Quitting smoking?

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LydsVille77
LydsVille77 Posts: 126 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I figured after changing my whole lifestyle to eat right and be active... I should probably give up smoking if I really want to be healthy. However... It is a LOT harder than I thought. Day 1... and I want to cry? Any tips or advice anyone? I feel helpless but don't want to give up.

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  • Mama_Jag
    Mama_Jag Posts: 474 Member
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    The first 72 hours are the worst, it takes that long to get past the initial physical addiction. Remember, if you sneak one, the clock resets.

    You can do it. Just know that, it will feel like you can't. You are a non-smoker now, not a person trying to quit. I told myself that and it helped tremendously - the mind is powerful.

    :flowerforyou: Congratulations on making such a wonderful choice.
  • lilgemforgets
    lilgemforgets Posts: 285
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    I tried going cold turkey but failed terribly!!! I have done a gradual cut down, now i am on 1 a day and it feels great! I am almost there!
  • kls13la
    kls13la Posts: 377 Member
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    Yes, the first 72 hours are killer. I was climbing the walls and a cranky mess! But, you can do it. Do self affirmations (for me, I just kept repeating "I will not smoke today"), snack on carrot sticks or celery, and stay busy. Go for a long walk. Drink a glass of water when you get a craving. Just do something else whenever you feel that craving to try to get your mind off it. (It is very, very hard, but you can do it!)

    You will not regret quitting smoking. I quit on March 22 and haven't looked back. Just stay tough. You will not smoke today!
  • suemar74
    suemar74 Posts: 447 Member
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    I read "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" by Alan Carr.

    Best thing I ever did, and it was my only successful quit (3 years in October). Every other attempt was just a pause...not a quit :)

    Good luck, and never quit quitting!
  • DontStopB_Leakin
    DontStopB_Leakin Posts: 3,863 Member
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    I'm currently a smoker, but I have quit before. I quit due to pregnancy, and I stayed off while I was nursing (I went back because I had a momentary freak out with being a new parent and my will power failed me). Even though I'm certainly not a "quit smoking success story" since I currently smoke, I will say it was MUCH easier to quit cold turkey since I had a reason other than myself.

    Humans tend to put others before themselves, and this applies to smoking as well. So maybe you could keep your willpower up knowing that you quit smoking will be better for those around you? I don't know if that will work for you, but that's how my mind works.
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
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    I have tried, everything. I have tried everything on numerous occassions. Hypnosis, Alan Carr, CBT, NLP, NRT, Special stop smoking drugs, natural remedy, will power.


    Number 18, I succeeded. Nicotine Oral spray and patches (NRT)

    Plus, "I am not smoking today." and from "below average" on the Life fitness FIT TEST mode to "Very Good" at 10 levels higher.


    Most ex-smokers have to try and try again. But I applaud the first time quitters.
  • hstalgren
    hstalgren Posts: 1
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    Way to go!! I'm going through the same thing. Just keep that "Why I'm Quitting" list close at hand and look at it often. When you want that cigarette: take a walk, a bath/shower or chew some gum (sugar free of course :). I find trying something new helps- Yoga, Zumba..... something fun with new people. Also- try to avoid those triggers. Drink lots of water the first 72 hours- it will help. Good luck! You're doing something wonderful for yourself!
  • Elen_Sia
    Elen_Sia Posts: 638 Member
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    I quit in stages that took 12 weeks. It wasn't because I was unwilling to quit. I was foolishly determined to prove that I could still kick serious butt in cardio as a smoker. I had to swallow my pride when I realized I couldn't make further gains on the stair climber because of my limited lung capacity. And I was hopelessly hooked on endorphins and adrenaline. Since I wanted a bigger endorphin rush, I decided to kick the smoking habit by first switching to lower-nicotine cigarettes and then dropping the number of sticks smoked to only 1 a day.

    Never suffered a single withdrawal symptom after my last cigarette on Mar 23. :smile:
  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
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    congratulations on deciding to quit! I will tell you, quitting smoking was the BEST thing I have ever done. But also one of the hardest, of course. You have to realize it is going to be hard, and it's going to be a struggle...but every minute that passes and you didn't have a cigarette, is one minute closer to things getting easier. I promise. The first few days, as others have mentioned, will be rough. Keep yourself as busy as you possibly can, and try to be in places where smoking is NOT an option. Avoid things that would have triggered a cigarette in the past (drinking alcohol, coffee, stepping outside after a meal, etc). Write down a list of all the reasons you want to quit, and keep it handy. Refer to it often. Talk to people who have been through it when you are feeling weak. YOU ARE STRONGER THAN CIGARETTES. You just have to believe that!
  • stuffinmuffin
    stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
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    I did it and it was seriously one of the best things I've done. I'd even rate it above improving my physical fitness through exercise and losing weight.

    It IS tough and the first few weeks are damn tough. My tips for you would be to keep as busy and distracted as possible - change routines that you associate with smoking - for me one of the biggest changes has been eating breakfast (Instead of smoking with a cup of coffee) and doing cardio exercise as it's one thing that shows a quick improvement of health/lung capacity etc.

    I also used patches and those Nicorete lozenge things for the first month.

    Keep at it and best of luck!!! Also have a reference of reasons WHY you want to quit and at the time I also found a time-line of how you body physically recovered from smoking - i.e. nicotine ieaving the bloodstream, heart health etc - which gave clear almost 'time goals' to hit to restore me back to pre-smoking health! Unfortunately I still have 8.5 years until I recover full lung health but I guess my running is also helping....

    xxx
  • hpettenger
    hpettenger Posts: 27 Member
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    I am currently in the process of quitting too, and I've gradually stepped down my daily number of cigarettes. Some days I can go without any at all. And, at the most I smoke maybe 2-3 a day. A friend of mine has had success with the e-cig. If you like menthol, buy regulars and that might help you smoke less too. Good luck!
  • Discoveri
    Discoveri Posts: 435 Member
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    My last smoke was over a month ago. I am still on the nicotine lozenges and have lost 7 pounds since quitting. I don't have the willpower to wean myself off of cigs but I applaud anyone who can do that.

    Try to stay away from places that would trigger your smoking desire (I had to stay out of my den for about 2 weeks before I could just sit comfortably on the couch without wanting a cig). Drink water and brush your teeth whenever you get a bad craving. There is a free app if you have a smartphone called quit now. I recommend that anyone quitting install that onto their phone.
  • vendygirl
    vendygirl Posts: 718 Member
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    The hardest part is breaking the actual habit of smoking, ie in the car, after meals, with coffee etc.
    Took me several years and several tries to quit. In the end making myself sick on smoking too many at once is what finally got me to stop. i don't recommend it.

    I used gum to help me mostly and not being around other smokers helped as well. There are a on-line communities that can help you as well.

    Just take it a day at a time. Really push through those first 72 hours because getting your system completely free of nicotine is the first step.

    Keep a list of why you are quitting and when you get that urge just power through it. Either take some deep breaths, a quick walk around to ignore it or drink some water, just anything but picking up that smoke.

    You REALLY have to want to quit as well. If your heart isn't in to quitting then it is a losing battle. Some people know they should quit but they just don't want too. You sound as if your heart is in it so just power through. Having a someone to talk to when you feel weak helps as well. It does get easier as time goes one but those first few days/weeks are the roughest.

    Good luck!
  • daMutz
    daMutz Posts: 11 Member
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    My husband and quit last October using Chantix. It does alter your mood (at least somewhat) so we tried to be aware of our feelings and reactions towards others and about everything. It helped us tremendously with the cravings and I dont think I could have quit without it. I still have cravings all the time (people at work smoke around me), while my husband not so much (no smoking where he works).

    Good luck, you can do it!

    PS the bad side is we both but on about 30lbs, but we're getting it back off slowly.
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
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    Chantix is Champix just about everywhere but the USA.

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