Smoke Free on MFP: No More Butts Group

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sarahbear1981
sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
in Motivation and Support
So I was thinking of starting a support group on the forum for those of us who are trying to quit smoking, so we can have somewhere to vent when it gets difficult, so we can give each other tips and talk about how freakin hard it is to quit. On top of that I know it is difficult to quit and not gain weight so those of us quitting need some extra support! My day to start quitting is June 1st and my quit date is my birthday August 14th!

Anyone who is quitting or has quit is welcome to join. Just put a post here and when we get several people we'll close the group and get started. You can make some suggestions about what topic we could have for each day of the week or how you think this should be run. Anyone interested or know someone who might be? Let me know! :smokin:
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Replies

  • crystalslight
    crystalslight Posts: 322 Member
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    I'm bumping this for my sister. :)
  • soshotout
    soshotout Posts: 115
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    I am so in with you! I will start quitting with you on June 1st and set my quit date for my bday as well - July 1st. What a bday present we will give ourselves, huh?
  • sarahbear1981
    sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
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    I am so in with you! I will start quitting with you on June 1st and set my quit date for my bday as well - July 1st. What a bday present we will give ourselves, huh?

    That's definitely what I was thinking. I am sick and tired of being controlled by nicotine. I figure if I am making healthy choices then not smoking should be one of them. I can't wait for my birthday and how great it will be to blow out the 30 candles on my cake with no problem! Glad you are making this commitment!
  • LINNETTE37
    LINNETTE37 Posts: 10
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    I am ready to quit with you and will set my quit date for June 1st as well...this is awesome thank you!
  • sarahbear1981
    sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
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    I am ready to quit with you and will set my quit date for June 1st as well...this is awesome thank you!

    No, thank you. I know I can't do this without support. We will all be there for each other. It's so much easier to go through something difficult when you have other people suffering right along with you. Hopefully this forum will help make things less painful. I'm getting excited!
  • sarahbear1981
    sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
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    So I thought I would give some background on myself. I have been smoking since I was 14 years old. That's 16 years in August. way to long if you ask me. I have noticed over the past couple of months, since I started exercising and using MFP, how much smoking has really affected my activity level and ability to move. Granted my weight is a factor as well, but I feel like if I quit smoking then exercising will be much easier. I am scared to death to quit and at the same time I know that if I don't then I will die much sooner than I want to. So after 16 years of puffing away I have decided to stop slowly sabotaging my life with smoking. I am going to be using the patch to help with cravings and I am doing the whole ten week program with nicoderm CQ.

    It doesn't matter how you plan on quitting as long as you plan on it. The first thing to do is set a day to be completely smoke free. For me that date is August 14th. 2011. My 30th birthday. The more people we have join the better; even if you aren't ready to quit just yet. This group might help you make that decision. So sign up people. You are only doing yourself a favor!
  • sarahbear1981
    sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
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    BUMP! Come on you smokers just sign up!! :smokin:
  • Learning2LoveMe
    Learning2LoveMe Posts: 1,430 Member
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    Hey there... I just re-quit today! I've quit a few times in the past couple years... I seem to do great and then something big happens and I can't find a way to manage the stress so I end up smoking again. Hopefully not this time!

    I started smoking when I was 10.... so I've been smoking off and on (mostly on) for the past 16 years :noway: Kinda crazy to think about... over half my life I've been a smoker. Maybe that is why it is so hard to stop it.

    Anywho - nice to meet you all!
  • sarahbear1981
    sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
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    @ Learning2LoveMe: I am so glad you decided to join us! Thanks! I think this time will be different for you. Now you have support!
  • sarahbear1981
    sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
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    This is a letter I received from a fellow MFPer when I started this forum post. It is really inspiring. Maybe this will help some of you decide to quit or feel encouraged. I know it certainly helped me. :

    I know you can do this! quitting the disgusting habit of tobacco is far from easy and oh-so-pleasing once you prevail! one of the hardest mountains to climb and such a blessing as you head back down to the valley of FREEDOM from addiction!
    I did it on Memorial Day 2007 and was amazed when I looked over at the community "Recent Forum Topics" on the right and saw your message today! I felt like you were talking to me!

    As you can probably guess I am celebrating my freedom from nicotine today (as I do every day), and very grateful to say that I have no desire left either. I started by cutting back, light brands, patches, using Wellbutrin and then cutting back again, and then, finally after 25 years of "trying to quit" under my belt...it happened. I believe that the secret to my success was picking a day and sticking to it. I decided that Memorial Day would be the day and it worked!!!

    Maybe that's all you need. Belief in yourself that YOU can DECIDE your own fate when it comes to whether or not you want to buy, open, light, smoke, extinguish, do-it-all-over-again-20-times-a-day....I know that you don't!!! I sense a sincerity within your message and the fact that you are reaching out to other addicts is AWESOME!

    Best wishes and remember you can kick this habit! GO FOR IT!!!!
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
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    please please please count me in!! i gave up once for 2 years burt started again last year and MUST stop!!!
  • sarahbear1981
    sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
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    please please please count me in!! i gave up once for 2 years burt started again last year and MUST stop!!!

    Awesome! Thanks so much for deciding to join us! Edited to add: BTW, I think that if you quit once you can definitely do it again!
  • LovelySnugs
    LovelySnugs Posts: 389
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    i was invited by SarahBear - and i am TOTALLY IN. my husband jokingly bought me my own pack of cigarrettes for our anniversary 2 weeks ago. i stretched it out as long as i could and finished it Saturday. i have now officially been a 'non-smoker' for 45hours now.

    it's not bad yet, but i'll be back with some more info on myself and my story later.
  • iamthepreston
    iamthepreston Posts: 195 Member
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    I might get in let me think about it. I dont smoke. I prefer the smokeless tobaco.
  • gailygail99
    gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
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    hey guys!! i am a recovering smoker and i know that you all can do it. :bigsmile:

    about 2 or so years ago i was talking to my doc. he told me that i had to do two things, quit smoking and then lose weight. i had smoked for over 15yrs and of course had been overweight too. he told me to NOT try and do them both at the same time, it would be too stressful and he was right!! :wink:

    he wanted to give me Chantix and I had the perscription but never filled it. my BF (best friend) used it and said that it made him sick and have the craziest dreams so i said NO WAY. we then also tried the eCIG, one of those vapor cigs. That made us each PUKE! it was so nasty! then we just decided to do it cold turkey! i did it Dec 2009 and he did it Jan 2010. I had one small relapse Sept 2010 and smoked a pack and then had another really small one, smoked about 5 cigs, Nov 2010. Then that was it! So I still say that my quit date was Dec 2009. :tongue: So I have been smoke free ever since. I did not worry about my weight during any of my quitting. the quitting was hard enough. i did start to carry around a huge ice water with me every where i went and have to say that i am now addicted to ice. (i have chipped two teeth already and my dentist doesnt like that but he is happy that i quit smoking) it was stressful and i still think about cigs. but i have to admit that the smell makes me sick and i feel horrible about all of the people that had to walk through my wake of smoke in the past. :smokin:

    so now i have moved on to my weight loss journey!

    god luck to you all!! i know that you can do it!! :bigsmile:
  • soshotout
    soshotout Posts: 115
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    Bumping This Up!

    I've been smoking for the better part of 26 years. I have quit before for periods of time. Four years being the longest. I am finding it much harder to quit this time. My bf and my oldest daughter both smoke and live with me. But, I'm starting to feel absolutely horrible and I know it is the smoking. I don't want to kill myself over a stupid cigarette. I have five children and I want to be around for them as they get older.

    Part of my journey to fitness is to lose the cigs no matter what. I look forward to doing this with you all and having / giving the support and encouragement we need. I doubt I will get any here at home!
  • sarahbear1981
    sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
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    @ LovelySnugs: I am so glad you decided to join us.

    @ gailygail99: Thanks so much for sharing your story we look forward to your input.

    @ iamthepreston: I know it says we are quitting smoking but smokeless tobacco is just as bad and I really hope you decide to join us. The addiction is the same even if the method of delivery is different.
  • sarahbear1981
    sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
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    Okay, so far we have nine group members and a potential tenth and I am hoping to get 20 regular members signed up. Come on people let's chuck the cancer sticks into the trash and become healthier easier breathers!

    I need ten more brave souls to join us! You can be someone who has already kicked the habit, someone who is quitting with me tomorrow or someone who is hoping to quit in the near future. Just because you aren't quitting right away doesn't mean you can't join. Maybe this group will help you make that decision. Heck, you can even be someone who just wants to support us. Age, gender nationality ect don't matter as long as you are willing to participate! We are an equal opportunity group :bigsmile: Just post on this thread and let me know you want in :smokin:
  • alsnipes
    alsnipes Posts: 34 Member
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    Count me in!!!! Just started a blog about it and i think if we're all in the same boat, it'll be easier:)
    Bump
  • shellshell43
    shellshell43 Posts: 116
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    I have been smoke free for six weeks now. A couple of months ago I saw a news cast of this lovely lady who was in her upper 80s...she was amazing, fit, active, happy and still enjoying her life. She said two of the best things she ever did for herself was 1) quit smoking when she was 40, and 2) exercise to stay active and lean. That was it for me, I was sold on her plan..I quit cold turkey and had some strategies to keep my snacking at bay and my cravings at a minimum. They worked and I haven't has a smoke not one cheat since that day. I feel like a non smoker and the weight is being kept at bay with this site and my exercise program ( I have gained 1 pound over the 6 weeks added to the 9 I already wanted to lose) . I would love to share my experiences and be your support when you need it. You can do it!!!! I smoked from the time I was 16 until 43.....

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