Quitting Smoking

There are some good web supports- <becomeanex.com> is great. Also Quitline for your state provides phone counseling and education as well as nicotine patches and gum or lozenges. The combination of using some type of medication like nicotine replacement, Welbutrin or Chantix plus counseling has been shown to get twice as good success. Also, tell your friends and family you're quitting and ask for support! Hope this helps.

WTG!! I have never smoked but I have lived through the quitting process with people and have seen how hard it is. Even if you gain some weight, the health benefits of quitting the smoking (not only for you but also for the people you live with) far outweigh the negatives of the extra pounds. And think how much money you'll save! Good luck with this and keep at it - every day you don't smoke you get a little healthier!

Don't think long term....conquer one craving at a time. I like to say I acutally haven't quit, I just haven't had one for nearly two years. Best wishes! It can be done, it just takes tenacity.

I quit four years ago and still fight the craving almost everyday. It does get a little better. It's like death and grieving, you learn to deal with it. Good luck! Cold turkey and sugarless gum worked for me and I had been a smoker for 25 years.

Awesome job !!!! Taking the initial step is the hardest. I quit smoking Oct 25th, 2011 and havent looked back once. I knew smoking was bad for me and my family, I just had to take that step. Once I made that step I had to figure out what I was going to replace it with. We all know that when you quit smoking you gain weight. So I challenged myself that I was not going to gain a pound. I love being competitive. I didnt take the plunge to loose weight, tone up or run a marathon, but rather to not gain a pound. I started out walking about 2 miles each evening at the park. Then I had a real brainer and thought lets see how far I can run....haha... that lasted for about 30 seconds. By doing that I realized just how bad my lungs had gotten. I then made another goal and that was to start wogging (walking/jogging). it seemed as if I just keep broadening my knowledge and kept setting more goals for myself. While wogging, I found the C25K program (Couch to 5K), and I began using it. Today is my last day of the 8 week program. I went from nearly dragging myself for 30 seconds to running 30 minutes straight Wednesday. If you would have told me 8 weeks ago I could do this, I would have dropped to the ground laughing. BUT, I did it and so can you. I was fortunate enough to not use anything as a crutch. I went cold turkey. You have to decide what is best for you and what will work for you. Suggestions are great, but everyone is different. Just in the example of someone begging you to quit, you have to do it because you want to and have made up your mind. That persons influence is great, but it is your determination and willpower. So go out there and do it. You have made 3 huge steps: 1) Deciding that youre gonna quit 2) Throwing the cigs out 3) Joining Myfitnesspal ......substitute smoking for exercise. Just think we used to spend about 5 minutes smoking a cigarette. Now multiply that by how many a day you smoke. Say 10. Thats 50 minutes a day destroying your lungs. Turn that 50 minutes into exercise. Your choice, walking, running, dancing, treadmill, elliptical, just whatever it is you like. Then build from there. I am sorry this turned out to be kinda lengthy, but I have been where you are and I just really want you to succeed. There are many great people on MFP that will walk this journey with you and support you in every way. Isnt that right fellow MFP'ers???

Way to go on your decision!! I quit for my 42 birthday. Aug. 7, 2011 I woke up a non smoker not one since that day. Someone above me posted about quitnow.com I highly recommend them. They were a big help to me. You can do it. Be strong and take it one craving at a time. If you need support please feel free to add me!!!

I also used Allen Carr's book. It wasn't as if I finished it and *BAM* I never wanted to smoke again, there is still some work and resistance that you have to do. BUT, it completely changed the way I thought about it and I believe that it is because of that book that I do not crave one today, that I did not crave one yesterday, and that I will not crave one tomorrow.

Congratulations on taking the first step! I wish you endless success!

Congrats! ive quit for a few months cold turkey, and slowly started up again. Id love to quit again, im so afraid to gain back any of the weight i just lost.