the gum, but chewed exactly one piece. Stuff tastes terrible. Never missed it and never craved them.

I think people get so worked up by worrying about how bad it will be when they quit they experience what scientists call the "nocebo" effect. (It's a real word. "Placebo" means "I will please." Nocebo means "I will harm.") I didn't expect to feel bad, and I didn't. People are always saying stuff like "It's worse to quit than heroin" and stuff like that. All I'm saying is that not everyone experiences that, so don't assume it will be terrible.

Candi_land

I quit cold turkey in 2010 after an 11 year pack a day habit. I lived in New York at the time and the 12-13 dollars for a pack on top of health reasons was incentive to stop. Also, I was always a hypocrite smoker in that I hated the smell. I still crave a cigarette when I'm stressed out, or when I'm drinking but it passes.

Good luck!

seanonoldschool

I wish you the best of luck! I quit smoking a week before I started exercising and eating right. The lifestyle change was hard at first but it is well worth it! I have been cigarette free for 6 1/2 months now and not looking back. Best of luck to you

running_free_1984

I'm diving in the deep end, diet starts tomorrow, also exercise/toning up, and I am cold turkey quitting.

Anyone else quitting smoking? Would love some ex smokers or currently quitting peoples to talk too!

I quit cold turkey and never looked back. I think I exchanged one addiction for another! However, not upset as exercise is a much healthier addiction! Good luck, you got this!

tc41586

I quit ten months ago tomorrow. I highly recommend the Cessation Nation App for your phone. It calculates money saved, time saved, how long it has been since you quit, and tells you the health benefits along the way. It is what got me through that rough initial time.

I did put on about 10-15 pounds since quitting, and am working on that now. I feel SO much better! You can do it!!!!

KeepCalmNGetyaSweatOn

I'm 3 weeks into quitting cold turkey myself. I haven't had 1 cigarette since then. I won't lie, it's friggin hard to resist temptation especially when one feels stressed, but it feels soooooo much better to be able to breathe! I wish you tons and tons of luck sweetie. It can be done!!!!

spookiefox

Just taken the ''Allen Carr The Only Way To Stop Smoking Permenantly'' book out of the library Thanks people.

Mr. Carr seems a bit presumptuous. His is not the only way. He can say, if he chooses, that I've only quit for ten years and I may begin again, but he has as much evidence for that as I have that the people who quit using his "only" method will.

tiger4nikki

I need to get that book! I WANT to quit, but with all of the stress I have, I just never really try. It seems to calm me. But I would LOVE to just quit and be done with it!

paygep

QUITTING IS SEXY!

:smooched: :blushing:

spookiefox

I quit cold turkey in 2010 after an 11 year pack a day habit. I lived in New York at the time and the 12-13 dollars for a pack on top of health reasons was incentive to stop. Also, I was always a hypocrite smoker in that I hated the smell. I still crave a cigarette when I'm stressed out, or when I'm drinking but it passes.

Good luck!

LOL The smell never bothered me then, and it still doesn't bother me. It always strikes me as strange how many people are bothered the smell. It's no worse than the smell in my hair and on my clothes from the campfire when I camp. i guess we're all different.

I also couldn't care less who smokes. I'm much more turned off by people who drink heavily, but I'm not really bothered by that either, so long as they don't drive. I do wonder why smoking is so demonized in this country while drinking is not.

punkinkat

do it. really. in my cigarette free 6 months, i have scraped enough together to take my son away for a week. for me, my weight has crept up slowly over the last couple of years and due to health problems limiting exercise, i know i'm not going to lose 30+ lbs in a few months but the benefits of stopping smoking begin straight away. my different way of eating is an ongoing thing.

Thanks for the words of encouragement! I just may give it another go very soon; I tried last in August and found it wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting it to be... I just need to find some way to deal with my chain-smoking housemate, and I'd be golden!