The Evil Weed... and how it's never too late to quit

[EADG]

am I the only one thinking this was about something else...?

Not the whacky type, surely!

Don't Call Me Shirley

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

am I the only one thinking this was about something else...?

Not the whacky type, surely!

Don't Call Me Shirley

Than stop hanging out with Laverne.


OK, serious thread, remember?

I too, at first glance thought the reference in the subject box was to marijuana.

At school, we recently had a forum for parents which dealt with the stiff penalties for illegal drugs here, very sobering to think your child could hang for possessing 501 gms of mariuana.

Back to tobacco, I come from a long line of social, casual smokers. I was a pack a week/month smoker for years. I never, never smoked in front of my children (or parents for that matter) -- inconceivable! I quit completely a month before my 40th birthday, reasoning with myself that I was no longer a kid, so knock it off.

If I may digress for a bit:

My favorite smoke of the day was when the kids were very small and we'd be at our old farm house which was surrounded by acres and acres of pasture and in a tiny town. In the winter when the sky was impossibly clear, after the work of that day was done, the kids fed, bathed and snug in their beds -- I'd put on my old coat and go sit under the stars and smoke one cigarette. Just heaven. I do the same thing now, just no cigarette...

[EADG]

Not the whacky type, surely!

Don't Call Me Shirley

Than stop hanging out with Laverne.

hmmm...interesting variation on that theme

[Quasimodo]

How about Leslie?

[CardZeus]

Thanks for all the positive comments people. One week on and still going strong - only getting the odd craving now and again.

[sundaymorningstaple]

CZ, if you've passed 3-5 days okay you should be alright. Now the only problem you have to really deal with it putting yourself in a position where you previously smoked a lot. (Don't know whether you drink or not but bars & such were my biggest test) When I didn't light up there I knew that I was totally successful. It's not the craving but the habit of lighting up when you have a beer in front of you. "One won't hurt, it's just with a drink, she'll be right! I already know now that I'm over it."

Good on ya, mate!

[Vaucluse]

[scottishsteve]

Are you still free of the Evil Weed??

Hope all is going well for you.

I myself have been a smoker of a pck a day for the last 10 years or so, I'm want to stop but just dont know when to take that 'plunge'.

The rest of my family back home have all stopped, (dad for over a year, bro for 6 months and now my mum for the last 2 months)

I myself am the typical Habit smoker (every time I pick up the phone, after food, pub etc etc)

ANy tips for me on how you got through the first few weeks?

My mum stopped after reading this book by ALan Carr, it supposed to be really good and gives you a different outlook on how to stop. (She is bringing it over for me)

Good luck on staying free

[micknlea]

OK...I sound like an ad...but read it through first...I apologise in advance!

I can only say that in order to give up...YOU have to really want to give up. I mean really want to do it for yourself, not for any other reason.

If you want to do it you can. You will find the willpower etc.

If you are doing for peer pressure etc or because you partner or someone/something else wants you to do it...then it probably won't work.

I think I am trying to say that to do it you have to believe that you can.

Erk, I sound like one of those ads...I don't mean to. I just know that having tried a few times I know that the only time it really worked was when I gave up for myself. And it worked. All those cravings, times when you just have to have one...they go...it works.

OK will stop now...but really all it takes is the will to want to do it.

Good luck Scottishsteve.

You won't believe how good it feels until you have done it...

[scottishsteve]

Thanks for the confidence.

Im going to read this book with a complete open mind, (what works for one does not always work for another)

Hopefully will post here again in the next few weeks, saying Day 1 , days 2 (til i reach the 1 year mark HA HA)

[sundaymorningstaple]

Thanks for the confidence.

Im going to read this book with a complete open mind, (what works for one does not always work for another)

Hopefully will post here again in the next few weeks, saying Day 1 , days 2 (til i reach the 1 year mark HA HA)

2 days ago I passed the 18 month mark. And I smoked anywhere from 1 to 3 packs a day (pack a day when I quit) for 37 years. If I can, so can you.

sms

[ksl]

Thanks for the confidence.

Im going to read this book with a complete open mind, (what works for one does not always work for another)

Hopefully will post here again in the next few weeks, saying Day 1 , days 2 (til i reach the 1 year mark HA HA)

2 days ago I passed the 18 month mark. And I smoked anywhere from 1 to 3 packs a day (pack a day when I quit) for 37 years. If I can, so can you.

sms

The longest ever time, i had stopped smoking is 7 years. It's kind of like alcohol i guess, the first taste, and your off again. But amazingly I stop and start at will. My biggest problem is being around people that smoke, which i do try to avoid these days, especially since i have stopped again on my return to Singapore, so I guess its around 10 days now!!!

While in UK I found myself getting through 40 a day, and not enjoying them, or the price, at almost 150 quid a week.

It's a disgusting habit and should be banned forever! This time I will work much harder on quitting for good.

[rillo]

am I the only one thinking this was about something else...?

I was thinking the same thing at first, but then recalled that the title was addressing the "Evil" weed.

[ksl]

CZ, close parallel there.

I quit after 37 year of smoking in mid Dec 04. so looking at around 17 months. When I decided to quit it was for me and me alone. It was easy. I also have HBP and the numbers were about the same and after 3 days also dropped the same. (other stresses have pushed it back up again to original medicated levels subsequently however). Only real bad backlash was I gained some 10 Kg in 3 months and I've never been able to get rid of it due to High Impact exercises have a bad impact on my joints as I have hereditary gout.

Good on you.

Keep it up CZ! You too SMS, I have been stopped since August, but for the last 20 years its been on and off, 7 years was the longest period I had stopped, then one fatal christmas, while i was tipsy, someone stuck one in my mouth and that was it! back on 20 a day, until i could motivate myself again to quit.

I really do hate smokers, becuase I enjoy bad habits, which are not healthy, just like boozing with the wrong guy for example! I'm easy led, I suppose, So i do try to avoid smokers.

My weight shot up too to 98kg, because my appetite improved so much, but I am now down to 80kg with a target of 78kg today. One must remember with age, the metabolism diminishes at 1% per year, so you must reduce calorie intake.

Rule of thumb is to eat no more food than what can sit on the palm of your hand, for each meal, not including fingers! stick to that and see the weight drop. helps to reduce high carbs a lot, if you are not doing any exercise. Smoking stinks! and I hate the smell on my clothing!

When i think back to the airport in Thailand and how i hated getting into the cage full of cancer sticks, that was enough to motivate me to stop, where the smokers are in the glass cubicles on display like some kind of Zoo! It looks so funny!

Not had a beer now for 4 months, such a long time too! I'll be posting the blood test results soon, to see if my blood sugar is down, because of the vinegar, and if I have reduced the fatty liver problem. I'm off to Europe soon so my fingers are crossed that I don't start smoking again too! Other than that i eat anything and still a sucker for ice cream, but i do run it off the next day!

I will say that, at 57 years old my calorie needs are very low, I have been monitoring for a while now, and I don't need more than 1500 a day.

The hand palm of food is between 300 to 500 calories, depending of course on what is eaten, but the portion size is a very good rule of thumb, to lose weight, even if it means eating 6 meals a day, you will generally be eating less. One potion of McDonald fries for example is 600 calories, but they are that bloody awful, i throw them away anyway!

[billturk1]

Non smokers are not going to like this, but its true

smoked from 13 years old until 45 years old 2 packs a day.
Got re married and stopped cold turkey, for 21 years, and started again
8 months ago.
Reason??

YOU NEVER OVERCOME THE DESIRE no matter what you try and tell yourself.
And for 21 years so hyproactive could not sit and watch a movie or tv, had to be doing something, walking, working about the garden anything,
and 21 years a grump most of the time.

Now smoke again about 10 smokes a day and relax,watch tv, read every evening after work and enjoy my smoke and coffee after dinner. REALLY ENJOY it agian. My lifemate wife says I have changed so much after starting again, I am more laid back, relaxed, not argue, cheeriful and basically better to be around

Niow 68 and know something will kill me some day, but it will take long time to kick off from smoking. however glad I stopped from the age between 45 and 67, really think would have had a stroke or kicked off early if I had not done so.

So, bottom line DO NOT KID YOURSELF, YOU MOST LIKELY WILL SMOKE AGAIN SOME TIMES.
Cheers