Lifestyle Changes for Smokers

[RSK]

As a smoker, I am very lazy. I don't like to move much. I get tired walking a flight of stairs. I drink a lot of soda, and junk food. I don't look after my body weight as much as I should...

...I'm sure there is more you can add.

BUT, to quit smoking ---> we must change our LIFESTYLES!

Start drinking WATER. You will find that water and cigs don't mix that well! It's true!

Start an Exercise routine. After a 3-5 mile jog/run, you'll find that you will not crave a cig for at least the remaining half of the day.

Find a hobby (Golf, Basketball, or anything that can take your mind off the crave). Just DO SOMETHING ELSE!

Drink More Water ---> It's amazing how much this can help you quit!


DON'T SET DATES when you will quit -> you are asking for failure!

The best time to quit ----> IS NOW!

Yes, NOW!

Create a vision of where you want to be in the future!
Create a vision of your health!
Create a vision of your well being!
Create a vision of the long term goals in your life, and how These Lifestyle changes WILL get you there.

SMOKING KILLS (the bottom line)

It's funny, even though people know that smoking kills (we still do it). Because we don't see the long term effects.

In the 70's, it was 'fashionable' to smoke. Today, it is down right disgusting, filthy, annoying, and sickening - for both smoker AND non-smoker.



WHO IS WITH ME ON MAKING THESE LIFE STYLE CHANGES?

(I am about to smoke a cig, but after that ---> I am REALLY going to make another effort to QUIT)


We should all do this together.

If you want to quit, add your name here:

1) RSK
2)
3)
4)...

We can form a support group, and share what we did, what we ate, how we handled craves...and so on...

...if not, then good luck. After this ONE cig, I am REALLY going to make this effort!

[independent]

1) RSK
2) Independent
3)
4)...


I'm IN!!!

I agree with everything that you said above. Water and Cigs DO NOT mix (yuck!!), so that is the one thing that I have done in the 3 days since I quit. It is mid-morning on Saturday, and I quit at 11pm on Wednesday night.

The water is a great hand-to-mouth replacement habit, as well as a great way to flush your body of toxins and get you on the track to shaping back up. On Thursday I drank 36 oz of water. On Friday I drank 72 oz of water. On both days I also worked out (increasing my time by 3-5 minutes/day).

For me, the soda and junk food go along with the cigarettes. Many people find that they gain weight when they quit smoking - but I am just the opposite. As a person that smokeD with a soda in hand, and smokeD 2 packs a day... I was drinking 8-10 sodas a day (at 150 calories each). In addition to the weight gain, that many sodas will send you straight to the dentist. (I've spent thousands there already).

NOT SMOKING has A LOT of benefits.

I am going to be HOT, fit, happy and beautiful as a non-smoker!

In addition to transforming into the person that I see myself as in as little as 6-12 months (which is a great motivator!!)... I know that if I smoke again, I will wake up every single morning disappointed with myself. Sick at myself. Hating that I smoke. That I couldnt "do it". And that IS NOT how I want to feel, or who I want to be.

Thanks for the thread

[independent]

p.s. Last night I "freaked", threw on a sweater and rushed to the store. I spent 27 DOLLARS on junk food:

- beef jerkey
- pistachios
- nutty bars
- a pint of ice cream
- double dipped cookies
- cool whip
- a sweet potato pie

... LOL

I had half a slice of pie, and probably 8oz of pistachios. When I got up this morning and saw all the junk on the kitchen table that I left there when I walked in from the store... I had a good laugh! :p

[boobaa]

Hmm, I am always wondered why i don't smoke, even if I somethimes feel that I need a smoke or something, so I just suck pen.
Now I know, its water. I drink lots of it. Not much soda and no evil coffe at all.
I don't eat junk food and I am thin as paper.

[misombra]

lol you weren't taking carpflounders advice were you?

i felt so good after i quit smoking. i can't imagine ever going back. i smoked almost a pack a day. winstons. bad.

here's a story that might be motivating. my grandfather smoked salem's all the time. was always smoking 24/7. he is still alive and my grandmother, who never smoked anything her entire life, died of lung disease long ago, my grandfather is still alive. you're killing us, literally.

[RSK]

WOW! we have a lot of similarities!

I'm glad you joined!

I always smoke with a soda in my hand. And smoking after a number 3 McDonalds Value meal was VERY satisfying! But not only am i damaging my Lungs, I am also damaging my overall health - sodas with sugar and food that will clog my arteries. the combination of bad lungs and clogged arteries, and being overweight, leads to further complications, most obviously, heart attact, and premature death.

YES - IT'S TIME TO QUIT. Better NOW than TOMMOROW.

Independent - YOU ARE DOING GREAT! I hope to catch up with you, and experience the 'better' side of life!

I want to feel the energy again. I want to be healthy enough to play with my future grandkids. I want to inspire OTHERS. And it all starts from life style CHANGES.

______________________________

The cigs have 'made' us behave a certain way. And so far - they have succeeded.

NOW - let us change the way we live - SO THAT WE CAN DEFEAT THE CRAVE!!!

______________________________

As I said independent - You are on the right track! KEEP IT UP!

______________________________




Some humor:

Hey, Independent, that's an ironic name! Especially for someone SOOOO addicted (and DEPENDENT) on cigs! lol!

THAT WAS A JOOOOOOOKE!

i hope you took it that way!

__________________________________________-

[independent]

LOL, I did

Even more ironic is that I found out through my time here at LF, and some self analysis, that I am actually more dependent on MANY things than I ever realized. I always saw myself as "independent" (and am financially, as well as other ways)... but recently found several 'dependencies' in my life that I am now dealing with and taking care of *smile*

Thanks for the encouragement!! We can do this... together

(finishing off my bag of pistachios at the moment, though LOL - but I'm smoke free today!)

[bluesummer]

Independent - pistachios are good for you.....and certainly a preferable substitue for a cigarette....so keep munchin'. My Dad use to eat bags and bags of sunflower seeds when he was trying to quit.....cracking the seeds satisfied that 'oral fixation'.

As for smoking in general....we have to feel lucky that our generation is so much more informed about the dangers of smoking. Unfortunately, it took a couple of generations of watching friends and family members suffer and die as a result of it to teach us a lesson. That should be a motivator to us all.

Even six years after quitting, I am guilty of still having the occasional 'stress-smoke', and I kick myself every time, because even ONE cigarette is damaging.

[Late_vamp]

Even six years after quitting, I am guilty of still having the occasional 'stress-smoke', and I kick myself every time, because even ONE cigarette is damaging.

seriously? i kinda quit smoking , im like a part-time smoker ... i dont buy packs , i used to smoke about 8 per day , not anymore , now i only smoke when im either drinking and socialising ( bar , party) ... except for that , theres the occasional stress smoke . i smoke about 1 cigarette per month or so . 12 per year = half a pack per year ... not bad .

[bluesummer]

Yes LV, any cigarette is a bad cigarette. I think I'm down to one or two a year, and in my mind that's still too many. It takes years to get all the crap out of your lungs that you accumulate from even a few years of smoking. Why drag it on longer?

[Illusional]

people don't like quitters. they give up too easily. just stick to a bad habit because in the end, you can always depend on it to be there for you.

raverboy

[independent]

WhatEVER!

You could say the same about good habits. That made no sense at all! LOL

[Tone]

That was a test, Indy - you passed!

You're going to have to be ready to deal with peer pressure.. keep your mind sharp!

[independent]

Mentally, I'm psyched. I could not be convinced that I am wrong, or pressured to do anything that goes against this goal. This is really HUGE for me, and it's something I'm deadset on and feeling very positive about!

[Tone]

Keeping that attitude 24 hours a day, through rain or shine, will be the real challenge.

But I know you can do it.