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.

I quit smoking on November 4, 2009, I smoked for about 5-6 years. I quit basically cold turkey ( i used the gum for about a day before I realized how icky it was ) after my boss's dad passed away from lung cancer, having NEVER even smoking a cigarette.


I suggest having a strong support system and also removing any lighter you have from your grasp. I broke down and bought a pack one day soon after I quit but had no lighter and didn't realize i had no lighter until I drove away from the store, so I threw the cigarettes out the window instead.

Good luck! if you need support, add me!

I WAS A SMOKER FOR 40 YEARS - 2 YEARS AGO - THE HARDEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE - BUT. . . . I DID IT!! I GAINED WEIGHT BUT THAT'S WHY I AM HERE NOW - IT WA WORTH EVERY SECOND OF "FREEDOM" GOOD LUCK - IF I CAN HELP LET ME KNOW!!

Congratulations on taking that huge first step! I quit smoking 2-1/2 years ago. I hung this on my mirror so that I could remind myself everyday why it was a good decision:

20 MINUTES
Blood pressure drops to normal
Pulse rate drops to normal
Body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal

8 HOURS
Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal
Oxygen level in blood increases to normal

24 HOURS
Chance of heart attack decreases

48 HOURS
Nerve endings start regrowing
Ability to smell and taste is enhanced

2 WEEKS TO 3 MONTHS
Circulation improves
Walking becomes easier
Lung function increases up to 30 percent

1 TO 9 MONTHS
Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease
Cilia regrow in lungs, increasing their ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection
Body's overall energy increases

1 YEAR
Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker

5 YEARS
Lung cancer death rate for an average former smoker (one pack a day) decreases by almost half
Stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker five to 15 years after quitting
Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, and esophagus is half that of a smoker's

10 YEARS
Lung cancer death rate is similar to that of a non-smoker
Precancerous cells are replaced
Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, cervix, and pancreas decreases

15 YEARS
Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker
.

I smoked from age 13 till 37, a pack a day! !! Take it one day at a time! It will eventually get easier! 99% of my friends smoke .....when I'm around it now it doesn't bother me......Just hate the smell of myclothes! !! Smells like an ashtray!! Good luck!!! Like I said,it will get easier!!

Yeah!!! You just made the best decision of your life. I quit 5 years ago. The physical addication will last 72 hours. That's it. You will be grumpy stressed anxious. Just generally crazy. I think I even mourned the loss of my cigs. But after 72hrs, things will get a little easier. Then new habits are formed/replaced in 28 days. Then things get a lot easier. U can do this. Extra gum helped me a lot sugar free and mint if menthol smoker as well as mint tictacs. Just remember, our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to keep trying. And as cliche as it is, take it one day, one hour, sometimes one minute at a time. YOU CAN DO IT!!!