I love me more...what I learned when I quit smoking!

Becre8tive

6 months ago I decided "this is it" and smoked my last cigarette. After 15 years I decided to quit...out of the blue...without any warning. The first weeks went well, very well it wasn't so bad after all! Yeah right lol I think it was week 3 when those cravings hit me left and right. I thought I am losing my marbles!
I searched for answers online, what do I do? How do I handle this? I found an online support board and yipppppie yeahhhhh I wasn't the only one fighting those cravings.
I learned that I am an addict (wow that hit home) I am addicted to Nicotine and can't have another cigarette ever and I believe them. I won't question it, I won't try it. I don't need a cigarette; I am an ex-smoker.
I used the cigarette for so many things, with alcohol, with coffee, when I was mad, when I felt depressed, when I felt stressed..it was my crutch. I thought it would help me to cope with my emotions.
What is absolutely Baloney!
When I quit smoking I started eating. OK, that's normal, everybody does it. You get sugar cravings, you start to eat more and nothing is safe. I found a picture of the cookie monster and "yep" that was me!
Recently it hit me, now I use the food as my crutch. "Let's have a piece of chocolate" when I am mad, or sad. "Let's have a piece of pie" when I am angry or upset. "Let's eat a candy bar" when I stressed.
I shifted from cigarettes to food. My relationship to food became unhealthy a few years ago. I gained weight and I let it happen, I loved the food more than I loved myself -so it seems!
I gave up smoking, because I love myself more than I love the cigarettes. I love how I feel now. I am healthy and smoke free, the cigarettes have no power over me.
I am not on a diet...I am on a lifestyle change.
I was silly yesterday. It was a normal weekday, but I set the table nice and lit some candles...soft music in the back..and the good China was used. My husband looked at me funny like "Oh heck what anniversary did I forget" and I explained to him why I am doing it. He smiled and liked it. I focused on Dinner, I focused on my plate and on my bites and I enjoyed it. I stopped when I felt full and didn't continue eating because the TV distracted me!
I am going to love this! I am going to find my healthy relationship with food....because I love me more!
I quit smoking! I can do anything...I have superpowers :-)
Yeah 4 pounds are history!

LassoOfTruth

Congratulations on quitting! I quit this New Years... I have a counter on my phone. 118 days without a cigarette. I've had my mood swings too... my poor, poor boyfriend! Lolz. He had to dunk more than one pack of Newports in water and make me calm down. And, it was like I went through the stages of loss. I distinctly remember not too long ago, I told him that I'd bought a pack (haven't had any) and that for every 5 pounds I'd have 1 cigarette... the bargaining stage. Haha. I eventually got over it. I still crave one on a long drive, or after an amazing meal. But, I don't go nuts over it. It passes in a second.

Good job again! And, congrats on realizing food was becoming your new cigarette! Keep it up!

TabithaRyan68

I think you are marvelous!!

What a positive, wonderful attitude!! How can you not succeed with that attitude!?

You are a great role model and I'm glad you are my friend on this journey. Reading your happy posts, your positive posts (even when you are being hard on yourself) is an inspiration. Glad I found you!!