Advice for a soon to be non-smoker?
mnishi
Posts: 419 Member
I've decided to quite smoking on Jan 1st!!! And I'm going to try to replace smoking with running, I'm hoping that it I focus on running, it might make the cravings easier. If all goes well, I will reward myself at the end of Feb by signing up for the Chicago Marathon (something I've always wanted to accomplish but couldn't because of smoking). I've been a smoker for half my life, 15 years, and I'm so scared that I won't be able to do this and will just end up disappointing myself. Are there any ex-smokers that have some advice for me?
Also, if there are any smokers that would like to join me, we can kill this habit together!
Also, if there are any smokers that would like to join me, we can kill this habit together!
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Replies
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Why don't you quit tomorrow?? Why wait until January 1st??0
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When I gave up (1998) I used mint chewing gum to help. It meant I had something in my mouth, so didn't need to eat to stop the cravings. Also a lot cheaper than nicotine replacement. Good luck with your journey with this.0
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I am doing the same thing. Getting a diet and exercise program set up an going then kicking the smoking Jan. 1st. Add me and we can help each other out.0
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Why don't you quit tomorrow?? Why wait until January 1st??
^^^This!!!0 -
i just joined the "quitting smoking group. literally just joined, about two minutes ago. i smoke in a lot of social situations, and then i'll go weeks without smoking, and then just pick up a pack and go through it in like, four days. its a crappy habit, and i want to quit. i was thinking about really doing it Jan 1st too, but the last time i had a cigarette was Nov 12th, and i think i'm just going to go from there.
Four days without a cigarette.0 -
Why don't you quit tomorrow?? Why wait until January 1st??
^^This.
If you really, REALLY, REALLY want to quit, what stops you? Just do it. Stop holding yourself back.
Make the change in your life that you want!0 -
mnishi, jessilyn76 has a good idea, quit now. Start trying to quit now instead of putting all the stress on a January 1 deadline. I smoked for a few years and just threw them in the trash and quit cold turkey which was extremely hard. Put your faith in God to help you and HE will take your habit away, HE did mine. Good luck0
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Feel free to add me too! I'm planning on quitting by January as well! Good luck all!0
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If you drink at all (even socially), you may want to stop that for a while as well. At least til you get the hang of not smoking. I find that even one drink can trigger cravings.
It takes practice to be a non smoker. I still cave occasionally (about once every 2 weeks) and it creates tons of guilt. But it never triggers a trip to the store for a pack. Small victories, I guess...
All I know is that I want to be a non-smoker and you can't be one of those if you are still smoking.
Best to you. Just remember, that smoking only makes you think you feel better about whatever in life is stressing you. In reality, if you take a few deep, satisfying breathes, you are doing much more to actually improve your physical and mental well being that a puff off a cancer stick ever would
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First of all..way to go on your decision to quit smoking...your body will thank you..I will be smoke free 7 years this january...it wasn't easy..but it can be done..replacing it with exercise is a great idea...everytime I would get a craving I would chew some gum or brush my teeth, or drink lots of cold water...hope this helps and lots of luck to you
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I quit smoking January 17 of last year, when I turned 40. I had smoked for 26 years!! I was told about a book titled THE EASY WAY TO STOP SMOKING by Alan Carr. What a great book! I read it and didnt pick up another smoke since. I really recommend buying it, Found it at Borders for $13.95. Good luck!!0
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Why don't you quit tomorrow?? Why wait until January 1st??
Setting a date for when to quit is a lot easier than just doing it for most people. Its like saying goodbye to an old friend and you need to prepare for that. Its emotional when you think of all the times you have a cigarette and what you'll be missing out on.
When you have actually quit for just a few days you will start thinking "what on earth was I doing to myself?"
The biggest tip I can give is not to replace the cigarettes with snacks. So many people say they put on weight when they quit but they don't know why. My nana did that. I reminded her that she was eating a huge bar of chocolate EVERY DAY! Nicotine does not make you thin. Giving it up does not make you fat.
Oh and don't even give listening space to anyone who tells you that you can't quit and lose weight at the same time because you can. I have quit 3 times now and I never gained weight because of it.
Good luck. Enjoy your Christmas ciggies and then say goodbye without a backward glance
xx0 -
Something that helped me quit was tallying up all the money I would spend on smokes for a week/month/year. Take that money, put it aside, and use it to spoil youself once you have reached a certain point.
I like to do this anually (It turned out that I smoked 1500$ in a year - and I was buying the cheap ones - EEEP. Now, every year on June 16th, I get myself something silly/ridiculous (250$ haircut, overpriced boots, ect).
When you start, I say do it every two weeks, then a month, then a year. Its a nice reward system, on TOP of the fact that you will feel SO MUCH BETTER.
Congrats and good luck!0 -
Quit 5 minutes ago! That *kitten* is NASTY and is KILLING you. Don't wait, don't use a different crutch in it's place. Be strong and kick that crap to the curb!
Don't make me remind you tomorrow.0 -
I quit smoking January 17 of last year, when I turned 40. I had smoked for 26 years!! I was told about a book titled THE EASY WAY TO STOP SMOKING by Alan Carr. What a great book! I read it and didnt pick up another smoke since. I really recommend buying it, Found it at Borders for $13.95. Good luck!!
^^^This
I've been smoke free for 6 years and I used this book - excellent had to read it twice before it clicked but it worked I too quit smoking after 28 years you can do it!0 -
Thanks for the advice everybody! The reason I've decided on Jan 1st is because of the stress of working, finals in school, and the holidays all at once. I'm also going to try to ween myself off over the next month and a half, I've tried quiting cold turkey and that usually lasts about an hour.
I know people quit smoking all the time, but this will probably be one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.0 -
Don't wait, that's just junkie thinking ....." i can smoke as much as i want until....." Just do it. Do it now. I'm coming up on 3 years smoke free and have never felt better in my life. One thing that really helped me after 15+ years of smoking was joining a support group such as "smokin cessation' on about.com You will meet people in all stages of the quit and all the advice is great. Plus everyone has gone through or is going throught the same feelings, cravings etc that you have. Exercise helps a bunch.
You can do this!!!!0 -
This January will be 2 years smoke free and I had been smoking for about 13 years. My recommendation is when you really truly want to quit just quit. My last cigarette was January 23 of 2010 and I haven't looked back. You're gonna have to just look at everyday as..."well I made it another day, I'm sure I can make it this one too". I know for me the hardest part was driving and after eating. If you have a blue tooth or and earpiece maybe try getting on the phone to distract you from the fact that you don't have a cigarette and after eating just try to immediately occupy your time with something else. Get on MFP, go for a walk, or anything you can think of that would take your mind off of it. Another big one is just quit. I had quit several times before and always let myself smoke at bars or social gathering....then I always started again. Just quit and remember all the money you're gonna save, the health you're gaining back, AND your clothes wont stink! Lol Good luck to you and congratulations!0
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Why don't you quit tomorrow?? Why wait until January 1st??
Setting a date for when to quit is a lot easier than just doing it for most people. Its like saying goodbye to an old friend and you need to prepare for that. Its emotional when you think of all the times you have a cigarette and what you'll be missing out on.
When you have actually quit for just a few days you will start thinking "what on earth was I doing to myself?"
The biggest tip I can give is not to replace the cigarettes with snacks. So many people say they put on weight when they quit but they don't know why. My nana did that. I reminded her that she was eating a huge bar of chocolate EVERY DAY! Nicotine does not make you thin. Giving it up does not make you fat.
Oh and don't even give listening space to anyone who tells you that you can't quit and lose weight at the same time because you can. I have quit 3 times now and I never gained weight because of it.
Good luck. Enjoy your Christmas ciggies and then say goodbye without a backward glance
xx
Wow! You hit the nail of the head. Someone that's never smoked doesn't understand that cigarettes ARE like a friend, and one that you've had a lot of good times with. You're whole life revolves around smoking, and planning your next cigarette.0 -
I haven't smoked myself, but have helped a lot of people to quit smoking or known people who have quit. Here's what helped them:
Join a support group. I don't know if every state has them, but I know Colorado has a quit line that will send you patches and help you to sign up for a support group and send you daily emails or texts for motivation and to remind you why you're doing it. Even if you don't initially plan on using the patches or gum, at least you have the option if the cravings are worse than you expected.
Running is just one of the things you should do to help out with quitting. Make sure you also have other coping skills planned. A lot of the habits that smokers have developed are subconscious and can increase the cravings. Examples are chewing gum and developing some other habit you can do that includes the whole arm to mouth movement. Since you're already on a diet plan, having snacks like carrots or celery or whatnot handy can help. Maybe even see about having some low-cal treats that trigger an endorphin rush/reaction to help with cravings.
Avoid that places that you purchased cigarettes or smoked them. Just the place can trigger a craving. Also, the people you used to smoke with may not be the most supportive and may trigger you too just through comments that they say without even thinking. I have a co-worker who quit 2 years ago who will still feel the urge to smoke when some of our other co-workers leave to go out for a smoke after meetings.
Those are the biggest things I can think of. Good luck and let us know how it goes.0 -
Why don't you quit tomorrow?? Why wait until January 1st??
Setting a date for when to quit is a lot easier than just doing it for most people. Its like saying goodbye to an old friend and you need to prepare for that. Its emotional when you think of all the times you have a cigarette and what you'll be missing out on.
When you have actually quit for just a few days you will start thinking "what on earth was I doing to myself?"
The biggest tip I can give is not to replace the cigarettes with snacks. So many people say they put on weight when they quit but they don't know why. My nana did that. I reminded her that she was eating a huge bar of chocolate EVERY DAY! Nicotine does not make you thin. Giving it up does not make you fat.
Oh and don't even give listening space to anyone who tells you that you can't quit and lose weight at the same time because you can. I have quit 3 times now and I never gained weight because of it.
Good luck. Enjoy your Christmas ciggies and then say goodbye without a backward glance
xx
Wow! You hit the nail of the head. Someone that's never smoked doesn't understand that cigarettes ARE like a friend, and one that you've had a lot of good times with. You're whole life revolves around smoking, and planning your next cigarette.
Couldn't possibly expect someone who's never smoked to understand. Some people can just throw them away and have done with it. My Nana did. I needed time. I still miss them. I'm going away for the weekend soon and I'll miss them then so much. We're not allowed to smoke in the pubs here so I love going outside and playing with the naughty kids. Especially when I go to Liverpool. I have just as much fun outside
I have to admit though that I'm not a dedicated non-smoker. I tell myself that I haven't quit, I'm just choosing not to smoke at the moment. If I know I can have one whenever I want to it takes the temptation away. Different things work for different people.
How are you going to do it? Cold turkey? patches? Champix? I took the drugs. Why make it harder?
xx0 -
I have set many dates, wasted lots of paper printing articles on Quitting and or Quitting plans. All I can say is I AM READY, feel free to add me as well. The more motivation/encouragement the better, for me anyway!0
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I quit smoking January 17 of last year, when I turned 40. I had smoked for 26 years!! I was told about a book titled THE EASY WAY TO STOP SMOKING by Alan Carr. What a great book! I read it and didnt pick up another smoke since. I really recommend buying it, Found it at Borders for $13.95. Good luck!!
Yeppers, I was going to tell my story as well but wasn't sure if I could mention the actual name of the book here. Anyhoo, I've been a non-smoker for 3.5 years now and read his book one Sunday night and never looked back since! I had been smoking for close to 20 years. And I was a true addict. But understanding the psychological side of smoking and my quit really helped me see and feel what was happening to my body and my mind. Good luck! It's one of the greatest feelings in the world.
P.S. It's easy for someone who's never smoked a cigarette in their life to give you advice. But until you've been there, there is no way anyone could understand. So if you chose January 1st and you are comfortable with that date, then do so. It's different for everyone. Be strong and you will succeed, one day at a time! Online support is also crutial. I was on whyquit.com and the support was tremendous.0 -
Why don't you quit tomorrow?? Why wait until January 1st??
Setting a date for when to quit is a lot easier than just doing it for most people. Its like saying goodbye to an old friend and you need to prepare for that. Its emotional when you think of all the times you have a cigarette and what you'll be missing out on.
When you have actually quit for just a few days you will start thinking "what on earth was I doing to myself?"
The biggest tip I can give is not to replace the cigarettes with snacks. So many people say they put on weight when they quit but they don't know why. My nana did that. I reminded her that she was eating a huge bar of chocolate EVERY DAY! Nicotine does not make you thin. Giving it up does not make you fat.
Oh and don't even give listening space to anyone who tells you that you can't quit and lose weight at the same time because you can. I have quit 3 times now and I never gained weight because of it.
Good luck. Enjoy your Christmas ciggies and then say goodbye without a backward glance
xx
Wow! You hit the nail of the head. Someone that's never smoked doesn't understand that cigarettes ARE like a friend, and one that you've had a lot of good times with. You're whole life revolves around smoking, and planning your next cigarette.
Couldn't possibly expect someone who's never smoked to understand. Some people can just throw them away and have done with it. My Nana did. I needed time. I still miss them. I'm going away for the weekend soon and I'll miss them then so much. We're not allowed to smoke in the pubs here so I love going outside and playing with the naughty kids. Especially when I go to Liverpool. I have just as much fun outside
I have to admit though that I'm not a dedicated non-smoker. I tell myself that I haven't quit, I'm just choosing not to smoke at the moment. If I know I can have one whenever I want to it takes the temptation away. Different things work for different people.
How are you going to do it? Cold turkey? patches? Champix? I took the drugs. Why make it harder?
xx
I think I'm going to use chantix, I used it before and it helped, I just wasn't ready mentally.
I've contemplated telling myself that I'm not quitting, just not smoking for now. Every time I think about never having a cigarrette again I don't even want to try. I'm glad it's working for you.0 -
bauer1971, joj52610, lexmb1 I just ordered the book online. Thanks!0
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I quit in 1998 (the last time). I quit several times before that but ......... Anyway, long story short, I saw my grandma laying in a hospital bed, gasping for air because she had smoked all of her life and decided to quit at that time. I threw my cigarettes in the trash can at the hospital and haven't smoked at all since then. She died the next day. It's tough to quit until your head is right. Just like it is tough to lose weight until your head is right. Once you learn how to master that mental fortitude, it is all downhill from there. No one can tell you how to do that. You have to figure it out on your own. At least, that is how it has worked for me. We have a weight pit in our office. I take my "cigarette breaks" by getting up from my desk and walking over to do a set of whatever muscle group is in the plan for that day and I chew the hell out of sugarless gum. My advice is, don't wait for January and don't even wait for tomorrow. If you REALLY want to quit, throw them in the trash RIGHT NOW and never look back. Best wishes!0
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Why don't you quit tomorrow?? Why wait until January 1st??
Setting a date for when to quit is a lot easier than just doing it for most people. Its like saying goodbye to an old friend and you need to prepare for that. Its emotional when you think of all the times you have a cigarette and what you'll be missing out on.
When you have actually quit for just a few days you will start thinking "what on earth was I doing to myself?"
The biggest tip I can give is not to replace the cigarettes with snacks. So many people say they put on weight when they quit but they don't know why. My nana did that. I reminded her that she was eating a huge bar of chocolate EVERY DAY! Nicotine does not make you thin. Giving it up does not make you fat.
Oh and don't even give listening space to anyone who tells you that you can't quit and lose weight at the same time because you can. I have quit 3 times now and I never gained weight because of it.
Good luck. Enjoy your Christmas ciggies and then say goodbye without a backward glance
xx
Wow! You hit the nail of the head. Someone that's never smoked doesn't understand that cigarettes ARE like a friend, and one that you've had a lot of good times with. You're whole life revolves around smoking, and planning your next cigarette.
Couldn't possibly expect someone who's never smoked to understand. Some people can just throw them away and have done with it. My Nana did. I needed time. I still miss them. I'm going away for the weekend soon and I'll miss them then so much. We're not allowed to smoke in the pubs here so I love going outside and playing with the naughty kids. Especially when I go to Liverpool. I have just as much fun outside
I have to admit though that I'm not a dedicated non-smoker. I tell myself that I haven't quit, I'm just choosing not to smoke at the moment. If I know I can have one whenever I want to it takes the temptation away. Different things work for different people.
How are you going to do it? Cold turkey? patches? Champix? I took the drugs. Why make it harder?
xx
I think I'm going to use chantix, I used it before and it helped, I just wasn't ready mentally.
I've contemplated telling myself that I'm not quitting, just not smoking for now. Every time I think about never having a cigarrette again I don't even want to try. I'm glad it's working for you.
I don't believe in going cold turkey. I chose the drugs straight away. Feel free to add me. We can choose not to smoke together :happy:0 -
You wont be sorry! Good luck!!0
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Why don't you quit tomorrow?? Why wait until January 1st??
Setting a date for when to quit is a lot easier than just doing it for most people. Its like saying goodbye to an old friend and you need to prepare for that. Its emotional when you think of all the times you have a cigarette and what you'll be missing out on.
When you have actually quit for just a few days you will start thinking "what on earth was I doing to myself?"
The biggest tip I can give is not to replace the cigarettes with snacks. So many people say they put on weight when they quit but they don't know why. My nana did that. I reminded her that she was eating a huge bar of chocolate EVERY DAY! Nicotine does not make you thin. Giving it up does not make you fat.
Oh and don't even give listening space to anyone who tells you that you can't quit and lose weight at the same time because you can. I have quit 3 times now and I never gained weight because of it.
Good luck. Enjoy your Christmas ciggies and then say goodbye without a backward glance
xx
Wow! You hit the nail of the head. Someone that's never smoked doesn't understand that cigarettes ARE like a friend, and one that you've had a lot of good times with. You're whole life revolves around smoking, and planning your next cigarette.
Couldn't possibly expect someone who's never smoked to understand. Some people can just throw them away and have done with it. My Nana did. I needed time. I still miss them. I'm going away for the weekend soon and I'll miss them then so much. We're not allowed to smoke in the pubs here so I love going outside and playing with the naughty kids. Especially when I go to Liverpool. I have just as much fun outside
I have to admit though that I'm not a dedicated non-smoker. I tell myself that I haven't quit, I'm just choosing not to smoke at the moment. If I know I can have one whenever I want to it takes the temptation away. Different things work for different people.
How are you going to do it? Cold turkey? patches? Champix? I took the drugs. Why make it harder?
xx
I smoked. I smoked for 16 years. Sometimes 2 packs a day. I decided I was going to quit and quit the next day. I don't buy this, if you want to quit, quit. The end.0 -
I plan to do the same. I'm pretty much ready to quit now, but my husband is aiming for Jan 1, and its easier if your partner is with you, plus I know it will be way too easy to turn to food with all the extra crap that will be sitting around my office. I'm determined to do this without gaining weight this time!Feel free to add me too! I'm planning on quitting by January as well! Good luck all!
Feel free to add me, any Jan 1 quitters...0
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