My giving up smoking, getting fit diary

Tina2011

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Mar 23, 2012
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Right, here goes.

I have to give up smoking, number one most important thing for me to start off with.

I have been happily puffing away now for the last 5 years...going on 6:frown:

It all started over some financial stress or another (Its the bane of my life lol).
High time to give up.

I have given it up before for long periods, the longest being 10 years. Usually I just go cold turkey and after about two weeks I am ok and 'cured'.

This time I am having real trouble getting to grips with it.

Every night, I say 'right, that's it no more fags' and have the spray thingy on my bedside cabinet ready to squirt first thing in the morning.

I wake up, usually with a fag on my mind, look at the spray and think 'f..k it, not today.

Somehow, I have to change the habit, when I get up. Its just too easy to light up and sit down and enjoy a cup of tea, then several more (and fags) before I move.

Any suggestions any one?
 
When I gave up I considered my habit in 2 forms, physical and mental dependence, and tackled both separately.

The important thing was the same as with my eating, the situation and timing of each fag so I could try to figure out what it was satisfying in me and whether there was anything else I could do instead.

Initially, avoiding my triggers was what was needed, then gradually I learnt to cope with my triggers without giving in.

Its remarkable how, looking back, my eating and my smoking I dealt with in the same way, as a mental dependence.

Good luck Tina. You may find that each of your normal times to spark up need different coping strategies to overcome.
 
OH is on day five of giving up after smoking for over twenty years. He has bought one of those electric ciggie thingys and is doing quite well. He's just gone off to the pub so tonight will be a real test but so far he is quite impressed. Good luck with it anyway T x
 
When I gave up I considered my habit in 2 forms, physical and mental dependence, and tackled both separately.

The important thing was the same as with my eating, the situation and timing of each fag so I could try to figure out what it was satisfying in me and whether there was anything else I could do instead.

Initially, avoiding my triggers was what was needed, then gradually I learnt to cope with my triggers without giving in.

Its remarkable how, looking back, my eating and my smoking I dealt with in the same way, as a mental dependence.

Good luck Tina. You may find that each of your normal times to spark up need different coping strategies to overcome.

Yes this is the sort of thing I am trying to figure out. Atm I need to think of a different routine. Tomorrow I am just going to try and force myself into a different situation (famous last words).

I am going to try, just getting up and sitting in a room where I don't smoke for starters.

Thanks everyone for your support.
 
Hmm, well patches helped me, and so did the lozenges.

Tis perfectly doable - I am one of those people that if I enjoy something I do it all the time, and I enjoyed smoking!!!

OH on the other hand neither enjoyed smoking or the smell of it, and berated me constantly instructing me to go and wash my hair and have a bath!!!

It got to the point where I had to make a decision as to whether to stick with the fags or OH because it drove me nuts!!

OH did win!!!

And now, I cannot bear the smell of people having smoked or having smokey clothes - they do say reformed smokers ar the worst!!!
 
I first gave it up when I was 22 years old whilst going out with a non smoker.

My husband smokes and hasn't the slightest notion or intention of quitting.

Today has been good, I have changed all my habits.

I have been sitting (when resting) in different places where I don't smoke. I actually enjoyed the change and found it easier than I thought.

I have smoked, but considerably less. When I went to the horses, I left the fags at home and took the spray with me and some pear drops, (these usually work well for me). I didn't really miss the fags at all. During breaks I normally sit in the car and have a puff. I sat in the field instead scoffing Pear drops. Cherie thought it was all very interesting and came to stand over me:giggle: I think she wondered what I was doing sat on the floor.

Tomorrow is stop day, I feel armed and ready, I went shopping and bought tons of sweets. I will be joining the 'diet club' next:smile:

I already feel tons better just by cutting down.
 
Cutting down helped me - I think if I had still been on 10 a day it would have been worse!
Just a word of advice - try not to watch telly when folk are smoking on it!!!! I watched Life On Mars and Ashes To Ashes whilst going cold turkey and I nearly licked the tv screen I was so desperate for a fag! lol. They made ciggies look soooooo good - and I could almost smell them!!!!!!
Funnily enough - I watched Lewis the other night and Hathaway was puffing away and I suddenly wanted to smoke!!! It will be 7 years this Christmas Eve eve since I gave up too.
 
I got the 40 a day habit when I was a student in France and ciggies were the thing and cheap.

I quit when they became £1 a packet. I had three goes at it, reducing gradually, but relapsing. In the end it just had to be cold turkey and no more.

We decided to stop drinking as well, mainly on cost, so we just don't buy wine now. I tried the i'll just have one glass, and we never stuck to it, so if there is nothing in the house, you can't drink it, I find that works for me.
 
Ive packed up and started a few times over the last stressful couple of years! More recently I bought a e-cig which I had great results with! Until I lost it... bought another normal pack and there we go! My latest giving up campaign is working well so far! A friend suggested I put the money I spent on the fags ( £6.50 a pack) into a jar and see it build up everytime you would of normal bought fags. I am chucking in 20p everytime I have a craving and started of putting £10. It soons mounts up! and its quite alarming to see for yourself how much is actually in there!. Worth a go to! I have labelled my jar the " NO FAGS FUND " :giggle: I am going out to the shop shortly for supplies. This will be my first big test! luckily I dont have shops on my doorstep so I cant just 'nip to get some' which helps alot!

I need to be strong at the shop!

To make matters worse I am also dieting... I cant even binge on chocolate to aid the cravings !!a:)
 
It all went tits up today:frown: Better luck tomorrow:giggle:

ATM its the middle of the night. My sleeping pattern has just gone out the window:frown:

I had a lovely day yesterday but it was disorganised and I started out on the wrong foot, this is very common in my household lol.

I cleared off up to the horses and had a super ride on Cherie, came home and fell asleep from 5 oclock till midnight, so now wide awake:giggle: oh dear.

I haven't eaten anything except a bowl of rice krispies for breakfast yesterday:frown:

I am pretty hopeless. I think I have had one of my 'Irish' days. I feel happy though so what the heck, tomorrow is another day:smile:
 
Ive packed up and started a few times over the last stressful couple of years! More recently I bought a e-cig which I had great results with! Until I lost it... bought another normal pack and there we go! My latest giving up campaign is working well so far! A friend suggested I put the money I spent on the fags ( £6.50 a pack) into a jar and see it build up everytime you would of normal bought fags. I am chucking in 20p everytime I have a craving and started of putting £10. It soons mounts up! and its quite alarming to see for yourself how much is actually in there!. Worth a go to! I have labelled my jar the " NO FAGS FUND " :giggle: I am going out to the shop shortly for supplies. This will be my first big test! luckily I dont have shops on my doorstep so I cant just 'nip to get some' which helps alot!

I need to be strong at the shop!

To make matters worse I am also dieting... I cant even binge on chocolate to aid the cravings !!a:)

I will phone the shop and tell them not to sell you them! You are under age!
 
I will phone the shop and tell them not to sell you them! You are under age!

I actually got ID'd for fags a couple of years ago ( made my day!) Also in Asda I got asked ID for alcohol ! thats quite impressive a 34!
 
Ive packed up and started a few times over the last stressful couple of years! More recently I bought a e-cig which I had great results with! Until I lost it... bought another normal pack and there we go! My latest giving up campaign is working well so far! A friend suggested I put the money I spent on the fags ( £6.50 a pack) into a jar and see it build up everytime you would of normal bought fags. I am chucking in 20p everytime I have a craving and started of putting £10. It soons mounts up! and its quite alarming to see for yourself how much is actually in there!. Worth a go to! I have labelled my jar the " NO FAGS FUND " :giggle: I am going out to the shop shortly for supplies. This will be my first big test! luckily I dont have shops on my doorstep so I cant just 'nip to get some' which helps alot!

I need to be strong at the shop!

To make matters worse I am also dieting... I cant even binge on chocolate to aid the cravings !!a:)

I don't actually buy mine.....I pinch my husbands:giggle:

The price is horrifying enough in its self. When I have given up previously, I tended to spend the money on other things to 'treat' myself at first, just small things I wouldn't have bothered with if I was spending on fags, not to mention the cart load of sweets I get through whilst quitting. It does all even out though and I save money in the end. Usually put on weight to start then loose it again after about 6 months.

I don't think I could diet and give up smoking at the same time, I would probably quit the smoking first (its worse for you health than a little extra weight) then hit the dieting second.

I am not in the 'zone' today, just had a sleepless night, but I am going to start quitting tomorrow after a good nights sleep. I have a hospital appointment tomorrow so I dare say I will be hanging around in there quite a while and not able to puff anyway:smile:
 
Good luck Tina :D I have today ordered electric tabs!
I am in the zone food wise but not so sure about the tabs but shall give it a good go!
 
Well I am getting fitter....I think. Definitely more organised if not much else.

I haven't quit yet:frown:

My doctor phoned me yesterday to tell me my cholesterol is high... 5.....really:rolleyes:

I am off to see her next week but I don't think 5 is high so I will be endeavouring to eat better and give up smoking first before going on the stats.

Today I have hay fever and feel really dithery, yesterday evening I went all dizzy and felt faint:unsure: so today I am going to take it easy and do jobs indoors. I have stacks of them and want to get really sorted before uni in Sept.

I am spending today getting my self in my quit smoking mind set for tomorrow:unsure: but I really must!
 
When I fell pregnant with my son i quit smoking and fully intended on going back to them once he was born to help me lose the baby weight but my tastes totally changed and i couldn't stand the smell or the taste making me feel physically sick so I never went back to them, been quit 7 years now!
 
I don't think I am as unfit as I thought.

I had quite a strenuous lesson yesterday with lots of trotting and did not get puffed at all. Poor pony got quite tired and sweaty though and she is a bit stiff this morning but ok:frown:

I have started reading Alan Carr's 'Easy way to give up smoking'. He tells me not to stop till I have finished the book. Strange thing is I have noticed I have already cut down:unsure:
 
You can do it Tina! I think food is harder to give up! Lol I am so weak at times with food, I only have to read a book where it mentions something tasty and it sets me off rooting in the cupboard!
 
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