Smokers

Diana8923

Hi! I smoke since the age of 16. It's a vicious habit you can't get rid of that easy. I know that it will be quite a hassle when I will finally quit cigarettes. Smokers will know what I'm talking about.
Can anyone share a successful story about quitting cigarettes?
And is anyone else afraid they might gain weight if they stop smoking?!

Would love to start a support group for us smokers that also deal with weight problems.
:ohwell:

Cameronie

you ever think about trying those e-cigarettes?

Andrea8985

I smoke as well, on and off since I was 19 (almost 24 now). It's become a much more regular habit for me the past year or so. I know I'll quit eventually, just not quite there yet. I feel shallow admitting it, but I'm horribly afraid of gaining weight if I quit. I have a friend who quit smoking once and ended up starting again because she gained about 20lbs.

Andrea8985

you ever think about trying those e-cigarettes?

I have. So not the same (even the ones that contain nicotine), but they definitely do help! I'm sure that's what I'll be going to when I do finally quit.

paintlisapurple

Yes, I know what its like...I'm trying to quit now. Down from a pack or so a day to about 2-5 cigs a day. Its one of the most difficult things I've had to battle. If you'd like add'l support send me a friend request.

natasa26ca

I've quit smoking almost 2 years ago and yes i've gained 25 pound. Now i am trying to get back down to 115lbs. It is just a start but i am doing pretty good.
I also used to smoke since i was 15 and i absolutely loved it unlike most people i didnt want to quit.
But i was worried what it may do to my skin. I want to stay young looking as lonest as possible. So when i had a prefect chance to quit i took it.
I ran out of cigaretees at the place where i couldnt buy any and i was stuck there whole day. After maybe 6-7h of no smoking i was lossing my mind, going crazy and my hubby went to some store that was selling green teas. We tried few samples and by the time we were done with buying teas i was completely calm. All my nervousness was gone completely.I figured that green tea had some sort of calming afect on me. So i've decided to try and see how long i can go without smoking. I had like 10 cups of tea every day but it did calm me down and thats how i quit smoking.
I still had accasional nicotin cravings up to 6 months after i quit.
But now i feel sooo healthy and energetic.
I am glad i quit.

Diana8923

you ever think about trying those e-cigarettes?

I tried some of those last year, but the ones I bought had a horrible taste. Anyway, they helped for a week or two. A friend of mine bought a better one recently, I tried it and it wasn't bad at all. I plan on giving it a try myself. I think that might actually work for me.

Diana8923

I smoke as well, on and off since I was 19 (almost 24 now). It's become a much more regular habit for me the past year or so. I know I'll quit eventually, just not quite there yet. I feel shallow admitting it, but I'm horribly afraid of gaining weight if I quit. I have a friend who quit smoking once and ended up starting again because she gained about 20lbs.

I actually know 2 girls who gained a lot of weight after quitting. But I don't want that holding me back anymore! I wish you luck and if you want to talk more about that, add me.

Diana8923

Yes, I know what its like...I'm trying to quit now. Down from a pack or so a day to about 2-5 cigs a day. Its one of the most difficult things I've had to battle. If you'd like add'l support send me a friend request.

Thank you! I'm glad I found someone who goes through the same things as I do!

iWillGetCrowSomeday

Sit down, this is a long one.

I quit 11 months ago tomorrow after smoking a pack to a pack and a half a day for 10 years.

Before that, I tried many, many times to quit. I think the only difference was that this last time I really wanted it. I was sick of being a smoker. I felt embarrassed by how I stank. Even after a shower, the smoke smell was still in my hair and on my skin, on all my clothes, in my car. Heck, I recently opened up an old textbook and was smacked in the face with the stank of old stale cigarette smoke. Blech.

I tried cold turkey. This worked for 9 months for me in 2004. I still had cravings like crazy. I wasn't ready to quit, and with enough stress from a crappy restaurant job I picked the habit back up.

Later I tried the patch. I had an allergic reaction to the adhesive and had red squares all over my body, no matter where I tried to put that thing. I quit the patch.

I tried the gum. This was when the gum still tasted like butt. I hear it tastes much better now. This is not intended to be chewed like regular chewing gum. You chew it till it's soft, then wedge it between your cheek and gum, and the nicotine gets absorbed through the mucous membranes of your mouth. Between TMJ, tons of expensive dental work, and many other excuses, it didn't work for me because I wasn't ready to quit.

I tried the lozenge. I don't know if this has improved in the last 5 years, but this looked so promising. I thought it'd be like an altoid or something. It was more like an aspirin. Bad taste = noncompliance = kept smoking.

I tried the patch again, taking a benadryl 30 minutes before putting it on at bedtime. I was too hungover in the mornings from the benadryl to wake up for work and overslept 3 days in a row.

I tried cognitive behavioral therapy with guided meditation. This worked for 3 months for me. I still was not ready and found an excuse to start up again.

I got tired of the stigma. I hated the looks I got outside when non-smokers walked through my cloud. And I was going into nursing school. Most hospitals around me do not allow smoking on the premises, so I'd have to walk at least half a mile to a smoking spot. Not only that, but who wants a nurse who smells like smoke? How can a nurse who smells like smoke effectively promote healthy behavior in their patients?

I did my research and I went to my doctor and asked for Chantix anyway. She warned me. The internet warned me. The pharmacy warned me. I cannot recommend this method of quitting smoking, which sounds hypocritical because it sort of worked (though not in the way it was intended to). But seriously. Don't mess with this stuff. It should be removed from the market. I didn't just feel angry all the time. I felt blinding rage. All. The. Time. Not even close to what I felt when I quit cold turkey. This was a true neurochemically induced rage that I could feel vibrating in my skin, boiling at the surface. The dreams are nothing. Those go away in 2 weeks for most people. And I had some good trippy dreams. But that rage and anxiety, and the hysterical crying. Oh yeah, and the puking. I puked after most doses when I reached the 1mg twice a day point. This stuff destroyed my GI tract. This will be TMI for most, but Chantix took me from pooing twice a day to every 3-4 days. I was taking 4 colace a day with no improvement. So add constipation to that rage. It just stoked the flames. The worst part for me was that even after I quit smoking and quit Chantix, my mood didn't return to normal. I have depression anyway, which is likely a good part of that. But never have I ever felt as low as I did on Chantix, or after stopping Chantix. Even 6 months out.

In late June 2012 I went on a 10 day trip to California. I left my cigarettes, lighter, and Chantix at home. I smoked my last cigarette before leaving for BWI airport. I missed smoking at first, a little bit. But I was ready this time.

So maybe Chantix worked, but just not the way it was intended: I never want to have to take Chantix again. I never want to go through quitting smoking again. "Quitting smoking sucks" is an understatement. My experience with Chantix changed my brain on a biochemical level. Effed up doesn't begin to describe how I felt. I was a crying, angry, libido-less zombie. Oh, I didn't mention the lack of libido? Yeah, you forget you have lady or man parts. I didn't want to be touched. I didn't want my fiance to even think about touching me. Or breathing on me. Or talking to me. Or talking near me. Or anyone to do any of that or anything near me. I was a walking ball of fury, constipation and vomit.

But, I'm 11 months smoke-free. I'm running (which I'd never done before), exercising, and giving myself permission to take care of myself. Being smoke-free is amazing and freeing. I very rarely get cravings. I wouldn't even call them cravings. It's more of a compulsive thought that just *happens* out of nowhere. I don't act on it, and there's no urgency behind it like before. And they happen maybe once every 4 months.

Find your reasons to quit. Write them down. Keep them in your phone for easy access. Make a list of things you want to do as a non-smoker. Find your readiness and reasons to quit. You have to want it for it to stick. If nothing else, cut back as much as you can, even if it's just by 1 cigarette a day for a week (and so-on).

You also have to understand that smoking is more than a habit. It's a chemical addiction, a chemical dependence, and a physical addiction. Your body wants it. And you can never be that "Oh I only smoke when I drink" person, or "I'm just a social smoker," because THEY ARE SMOKERS, just bull s****ing themselves. They're still doing damage to their bodies. There are receptors in your body that become activated by the presence of nicotine. In the presence of nicotine, your body up-regulates or creates more nicotine receptors, creating more cravings. The more you smoke, the more addicted you get. This isn't even the most messed up part. Tobacco producers spray their tobacco plants with ammonia, which makes the nicotine absorb into your bloodstream at a ridiculously high rate, getting you addicted sooner. These aren't your mother's cigarettes anymore. (FWIW, the way Chantix works is it blocks the nicotine receptors from picking up the nicotine in your bloodstream, so your body down-regulates or produces less receptors, causing less cravings the longer you're on it).

Understand that you use smoking as a punishment/reward system. Make the connections between your smoking behavior, your eating behaviors, and any other addictive behaviors. When do you smoke? Why are you smoking? What could you be doing instead?

There are people who are on the patch or gum or lozenges for years. That's ok. Nicotine is not the cancer-causing agent. It's the 7,000 other chemicals.

Your local hospital likely has a quitting group. Check it out. They will help you get on the appropriate quit-smoking regimen for you. You can do combinations, where you wear the patch but use the gum for break-through cravings (yes, it's really ok to do that).

Don't use e-cigarettes. You're just inhaling different awful cancer-causing chemicals, because it's not just nicotine in those vapor capsules. And your exposing everyone around you to that crap too.

It's like the song, "You can get it if you really want..." You really have to want it for it to stick. And the more often you try to quit, the more likely you are to find a way that works for you.

Johanne1957

I quit a little over 2 years ago now. I have no cravings and so hate the smell now that I've apologized to ever have smelled like an ashtray...lol...

I used Champix, it worked like a charm...I used the whole prescription, not taking a chance as I smoked for 30 years on and off but I felt this time I wanted off for good...

Anyway, I thought, I can lose the weight but possibly couldn't get another pair of lungs so the cigarette goes first...I gained about 20lbs in the 2 years, which I've now lost with MFP and am on my 'back to health journey'...

What the most difficult part to get over is the 'fear' factor of quitting...thinking of the cravings and all...it's really not as difficult...you need to prepare ahead, think of situations, think of solutions etc...similar to weight loss prep in a way...

Good luck to everyone that wants to quit! You can do it!

ACrowsDay

Looks like you really did your homework! I have never been a smoker but lived with smokers...horrible! You put a lot of good information out there and I'm sure it will help someone, really serious, about quitting. Just wanted to let you know...thumbs up!

cjs3001

I quit about 3 months ago by simply just stopping. Being out with friends and especially when a drink is involved is HARD but I've been using Litejoy shisha cigarettes. I know they aren't for everyone as they don't have nicotine in them but its such an association thing with me that it helps to just have something else in my hand. I have gained weight but whether that's to do with the smoking or me just being lazy I'm not sure. Best of luck!

dayr1993

Im currently in the process of smoking, im a student so cant afford to smoke and also being a student i get all the quit stuff for free thought might as well quit whilst its free for me to do so... I must admit haven't gone out and bought cigs since feb HOWEVER i do tend to have a cig when im drunk, its habbit i have yet to have broken, drinking for me = cig but all the other times i dont mind the first few weeks were hard and yes my diet did struggle because of it but eventually your will power for smoking gets easier adn you can the apply it back to food again.

Its not easy but you deffo have to wait until your ready to quit, its not going to work otherwise, you will find a reason to start again, luckily i don't use the drink excuse to start again just to have a few that night and not have one again until i have a lot to drink again and this isn't regular max twice a month so good luck hope you get there

iWillGetCrowSomeday

I thought, I can lose the weight but possibly couldn't get another pair of lungs so the cigarette goes first.

Exactly! I gained maybe 10 lbs while taking Chantix. I was overweight before that, and I know I have an addictive personality and eat compulsively. When I first quit smoking, I went on an exercise binge. I can turn anything into an addiction lol.

lalaland82

you ever think about trying those e-cigarettes?

I smoke these now and have noticed a massive difference in my fitness level. I in no way think I could just stop smoking the e-cigarettes though - I have traded one addiction for another but my nurse seems happy with the switch.

Oh and I didn't gain any weight switching to e-cigarettes neither did I become devil woman trying to deal with the cravings.

MrsSWW

I quit in 2007, used patched for 6 weeks and then realised that I felt the same even if i'd forgotten to put it on in the morning. My husband quit about 2 weeks after me and went cold turkey.

I'd smoked for about 20 years and my husband most likely 30+, and were heavy smokers, not just 'social smokers' (there's a misnomer if ever I heard one :blushing: )

We both gained weight, partially because we replaced cigarettes with food, or rather, we were so used to ending a meal with a cigarette that by continuously eating we weren't faced with that 'Now I can't have a cigarette' moment; and when drinking alcohol I replaced *kitten* with peanuts, silly really.

Anyway, as you're already on MFP I really doubt that you will succumb as badly as I did, I really wish I'd been on here when I gave up and I wouldn't have gained any weight. You need to find an alternative to smoking when the habit triggers kick in, and that way you'll be in control right from the start. So think about when you smoke, what habits you'll find the hardest to break, and think of something else that you can do when you're likely to face those triggers.

Finally, gaining some weight is a very small price to pay for the benefits that being a non-smoker bring, not only in your skin, but your overall health. DO IT, for your future, DO IT. :flowerforyou:

Lennonluv2

I smoked from the age of seventeen until last June. So that's 26 years! Take away the nine months I was pregnant,

What changed for me was having a child, Last June my son brought home a letter from school saying "Mommy, please stop smoking" I didn't even know he knew!!! I never smoked in his presence. I thought I hid it from him, I was so ashamed!

The next day I quit, cold turkey. He was my inspiration, the final push I needed and I have never looked back. Good luck to you, it was the hardest thing I have ever done but I am super proud of myself for it and you will be too!!!

sugarlips1980

Hey, I was a major smokeaholic for 17 years. Got so frustrated with many, many failed attempts to quit and each time I tried I'd put on half a stone so I just kept failing at quitting and getting fatter over a 5 yr period!!! Now quit for almost 11 months AND lost 30 Ibs. (About half way to ideal). You've just got to decide enough's enough and you want a healthy, fabulous looking body more than you want to smoke. Sure it takes some effort but e everything worthwhile in life does! It is a tough habit to break for sure but it can be done - believing you can do it is the first step! I joined an online quit forum and posted almost every day for months, really addressing the issue. I tried I not make too many drastic changes all at once, but after 2 months of quitting I threw myself into fitness and that's stopped me from relapsing and smoking. You don't have to put on weight when you quit, these two goals actually go hand in hand! I get the odd psychological craving very infrequently now but I'm so over it, I'll never smoke again and I feel amazing. Do it!

sugarlips1980

you ever think about trying those e-cigarettes?

I smoke these now and have noticed a massive difference in my fitness level. I in no way think I could just stop smoking the e-cigarettes though - I have traded one addiction for another but my nurse seems happy with the switch.

Oh and I didn't gain any weight switching to e-cigarettes neither did I become devil woman trying to deal with the cravings.

That's great that you're off the *kitten*, well done...but... There are no cravings because you're still addicted to nicotine!!! People shouldn't kid themselves, they've taken a big step but true freedom is cold turkey. Good luck.

oliviabog

I found out i was pregnant 3 years ago and just stopped after smoking since i was 15 (with reckless abandon).

i started again for no particular reason around last November and it carried on till almost Feb this year. Talk about kicking myself in the butt. It got to a point where i couldn't think why i was even doing it so i just stopped. Now in mid way through training for a half marathon and i do not even think about smoking.

Here's my short list of tips (such as they are)

1. Don't buy anymore
2. Find some real motivation/inspiration
3. Really REALLY think about it and justify continuing the habit, you can't can you... It is impossible to justify that shallow little bit of enjoyment when you know what it's doing to you.
4. Replace it with something which directly contradicts the habit. For me it's running, i get so much more out of a run than i could ever get from a smoke. Plus I'm healthier and losing more weight...

There's loads of other stuff that can help. Whatever route is best for the individual but it is my personal belief that using nicotine in another way is just being weak willed. I just thought about how much i hurt myself over the time i did it and what i could have done if i'd never started. Now I'm working hard to take back what I've lost.

laurenz2501

I've been smoking since I was 18. 11 years. It's horrible. So expensive. But I honestly love it. I kind of chain smoke. Scratch that. Okay, I chain smoke. I would probably save $30/week if I quit since I probably buy a pack 5 times a week. That's $120/month which would cover the cost of my cell phone or cable bill. It's crazy! I also quit in 2006 for a year. I used the patch and it worked well that time. This time I tried to quit a few weeks ago, used a generic patch that my friend gave me. I put it on my shoulder blade and it made my whole right arm hurt. Not sure why. So I would use it until I felt the pain coming back then take it off. That did the trick for 2 days while I was away with family (I NEVER smoke in front of them. They hate it and it makes them sad). As soon as I came back I started again. I also tried the e-cig about a month before that. I didn't really like it. Nice concept but it's too heavy and doesn't feel like a cigarette. It feels like a long AA battery and the vapor actually bothered my lungs more than a real cigarette. Plus it was weird and kind of felt like a show like "ooh yes I'm trying to quit smoking look at my cool blu e-cig with the little light on it. I can smoke in this restaurant or in your house now!" Haha. I know I'm not mentally ready to quit. But it's scary because I think the only time I really will be is if/when I get cancer/emphysema/COPD or pregnant. But who knows, by that time I might say "Screw it I already have cancer". I know what cancer looks like since my fiancee passed away from brain cancer. We quit together for a year, but then when he passed away I started smoking again at the funeral for obvious stress-related reasons.

It's a really tough road. I would strongly encourage anyone to just not even start. It's soooo not worth it at all. The cons outweigh the pros by leaps and bounds. It's really sad how big of an industry it is because all of these companies should not only be shut down but also sued and the CEO's incarcerated.

p.s. Also DEATHLY afraid of gaining weight again. When I quit for a year my weight went up to 190. Highest it has ever been in my life. I'm 5'4"! But I was also pretty much living in a hospital, going to college and working part-time at a stupid job. So none of those things helped!

iWillGetCrowSomeday

I've been smoking since I was 18. 11 years. It's horrible. So expensive. But I honestly love it. I kind of chain smoke. Scratch that. Okay, I chain smoke. I would probably save $30/week if I quit since I probably buy a pack 5 times a week. That's $120/month which would cover the cost of my cell phone or cable bill. It's crazy! I also quit in 2006 for a year. I used the patch and it worked well that time. This time I tried to quit a few weeks ago, used a generic patch that my friend gave me. I put it on my shoulder blade and it made my whole right arm hurt. Not sure why. So I would use it until I felt the pain coming back then take it off. That did the trick for 2 days while I was away with family (I NEVER smoke in front of them. They hate it and it makes them sad). As soon as I came back I started again. I also tried the e-cig about a month before that. I didn't really like it. Nice concept but it's too heavy and doesn't feel like a cigarette. It feels like a long AA battery and the vapor actually bothered my lungs more than a real cigarette. Plus it was weird and kind of felt like a show like "ooh yes I'm trying to quit smoking look at my cool blu e-cig with the little light on it. I can smoke in this restaurant or in your house now!" Haha. I know I'm not mentally ready to quit. But it's scary because I think the only time I really will be is if/when I get cancer/emphysema/COPD or pregnant. But who knows, by that time I might say "Screw it I already have cancer". I know what cancer looks like since my fiancee passed away from brain cancer. We quit together for a year, but then when he passed away I started smoking again at the funeral for obvious stress-related reasons.

It's a really tough road. I would strongly encourage anyone to just not even start. It's soooo not worth it at all. The cons outweigh the pros by leaps and bounds. It's really sad how big of an industry it is because all of these companies should not only be shut down but also sued and the CEO's incarcerated.

p.s. Also DEATHLY afraid of gaining weight again. When I quit for a year my weight went up to 190. Highest it has ever been in my life. I'm 5'4"! But I was also pretty much living in a hospital, going to college and working part-time at a stupid job. So none of those things helped!

You have been through hell and back. Look how far you've come! I understand your line of thinking. We ("smokeaholics" I think someone said -love it) rationalize the habit. You sound like you're on the trajectory to quit, you've got the motivating factors, it sounds like your family could be a great support system. And like another poster said, you don't have to gain weight when you quit, and if you do, you can lose the weight. Lungs are a lot harder to come by! You'll get to your right place.

One of the things that helped motivate me was that my gyno refused to prescribe me birth control pills if I was still smoking because of the risk of DVT. At the time I was really frustrated (and too scared to lie to her about it). I'm glad she did that because a) it motivated me to quit, and b) after starting nursing school and seeing 3 patients with DVT related to being on the pill as smokers, that stuff is no joke. It ruins lives.

_Resolve_

I quit a 20 year smoking habit cold turkey a year and a half ago. You have to be ready to do this or its not going to happen, cutting back from a pack to 2 or 3 a day is pointless, you need to just stop. The first 2 weeks will be pure hell, insomnia, mood swings from angry to sad to really angry to really sad. I drank LOTS of water and did deep breathing to get past the really bad moments.

After a month you will feel better, the mood swings should stop and all that is left is the urges to smoke.. I wont lie and tell you the urges will stop soon, they take about 6 months before you totally forget about them. But its all about self control.. and you can do it!

I know this all sounds like a "hassle" .. and it is. BUT the other side of things is to continue to smoke, you will smell like crap, you will spend a crazy amount of money and all for the price of early death. It isnt a possibility that you will die young, its a guarantee. You will end up with COPD or Cancer or both. So stop now, you will be glad you did.

I cant stand how smokers smell now, its a dirty, stupid, ugly habit that will kill you.

healthytanya1

I've been smoking about 10 years and tried quitting a couple times. It's really hard doing cardio as a smoker but I just haven't hit that point of really wanting it enough to quit. Maybe when I lose all my weight I will feel better about myself and want to quit smoking.

Diana8923

Hi guys!!! I want you to know that I quit smoking 5 weeks ago. I am now a happy non-smoker, thanks to the Allen Carr book that a friend on this forum sent me. I had so much support from you guys... Thank you!
I was so eager to write here my own success story and now I can. After 5 weeks, I now consider myself cured. Quitting is muuuuuch easier than I thought it would be. I didn't gain weight - I even lost 2 kilos - I didn't lock myself in the house, but I went out more; I continue to drink my coffee, take my breaks and hang out with my smoking friends (these things I learned in the book). And I really think now that I took the best decision I could take.

If anyone needs someone to talk to about quitting smoking, feel free to add me.

Lots of hugs! :flowerforyou:

LeviLeDoux

I know this thread is a few days old, but still wanted to give my 2 cents.

I was a smoker for 17 years until about 9 months ago when I started using a personal vaporizer. I did not have the withdrawal symptoms as I had trying other methods of quitting in the past, and it's much healthier. My lungs no longer feel bruised, I lost my smoker's cough, and I can actually breathe again.
The chemicals in e-cigs, opposed to the false information posted here, are not terrible for you. The juice I use contains propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, flavor, and nicotine. I know exactly what I am putting into my body at all times, and the juice I use is no more harmful than using a nebulizer minus the medicine. Nicotine, in and of itself, is no more harmful to the body than caffeine, as it is also merely a stimulant (not to mention the most widely used one on this planet) and does not cause cancer.

Side note: Those little Blu e-cigs and the like are not the same as personal vaporizers. Cigarette companies will shortly be coming out with their very own version. Am I surprised? Hell no. You should have seen big tobacco lobbyists here at our capitol on the day a bill to tax and treat personal vaporizers the same as cigarettes was to be reviewed. Disgusting, but I digress.

Overall, I am extremely happy with my choice to quit smoking and my choice to start vaping. I love it and I feel great! I highly recommend stopping into your local vape shop for some information. :flowerforyou:

Trapwolf

Im scared too..Ive been trying to ween down w/ the electric ciggs, but I still smoke about a pack a day...argh. But Ive decided to start slowly doing it, ...like the first day ( today) I am only having 1 cigg per hr, then next week, only 1 every 2 hrs, and when I crave in between I will have the electric cigg.

I am more afraid of snapping ..because I have anxiety issues than gaining weight.

I have been smoking 21 years..im 35 and I have COPD( Lung Disease)...
I say lets do this.

Kellbellftw

I've also smoked since about the age of 15/16 and I quit a little over a year and a half ago. I've quit time and time before, but always went back. This time I just woke up one morning and thought I wanted to quit. REALLY WANTED to quit, that was the key. I haven't smoked a cigarette since then, and never will. Even the smell of them make me sick, I couldn't imagine how I would feel actually inhaling one!! I didn't have an issue with it causing me to gain weight. I didn't have to replace my habit with gum or candy, so I didn't have that issue I guess. I hope one day you have the strength and motivation to kick the habit! Besides marrying my husband, that was the best decisions I have EVER made!

Skyetropics

I quit smoking 60 days ago (give or a take a few) just by stopping. In order to stop smoking, you have to WANT to stop. That is only the first step. You have to decide why you want to stop and ask yourself if that is important enough to you. I quit smoking when I was pregnant with my daughter and after for almost 2 years. I told myself she was important enough to me to quit. and it was nasty anyway! Well sure enough after all that good work and tough talk, I let myself fall right off the wagon with a resounding thud to the point where last November after not smoking but maybe as cigarette or 2 per week (socially), I was smoking a half pack a week. I missed my hubby and was stressed out of my mind about bills and such. I never smoked around my daughter because I think it is just wrong to smoke around anyone that doesnt. Let them have a chance. Slowly though I cut down because it was interferring with the little workouts I was managing to do (pre MFP). Sucked! Finally I figured why I needed to quit and I had done it before so I could do it again. For good this time.....and I did. The first couple weeks are the worst but once you get past that, there really is no turning back. I am a BIG girl and have not gained any weight. Ive been losing weight actually. Not as fast as I would like but the scale is slowly moving.

I hate to see people constantly worry about gaining weight after cigs. You are here now with all these good people. You are not out there with no support system. You can lose weight after quitting. It is all in our mind. Finding that self control and making time for yourself. Telling yourself that you are worth so much more than that cigarette, that bowl of ice cream wanting to take it's place.....

GamerGirly

When I started my weight loss journey it was a very slow process. My weight and smoking prevented me from doing a whole lot. I started out walking on the treadmill. I pushed myself to go 20 minutes at a slow pace. (2.5) I could taste blood (so it seemed) in my mouth. I panted and whined for weeks. I was so out of shape it was awful. I got to where walking 20 minutes was no longer as much of a struggle as before (about a month in to the regimen) So I decided to intermittently throw in some jogging. As expected.. back to panting and taste of blood. It was awful.

I dawned on me that.. I didn't want to have to stop running or stop walking because I couldn't breath. I wanted to stop when my body was screaming at me. I was always physically active growing up. I knew my limits. I thought.. 20 mins? Are you freaking kidding me? I knew I had to quit smoking. I wanted to quit smoking.. I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO RUN!! I wanted to feel pain in my body. Not the feeling of my lungs trying to collapse. Nor feeling dizzy after walking/running. It was frustrating.

Side Note: I am the type of person who analyzes EVERYTHING!

So, I decided to try the patches. I tried them for 2-3 days.. But, I didn't have any cravings. I wanted to quit. I wanted to run. I wanted to spend $200 a month on clothes or workout equipment. I didn't WANT or NEED to smoke. So, the patch, to me was, merely a crutch of a habit that I had no desire to EVER return to. Screw the patch!! I don't need a crutch!

I haven't smoked since.

I quit April 29th. 2013

I now can run a mile in 10 minutes (Not the best time BUT..... My body SCREAMS at me!!)

I have had tendonitis, it sucked.. But, I still ran even though it hurt (On the days I wasn't limping)

Set your goals..

Above all... You have to WANT to quit.

Add me if you would like.