DO YA WANNA QUIT OR NOT?

[spirittalker]

Higgies, you are doing great. Remember to cheer yourself on everytime you feel a craving just say wooohoo I did it! I am done! I used the gum once when I quit and it definitely got rid of the cravings(the physical ones at least). I went cold turkey this time and I am glad i did but I think you have to do what works for you. Congrats on becoming an even healthier person!

[higgies]

Hello! I was out and about today. I did well! Yeah me! Now that I'm home I'm getting a bit more cravings, but I've been doing ok with the gum. It doesn't completely take it away, but ti helps. So far so good! We'll see how I do once Katie comes home!

[Bugaboo]

I find when I'm home I tend to get more cravings too. Probably cuz when I'm out and about I'm driving in my car screaming at the loonatic drivers out there...lol! You are doing awesome higgies...you can do this! I take it Katie smokes? If she does it may help to focus on two things...1) that when she's smoking you're free of that and not enslaved to the nicotine anymore...feel happy not deprived and 2) you'll be setting a wonderful example for her, she may just join you! If possible though, and if she doesn't already, have her smoke outside. I find the smell of cigarettes nauseating already and the few times I've walked through a cigarette cloud (especially when I go to the college) it gives me an instant headache. Ahhhhh...to be free!!!!! Rock on higgies...who da man? You da man!!! :joy

[higgies]

LOL! Thanks so much Bugaboo!

Yeah, I already told her that when I quit she must smoek outside my place...no more smoking in my apartment or my car!! She is a light smoker anyway. She only smokes a lot when she's around me or away from her folks. So it shouldn't be too bad. The big challenge will be the bars this weekend!!!

[Bugaboo]

Hmmm...going to the bars may be a bit of challenge. Not because of the other smokers but drinking may cause your brain to trick you. Any chance on going to a smoke-free bar and asking Katie to kindly not smoke around you? If she's a light smoker to begin with she may not even think about lighting up because you won't be. Chain reaction thing. And isn't great to get in your car that smells nice instead of a stale ashtray? I didn't even do any de-ordorizing and it smells great in there already! :joy Also, remember now you have no more reason to stick a cigarette in your ear than in your mouth! Lol!

[jimmie 48]

just checking up on you guys! bugs, you are really bringing higgies along in here. good for the both of you!

[higgies]

Actually...because Katie's family doesn't klnow either of us smoke we've always been hiding it. so when we go out to the bars we're usually with her uncle. So we sneak them in if we must very rarely. So hopefully if they're aorund it won't be tough at all. Yeah, I know...I'm 29 and sneaking around to smoke....I thought the same thing, but I guess it's just easier on her if her folks think I'm not a smoker. But guess what, now I'm not!! :joy

[spirittalker]

So it shouldn't be too hard to not smoke in the bars since you pretty much don't anyway. One thing I did notice that really helped me was rather than avoiding the smokers I still hang out with them. I still go outside during their smoke breaks. It helps me to see that the real reason I needed so many breaks was really because I just wanted to be outside. Also, smelling their smoke just reinforces it fo rme that I never enjoyed smoking no mattr how much I lied to myself and said I did I never really did. The smell is nasty and also I can totally smell smokers when they are even remotely close to me and the stale smoke smell is worse than the smell of them smoking. I love that I DO NOT smell that way now. I can put on perfume and not have the smell be ruined by smoke. :joy Higgies I am really proud of you. Bug you are doing awesome. Now if only we can get Nikki back in here for another go at it. She lives in Denver maybe I should just find out where and drop her off a copy of the book.

I should buy stock or something. ensive

[jimmie 48]

can i play devils advocate here for just a second?
do you really think that katies parents don't know she or you either smoke? i take it they are non smokers. you will come to find this out but when you don't smoke and you get around someone who does you can tell. yes, even if you go outside or where ever. the smoke gets in your clothes, your hair. if you smoke in your car it gets in the upolstery and guess where your butt is sitting rubbing the smell into your clothes.

jack used to go outside at my moms house and she always smelled it in her house. jack has gotten sensetive to the smelll too since quitting. if we have the windows in the car down and can smell the smoke and tell you which car it's coming from, granted they have to have their windows down, but that is how much you can pick up on the smell.

i understand you are going to a bar and lots of people smoke so you can blame it on that i guess.

was just playing the other side of the fence.

did you get through the night and into the morning w/o any butts in your face? lol i always heard from jack and others that mornings were the worst.

[Bugaboo]

Hi All! Hope everyone is having a great Thursday! Remember to stay strong while the board is down. I'll be in and out of chat Friday. Probably be able to stay for longer Fri night. If someone really needs to vent and doesn't want to do it in chat my e-mail is espytwo@hotmail.com Like I said, I'll be in and out Friday so please be patient if I'm not quick to respond. :hug And it is amazing how I can smell a smoker a mile away now. When I went to the college for my writing test I could smell it on people coming in from outside! It's so nice having my sense of smell returning to normal though. Also, had some portabella mushrooms last night. OMG...they taste so fantastic now! :icondance

[spirittalker]

Re: DO YA WANNA QUIT OR NOT?

I was just checking in to see how everyone is doing. Ok so I have put on 6 pounds quitting smoking and now I can't seem to lose and ounce but other than that I am great. My breathing is free and my chest doesn tighten up when I exercise. I am almost 3 weeks off of the drug. 3 Whole weeks free. It's really feel like it's been a lot longer though. Not in a bad way either. it just feels like I was never a smoker most of the time. I do not think about them at all except in the afternoons when I leave work. I get a craving for a cigarette followed by a HUGE craving for either ice cream or Starbucks. These cravings are likely the reason why I cannot lose weight. I will either stop at starbucks and answer the craving with a legal treat(usually). Or I come home and I pig out on nuts. Soooo I have rededicated myself to the plan and I am working very hard to not eat the darn nuts or starbucks or anything that tends to stall people out. At least for now. I have heard quitting smoking lowers you metabolism. Anyone here know for sure if that is true? I am going to hunt around and see if I can find any info on that.

[Bugaboo]

Re: DO YA WANNA QUIT OR NOT?

Well, this is a post I really didn't want to make. I've been dragging my feet on it but I have to come clean and be honest. A few days I ago I just snapped. I don't know what happened in my mad little chicken mind but don't let anyone else fall into the "it's only one cigarette" trap. It's true, there is no such thing. "Tom" showed up so I'm thinking it may have been PMS related since I'm not on the pill or anything hormone related. So now I'm at about 1/2 a pack of lights a day and I still won't allow myself to smoke in my car. Even just one cigarette a day is bad and I'm utterly disappointed in myself. I was hoping to be one of those rare smokers who quit for good on their first try. I've learned from this. Those days that I quit were not for waste. Now I remember what it's like to be free and I feel even more trapped by the nicodemon. At least now I have the Easyway book and other resources out there in my arsenal. I don't think I took it seriously enough the first time around. I will kick this though. I am not going to remain a slave to the weed. I want to visit my sister in NC this fall as an ex-smoker and I will! Well, I'm throughly embarassed now but I had to be honest. Lying is not in my nature. I just wanted to wait until the board was up and running well. If nothing else this will help others to realize that there is NO such thing as "I'll just have one cigarette." It's a trap. Don't fall for it!!!!! Now I have to start all over again.

[spirittalker]

Re: DO YA WANNA QUIT OR NOT?

Well get back on the wagon girl!! Get that darn book and read it from beginning to end and quit for good. You know the easy way to quit. You know know that allen wasn't lying about the just one cigarette. Pick yourself up brush yourself off and read the book again. You can do this

[Bugaboo]

Re: DO YA WANNA QUIT OR NOT?

Thanks spirit. I think when I first read that book and re-read it I didn't take it seriously enough. I didn't take to heart that in fact I am a drug addict. The drug just happens to be legal but it's still a drug. I'm a drug addict first, the smoking is just the delivery tool. I was thinking "I'm a smoker." Instead of "I'm a drug addict." Doesn't sound pretty but it's the truth.

[higgies]

Re: DO YA WANNA QUIT OR NOT?

Good morning guys...checkin in!

Oh Bugaboo, get right back on the wagon again! I slipped and had a smoke this weekend, but it didn't even taste good. I barely finished it. So I didn't tweak this weekend or anything hanging around the family. I did eat whatever I wanted though and gained 12lbs in one weekend!! I know it's mainly water, but I feel horrible.

Just keep thinking of all the benefits we were getting from the quit!