quit smoking with me

gavini
gavini Posts: 248 Member
i am going to quit smoking on july 24th, anyone want to do it with me so we can keep each other honest? i am going on a camping trip on the 24th and not bringing cigarettes with me, no one else that i am going with smokes so i wont have any available for a couple of days so i will already have a streak going before i hit my normal routine again when i get back.

if i have people to report to on my progress and know that someone else is doing the same thing then i wont want to let you down (i can rationalize letting myself down in a heartbeat).

what is your history with smoking? here is mine
smoke per day - half a pack
started - regularly when i was 12, but 14 might be more accurate since i didnt start really inhaling until i was 14 (i didnt know i was doing it wrong)
been smoking for - 26 years
quit before - 2 or 3 times, longest for six months
live with other smokers - no
favorite cigarette - right after a workout
how will you deal with that time - peel and eat an orange as i leave the gym
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Replies

  • Tapricias
    Tapricias Posts: 15 Member
    I have set my quit date for November, as I really really want to reach my goal weight by then, and continue with work outs, sensible eating too.
    I have smoked for 40 years...yikes, tried to quit 6 times: longest time 6 months. Cigarette with coffee in the morning.
    I did get a prescription from by dr for Champix, which I will fill in November.
    Good luck. I may have to turn to my MFPals for support then also.
  • mdelcott
    mdelcott Posts: 529 Member
    Good luck I will be 1 year smoke free on August 28th...It is the BEST thing I ever did..I smoked a pack aday for 20 years (with a few breaks but never longer then 8 months) I read Allan Carrs Easy Way to Stop Smoking.. It really does work.. I also NEVER want to do Day 3 ever again and so it keeps me quit...Just remember your "only a Puff away from a Pack a day" So if you make it through the camping trip without smoking, when you return do not give in to temptation, you wont regret quitting ever. My husband still smokes but it doesnt bother me and I am never tempted, it all depends on if you are TRUELY ready to be free from smoking, and honestly how badly you want to be a non smoker..Best of luck Feel free to add me if you feel like you need support..
  • TxAngel79
    TxAngel79 Posts: 318 Member
    So glad to see you quitting again! I want to wait until I reach my goal weight before I try and stop again. However, I may decide to quit with you as I really need to stop! I hate smoking!!!!!
  • robinhardysmall
    robinhardysmall Posts: 246 Member
    This is to perfect ~ I actually started Chantix today and my date is set for next Wednesday- would be happy to join ya' :)


    smoke per day - half a pack
    started - regularly when i was 15
    been smoking for - 27 years
    quit before - 1 time
    live with other smokers - yes :(
    favorite cigarette - after dinner
    how will you deal with that time - clean the kitchen up :)
  • arathena720
    arathena720 Posts: 449 Member
    I quit about four years ago after having smoked for 22 years. I must have quit a hundred times before, once for 5 years. It's really the best thing you can do for yourself. For me it was a whole lifestyle change, so I actually lost weight when I quit. Congrats to you for making such a great decision!
  • Nessiechickie
    Nessiechickie Posts: 1,392 Member
    Never thought I would see the day when I actually consider quitting.
    My boyfriend and parents have been on my case about quitting recently and it is starting to get annoying.
    Also starting to feel stupid smoking and also an outcast since no one really smokes that i know.
    I know I want to quit smoking but currently I just want to work on limiting it.
    I currently smoke about 5-7 a day menthol.
    I would like to be at 3 a day would be really nice.
    History:
    Been smoking for about 3 years.
    Did in High School but not very much and rarely.
    Favorite smoke: When I'm drinking!
  • gavini
    gavini Posts: 248 Member
    Never thought I would see the day when I actually consider quitting.
    My boyfriend and parents have been on my case about quitting recently and it is starting to get annoying.
    i know exactly what you mean, about a year ago was the first time i ever seriously considered it but be careful about focusing on others, i tried once or twice when my wife was giving me a hard time but i didnt really want to so it didnt last very long, was a million times easier when i actually wanted to for me not because of what others said or did
  • klewis17
    klewis17 Posts: 3
    Count me in. Quit date is 7/23. I've been smoking for 20 years and everytime I quit I find a reason to go back!!!
  • jtslim42
    jtslim42 Posts: 240
    Awesome! Congrats on deciding to quit! I am on day 37 of no smoking! I quit cold turkey. It is sooooo hard but i know it will be worth it in the end. I smoked half a pack a day since i was 15 and i am now 30. My favorite was definitely my after workout cig. I chew lots of gum now and have used my free time to read. I also started drinking coffee again. Feel free to add me:happy:
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Ahhh.....quitting smoking is also on my to do list. While this is my first time trying to lose weight, I have tried to quit smoking several times. My longest has been for thirty 30s, which I hit twice.

    I am going to run out of cigarettes and $$$ to buy them on Monday. We still have some nicotine patches left from our last try, as well as electronic cigarettes. I'm not trying to do cold turkey. My husband is a total a-hole when he is without nicotine and the two of us....omg...

    Best of luck to you. You can send me a friend request if you want.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I quit about four years ago after having smoked for 22 years. I must have quit a hundred times before, once for 5 years. It's really the best thing you can do for yourself. For me it was a whole lifestyle change, so I actually lost weight when I quit. Congrats to you for making such a great decision!

    I hope that's what I can do as well. I just started my fitness journey two weeks ago. Quitting smoking is on the list, but it is SO F'N HARD! I can turn down sugar in all different forms, even my favorite, chocolate, but nicotine addiction is more than willpower. There are so many physical aspects involved in addition to the psychological aspects. I have been a smoker for 19 years. I promised myself that I wouldn't still be smoking when I turned 40, and here I am 38 and still at it.

    One thing I will add..... our family is moving to a new house. My husband and I made a pact not to smoke in the new house. So even if we don't completely quit by then, we will at least not be smoking like a couple of chimneys and smelling up the new house.
  • gavini
    gavini Posts: 248 Member

    One thing I will add..... our family is moving to a new house. My husband and I made a pact not to smoke in the new house. So even if we don't completely quit by then, we will at least not be smoking like a couple of chimneys and smelling up the new house.

    change of scenery and routine can be a big help, if i were you i would peg move in day as quit day as well, when is the big move?
  • klewis17
    klewis17 Posts: 3
    . I have been a smoker for 19 years. I promised myself that I wouldn't still be smoking when I turned 40, and here I am 38 and still at it.

    Good luck with quitting. I have said the same thing. I am 37 and thought I would be done by the time I was 30, then 35 and now... 40. Just think about how much better we will feel.
  • AmberMahfouz
    AmberMahfouz Posts: 316
    I have quit multiple times and will be quitting September 1st. I can't do it before then though. sorry! Good luck with yours!
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    Suggestion:
    Just wean down for 2 weeks, then quit cold turkey.
    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!
  • gavini
    gavini Posts: 248 Member
    I am on day 37 of no smoking!

    good for you! keep up the good work, i will be using you as a role model so no cheating allowed
  • gavini
    gavini Posts: 248 Member
    Count me in. Quit date is 7/23. I've been smoking for 20 years and everytime I quit I find a reason to go back!!!

    well no excuses this time, i just added you as a friend so we can be responsible for one another
  • AmberMagdalena
    AmberMagdalena Posts: 461 Member
    I was going to make my quit day for Aug 1st, the day after my birthday. Here is my smoking history:

    smoke per day - about 4-5 cigarettes per day, non-menthol
    started - regularly when i was 17 or 18, had my first at 14
    been smoking for - 10 years
    quit before - 2 or 3 times, longest for about a month
    live with other smokers - no
    favorite cigarette - in the car after work
    how will you deal with that time - put gum in before I get into the car
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member

    One thing I will add..... our family is moving to a new house. My husband and I made a pact not to smoke in the new house. So even if we don't completely quit by then, we will at least not be smoking like a couple of chimneys and smelling up the new house.

    change of scenery and routine can be a big help, if i were you i would peg move in day as quit day as well, when is the big move?

    We are moving September 1, when our lease is up on our current house. I am trying to at least cut back until then. I can go all day at work and have only 3 cigarettes, then when I get home, I'm a chimney, especially when I get on the laptop.
  • CEQuick75
    CEQuick75 Posts: 311 Member
    Count me in! It's a habit I quit a while ago that has been slowly creeping back.

    I started 18 years ago, smoked up to a pack a day for 7+ years. I was able to quit fairly easily, thanks to the change in environment (graduating college). I would smoke socially, maybe a few packs/year. About 2 years ago, it became a few smokes/day. My favorite smoke is on the way to work in the morning. How will I deal with that time? Well, I'm open to suggestions!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I am on day 37 of no smoking!

    good for you! keep up the good work, i will be using you as a role model so no cheating allowed

    This is true about no cheating. That one cigarette is what always brings me back in.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member

    And here's the miserable part.
    Your hunger will BURN for a month after that first week. Just BURN!

    What do you mean it will burn? My appetite didn't seem to change when I quit before. My ability to smell improved, but I didn't notice any other changes.
  • cristileigh
    cristileigh Posts: 158 Member
    ‎17 weeks SMOKE FREE..... 16lb weight loss.....Weights/Cardio has made my body stronger and my heart is stronger. WIN WIN. I'm so glad I didn't listen to all those people telling me to quit smoking and in 6 months work on weight loss/exercise. I feel that would have been a very big mistake because there is no telling how much weight I would have gained on top of what I have to lose already. Everyone said I was taking on too much at once.. In my mind it was all ONE challenge... Getting Healthy! The diet and exercise HELPED me to have something to focus on OTHER THAN cigarettes.
  • javagsd
    javagsd Posts: 82
    I'm in! I've tried 3 or 4 times over the past year, up to 3 weeks smokeless twice. I think it's more difficult than losing the weight.
    History - pack a day smoker for 50 yrs!
  • cristileigh
    cristileigh Posts: 158 Member
    ‎17 weeks SMOKE FREE..... 16lb weight loss.....Weights/Cardio has made my body stronger and my heart is stronger. WIN WIN. I'm so glad I didn't listen to all those people telling me to quit smoking and in 6 months work on weight loss/exercise. I feel that would have been a very big mistake because there is no telling how much weight I would have gained on top of what I have to lose already. Everyone said I was taking on too much at once.. In my mind it was all ONE challenge... Getting Healthy! The diet and exercise HELPED me to have something to focus on OTHER THAN cigarettes.

    I was a 1/2 pack a day smoker for 25 years. I quit cold turkey. I read Allen Carr Easy Way to Quit Smoking.
  • splashangel
    splashangel Posts: 494 Member
    It is hard to stop. Not impossible.
    GOOD FOR YOU!!!
  • redfroggie
    redfroggie Posts: 591 Member
    Tomorrow, July 19th will be my 3 year anniversary. Quitting was the best thing I've done! I used Champix to do it. Even after watching my Mother die of lung cancer it took me another 3 years to say I was ready. No one else smoked and I absolutely did not smoke in the house.
    We moved a few months later which actually helped with the habit side of it. Since I have never smoked while in this house I don't get phantom urges.

    I will say make sure you drink a lot of water. It helps flush the toxins out of your body. The first 48 hours are the hardest, after that the nicotine is out of your system, it's all about changing your habits and routines from then on.

    Good luck to each and every one of you. You won't regret it and you can so do this!
  • MissyMissy18
    MissyMissy18 Posts: 315 Member
    Yes!!! I'm so glad I saw this just now! I want to quit, and I finished my last pack almost 2 weeks ago (it will be 2 this Sunday)... I went cold turkey with the exception of this afternoon, I bummed one from a coworker because I was ready to rip my hair out from work frustrations. Surprisingly though, the first few hits felt great but the rest of the smoke kind of sucked! I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I thought I would! Anyway, I know it's still going to be a struggle... sometimes it feels like breaking up with a boyfriend who you know isn't right for you, but you're used to him being there! If any of you fellow quitters want to support each other and help keep each other accountable, don't hesistate to friend me!

    Here are my smoking stats:

    smoke per day - about 4-5 cigarettes per day, Parliament Lights
    started - I think I started regularly when I was 17... I probably had my first one when I was 15 or 16.
    been smoking for - 8 years
    quit before - never very seriously... I've gone a week or so and a month once
    live with other smokers - no
    favorite cigarette - Oh, so many... mid-morning at work, after dinner, with coffee on the weekends, and long drives in my car
    how will you deal with that time - chew on gum, sip on coffee or water, doing my workout in the afternoon. I think the weather is really going to help because smoking in this cloying heat & humidity is terribly unpleasant. Oh, and I got a new car recently and promised myself I wouldn't make it smell/look like a chimney like the last one!!
  • gavini
    gavini Posts: 248 Member
    My favorite smoke is on the way to work in the morning. How will I deal with that time? Well, I'm open to suggestions!

    welcome aboard!
    how long is your commute to work? oranges work well, something about the citrus and the natural sugar, and they need to be peeled and eaten and they are good for you so they keep your hands busy and hit a couple of good things.

    assuming you commute via car, can you get your car detailed or something and then not smoke in there again? the added desire to keep the car clean after you have spent money on getting it clean would likely help you keep that promise to yourself.

    could you bike to work instead? wont say i have never smoked on a bike but it isnt easy and it looks and feels kind of ridiculous.
  • CEQuick75
    CEQuick75 Posts: 311 Member
    My favorite smoke is on the way to work in the morning. How will I deal with that time? Well, I'm open to suggestions!

    welcome aboard!
    how long is your commute to work? oranges work well, something about the citrus and the natural sugar, and they need to be peeled and eaten and they are good for you so they keep your hands busy and hit a couple of good things.

    assuming you commute via car, can you get your car detailed or something and then not smoke in there again? the added desire to keep the car clean after you have spent money on getting it clean would likely help you keep that promise to yourself.

    could you bike to work instead? wont say i have never smoked on a bike but it isnt easy and it looks and feels kind of ridiculous.

    Great suggestions!

    Depending on traffic, it's a good half hour commute. Driving has always been my time to smoke. I like the idea of getting the car detailed...something it needs anyway! Driving and peeling an orange sounds a bit tricky. In the past, Altoids or other mints have helped. As much as I would love to bike to work, there are no good routes to take (plus as of Friday, I am dealing with a high ankle sprain...thanks to biking!)

    I'm fortunate that I am not around many smokers, so with some support, I'm pretty sure I can do this!

    Thank you in advance!