So I smoke...

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boymommy3x
boymommy3x Posts: 36 Member
in Motivation and Support
As part of my fitness goal, I want to quit smoking. I have been a smoker for almost 7 years, & although the I have cut back SIGNIFICANTLY, I find it very hard to totally cut the habit (& the times I did cut it totally, the few days I did, I found myself developing new bad habits). I have tried a lot of different options. Quitting cold turkey, slowly cutting back, chewing gum, hard candy, but I am really struggling to just throw the habit all together. Any smokers also trying to quit or ex smokers with some quitting advice? Please no rude comments.
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  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,339 Member
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    Good for you for trying!!!!!! I smoked for 23 years, but finally successfully quit 10 years ago...BEST THING I EVER DID FOR MYSELF....it's not easy, but doable...I had tried no less than ELEVEN times, unsuccessfully...the patch helped, but didn't control the mind urges...Nicorette gum made me sick.. The thing is, we are all different...for me, watching my hubby's dad pass away made something CLICK inside me...standing outside smoking at the funeral home made me feel like an absolute loser and terrible person....The day we buried that sweet man, I had my last puff...ever. I was so ashamed that cigarettes proved to be stronger than my respect and love for that man, that THAT is what it took for me...Good luck to you, you can do this...it's not easy, but I promise you, if you pull it off, the PRIDE you will feel in yourself is awesome, and no one can take that away from you. xo
  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
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    I don't have any tips, but I'm so proud of you for trying. I've seen people I love struggle with it, so I understand how hard it is.

    Even cutting back is a big step.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    i got a Blu ecigarette. smoked it till it was gone and then i was done. bf straight cold turkeyed it.
    i didn't really have too many cravings, it was just a habit i needed ot break
  • leanne0627
    leanne0627 Posts: 109 Member
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    Trying to quit too. It doesn't go well with my new healthy lifestyle. Nothing worse than spending 2 hours at the gym then lighting up on the way home. I had my doctor prescribe champix a medicine that is supposed to block nicotine and help me quit. Im only a week in but it seems to be working. It does Have a lot of aide effects too so its probably not good for everyone. Anyways add me as a friend for support if you'd like and good luck its tough but we can do this!
  • MommyL2015
    MommyL2015 Posts: 1,411 Member
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    First of all, it's not a habit. It's a physical addiction to nicotine. Mindlessly munching down a bag of chips or biting your fingernails are bad habits. The hand-to-mouth motion with smoking becomes a habit, though, which is why it's easy to start over eating when people quit.

    I found the only thing that worked for me was an electronic cigarette. I still have one with zero nic for occassions where I just feel like I want to just light up, but it's been 4 years now since I bought my first crappy, overpriced mall kit (which I don't recommend!) and I haven't smoked a cigarette since. I probably took a year to get completely off nicotine. I find it completely helps with the hand-to-mouth motions that smokers find hard to cope with, which can lead to over eating, to give our hands something to do.

    Some people can go cold turkey. I am not one of those people. Well, I can, but I end up overeating and ultimately start smoking again every time I try. The gum and patch make me ill and don't take care of the hand-to-mouth thing that I struggled with.
  • Saphira291
    Saphira291 Posts: 54 Member
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    I used to be a smoker and every time I tried to quit using a cut back method or using like the patch or gum I went right back to it. In my personal opinion it's a lot better to go cold turkey and just force the nicotine out of your system. It sucks for a little while but it gets easier and easier. Good ways to combat cravings are to drink a lot of water (also supposed to flush the nicotine out faster, not sure how true it is) and exercise. I noticed the more I kept moving and busy the less I thought about smoking. Maybe try picking up a hobby or something as well to keep yourself occupied from that desire to smoke just because you're bored.

    Also when you go to quit get yourself a new toothbrush, the nicotine can linger on the bristles.

    This is definitely not an easy thing to do, but keep at it. You'll get there eventually.
  • BabyUnicorn3
    BabyUnicorn3 Posts: 81 Member
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    I've been an on/off smoker for a while too. quite for a few months start up again for a few months... now I'm smoking an e-cig and although it's not "quiting" i find it better than real cigarettes. I'm slowing trying to stop that too. - it's hard. For me it's not a nicotine thing, it's a habit forming thing. when your are stressed you reach for a smoke, when you finsih eating, when you wake up before bed, in the morning that one right before - on break at work - it gives you a "peace to yourself" it's a socailization for me. I quite for about 5 months then I started a job and my good friend smoked so natuarlly I picked it back up when I was going through a hard time, then I quite again for 6 months then I start for 2 months then swtiched to e-cigs. I can quit cold-turkey if I have something to replace it. so you have to find something that replace the "reflex" to pick up a cigarette and switch it.

    I'm in school and we are leanring about the brain and nervous system and smoking is a reflex just as much as hitting yout knee kicks your foot at the doctors - so if you can stop the "Reflex" you can stop the habit... I'm still trying to find min for the e-cig but at least it's better than a real cigarette - I think. I'm also trying to stop drinking diet soda... I'm bad with that too. I'm beginning to replace it with tea and so far i'm down to about one or two soda verses my 4-6...

    Good luck dear!
  • boymommy3x
    boymommy3x Posts: 36 Member
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    Thank you all so much! You're advice is just awesome and what I need. It also doesn't help that 99% of the people around me are also smokers, so it's so easy to be out and about and just bum a cigarette when I am trying to quit. But all of your advice and motivation is awesome, thank you so much!
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,646 Member
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    MommyL2015 wrote: »
    I found the only thing that worked for me was an electronic cigarette.

    This was what worked for me as well. I got a good vape kit, and the strongest nicotine I could get, then, when that bottle ran out, I stepped it down a strength in the vapor juice. When that bottle ran out, I stepped down again... etc and so forth until I had 0 MG strength liquid and then it was just the habit of hand to mouth.

    I started drinking water in smaller sips to work on that habit, and started a couch to 5 k program which helped get out some of my stress and cravings.

    It's tough, but you've got this. All it takes is a desire to quit, and patience with yourself when you think the cravings will overtake you. Doesn't hurt to have a support group or "sponsor" type person you can call when the going get's rough, either.

  • klkarlen
    klkarlen Posts: 4,366 Member
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    I was a "chronic quitter" for many years, would give them up for years at a time, some high stress situation would send me running to the corner store and lighting up. 3 1/2 years ago I was in the hospital for 3 days - they kept asking me if I wanted a patch, I told them no. When I got out I figured out how much money I would save per day/week/month/year if I quit, and I never smoked again. I would also count the smoke free days and the amount of money saved on a calendar.

    And even during high stress days I have not even wanted one. So I think this time I'm done with them for good.


  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I haven't had a cigarette in over three years now...I used a vaporizer (e-cig) to help me quit. I tapered down the nicotine in my vaporizer over the course of months until I was to zero....then I quit vaping. Unfortunately, some stress and what not these last couple months has had me reaching for my e-cig again, but it's better than the alternative and going back to cigarettes. I'm currently in process of weening myself back off the e-cig again.
  • ECTexan
    ECTexan Posts: 195 Member
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    I went cold turkey as well. I smoked a pack a day until one day I just said, that's it, I'm done. For me, changing my routine helped a lot. There were certain triggers, times during the day, and points in daily commutes where I would usually smoke. I mixed it all up and took my work breaks at different times and avoided going outside with everyone else, drove a different route to work, and instead of smoking after a meal, I went for a walk. I lived with a smoker at the time and most of my friends were doing it as well so for a while I had to avoid everyone when they were smoking. Smoking is really social and I think sometimes that can be the hardest part. It's been 7 years now and I actually can't even stand the taste or smell of cigarettes anymore.
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,268 Member
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    I've been a non-smoker for 10 years now. I was hypnotized along side my sister and neither one of us looked back. We also had each other for support and motivation. Try hypnosis if you can and just make sure you have a buddy who is quitting also or just quit, b/c you need that support badly. someone to keep you from going to the store and buying cigarettes is a huge part of it. Best of luck! quitting was the best thing I've ever done for myself and my future.
  • angerelle
    angerelle Posts: 175 Member
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    I read Allen Carr's "Easy Way to stop smoking" (the slim version of it if you can get it). You continue smoking while you are reading the book, by the end of it I couldn't wait to grind out that last cigarette. I went from years of smoking 20 a day to none, with no withdrawal and apart from a few brief weeks in the middle (I reread the book), I haven't smoked for about 20 years. I don't remember gaining weight, but food tasted better and I understood what was so good about olive oil for the first time!
  • boymommy3x
    boymommy3x Posts: 36 Member
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    I am now hitting my weak point when it comes to smoking. I just finished lunch, a healthy lunch that I portioned out just right. But I still feel hungry. I don't want to because I know that's not the answer. The only other option that I can think of is to step outside and have a cigarette.
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,646 Member
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    have some water instead... or tea... or coffee... anything.
  • beastier
    beastier Posts: 1,908 Member
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    Saw the thread title & wondered in what context you meant that you smoked ;-)
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,339 Member
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    mamarissy wrote: »
    I am now hitting my weak point when it comes to smoking. I just finished lunch, a healthy lunch that I portioned out just right. But I still feel hungry. I don't want to because I know that's not the answer. The only other option that I can think of is to step outside and have a cigarette.

    There's lots of other options depending on your work atmosphere...you could go have a conversation with someone else who's on lunch...if you have an office, you could close the door and drop and do some pushups/crunches, whatever....you could call a friend for a few mins....anything....you could go do your makeup in the bathroom...you could pickup a book and read a few pages....if you are still hungry, you could eat a little more, it won't kill you, and may just crush that initial urge for a smoke...you can do this....you CAN...a lot of the process is about what you tell yourself, how you talk to yourself...just like with losing weight....If you say, the ONLY other option is to smoke, then it will be. My friend, you're worth more than that xo
  • jessspurr
    jessspurr Posts: 258 Member
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    Another vote for Allen Carr's book. Seriously life changing. How does it work? I have no idea! The things he says are just mind blowing. I am a very down to earth "normal" person. You can kind of tell by my approach to weight loss that I don't entertain nonsense. This BOOK though! Seriously changed my life. It's free somewhere online too. I honestly think reading the book is probably like hypnosis somehow. That is the best way I can describe it. Quitting smoking changes your life!!! I smoked about 3/4 of a pack a day for 15 years. I never thought I would be able to quit. But now here I am 18 months later...I had already made the decision to quit when I picked up the book so I wasn't smoking while I was reading it as the book encourages you to do but I will tell you that once I finished the book I never picked up a cig again. I WAS still on nicotine patches though and that may have helped I think. I didn't use them for a really long time though- maybe a couple weeks. Oh girl. I wish I could get you to believe me that you CAN do it and that the intense feelings of craving and sadness DO go away eventually if you stick with it. I mean, I remember people telling me that when I was quitting and just would think to myself "yeah right. They don't know how much I LOVE smoking." I do. I DO know how much you love smoking. I know how hard and depressing it is going to be for a while after you quit. I was so depressed. Logically, I just couldn't bring myself to smoke after reading the book, but I still had the illogical feelings. I felt like my best friend DIED. I also felt like I would never again be able to enjoy anything ever again for the rest of my life. I felt I would never be able to enjoy driving or going on vacation or having a drink with friends ever again, but guess what? I do still enjoy those things without cigarettes! You will too! I PROMISE! I will tell you that I still THINK about cigarettes sometimes but those thoughts aren't really cravings. Like it's just a fleeting thought and then it goes away and even those thoughts become fewer and farther in between! I believe in you!!! Give it a year and you will look back and be soooooo happy you quit!!
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    edited October 2015
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    I smoked a pack a day for about 14 years. I quit about 9 years ago and it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I tried every method from cold turkey to the patch to the gum. Chantix was what worked for me. But it will give you crazy dreams.

    I still think about smoking every day. About once a year I'll get loaded up and have a cigarette and that is usually enough since it is never good. Like in my mind the cigarettes are awesome. In reality they are stinky and make my eyes burn.

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