Must stop Smoking and and cut down Boozing!!!

"not that I smoke much, but with alcohol I am a mad woman and could smoke more than a chimney"

I know many people with this same habit. Alot of people say here to get your smoking under control when in fact I say drink less often. When you get to drinking it lowers your inhibitions which makes self control meaningless. Sure its a good idea to cut down your smoking to ultimately stop but when your hooked one always leads to another it just goes hand in hand. People say why pollute your lungs then try to be healthy? Its not that polluting your lungs is most folks aim its the Nicotine that people are after and smoking is the most popular and socially excepted way of instantly getting that fix. When you drink the more it effects your nervous system thus the more you crave a smoke. So back to my point drink less smoke less. I did this a long time ago and got myself to only drink once a week and that would be the only time I smoked then I really didnt care for smoking any time other than those few hours. Its not perfect but it can be a start and if you choose at that point then you can quit but again for most smokers drinking and smoking just goes hand in hand.... good luck!

You have two incredible challenges ahead, but if I can do it so can you!.. I tried to quit numerous ways, succeded twice actually. But going into the bar with my smoker friends always sabotaged me,.. with alcohol, the craving overtook me and it only took a puff each time and I was right back where I started.

About 7 years ago I had enough (again) and quit cold turkey. Baby carrots were my friend and not only helped me overcome the physical need to be holding something, but satisfied the oral fixations as well. It was better than a year before I went into a bar, and I limited myself to just a couple drinks with friends outside of the usual haunts. Seriously, once you get your sence of smell back, your friends will reak and you will want to distance yourself.

Just so you know, even after all this time, I still have the occasional urge to smoke. No way will I ever want to smell like my smoker friends again, so that urge gets squashed very easily now.

The downside is my metabolism has changed and with it a significant weight change. Which is why I am on this site today!

Another thing. I've quit so many times now (and obviously failed at all previous attempts) that when I tell my friends "I'm quitting smoking again!" it's kind of like the boy that cried wolf effect. I don't have the support from them that I did in the beginning - the shine has kind of wore off.

BUT, I've learned that's ok...why? Because I don't want to focus on it 24/7. I find when I'm focused on it ALL of the time (and my friends are too) that I'm *thinking* about it all of the time. Having it on my mind isn't a good thing.

I've found what works for me now is to put it on the back burner of my mind. I don't talk about it (except for here on MFP) and I rarely even think about it. It's amazing how much I've 'forgotten' about it in just 3 short weeks.

I "quit" smoking in 2007. I went cold turkey and failed a couple times, but each time I attempted to quit, it was longer and longer until I no longer craved or needed a smoke. It has been 4 going on 5 years and I still crave a smoke when I go out and party. It has gotten a lot easier in the last couple years since our state banned smoking in bars. You now have to go outside to smoke and in the winter when it's 0 degrees with a -30 wind chill, smoking just doesn't seem all that important. I think as long as you are going to drink, you will never quit smoking 100%. I can have a drink without a smoke now, but those 3-4 times a year when I really go out to party, I generally end up smoking too. The next day when my throat hurts and I'm coughing up major luges, I am reminded why I quit smoking! One thing I will say, is don't discouraged with your weight loss journey if you quit. Chances are you will gain a few pounds, but once the initial craving are over, you will be able to get back on track with your weight loss. Quitting smoking is definetely worth the few extra pounds. You will feel amazing!

Hi, I am doing the same. Managed to stop the smoking, but finding it hard to cut down on the boozing, now going for only drinking Friday night saturday and Sunday. The social side is the hard part for me..