I quit smoking Monday...

1Cor1510
1Cor1510 Posts: 413 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have quit before when I had both my kids. The biggest problem I am having is what to do with my spare time. So wondering what all you ex smokers did to fill up those time gaps that seem to scream TIME TO SMOKE? Especially in the beginning when you're just not sure what else to do. (20 years does a pretty firm habit make!)
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Replies

  • znkmommy
    znkmommy Posts: 49 Member
    I quit in October, I used to eat( that's how I got here) now if I get an urge I just get up and clean something or play with my kids for a few minutes and it usually goes away! Btw CONGRATS!!!
  • Pizzagirl50
    Pizzagirl50 Posts: 112 Member
    I'm on day 20 and have slept more, watched more tv, cleaned house....I know how you feel I was wondering what to do with my extra 200min a day without smoke breaks. You'll get through it and find things to do. Whatever you do, DON'T SMOKE again.
  • bewitchinglife
    bewitchinglife Posts: 167 Member
    First off... GOOD FOR YOU!! That is an amazing first step to make.

    I quit at the millennium and I was smoking 2 packs a day. You can totally do this!

    Don't laugh, but I took up knitting. I'm a gal that can't sit still for nothin' so when I'm watching TV or sitting and waiting, I knit. Sounds a little funny perhaps, but it does the trick.

    If you have a small craft that is portable that you can keep with you that would work. You could take up playing angry birds on your phone, or texting people that want to help you quit. Find something that you enjoy and keeps your hands and brain busy.

    Go you! You can do it!
  • 1Cor1510
    1Cor1510 Posts: 413 Member
    I actually thought about the knitting and crocheting thing today... I may have to do that :)
  • TadaGanIarracht
    TadaGanIarracht Posts: 2,615 Member
    I quit when I found out I was pregnant in October 2010.

    I did what many others did, eat. A little less than a year after my son was born I actually noticed the number on the scale, I just used willpower to say no to both overeating and smoking.

    I don't really have a new hobby or activity to take their place so I just to learn to say no to the urges.
  • dyn3428
    dyn3428 Posts: 14
    I quit just after Christmas, so it has only been 6 months. I have quit before too so I understand. I just decided that I was sick of the smokes controlling me and everything I did!!! Do anything else. Call a friend, get online, go for a walk. I wish that I had had the gumption to quit a long time ago. You can do it!!!!
  • BackTatJIM
    BackTatJIM Posts: 1,140 Member
    GREAT JOB!!!! I love that you put you did quit and not i am trying to quit..
  • rpounds1957
    rpounds1957 Posts: 177 Member
    I quit a little over three years ago and I honestly do not remember what I did to fill the time - other than gaining about 25 pounds. I do remember that at work, instead of walking outside to light up a smoke, I would just take a walk. Anywhere. Everywhere. Through the offices, out into the plant . . . pretty much anywhere. At home, I really can't remember.

    I do know this though. If you stick with it, you will get through it and out the other side healthier and happier. Hang in there! All of us ex-smokers are proud of your progress!!
  • 1Cor1510
    1Cor1510 Posts: 413 Member
    Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement everyone, it is a big change. I'm not having too hard a time with it actually. Just taking it one day at a time :)
  • SanyamKaushik
    SanyamKaushik Posts: 215 Member
    bump...
    i just quitted for a few day and had severe headaches and I started again :explode:
    Quitting again... and well done for your efforts....
  • mamaomefo
    mamaomefo Posts: 418 Member
    Congratulations! A tough habit to break. I quit in 1989 . You might add in a small walk outside when the urge hits. A change of scenery may help. You might also play Words With Friends!
  • jcamby
    jcamby Posts: 200 Member
    Great job quitting! When I quit many years ago, I worked out....alot....that helped with the cravings. Paint your nails so you can't eat and it keeps your hands busy....YOU CAN DO THIS!!
  • roberta65
    roberta65 Posts: 31
    I QUIT 12 YEARS AGO !!!
    I quit cold turkey the night before my 35 birthday and I never picked up another one. The first two weeks are the hardest ever, then little by little you won't even think about them, Honestly people trust me everything starts to feel, smell and taste better. Keep yourself busy and if you really start to crave one try excercising even for 5 minutes jogging on the spot, sit ups you get the idea after the 5 minutes the craving will be gone and you will be so proud of yourself for not giving in. Two solid weeks thats all it takes after that you have it beat. Avoid situation where you might want to smoke for those two weeks having a drink, coffee breaks at work, find something else to do . Last bit of help for those time when things get too much stop and ask yourself if a tiny , dirty, discusting , chemical filled, smoke is gonna get the best of you!! You are stonger then that aren't you ? So this is to the guy with the headaches thats the toxins being released from your body, remember two weeks of hell then you can enjoy the rest of your life !!! Good luck all it really is the best thing for you
  • kamiAK
    kamiAK Posts: 100 Member
    look up on the net pics of lungs of people that have died from smoking,,,go visit a cancer ward...and read all the stories on this web site http://whyquit.com/joel/


    good luck

    never take another puff
  • camelgirlmn
    camelgirlmn Posts: 226 Member
    First off Congradulations on your quit!!!! I am smoke free for 8 months now!!! I was already over weight when I quit smoking. But never the less 3 months ago i was at 220. now im at 190. I started to chew alot of gum and exercise. The best advice i can give from prior expirence is drink alot of cold water and chew sugar free gum.
  • nellybutler
    nellybutler Posts: 15
    Congrat's. Probably one of the most important decisions you'll have ever made. I stopped four years ago with the aid of patches after being a smoker for 45 years. Much healthier and richer. Believe me. it gets easier Just hang in there. :):flowerforyou:
  • Titanuim
    Titanuim Posts: 331 Member
    Well done for making that decision.

    I stopped at the beginning of April and took up exercise as my replacement habit. It is working out well for me. Keep it up and you will feeling the benefits healthwise and financially very soon. THe only bad news is that you will soon be able to smelly just how stinky cigarette and people with BO truly are.
  • StartingAtSixty
    StartingAtSixty Posts: 85 Member
    Deep slow breaths. Relax and realize how wonderful you feel not smoking..
  • Rogiefreida
    Rogiefreida Posts: 567 Member
    Well done for making that decision.

    I stopped at the beginning of April and took up exercise as my replacement habit. It is working out well for me. Keep it up and you will feeling the benefits healthwise and financially very soon. THe only bad news is that you will soon be able to smelly just how stinky cigarette and people with BO truly are.

    This is so true. Your sense of smell gets way better after you've been a non-smoker for a while (my husband has an annoyingly bionic nose now, he smells EVERYTHING!).

    I let myself eat whatever I wanted to keep myself from smoking for the first week (which was the hardest for me), and then I started exercising and chewing gum. I quit in February 2011 and I still chew an awful lot of gum (can you say oral fixation?:bigsmile: ). The only downfall I still have to this day is an incredible temptation to smoke when I drink. I caved to it twice, but haven't since January of this year.

    Yay quitting!
  • krisiepoo
    krisiepoo Posts: 710 Member
    I have quit before when I had both my kids. The biggest problem I am having is what to do with my spare time. So wondering what all you ex smokers did to fill up those time gaps that seem to scream TIME TO SMOKE? Especially in the beginning when you're just not sure what else to do. (20 years does a pretty firm habit make!)

    This sounds really stupid but I flossed my teeth with those teeth flossing thingies. I kept them everywhere so when I would drive, I would floss. When I wanted to have a smoke, I would floss.

    I was a 15-year smoker and in August it will have been 5 years. It sucked and it was hard, but it was the best decision I ever made!
  • couldbeme
    couldbeme Posts: 55 Member
    well done , i stopped 1 year and 6 months ago , it is tough at first , the craving does go away after a few seconds , deep breaths , drink of water may help ,try to do stuff at the time u wanted a cig takes ur mind off it after meals was he worse time for me , and cramming them in at work on my breaks , i did put weight on also , and i had foot surgery in jan this year also so im on the road to shifting the weight now x
  • Mama_Jag
    Mama_Jag Posts: 474 Member
    GREAT JOB!!!! I love that you put you did quit and not i am trying to quit..

    ^ I second this. When I quit, it helped that I called myself a non-smoker. Non-smokers don't smoke, so it was not an option.

    When I quit, I started running, because running and smoking do not go together. At all. Three and a half years later, I am still running and not smoking.

    Congratulations to you. I am certain that quitting is #1 of all the choices I have made to better my health. Cheers to a longer, healthier life!!
  • 1Cor1510
    1Cor1510 Posts: 413 Member
    UPDATE: Still quit, and I have a shiny new car (with carpayment) for motivation to stay quit. It's my dream car by the way, and the payment is about the same a month as I was spending on dog rockets. THAT is motivation to me, I am a numbers person, it's actually the numbers that are keeping me sane. I think about smoking and the $hundreds of dollars I am spending and then I think about the fun shiny things, like cars, I can have instead :smile:
  • pinkym06
    pinkym06 Posts: 2
    Hi,

    Hey it's really great knowing that you quit smoking even I quit smoking 4months ago.
    I was a smoker for almost 3 years & consulted my doctor and he recommended me to use Nicorette Gum and Nicorette's 12 Week Nicotine Replacement Therapy... it so happened that today I am smoke free....
    And nowadays I pass my time through engaging myself in my hobbies like I like to write poems and blogs I do that and also I love cooking and so I put my more time on that...So indulge yourself with any activity that you love to do the most....
    Also I would like to share the link of Nicorette who helped me and my Life to get better,https://www.nicorette.in/

    Thanks & Regards
    Pinky
  • krisiepoo
    krisiepoo Posts: 710 Member
    UPDATE: Still quit, and I have a shiny new car (with carpayment) for motivation to stay quit. It's my dream car by the way, and the payment is about the same a month as I was spending on dog rockets. THAT is motivation to me, I am a numbers person, it's actually the numbers that are keeping me sane. I think about smoking and the $hundreds of dollars I am spending and then I think about the fun shiny things, like cars, I can have instead :smile:

    I did the SAME thing! The car is a smoke free zone and everyone knows smoking is not allowed in it :) Going on 5 years myself, you can do it!
  • Jxnsmma
    Jxnsmma Posts: 919 Member
    I chewed copious amounts of gum :)
  • HellsKells
    HellsKells Posts: 671 Member
    Congratulations!

    It's so tough! In a week, it'll be 2 years for me.

    The best advice I can give you is to make sure you're busy doing something every spare minute of your day. Bake, read, crochet, knit, get into scrapbooking, go running, go to the gym.....ANYTHING to keep your hands busy and your mind off what you think you're missing.

    You can do it! :happy:
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    Smoking is the single worse thing you can do to ruin your health as you are aware.
    And it'll be the hardest addiction to break, so be ready for some painful days and nights.
    I am not trying to create drama, but use vacation time of you have it, stay home and address this like one would any addiction.
    Detox yourself that first week of "cold turkey" at home and punch through the pain.
    And here's the miserable part.
    Your hunger will BURN for a month after that first week. Just BURN!

    Good luck to you, and I wish I had some little thing to say that would be the key to making this easy.
    There is NOTHING.
    Gird yourself for a tough fight, and no matter what, stay motivated and just KEEP PUNCHING!
  • kwest_4_fitness
    kwest_4_fitness Posts: 820 Member
    I walked. Every break at work that I used to smoke, I now walk. When I'm at home, instead of spending hours on the computer, I walk, work out, spend time with my husband. All of these have replaced the cigarette need. I've been quite since last March and I've never felt better!
  • LemonBurns
    LemonBurns Posts: 538 Member
    I quit in 2005 - and I would whine, snivel and ***** to who ever would listen. I am a huge fan of throwing on an iPod and dancing until it passes... even in public - but that's just me! Seriously tho - distraction, check a phone app, come on MFP and creep profiles, Pace, Clean, Pee, Twiddle your Thumbs, DRINK WATER - DO ANYTHING other than smoke! You have made great progress... and remember, it only takes ONE to start up again, and do you REALLY want to repeat the last 4 days? NO YOU DON'T - So, when a craving comes along, and all you hear in your head is: "I want a smoke, I want a smoke, I want a smoke" ..... Repeat after me: "Tough *kitten* - I DON'T SMOKE!!!!"

    And make a progress chart - visuals help!

    Oh. And Congratulations - You've SOoOOoooOooo Got this!

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