Author Topic: Quitting smoking....Day 6 (Read 5614 times)

helen · « **on:** 18 February 2012, 10:41:44 pm »

Yeah I know, I've been trying to quit for years! But this time I've made it to day 6.

So far so good using the cold turkey method. I've been grumpy, bad tempered, restless and wanted to rip the heads off small children BUT I'm feeling better for it and looking forward to a smoke-free future.

Hopefully I'll notice the difference when I get back into training for my first enduro event this year. Got a Kawasaki MX125 up and running, goes like the wind, falls over easily and is light enough to pick up again

Bracechenko · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 February 2012, 12:11:23 am »

Some advice from an ex smoker.....

I quit 13 mths ago and the good news is that I am completely free of fags. It's not an ongoing battle that has lasted 13 mths, I honestly can say that I dont even think about smoking fags and I don't ever want to. My GF Smokes as do my mates and it's not a problem, I no longer have pangs and it's not part of my life any more and I promise that it's not something I even think about any more

There are 2 main reasons that I think have helped.....

1. I got fit! I trained for a half marathon and go to the gym most days. The buzz I get from seeing my fitness improve and feeling my lungs grow in strength honestly helped to prevent me from poisoning myself anymore.....gym and fags don't mix and the good feeling of getting fit can replace the so called 'buzz' you delude yourself into thinking you got from fags

2. I was ready to quit!! Believe me, this is the most important thing. If you're not ready then don't kid yourself and try quitting just because 'you suppose' it's a good idea. You have to be in a place where you accept that you will never put a single fag to your lips for the rest of your life. If you can't come to terms with that then you're not ready to quit so don't waste your time.

I wish you the best of luck. Be strong and don't buy into the whole 'cold turkey' thing. I get the idea, I tried to go cold turkey at first but quickly learnt that you should get all the help you can and patches do work providing you've understood my 2 points above.

If you make it, it wont be a life of sacrifice, it will be a life of freedom...I promise you. I've been on both sides and I now know i'll never smoke again and feel so much better for it.

All the best!
Brace

adeejaysdelight · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 February 2012, 08:03:12 am »

Well done Helen. it's not an easy thing to do, I know. But it is worth it. In my case, it was about 6 weeks when the craving really tailed off. Now I am fit and strong and feel great. I even get up at 7am on my days off to go running. I whight train again, I cycle and I circuit train. Getting fit really helps, quitting and exorcising go hand in hand like, erm, drink and fags?

Really though, go to the gym or you might just replace ciggies with food. And the very best of luck to you.

Farjo · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 February 2012, 08:24:11 am »

Don't do that! Who am I going to talk to outside foccer meetings when everyone's drinking??

eddie · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 February 2012, 09:46:16 am »

well done

Sunny Intervals · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 February 2012, 12:33:10 pm »

Quote

I've been grumpy, bad tempered, restless and wanted to rip the heads off small children

And the difference is ???

helen · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 February 2012, 01:30:51 pm »

Day 7 ......small children keep a hold of your heads!!

Farjo - I will never desert you at foccer meets (if I ever get around to turning up again!)

Sunny Intervals - I don't recognise the name, but you seem to know me very well

Bracechenko - fab advice, so good to know that the cravings do eventually go away. I've been hanging around on a really supportive online forum full of people who are quitting and it really helps. I've trained myself to get home from work, log on and post instead of smoking.

For everyone who knows me in real life, gaining a few extra pounds in weight just isn't going to be a problem

For the first time in years I'm finding the idea of running strangely attractive. Haven't actually started pounding the pavements yet and I don't like gyms, but next stop the shoe shop to get some trainers!

The Rocketeer · « **Reply #7 on:** 19 February 2012, 01:31:02 pm »

Over 4 years for me, keep it up!

LittleHairyWelshman · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 February 2012, 08:53:38 pm »

3 weeks for me. Only the odd funny fags

NotAnotherHill · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 February 2012, 09:35:51 pm »

Well done. Keep it up.

I've stopped 16 years but even now, every now and again, I get a MASSIVE craving for a fag. Sat having a tea at Willingham Woods Bike cafe this afternoon and I could have just had one.

Like others, I replaced fags with exercise. You'll never regret the day you gave up. You need to keep busy and try changing your routines so that you can avoid those moments when you normally have a cig. In the pub I used to have to sit on the hand that wasn't holding my pint because it felt so odd not doing anything with it.

b3tarev3 · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 February 2012, 10:08:53 pm »

Quote from: Bracechenko on 19 February 2012, 12:11:23 am

Some advice from an ex smoker.....

I quit 13 mths ago and the good news is that I am completely free of fags. It's not an ongoing battle that has lasted 13 mths, I honestly can say that I dont even think about smoking fags and I don't ever want to. My GF Smokes as do my mates and it's not a problem, I no longer have pangs and it's not part of my life any more and I promise that it's not something I even think about any more

There are 2 main reasons that I think have helped.....

1. I got fit! I trained for a half marathon and go to the gym most days. The buzz I get from seeing my fitness improve and feeling my lungs grow in strength honestly helped to prevent me from poisoning myself anymore.....gym and fags don't mix and the good feeling of getting fit can replace the so called 'buzz' you delude yourself into thinking you got from fags

2. I was ready to quit!! Believe me, this is the most important thing. If you're not ready then don't kid yourself and try quitting just because 'you suppose' it's a good idea. You have to be in a place where you accept that you will never put a single fag to your lips for the rest of your life. If you can't come to terms with that then you're not ready to quit so don't waste your time.

I wish you the best of luck. Be strong and don't buy into the whole 'cold turkey' thing. I get the idea, I tried to go cold turkey at first but quickly learnt that you should get all the help you can and patches do work providing you've understood my 2 points above.

If you make it, it wont be a life of sacrifice, it will be a life of freedom...I promise you. I've been on both sides and I now know i'll never smoke again and feel so much better for it.

All the best!
Brace

Very true words indeed.

madmondeoman · « **Reply #11 on:** 21 February 2012, 09:43:16 am »

Congrats Helen it's a big thing and your doing a great job, the first week is the hardest and I have given up now for over 10 years now.
I smoked Embassy No 1 and a client used to smoke them in the office (you could smoke back then in offices) after I gave up, to start with it was like ah smells lovely, after about 6 months I went back he sparked up and I nearly threw up.
Keep going it gets easier as the days go on

Raymy · « **Reply #12 on:** 21 February 2012, 09:53:36 am »

I'm on my 100th attempt at stopping. Had champix twice (heavy duty man), e-fag, gum, inhalator, patches. Even tried cold turkey. All shite. Champix was all sorts of fucked up. Got the lozenges the now and over the last month, cut back about 80% overall. Last week did 5 full days and had about 15 over the weekend.

All coincided with starting back at martial arts, football, weight lifting and tabata based fitness training. Feeling a bit fitter but even just a few snouts are holding back the cardio fitness. You notice a real difference when you stop completely.
If only I would stop getting injuries, I would be exercising more.

goldfazer · « **Reply #13 on:** 21 February 2012, 11:56:04 am »

'Don't do that! Who am I going to talk to outside foccer meetings when everyone's drinking?'

The NHS today

Helen - if you start running, try

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

A couch potato friend of mine did it and lost a stone in a month, and now runs every other day.

I'm a cyclist, so fairly fit, but can't run - I used it to get my running legs, it's great. Get the smartphone app if you have one, makes it much easier!!!

And good luck!

Farjo · « **Reply #14 on:** 21 February 2012, 01:07:36 pm »

I'm following that plan on my way to some 10k's and the great north run. In my experience the only way to run regularly is to enter a 5 or 10k race, then you have to run.

"The NHS today" - well what if everyone gave up smoking, exercised and ate properly - I'd be out of a job

madmondeoman · « **Reply #15 on:** 21 February 2012, 02:33:31 pm »

Helen try http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx NHS Couch To 5k, people lost lots of weight on there and its very gentle to get up too 5k

helen · « **Reply #16 on:** 21 February 2012, 07:34:40 pm »

The good news.... I'm on Day 9 and it's all going well

I haven't started any serious (ok...any) exercise yet, but thanks for the links for the running.

To be honest, I REALLY don't need to lose any weight, but I do want to improve my fitness levels and do the kind of exercise I used to avoid in the past because I didn't have enough lung function.

Pepy27 · « **Reply #17 on:** 21 February 2012, 08:55:55 pm »

Well done H (even though you're only quitting those lightweight rollies!).

I really, really must witness you jogging........

I quit a 40 a day habit 23 years ago and never regretted it for a second. Keep it up. X

tommyteeman · « **Reply #18 on:** 21 February 2012, 10:35:49 pm »

I know its difficult at times but stop counting the days, just get on with a smoke free life. Me..i smoke. You could always get a copy of alan carrs (?) easyway...tells the smoker what he knows anyway but can help to have it spelt out to remind you why you quit. Saying that I read it and still smoke so its not a cure under any circumstances. Smoking though is defo in the mind, me I'm totally brainwashed and like nothing better than making a rollup.
....the actual addiction to nicotine is very slight, that will be gone after a couple of weeks and most wont even know it, keep the reasons you dont smoke at the front of your mind and itll be easy. Shit.....think i'll give up meself....... done it loads of times

Major Rant · « **Reply #19 on:** 22 February 2012, 12:27:35 am »

Tell all of your friends ... "You'll never see me smoke again, only loosers smoke!" : it worked for me.
Just count each day at a time and say to yourself - "If I smoke now, I've got to go though all that again".
Withdrawal only lasts about 6 months - after that you'll feel the urge to smoke when you smell nicotine but its easily bypassed.
Must be a lot easier now they've banned smoking in pubs/restaurants. It used to be a real pain 'not smoking' with a pint while everyone else was puffing away.

Besides which , if you don't stop it'll kill you. It killed my dad! $:\$

bigfootpete · « **Reply #20 on:** 23 February 2012, 12:34:24 pm »

Replace it with sex - you'll soon forget....Or get a whole new craving every time you go for a drink

Tourx4 · « **Reply #21 on:** 24 February 2012, 12:35:27 am »

Keep up the great work, my dad is totaly tabacco free and my mum is down to her last 1/2 cigerette. It has been hard but she's doing really well and i'm very proud of them both!!!!

helen · « **Reply #22 on:** 24 February 2012, 10:17:35 pm »

Thanks everyone for the encouragement and helpful suggestions

Day 12 and still not smoking

robby boy · « **Reply #23 on:** 24 February 2012, 11:28:40 pm »

Well done you, you've managed 12 days keep up the good work.

dx408 · « **Reply #24 on:** 27 February 2012, 03:16:58 am »

Well done keep it up not easy but worth it