How are my fellow new non-smokers doing?
Replies
-
150 days!!!!
I want a longer life more than I want a cigarette!!! LOL0 -
23 days and 30 minutes...lol
Still think about it a lot but not so much as a craving. when I actually think about lighting a cigarette, I know it would taste gross. there truly were only a few of my 20 per day that I really enjoyed. the rest were just necessities I suppose
I was really hoping that I had a solid plan in place to not gain weight after quitting, and I'm sad to say that I have put on about 8 lbs. In 3 weeks. I am hoping that about half of that is water retention. it is definitely from eating above my maintenance calories, and truth be told that the majority of those have come from sugar! lol. I think I've been trying to get that nicotine rush with a sugar rush. it doesn't work and therefore kept trying with more and more calories. I am working on getting my calories back down to 20% below my maintenance calories and will keep you posted on the progress as I was looking for weight gain/loss stats before I had quit as well.
I am shocked and thrilled that I've been able to come this far and continue one day at a time!! congratulations to all who have quit, and to those thinking about it....you can do it!! just put your head down and plow through the first week....it gets much easier after that:):). I'm actually starting to feel like a normal human being again! lol 0 -
Nelly, that's amazing! I think, don't worry too much about the 8 lbs, that'll sort itself out with conscientiousness, sooner or later. I think it's good your attention's going to what needs it now.
I caved. I've been caved for 3 days. It's kind of funny, actually. The MOUNTAINS of gum I was chewing (3-6 pieces at a time, once an hour), plus the odd nicotine lozenge, badly cut up my gums, tongue and teeth, and caused some kind of reaction. I don't know if it was constantly bathing my mouth in a soup of fake sugar and cortisol or what. I did read that cinammon gum, which I'd been using, might upset the mouth ecology somehow. Anyway, I had to stop that, because I couldn't actually chew food without pain.
So I was without my new oral fix. Then I had a huge argument with a sibling about a heavy subject. And there was a smoke around, and no amount of 'surf the urge' or breathing could calm me down, and I picked it up. I have been smoking maybe half of what I used to since, but quickening up to my regular pace. Lungs burning again.
SO, tomorrow, I quit caving, and start again.0 -
Awww don't despair! I had decided to go cold turkey and muscle through the discomfort for the first few days....OMG it was difficult!! I don't think that I would do that again should I ever have to! LOL
I had tried the gum a few years ago and it burned my cheek. I didn't like it at all. I also tried the Nicorette inhaler. It burned my throat. haha How hilarious is that????
A couple of my friends have had great success with the e-cig and another with the patch. We are in Canada and our e-cigs don't have any nicotine in them...the one's they used were from the States.
I've been really upset about the weight gain, but my husband told me last night that I've 'done something so much more important for my body and my family'. I am trying to remember that today while I work through another craving.
Plus, he said if I ever started smoking and put THEM through my quitting again, he'll be PI$$ED!! lolol Apparently I've been a 'challenge' to be around over the last few weeks.:):)
Good luck to you....don't get discouraged. Any amount of quitting and cutting back is better than none. If you can get past the worst of it, then you'll just be done with it for the most part. I try to remind myself that if I start and stop and start and stop, I will just be dragging out the misery of it all!! You CAN do this!!0 -
Any amount of quitting and cutting back is better than none. If you can get past the worst of it, then you'll just be done with it for the most part. I try to remind myself that if I start and stop and start and stop, I will just be dragging out the misery of it all!! You CAN do this!!
Exactly, this was and is my mindset.
I also quit cold turkey because I am more of a "rip off the band-aid quickly" kind of person. Ohhhh, it sucked. However, after I came out the other side unscathed, I knew I never EVER wanted to go through that again.0 -
Yes it really does suck!! However, once you get past a lot the expected 'relapse' stages, it gets easier as you go along.
I was told last night that there are a few time frame hurdles. 3 days, 3 weeks and 3 months. Seems to be the consensus based on some of the posts in regard to cravings and caving.
I am a few days into week 4 and I have to admit that I've had some pretty strong cravings the last 2 days. I'm hoping next week I'll be past a lot of it. Just trying to get my damn diet under control now!! LOL 0 -
I smoked for 16 years and this week I celebrated my 6 month non-smoking anniversary! WOOT WOOT! I think I was ready because after the first month, it really was easy for me. Yeah, I think about it every now and again, but I rarly CRAVE a cigarette. I wish it was that easy with food/sweets. I'm having a tough time cutting those out of my diet. But none-the-less, I'm healthier because I am smoke free! One step at a time!
Congrats to all of you, whether you are one day in or 1 year in, you are doing better than someone who it not trying!!!0 -
Awww don't despair! I had decided to go cold turkey and muscle through the discomfort for the first few days....OMG it was difficult!! I don't think that I would do that again should I ever have to! LOL
I had tried the gum a few years ago and it burned my cheek. I didn't like it at all. I also tried the Nicorette inhaler. It burned my throat. haha How hilarious is that????
A couple of my friends have had great success with the e-cig and another with the patch. We are in Canada and our e-cigs don't have any nicotine in them...the one's they used were from the States.
I've been really upset about the weight gain, but my husband told me last night that I've 'done something so much more important for my body and my family'. I am trying to remember that today while I work through another craving.
Plus, he said if I ever started smoking and put THEM through my quitting again, he'll be PI$$ED!! lolol Apparently I've been a 'challenge' to be around over the last few weeks.:):)
Good luck to you....don't get discouraged. Any amount of quitting and cutting back is better than none. If you can get past the worst of it, then you'll just be done with it for the most part. I try to remind myself that if I start and stop and start and stop, I will just be dragging out the misery of it all!! You CAN do this!!
Thank you so much, nelly! The e-cig sounds like something worth trying... it's got to be better than smoking... I didn't manage today, but am gearing myself up again
Ramping up to it takes some headspace and commitment..
Your husband's 100% right, about the tradeoff... In addition to having you around longer, not having a smoking parent will really help your kids avoid it for themselves in the future I believe you can maintain your positivity and focus, absolutely
The weight, that's a cinch in comparison. I think the gain will level off, and as long as you keep your fitness and nutrition in reasonable ranges, it'll be easy to attack that once you're out of the woods 0 -
Any amount of quitting and cutting back is better than none. If you can get past the worst of it, then you'll just be done with it for the most part. I try to remind myself that if I start and stop and start and stop, I will just be dragging out the misery of it all!! You CAN do this!!
Exactly, this was and is my mindset.
I also quit cold turkey because I am more of a "rip off the band-aid quickly" kind of person. Ohhhh, it sucked. However, after I came out the other side unscathed, I knew I never EVER wanted to go through that again.
I think that's what's kind of aversive about the idea of stopping again... wow writing that made me realize I'm fully relapsed
But, on one hand, it's kind of easy too, right? It can be a flip of a switch, right? It's possible to decide just not to do it.. Man, going back to the Carr book tonight!0 -
Any amount of quitting and cutting back is better than none. If you can get past the worst of it, then you'll just be done with it for the most part. I try to remind myself that if I start and stop and start and stop, I will just be dragging out the misery of it all!! You CAN do this!!
Exactly, this was and is my mindset.
I also quit cold turkey because I am more of a "rip off the band-aid quickly" kind of person. Ohhhh, it sucked. However, after I came out the other side unscathed, I knew I never EVER wanted to go through that again.
I think that's what's kind of aversive about the idea of stopping again... wow writing that made me realize I'm fully relapsed
But, on one hand, it's kind of easy too, right? It can be a flip of a switch, right? It's possible to decide just not to do it.. Man, going back to the Carr book tonight!
yes the Allan Carr book is amazing!! plus there are a few websites that have been helpful for people too. just Google quit smoking and you'll see some support sites. www.whyquit.com is one I believe.
unfortunately I am hearing more and more about smoking related illnesses in my age group (40), and not chancing one of these diagnosis' is what keeps me quit when I'm struggling. Not nice to think about, and I was one of the biggest smokers in denial, but it is what has been keeping me on track.0 -
Any amount of quitting and cutting back is better than none. If you can get past the worst of it, then you'll just be done with it for the most part. I try to remind myself that if I start and stop and start and stop, I will just be dragging out the misery of it all!! You CAN do this!!
Exactly, this was and is my mindset.
I also quit cold turkey because I am more of a "rip off the band-aid quickly" kind of person. Ohhhh, it sucked. However, after I came out the other side unscathed, I knew I never EVER wanted to go through that again.
I think that's what's kind of aversive about the idea of stopping again... wow writing that made me realize I'm fully relapsed
But, on one hand, it's kind of easy too, right? It can be a flip of a switch, right? It's possible to decide just not to do it.. Man, going back to the Carr book tonight!
yes the Allan Carr book is amazing!! plus there are a few websites that have been helpful for people too. just Google quit smoking and you'll see some support sites. www.whyquit.com is one I believe.
unfortunately I am hearing more and more about smoking related illnesses in my age group (40), and not chancing one of these diagnosis' is what keeps me quit when I'm struggling. Not nice to think about, and I was one of the biggest smokers in denial, but it is what has been keeping me on track.
Yeah, it's scary stuff, definitely a powerful motivator.
Thank you for the link, I'll check it out 0 -
1 year and 9 months for me
thank goodness!0
