I just quit smoking !!!!!

single toughest thing I've ever done. I was addicted to the nicotene gum for years too. I work 70 hour weeks, have 3 kids at home, a demanding career and have been through a lot in life in general BUT nothing came close to the physical, mental and emotional energy spent actually quitting smoking / nicotene. So stick with it. It gets better. Since then I've finished p90X, Insanity and a bunch of other programs I would never have been able to do as a smoker (at least not as effectively).

Every time I got the urge I did the following:

2 minute breathing drills ala Tony Robbins (breathe in for a count or 3, hold for a count of 12 and exhale for a count of 6- 2/4/8 or any combo of 1x/4x/2x works just as well) and then chug a tall glass of ice water. The breathing helps to clean your lymphatic system and the water pushes the toxins your releasing out through the digestive system. Plus its relaxing which is what I used to get from cigarettes. You will notice some dizziness initially but that's good. I also chewed the ice instead of eating as you definitely have the oral fixation of needing to put something in your mouth. Keeping celery and carrots handy helps too.

Here are some helpful links:
http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/2510.asp

http://whyquit.com/whyquit/a_benefits_time_table.html

Hope that helps

Best of luck and stay strong!!!

Congrats!! Keep up the journey. Remind yourself everyday about your goals.

Congrats!! You will feel 100% better. I quit July 1st of last year and feel great. I wasn't exercising like I should have been and gained a bit of weight, but I am now back down to where I was when I quit.

I'm an ex-smoker myself, so congratulations to you! You are doing a great thing for youself. You may add me for support, if you'd like.

ajhugz, where is your blog???

Never mind. I am still new here and didn't realize you were posting what someone else posted. Found the link, read the blog, and especially glad that I quit smoking when I did.

I've never smoked, but my partner did. She quit about 4 years ago. She says if you can get past the first week, you got it.

Feel free to add me for support! I'm a smoker, but want to quit soon. I wanted to get started on my fitness and diet goals first, so I would already have good eating habits going and not switch my habit from ciggs to snacks. How did you quit? Just cold turkey, or some kind of help?? I would love some advice and extra support.

Feel free to add me for support! I'm a smoker, but want to quit soon. I wanted to get started on my fitness and diet goals first, so I would already have good eating habits going and not switch my habit from ciggs to snacks. How did you quit? Just cold turkey, or some kind of help?? I would love some advice and extra support.

How can you start on your fitness if you still smoke? surely it is an excuse, just do it, you have support from everyone on here, quit for 7 days and it's downhill from there

Hoorrrraaayyyyy for you !! Well done !:flowerforyou:

Feel free to add me for support! I'm a smoker, but want to quit soon. I wanted to get started on my fitness and diet goals first, so I would already have good eating habits going and not switch my habit from ciggs to snacks. How did you quit? Just cold turkey, or some kind of help?? I would love some advice and extra support.

How can you start on your fitness if you still smoke? surely it is an excuse, just do it, you have support from everyone on here, quit for 7 days and it's downhill from there

I did the C25K program as a full time one pack per day smoker I would regularily run 5k's a couple times per week plus do bootcamp 3 days per week. I'd have already had 3 cigarette's before my 9am bootcamp class!!

In all honesty, I think I pushed myself harder BECAUSE I was a smoker. I am 45 days smoke free and am getting back into my more intense workout schedule. I really slacked off the last few weeks and have only done some HIIT workouts a few days per week and some runs here and there. I had half expected the clouds to part and be able to effortlessly run 10k but that didn't happen and I was pissed off!! LOL I was a total grump, and it took me a few weeks to feel like a human being again.

Now, I feel amazing and am ready to re-commit to my diet and fitness goals! Oh, and I HIGHLY recommend Allen Carr's Easy Way to Quit Smoking!!

Good luck everyone!! You CAN DO THIS! you will go from 'I can NOT smoke' to "I CAN not smoke". Very liberating!!

Kudos for quitting! I quit almost 4 years ago, after 12 years of smoking (yes, I started when I was 13. No, my parents did not know and when they found out I got grounded for a gazillion years)... It is not as hard as you might think, and once you find a way to keep your mind off it (like walking), it gets much easier. Even if you have a wee relapse, don't go back to smoking. :flowerforyou:

Im on day 2 of quitting chewing .....the one thing that helps is thinking about everyone whos ever quit nobody ever says man i wish i wouldnt have quit......so it must be worth it

I don't know about chewing... but sometimes I do wish I hadn't stopped smoking so I go out and buy myself a pack of good 'ol Marlboro reds and light one... And it hits me, I quit because they are nasty. But I miss the company sometimes... that's what beer is for I guess :drinker:

me too!! Whenever i "quit" i start craving food like I'll never get another meal. It's so difficult to quit smoking and alter nutrition styles at the same time. My doc told me to try chewing gum instead of excess eating. It worked for me a bit. I haven't completely quit but I have lessened my intake dramatically of both nicotine and food lol

Whoot Whoot!! Good for you, Im on the same page..need to quit this bad habit soon!

Congrats!! I am three years smoke free and used to smoke up to 2 packs a day. I was one of those people that most thought I'd never be able to quit, including myself.... so, my advice is "one day at a time", and "what is new, will become normal soon". You can do it, I am here to encourage you too! PS... I just started gaining weight in the last year... so don't let weight gain deter you!:happy:

Congratulations! As you know, you've got to make up for the metabolism boost of smoking. Don't be like my mother and make your activity eating a quart of ice cream every night.