About Time!

This shall be my diary and who knows what I will post, or how I will vent, but once again and this time for the last time in my life, I have QUIT the bad habit of SMOKING!

I quitted for 35 days, 2 yrs ago and I gained 30 lbs in such a short time that I went back to smoking. This time there is no looking back!

My last cigarette was THREE hours ago, which it seems like an eternity since I smoke a cigarette every 10-15 minutes when I am seated at the p.c.

I am doing it COLD TURKEY! No patches, no gums, no nothing.

Hey, does anybody want to join me to quit smoking and we can do it together? :D

Reaffirming myself! ----> I have quit, I am strong!

Pray for me, though ;)

Gracias to my AL comrades for any support!

You can do it Alta! I believe in you!

You go Alta! We all seem to be quitting something, don't we??

Put something good in the place of the bad habit, that's the challenge.

Hi Alta...I hope you are able to quit smoking. I struggled with that for years...and my resolve would be so strong at night, but then I wolud wake up and just couldn't do it. I quit several times, but for me, it was only with medication that I was finally able to quit for good (welbutrin). I love to smoke. If they made a cigarette that wasn't bad for you, I would smoke again I think, although it has been over 6 years now. I just loved smoking. I agree with bubblebee - it was replacing smokking with healthy habits (yoga, organic diet...) that re-affirmed my commitment to a healthy lifestyle. It would be so hard to go back to smoking now when so many other aspects of my life are health oriented. BUT....it was hard and took me almost 3 years of battling myself and my will. In the end, for me, I knew I needed more help and I was beating myself up every day when I was unable to keep my word with myself. For me, welbutrin worked wonderfully...I felt no different actually, but I would look at the clock and it would be 4pm and I hadn't thought about smoking. They tell you not to worry about trying to quit for the first week, but by the end of that week, I almost never thought about smoking...quitting by week 2 just kind of happened. I think I was on those pills for like 3 or 4 months, but I can't remember exactly.

I hope this plan works for you, but if it doesn't, there are other options and trying as many as possible is better than beating yourself up when it doesn't work or continuing to smoke.

Good luck!! If I had had support like the ppl here, maybe I could have done it without meds, who knows! :)

I don't smoke, but wanted to offer my words of support to you! I was just sitting here thinking of starting a thread journaling my plans to lose weight and exercise more, and voila, here you have a similar idea. So, we'll be Health Chat buddies together... on a similar mission.

I believe in you and know that you can do this. :)

Good luck! ;)

WOOHOO!!!! You go! Congrats on quitting smoking! I had quit cold turkey almost 2 years ago, and I'm never going back! Remember, Never take another puff! I used whyquit.com as a support group for quitting. Way to go!!!:D

Good for you, Altaru!!!!!! And best, best, best of luck and wishes for success! I did it after 35 years so I guarantee it CAN be done, and trust me, the freedom that you will feel when you are free of the addiction is just SO WORTH IT! It adds to your sense of power and self-worth and, if you're like me, you'll feel so happy for yourself and so sad for people that continue to smoke.

hows it going alta??
i quit on jan. 8th... a few rough times, bags of cheetos later...but smoke free. i am a non smoker!! now getting the eating under control again...

Christina, good for you! Breaking these addictions is pretty hard and if cheetos help, then I say indulge for a bit.

Congratulations!

thanks bub... i imagine there will always be passing "i wanna cigarette" moments..but they pass. woman at work quit the week after me, cheated and had one, and she told me it was REALLY nasty tasting... and not to do it. so it helps me. after that one, it was easier for her to stay focused to stay away from the dirty addiction ;) . exactly what it is...an addiction.

ALTA!!!! check in!!! wondering how you are doing!

Yes, it is a horrible addiction, that I am not able to kick cold turkey!

See I was smoking at least a pack and a half a day. I was smoking at all times, even when I was relaxed, or stressed, or quiet, or loud, or partying, or alone or reading, or writing... Do you all catch the drift? Yes, an addiction that has controlled me for the last 10+ years. I started smoking as a result of my approaching divorce.

I have quit several times. Last time was over 2 years ago. I stopped smoking for 35 days cold turkey but I gained 30 lbs. in such a short time, that I started smoking again, and the irony of it all, I have not been able to loose the weight again (I am size 10 +/-)...

I have a very high stress life, yes my work alone is stressful to the max (I do family/matrimonial law litigation) so I use cigarettes to distress, but then I use cigarettes at all times...

So yes, I am smoking but not as much. I have began to take (3 days ago) 300 mg daily of Wellbutrin XL to see if it helps me quit all together. I am smoking a lot less, cigarettes taste nasty but I have kept smoking but I am not missing them. I feel I am smoking more out of habit now...

I was told to give myself 4-6 weeks of taking wellbutrin and I will hate Tobacco. I hope it is correct!

I also plan to start walking, as soon as it gets a bit warmer for me, even if I am in TX, it is still too cold for me. I used to walk 20 miles a week few yrs ago, and I loved it but I got lazy. Also I am drinking a lot more water, which helps with losing weight.

Shame on me, as I am typing this, I am smoking!

I know I will quit and never smoke a cigarette in my life, but I am not there yet!

PS My only two addictions in life that have controlled me, smoking and the Internet. I have neither one under control, yet.

PSS I had not posted because the news, as you see, are not that great!

alta...i hear you! i was 1 to 2 packs a day for 30 years.
please...think about something. you say you smoke for all the reason/activities you listed. how does the cigarette , the cigarette!! change any of those situations?
a book that was recommended to me... "the easy way to stop smoking" by alan carr. i got it from amazon, worth the money and the time to read it

you are in the mindset...you are ready to stop, you can and will do it!!

You can do it with a new mindset! I smoked for 15 years and quit last year cold turkey after my divorce. I needed a new life and that included smoking. I was amazed at how my life revolved around having that cigarette and now it doesn't. I feel so much better. I can run now(5 plus miles!) and couldn't before even thought I played soccer for years even while smoking. Find something else to put your heart into like working out or a great hobby. Think of how much healthier you will be!

Good luck. I am pulling for you.

-Nibbles

Don't despair, Altaru, lots of people have to quit multiple time before it works - just never quit quitting!

The Wellbutin has worked wonders for others - they simple quit smoking - amazing, and it beats hitting yourself in the head with a hammer and an ice pick to destroy the part of your brain that's addicted!

Whyquit.com

I had not posted here because I did not quit after all... However, I have not had a cigarette since Tuesday, March 13, 2007 so that makes it 18 days now! Ufffffffffffffffffff...

It is great!!!! Cold turkey too!

I have been drinking lots of water now. I am trying to associate cigarettes to water so every time I want a fix, it is water I go for. I have been drinking more than 10 glasses a day, which means I am in the piiii piiii room all day long! :D

Yes I am eating a bit more, and it is not meals, but snacking here and there...

I ran into a trainer yesterday, coincidence I had heard of her and wanted to see her from a year ago, but never did. Friday she just happened to be where I was getting my nails done, and we initiated a conversation. She wants me to call her next week, and I will...

So there, this is my update! :)

Congrats!!!
I hope that I can say that to myself soon as well.
It is tough.

Hang in there! It DOES get easier each day - the first 7 days are the hardest, I think.

I also substituted something to drink when I was quitting. That helped a lot, and to change my scenery.. I changed my routine so the "triggers" wouldn't be there, or so familiar.

Also, if you can hang around kids a lot... that could help. I would feel so guilty smoking around my kids (and they would always be on me to quit, too), that it gave me more strength to go through the stress of wanting it.

Way to go, Alta! Keep up the great work!

Alta well done....I did exactly the same thing when I quit cold turkey.....water and lots of exercise....I still put on 10kgs but I thought what the heck....10kgs wont kill me but the ciggies sure would....

I had a mini relapse the other week and smoked for a week....it was disgusting and just affirmed I dont enjoy it and I dont want it.....

stay strong you're doing great...BTW now yr not smoking wait till you smell a heavy smoker walk into a room OMG do they stink

Thank you ladies...

5 minutes ago I was screaming to my secretary "I NEED A CIGARETTE" I am drinking water instead!!

Yes, it is hard but I am going to do it this time around!!!

Your support means a lot to me.

Gracias!

high five alta!!! you will succeed!

Alta great job!! Keep it up.. My mom used tootie pops to help her... everytime she craved she ate a tootsie pop :)

Me Just the patch.. :)

Good luck

Oh wow...Im so proud of you! I know how hard it is...

I have quit and started, quit and started, and now quit again. Like Mera, I used the patch or I just might bite someone's head off.

My b/f quit a while back cold turkey, and said he doesn't really miss it. Me, on the other hand...Im such a grouch when I quit, I think I should stick the patch on my forehead..kind of like a warning sign. LOL

That's really exciting!!! Im so happy for you.

Jo,
My husband did the same thing. How do they do that:confused:
There is a new pill (not wellbutin) I cannot remember the name but it is supposed to make cigarettes so distastefull that "you'll" want to quit.
My Dr. gave me the prescription the other day (haven't picked it up yet) it is very expensive and insurance won't cover but...hey..you never know.
I'll see how it goes.

I stopped smoking 4-5 years ago. I didn't go cold turkey though... I replaced it with somrthing called "Snus" that you put under your upper lip.
http://http://image.www.rakuten.co.jp/snus/img1053483201.jpeg
I kicked that habbit 3 years ago:yes:

I didn't gain a lot a weight by quitting though... but I did from getting married :(

Continue the good work, you will manage I'm sure of it!

37 days and counting!

Last time I quitted smoking was 3 years ago and I only lasted 35 days until I went back to smoking. Well, I have passed that and still counting...

This time around I have not gained as much weight as last time. I started drinking lots of water when I quitted on March 13, but recently I have stopped and I am substituting it for chocolate, yep, bad, bad, bad!

Well, just sharing my still good news! :)

I believe if I get past the 60 days, then I will have it under better control.

I still crave a good cigarette! :D

37 days!! Alta, you rock!! Great job!! And chocolate... antioxidants!!

Daniel

""""I still crave a good cigarette! """"

alta... was there EVER any GOOD cigarette???
i quit jan. 8th. the cravings do get less and less... breath thru them, like labor!! ;)

Best of luck to you Alta!

I've never smoked before, so I really can't offer much advice, but I'm pulling for you. :D

Congratulations, Alta! :w00t: