Ex-Smokers...
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merrybaker
Cathlete
Becky ,Motivation ... Smoking is bad !!!! Good job .Get Trident gum !!! I stopped Cold turkey too .Its the only why to do it as far as I go !!!!.Just DONT take a drag off anyones cig ,And you can do it !! Good luck I will pray for you . The first week is the toughest .I've been smoke free like 11 years or so .
Miss Lee
Cathlete
Hey Becky,
First of all, congratulations on 4 smoke free days. That is a huge accomplishment!! You are well on your way to a successful withdrawal from cigarettes. Really, the worst of it is behind you!
I smoked my first cig in high school. I quit when I was 19 or 20, then I started up again when I was about 28 or 29. Don't ask me why--it was really stupid. I was working on a psychiatric unit at the time and absolutely everybody smoked--and I do mean EVERYBODY. I just got sucked into it again.
I quit cold turkey about 10 years ago. I think that's the best way to go. For me, the first week was the worst. I lived on celery sticks, carrots, and chewing gum. I found it helpful to have something in my mouth. I even chewed on toothpicks--ICK! LOL
After 2 weeks the cravings were all but gone. They were very manageable at that point. I don't miss it at all anymore. In fact, the smell of it makes me sick.
How are you feeling now? It was strange, but I didn't feel bad when I smoked, yet I remember feeling really good a few days after my last cig. It's like you don't realize how bad you feel until you quit.
Hey--good for you young lady. YOU CAN DO IT!!! YES YOU CAN!!!
Michele
First of all, congratulations on 4 smoke free days. That is a huge accomplishment!! You are well on your way to a successful withdrawal from cigarettes. Really, the worst of it is behind you!
I smoked my first cig in high school. I quit when I was 19 or 20, then I started up again when I was about 28 or 29. Don't ask me why--it was really stupid. I was working on a psychiatric unit at the time and absolutely everybody smoked--and I do mean EVERYBODY. I just got sucked into it again.
I quit cold turkey about 10 years ago. I think that's the best way to go. For me, the first week was the worst. I lived on celery sticks, carrots, and chewing gum. I found it helpful to have something in my mouth. I even chewed on toothpicks--ICK! LOL
After 2 weeks the cravings were all but gone. They were very manageable at that point. I don't miss it at all anymore. In fact, the smell of it makes me sick.
How are you feeling now? It was strange, but I didn't feel bad when I smoked, yet I remember feeling really good a few days after my last cig. It's like you don't realize how bad you feel until you quit.
Hey--good for you young lady. YOU CAN DO IT!!! YES YOU CAN!!!
Michele
allwildgirl
Cathlete
Beckalopoulos - I quit cold turkey in January 1989. I quit because I was sick of waking up in the morning and coughing my lungs up for 40 minutes. And because I hated getting out of breath doing anything vaguely resembling cardio. And because my clothes smelled yucky.
It's true that the first week is the hardest. So you're doing super-well! I'm so proud of you Besides, you can't smoke in my house and it's pretty damn cold and snowy in Canada at Christmastime to be standing outside and having a cigarette
It's true that the first week is the hardest. So you're doing super-well! I'm so proud of you
Besides, you can't smoke in my house and it's pretty damn cold and snowy in Canada at Christmastime to be standing outside and having a cigarette
andtckrtoo
Cathlete
Becky -
I've been smoke free for 9 years now. My motivation was learning to mountain bike - I needed wind to do that and did not get enough when I smoked. I also drank A LOT of water and took walks around my office building when I would normally smoke.
I was on Nicotine Gum for 2 weeks, then realized I may as well just stop. Hated the patch because just when you get used to the dose, you lower it and had to deal with cravings all over. May as well just get them out of the way at once.
My other motivation was my daughter, and my desire to live to see her grow up. It was hard, and I still think "Man, a cigarette would taste good right now," at times, but it's a passing thought.
One of the hardest things for me when I quit was finding another way of dealing with stress. Yoga helped me there. Deep breathing is very calming - and part of the reason smoking calms is because you're deep breathing when you inhale.
Take care and good luck Becky!
I've been smoke free for 9 years now. My motivation was learning to mountain bike - I needed wind to do that and did not get enough when I smoked. I also drank A LOT of water and took walks around my office building when I would normally smoke.
I was on Nicotine Gum for 2 weeks, then realized I may as well just stop. Hated the patch because just when you get used to the dose, you lower it and had to deal with cravings all over. May as well just get them out of the way at once.
My other motivation was my daughter, and my desire to live to see her grow up. It was hard, and I still think "Man, a cigarette would taste good right now," at times, but it's a passing thought.
One of the hardest things for me when I quit was finding another way of dealing with stress. Yoga helped me there. Deep breathing is very calming - and part of the reason smoking calms is because you're deep breathing when you inhale.
Take care and good luck Becky!
honeybunch1
Cathlete
I slapped on a nicotine patch on Sept. 1, 1992, and have not smoked since that day. It was EASY!!!
Just Do It!
Just Do It!
Fit_mommy
Cathlete
My motivation was wanting to get pregnant. I quit in March of last year using the Smoke Away Sytem. I had tried cold turkey in the past and couldn't make it past the one week mark. The combo of usuing Smoke Away AND wanting to have a baby helped me immensely!
It's 1 1/2 years since I smoked my last cigarette.
If I didn't want to get pregnant I would probably still be smoking today...that is what got me to even TRY to quit! After Joey was born my motivation for quitting was gone...these days I will actually crave a cigarette lots more than I did when I was pregnant. I ignore it and goes away. I won't go back but I have to admit the urge to smoke can be STRONG!
Best of Luck!
It is the accomplishment I am most proud of in my life!
It's the hardest thing I have EVER done!
I found child birth (labor/delivery) easier to deal with and I'm NOT KIDDING!!!
It's 1 1/2 years since I smoked my last cigarette.
If I didn't want to get pregnant I would probably still be smoking today...that is what got me to even TRY to quit! After Joey was born my motivation for quitting was gone...these days I will actually crave a cigarette lots more than I did when I was pregnant. I ignore it and goes away. I won't go back but I have to admit the urge to smoke can be STRONG!
Best of Luck!
It is the accomplishment I am most proud of in my life!
It's the hardest thing I have EVER done!
I found child birth (labor/delivery) easier to deal with and I'm NOT KIDDING!!!
buffettgirl
Cathlete
Becky, I was lucky. I started in college and quit in college, so it wasn't to hard to quit what hadn't gotten to be a "real" habit yet.
My dad chain smoked for years. He quit when my son was born. He tried the gum for a while. I remember him chewing away like his life depended on it. Then he said this is crazy and quit cold turkey. I was so proud of him. Just like I'm so proud of you. You can do it!
My dad chain smoked for years. He quit when my son was born. He tried the gum for a while. I remember him chewing away like his life depended on it. Then he said this is crazy and quit cold turkey. I was so proud of him. Just like I'm so proud of you. You can do it!
ldy_solana
Cathlete
well to start its been over 2 years smoke free. at the time i finally quick i was working a demanding job that just barely let you get a lunch break let alone have time for food and a smoke. i just never picked them up after that and never had the urge too. Intense exercise has kept me from wanting to i guess b/c there is no way i could do cathe and running if i was still a smoker.
kassia
When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be
disappointed to discover they are not it -- Bernard Bailey
kassia
When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be
disappointed to discover they are not it -- Bernard Bailey
Thank you all for sharing your stories and for your encouragement and support!
I've been a smoker for roughly 17 years...and I'm only 30! Yikes! But last week I pretty much said "this is enough." I felt like crap, I smelled like smoke, I was ruining my aerobic capacity (there were times when I would take a break in the middle of a workout to smoke ), I was wasting money and I was killing myself.
Cold turkey seemed like the only real option. If I tried the gum or something, then I would still be getting the nicotine and would have to wean myself off of that eventually. This way it's tough but once it's done, it's done.
Today has actually been the hardest day. I feel antsy and I'm starving despite eating my normal food. I've had about 40 oz. of water to drink and it's not even noon yet! At work, I would always go out for a cigarette during my lunch break and again in the afternoon. For the next week, I'm not leaving the building at all (except to go home, of course) to avoid the temptation and all the other smokers out there. I can beat this thing.
Besides, Shelley won't let me smoke inside. And it's really cold in Canada in December.
Becky
I've been a smoker for roughly 17 years...and I'm only 30! Yikes! But last week I pretty much said "this is enough." I felt like crap, I smelled like smoke, I was ruining my aerobic capacity (there were times when I would take a break in the middle of a workout to smoke
), I was wasting money and I was killing myself.Cold turkey seemed like the only real option. If I tried the gum or something, then I would still be getting the nicotine and would have to wean myself off of that eventually. This way it's tough but once it's done, it's done.
Today has actually been the hardest day. I feel antsy and I'm starving despite eating my normal food. I've had about 40 oz. of water to drink and it's not even noon yet! At work, I would always go out for a cigarette during my lunch break and again in the afternoon. For the next week, I'm not leaving the building at all (except to go home, of course) to avoid the temptation and all the other smokers out there. I can beat this thing.
Besides, Shelley won't let me smoke inside. And it's really cold in Canada in December.
Becky
Hi, Becky:
Congrats on day 4!!! I know how very, very hard this is and I think it's great you are doing this.
I collapsed a lung from smoking like a pipe in college and subsequently went "cold turkey" in a hospital bed with a bunch of tubes jammed in my body. You would think this would be a very motivating scenario, but nicotine addiction is incredibly strong, and I struggled with "the urge" for a long time afterwards. I can remember one evening in particular, when I was babysitting for my nephew. My sister-in-law had left a pack on the kitchen table, and I actually picked one up and toyed with it in my hand for a while.
The motivations for me were (1), remembering the pain of having my lung re-inflated (trust me, this was almost more painful than childbirth without drugs!!), (2) enjoying the FREEDOM from cigarettes (not worrying about having a supply, where am I going to smoke, how can I get out of my job to do this, etc. - you don't realize how much you manipulate your life to appease your addiction), (3) smelling GOOD for a change, and (4) whiter teeth. Honestly, I had my teeth whitened and that was an incredible motivation for me! You don't realize how yellowed they get from tobacco. It's been.... wow, 16 years for me. So it can be done.
I hope you have a live support person you can call when you are getting the urge. The thing to remember is, you are only ever avoiding the FIRST cigarette, so that's the only one you need to worry about.
Good luck & hang in there! Let us know how it goes.
Take care,
Marie
Congrats on day 4!!! I know how very, very hard this is and I think it's great you are doing this.
I collapsed a lung from smoking like a pipe in college and subsequently went "cold turkey" in a hospital bed with a bunch of tubes jammed in my body. You would think this would be a very motivating scenario, but nicotine addiction is incredibly strong, and I struggled with "the urge" for a long time afterwards. I can remember one evening in particular, when I was babysitting for my nephew. My sister-in-law had left a pack on the kitchen table, and I actually picked one up and toyed with it in my hand for a while.
The motivations for me were (1), remembering the pain of having my lung re-inflated (trust me, this was almost more painful than childbirth without drugs!!), (2) enjoying the FREEDOM from cigarettes (not worrying about having a supply, where am I going to smoke, how can I get out of my job to do this, etc. - you don't realize how much you manipulate your life to appease your addiction), (3) smelling GOOD for a change, and (4) whiter teeth. Honestly, I had my teeth whitened and that was an incredible motivation for me! You don't realize how yellowed they get from tobacco. It's been.... wow, 16 years for me. So it can be done.
I hope you have a live support person you can call when you are getting the urge. The thing to remember is, you are only ever avoiding the FIRST cigarette, so that's the only one you need to worry about.
Good luck & hang in there! Let us know how it goes.
Take care,
Marie
Becky,
Like someone else said, the hardest part is the first week and you are more than half way there! I have been smoke-free now for 10 years and I was feeling so much better after just one week of no cigarettes. Grouchy yes, but I could breathe so much better! Being able to breathe so much easier and better was all the motivation I needed to stay away from cigarettes. You will be surprised at how much better you will feel.
Good luck. You can do it!
Lisa
Like someone else said, the hardest part is the first week and you are more than half way there! I have been smoke-free now for 10 years and I was feeling so much better after just one week of no cigarettes. Grouchy yes, but I could breathe so much better! Being able to breathe so much easier and better was all the motivation I needed to stay away from cigarettes. You will be surprised at how much better you will feel.
Good luck. You can do it!
Lisa
WOW!! 4 DAYS. ITS BEEN 5 MONTHS FOR ME AND I REMEMBER WHAT THOSE FIRST DAYS WERE LIKE. I FELT LIKE I WAS GOING NUTS!! I WORKED OUT ALOT AND KEPT TELLING MYSELF OVER AND OVER THAT IT WOULD GET BETTER. IT FINALLY DID BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN IT STILL COMES BACK, BUT I CAN EXERCISE SO MUCH BETTER AND LONGER NOW ITS AMAZING!! I AM 34 AND SMOKED SINCE I WAS 14. YIKES!! STAY STRONG ITS WORTH IT!!
bubbles100
Cathlete
The first time I quit smoking was because I wanted to get pregnant, and quit for 20 years. During my divorce, I started again, and smoked that time for 5 years. I quit again 2 years ago shortly after I remarried. I used the patch and quit with 2 other friends at the same time, which helped alot.
Do not under any circumstances think you can have just one cigarette!!! That turns into 2, then 5 and quickly a pack.
You will reap so many benefits from quitting. You smell better, and have a better sense of smell, save money, can take deep breaths without coughing, get sick less, and I could go on and on. But you are probably starting to see these things yourself.
Great job!!! Keep it up - Please!
Do not under any circumstances think you can have just one cigarette!!! That turns into 2, then 5 and quickly a pack.
You will reap so many benefits from quitting. You smell better, and have a better sense of smell, save money, can take deep breaths without coughing, get sick less, and I could go on and on. But you are probably starting to see these things yourself.
Great job!!! Keep it up - Please!
Imafitnessfreak
Cathlete
It has been 8 years. I thank God everyday that I have quit! I never missed it (anymore), rarely think about it, and if I do think about it, it's about how gross smoking is!
4 Days down! That's GREAT! It will get easier and easier! Everyday you will have a little more experience and practice refusing to smoke and as each day goes by, the desire will will decrease.
Think of the past 4 days as 4 days you will never have to go through again because this time you are quitting for GOOD!!!
Do WHATEVER you have to do to NOT smoke! I liked getting into the pool and treading water. Doing activities that made it impossible to smoke helped. If you eat a little more...WHO CARES! The most critical thing is to not...you know what.
I could feed you all kinds of things like "think of all the money you'll save" but what you really need are things to get you through the next 15 minutes! Try this: take a huge deep breathe and hold it for 10 seconds, then try to bring in a little more air and hold it for 5 seconds or so. Then slowly release the air over 10 seconds. Repeat 3 or 4 times.
4 Days down! That's GREAT! It will get easier and easier! Everyday you will have a little more experience and practice refusing to smoke and as each day goes by, the desire will will decrease.
Think of the past 4 days as 4 days you will never have to go through again because this time you are quitting for GOOD!!!
Do WHATEVER you have to do to NOT smoke! I liked getting into the pool and treading water. Doing activities that made it impossible to smoke helped. If you eat a little more...WHO CARES! The most critical thing is to not...you know what.
I could feed you all kinds of things like "think of all the money you'll save" but what you really need are things to get you through the next 15 minutes! Try this: take a huge deep breathe and hold it for 10 seconds, then try to bring in a little more air and hold it for 5 seconds or so. Then slowly release the air over 10 seconds. Repeat 3 or 4 times.
Thank you all again!! Your advice is very important to me because you've been there and understand what it's like.
Sarah, I've been deep breathing! I just need to release it before I turn blue!
I've read some stuff that says smoking may be a contributor to cellulite. I don't know how true that is but I'll believe it if it helps!
I really appreciate your support. Today has been very tough. Tougher than the last three days for some reason, but I'm sticking it out with your help! And I've printed this thread so I have your suggestions available at my desk at all times!
Thank you!
Becky
Sarah, I've been deep breathing! I just need to release it before I turn blue!
I've read some stuff that says smoking may be a contributor to cellulite. I don't know how true that is but I'll believe it if it helps!
I really appreciate your support. Today has been very tough. Tougher than the last three days for some reason, but I'm sticking it out with your help! And I've printed this thread so I have your suggestions available at my desk at all times!
Thank you!
Becky
Imafitnessfreak
Cathlete
Becky, It makes sense to me that smoking contributes to cellulite. For one, we tend to reach for a cigarette when we are really thirsty...confusing dehydration with needing a fix. Also, smoking fills our body with toxins, which is exactly what cellulite is...trapped toxins. Water flushes those toxins but you didn't drink any water...instead you had a cigarette...adding more toxins to your thutt.
Focus on your breathing while you are working out...how it is getting easier! Try to enjoy NOT stinking!
You will NEVER EVER regret quitting smoking. You will, however, regret starting up again!!
4 days down and your stronger today than you were yesterday. Don't flush your 4 day record down the drain for something you will only regret! Tough it out and enjoy the pride in yourself!
Focus on your breathing while you are working out...how it is getting easier! Try to enjoy NOT stinking!
You will NEVER EVER regret quitting smoking. You will, however, regret starting up again!!
4 days down and your stronger today than you were yesterday. Don't flush your 4 day record down the drain for something you will only regret! Tough it out and enjoy the pride in yourself!
Hey Becky -
I was never a big smoker - just a happy hour smoker. I stopped that a few years ago, the smell was just grossing me out. I don't have any words of wisdom, just wanted to encourage you. You are making the right decision - there is no quesiton about that! And you deserve to be as healthy as you can be, and this is such a huge step. Congratulations on making that decision and congrats on getting through the 4 days that you have!!!!
Best of luck!!
Lizzy
I was never a big smoker - just a happy hour smoker. I stopped that a few years ago, the smell was just grossing me out. I don't have any words of wisdom, just wanted to encourage you. You are making the right decision - there is no quesiton about that! And you deserve to be as healthy as you can be, and this is such a huge step. Congratulations on making that decision and congrats on getting through the 4 days that you have!!!!
Best of luck!!
Lizzy
Keep up the great work! Quitting smoking was one of the hardest things I ever did - now it's loosing weight!
I used the nicotine patch -and kept busy. I do not believe I could have done it without the patch (I had tried numerous other things). It worked great for me - I did not even have to finish the last step. - There are 3 steps, the nicotine is lowered each step. I have not had one since. It has been 7 years. Once in a great while I kinda want one - maybe once every other year or something - but it has never been stong enough to go back. I could never put that back in my body!!!
If you think you have to have one - google for pics of smokers lungs http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=22577
or a big one that helped my was the list of benefits
I read this daily to see how my health was improving - I kept it in my purse.
http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=33568
(not sure if I added the links right - sorry - hope it works!)
Keep up the good work!
Lisa
I used the nicotine patch -and kept busy. I do not believe I could have done it without the patch (I had tried numerous other things). It worked great for me - I did not even have to finish the last step. - There are 3 steps, the nicotine is lowered each step. I have not had one since. It has been 7 years. Once in a great while I kinda want one - maybe once every other year or something - but it has never been stong enough to go back. I could never put that back in my body!!!
If you think you have to have one - google for pics of smokers lungs http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=22577
or a big one that helped my was the list of benefits
I read this daily to see how my health was improving - I kept it in my purse.
http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=33568
(not sure if I added the links right - sorry - hope it works!)
Keep up the good work!
Lisa
Becky, I would never preach to you. My own close friends are smokers. Guess what? I love them so much, I take my lunches & breaks with them. What does that tell you? I wish they would quit, but I could never just leave them out in the cold. They just bring too much joy in my life.
Marla
Marla