VPI97's non-smoking journal

[VPI97]

I've been a smoker since the age of 19 when I picked up the habit during a summer co-op job. After one year sent in Virginia Tech's engineering program, I moved to Mocksville, NC for the summer to gain experience as an engineer with a wood manufacturing firm. Not knowing anyone within 200 miles meant that things were boring at first, but I was soon able to become friends with many of my coworkers. After hanging out with them, it became obvious that I was the only non-smoker in the group. That's when it started. Good old peer pressure combined with curiosity got the best of me and ever since the first cigarette touched my lips that summer, I haven't been able to stop.

Currently I'm 30 and have been smoking for 11 years. My smoking preference has ranged from Camels to rolled cigarettes to my current choice of Marlboro Lights (everybody's standby, it seems). I believe it's about time I should stop...and that's where this journal comes into the equation.

I've tried to stop before, but never really got very far. By starting this thread, it's my hope that by recording all smoking related thoughts and actions, I'll be able to have the willpower to not light up again. It's hard to stay away from them if I'm the only one who knows I'm quitting...but if I slip up now, I'll have to post it in here and then Kodos and cthomer will laugh at me. That's motivation enough for me to quit.




Note: Don't expect much information in here other than short progress reports.

[VPI97]

Entry #1 - My last cigarette was on July 7, 2004 at 12:45 pm -- 45 minutes ago. I currently do not have the urge to smoke.

[MacroGuru]

I applaud you VPI, Good Luck!

A little tip, whenever you get the craving, drink something with citrus in it, preferably grapefruit juice.

[VPI97]

Entry #2 - 80 minutes since my last cigarette - Just had an urge to smoke and when I realized that I wasn't going to do it, I felt a cold chill creep over my skin. Went and got a cup of coffee instead.

I applaud you VPI, Good Luck!
Thanks for the support...right now I would give myself a 40% chance of success (I'm not too optimistic), but I think the fact that I'm making this effort public makes me far more committed to quitting than I have been in previous attempts.

A little tip, whenever you get the craving, drink something with citrus in it, preferably grapefruit juice.
We have fruit juices in the office, so I'll be able to take your advice into account...thanks.

[WSUCougar]

I'm pulling for you. Hang in there!

[condors]

good luck

i honestly wish i could get myself ready to quit

for some reason that i can't explain i am unable to

[VPI97]

Entry #3 - 100 minutes since my last cigarette - I want one. I am so lame.


Thanks for the support Coug.

for some reason that i can't explain i am unable toThat sums up all the half assed attempts I have made in the past, as well.

[JeeberD]

You can do it, VPI. Believe in yourself...

[VPI97]

Entry #4 - 115 minutes since my last cigarette - I didn't have one. I remember reading something once that said that one strategy to quitting smoking is to avoid the "triggers" that would normally cause you to light up. One of my triggers is just being sedentary at my desk. After a while, I just feel the need to get up and do something other than churn out code (i.e. post here). This time, I got up and walked a lap around the 3rd floor of the office. When I got back to my desk I had a smile on my face...Closing in on 2 hours.

[VPI97]

You can do it, VPI. Believe in yourself...I'm trying to. :)

[VPI97]

Entry #5 - 150 minutes since my last cigarette - No significant urges since my walk around the office. It pays to keep busy.

[John Galt]

Good luck! And try to distract yourself.

[VPI97]

Entry #6 - 180 minutes since my last cigarette - I'm having a rough time of it now. I really, really, really want to smoke a cigarette. Experiencing some harsh cravings for the last 15 minutes. I got up, walked around, grabbed some pretzels and made it back to my desk without breaking down.

My pack is sitting in my desk drawer and I really should soak the damn thing and throw them away. I don't think that'll happen, though...I don't have the stones to do it.

[Ben E Lou]

My pack is sitting in my desk drawer and I really should soak the damn thing and throw them away. I don't think that'll happen, though...I don't have the stones to do it.Paging Terry Tate, Office Linebacker!

[Ben E Lou]

Dola:

You want me to come over there and go Terry Tate on yo' ass???


Seriously, good luck man!

[Alf]

Throw your cigarette pack away. That will keep the evil far away from you.

[VPI97]

Entry #7 - 200 minutes since my last cigarette - After my last post I opened my desk drawer and pulled out my pack of Marlboro Lights. I opened it up and counted the number of cigarettes I had left. Eleven. A ton of thoughts were going through my head.

"I really need to throw these away"
"If I throw them away I won't have any when I fnally break down"
"I'm not going to make it, so I should save them for when I revert back to smoking"
"I can smoke one and quit again afterwards"
"I really need to throw these away"
"I want one...no, I want two."
"Shortest. Dynasty. Ever."

I put the pack back in my drawer, still unsure of what I was going to do, and turned back to my PC. Then, I came back over to this thread and reread the posts of encouragement.

Starting this dynasty has been the best idea I've had in a while, because as of 60 seconds ago I threw away a pack of 11 soaked cigarettes. I really surprised myself with that one...I didn't think I had it in me.

[FrogMan]

Dude, that's one big step!!! Keep going, you can do it!!!

FM

[VPI97]

Entry #8 - 211 minutes since my last cigarette - Dude, that's one big step!!! Keep going, you can do it!!!I was really sweating that one out. But now I have some Welch's Fruit Snacks (as well as a half of a bag of pretzels left over from earlier)...that should help out until it's time to go home. That's the time that I'm dreading. I can't just throw away my cash and credit cards to force me not to stop and buy more smokes, can I?

[VPI97]

Entry #9 - 215 minutes since my last cigarette - Dammit, all my Fruit Snacks are gone.

[WSUCougar]

Starting this dynasty has been the best idea I've had in a while, because as of 60 seconds ago I threw away a pack of 11 soaked cigarettes. I really surprised myself with that one...I didn't think I had it in me.
WOOT!

You're climbing a very rugged mountain, and you've just pulled yourself up over a significant part of the slope. Keep climbing, brother!

[fantastic flying froggies]

FWIW, I started smoking around the same age as you, in similar circumstances. I then went on to smoke about a pack a day.

I am now 33, and I have now stopped smoking for almost 3 years, and while it 's sometimes been tough, I actually have been surprised at how easy I forgot the craving, once I got over the initial hours then days than weeks...

You're probably at the hardest part right now, hang in there !

[VPI97]

FWIW, I started smoking around the same age as you, in similar circumstances. I then went on to smoke about a pack a day.

I am now 33, and I have now stopped smoking for almost 3 years, and while it 's sometimes been tough, I actually have been surprised at how easy I forgot the craving, once I got over the initial hours then days than weeks...

You're probably at the hardest part right now, hang in there !Entry #10 - At 3 hours and 45 minutes, this is the longest I have been without a cigarette (while awake) since I was 19. Holding the pack under the break room faucet was really huge. Nothing that I could type here can do justice to what I was feeling when I was holding them at my desk and trying to convince myself to go ahead and smoke one. After the fact, I still feel like a bundle of nerves, but I feel a lot better knowing that I was able to throw away the pack.

[MIJB#19]

Rooting for the commish, go VPI, win this battle!

[VPI97]

Entry #11 - 300 minutes since my last cigarette - It's nearing time for my usual evening commute, but today I'll likely be staying in the office for an extra few hours...that'll put off temptation for a while. Since the last update, the urges have come and gone, but they haven't been as strong as they were previously. I'm not looking forward to the drive home and the many, many convienence stores that are on the way.

[sabotai]

One of my major triggers for wanting a cigarette is reading journals of other people trying to quit smoking...THANKS A LOT!!! :D

But seriously, good luck. It's been a little over a week since I last smoked. And that was just a few over the course of the weekend. Much improvement over not too long ago of a pack a day.

[korme]

The car ride home will probably be tough as one of my friend's biggest trigger has to be when he gets in the car he always lights up.

[VPI97]

The car ride home will probably be tough as one of my friend's biggest trigger has to be when he gets in the car he always lights up.It's one of my biggest triggers, as well. We'll find out how I do in a little bit.

[VPI97]

Entry #12 - 6 hours & 15 minutes since my last cigarette - Heading out of the office now. I have an hour long commute and I don't know if I'll make it home without stopping to get smokes To be honest, I'm more optimistic about my chances now than I was a few hours ago. I just need to keep my mind on other things, I guess.

[Dutch]

VPI,

I quit cold-turkey 8 months ago. Here are some of the things I did.

1. I avoided social enviroments where other people were smoking for 2 weeks.

2. I explained to my wife and kids that I would act like I was from a different planet for a while....they let me get away with damned-near murder for about a month.

3. I had beef jerky and pistacio's nearby...I would grab for them whenever I was in a crisis situation.

4. I picked up jogging and biking....excercising is a big one.

5. I promised myself that in 3 months time, I would have a cigarette as a bonus. (3 months came and went and I never had that cigarette.)

#5 was a big mental hurdle for me because quitting FOREVER always seemed like a horrible idea, when I made it for a small period of time, I could hold off longer, and by the time 3 months came around, I was able to sustain myself quit normally.

6. Realize that you are a smoke-aholic. You will have cravings, mostly at first, every ex-smoker has or had felt the same things you are feeling, so don't think you are the exception that just has to have a cigarette to be happy.

7. You won't believe a word of #6 until about 3 months from now.

Good luck and stay tough.

[VPI97]

Entry #13 - 7 hours & 25 minutes since my last cigarette - Made it home without smoking. On four separate occasions I was seconds away from pulling into a gas station and buying a pack, but somehow I made it through. I called ahead to my wife and had get rid of the rest of a carton I had at the house. Next step is to make it through the night.

[VPI97]

4. I picked up jogging and biking....excercising is a big one.I was thinking about this earlier...I have a treadmill at the house that I haven't been on for a while. I think I'll start using it. It'll be nice to try and get back into some of the exercise habits I was in 10 years ago

Good luck and stay tough.Thanks Dutch...I think turning this into a challenge by posting it on the board is helping...on my drive home, I kept thinking about having to post that I couldn't make it without a smoke. It would be like missing a sim for IHOF...the thought of letting people down outweighs my need for self-gratification.

[kingfc22]

Dude, way to go. I'm pulling for ya.

[VPI97]

Entry #14 - 9 hours & 15 minutes since my last cigarette - Damn you Dutch...I got all bundled up (sweat pants/hooded sweat shirt/toboggan), did two miles on the treadmill tonight (speed walk/light jog) and it feels like it's the first day of high school wrestling practice again. I haven't had one thought about smoking until this post because I've been too busy thinking of ways to get you back for putting this exercise nonsense into my head. :)


Thanks.

[FrogMan]

this is great news VPI!!! Keep going! :)

FM

[Dutch]

Entry #14 - 9 hours & 15 minutes since my last cigarette - Damn you Dutch...I got all bundled up (sweat pants/hooded sweat shirt/toboggan), did two miles on the treadmill tonight (speed walk/light jog) and it feels like it's the first day of high school wrestling practice again. I haven't had one thought about smoking until this post because I've been too busy thinking of ways to get you back for putting this exercise nonsense into my head. :)


Thanks.

LOL! As long as "getting me back" does not include re-simming, I can take it. :)

[SFL Cat]

Go, go, go, go, go, go!!!! Keep it up VPI. To quit cold turkey like this is admirable; tough but admirable.

I guess I'm lucky. The closest I ever came to smoking was sneaking one of my dad's stone cold stogies out of an ashtray, running down to the basement and taking a big drag on it. I must have been five or six. I've never been tempted since.

[VPI97]

Entry #15 - It's been about 22 hours since I decided to give up smoking, but alas, it hasn't been that long since my last cigarette. I did well last night...after the time spent on the treadmill, the kids got put to bed and my wife and I settled into our habit of her watching the day's taped soap operas while I settled at the computer. The "sedentary trigger" I mentioned yesterday reared it's head, but I went to the kitchen instead, grabbed some baby carrots and all was good. I had some urge to smoke, but was able to hold off on lighting up...it wasn't nearly as difficult as yesterday afternoon at work.

Here's where it comes crashing to a halt...I woke up this morning and went through my normal morning routines...which includes the first cigarette of the day. I was five puffs in before I even remembered that I am in the process of quitting. Ugh. The bright side to the whole mess was that once I realized what I was doing, one part of my brain said "Oh well, may as well finish it since I've got this far"...but I did the right thing and put out the butt that was less that halfway finished.

So here I am again at work...I have no smokes in my possession and I've told my co-workers to tackle me if they see me sneaking out the door to go to a convenience store :)

It's been almost three hours since the slip up and I don't have any urge to smoke...the morning commute was a breeze, in fact. Hopefully, the rest of the day will turn out to be the same.

[WSUCougar]

Get back on the horse and ride.

We'll be here to support/harrass you!

[Alf]

VPI : drink a glass of water (instead of snacks) whenever you feel the need for a cigarette. It will also help you keep your weight down.

[WSUCougar]

Update?

[Ben E Lou]

Uh, leave the man alone right now. He's got plenty to keep him busy at the moment. :)

[Subby]

This is incredibly gripping reading...

From someone who lost their sedentary, heavy-smoking father to a sudden heart-attack at 46, let me just say that I would give anything for him to have done what you are doing right now. Anything.

Keep up the great work.

[stevew]

I quit cold turkey about 8-10 weeks ago. It wasnt easy, but now that the physical needs are gone, its not that hard. Of course the mental ones are still there. But I feel a lot better right now, so I wont be going back to smoking anytime soon.

[JeeberD]

Keep up the good work, VPI. Don't let that one little slip ruin the progress that you've made... :)

[VPI97]

Thanks for the continued support, everyone.

Entry #16 - It's been 5 hours and 50 minutes since the slip up and I haven't come close to smoking yet. Since I got to the office, only once have I had a big urge (getting out of a meeting)...and that one was nothing compared to the ones I had yesterday at this time. Looking ahead, I don't think there will be any problems over the next few hours, but the commute home will be another test.

On a side note, I'm looking forward to getting on the treadmill again tonight. I was always active in school (lettered in wrestling, football, baseball, golf) and really enjoy the exercise once I can muster up the motivation to do it.

[VPI97]

Entry #17 - Jeez...it's only been 15 minutes since my last update and for whatever reason, I can't get smoking out of my mind now. I have a two hour meeting starting at 2:30 so I'm in no risk of running out and buying a pack...but it's getting a little annoying :)

[Subby]

Imagine that cigarette in a g-string with lots of ass hair poking out.

What? That works for me when my hot maid or hot personal assistant come on to me!

[AnalBumCover]

Oh God. I wish I had seen this dynasty 20 minutes ago. It probably would've prevented me from going outside for a break. :(

I'm pulling for you VPI. You're an inspiration to us all.

[VPI97]

I'm pulling for you VPI. You're an inspiration to us all.Thanks dude.

Entry #18 - it's been over nine hours since this morning's slip up and I'm still not smoking.

Just got out of a two hour meeting and no urges. Don't get me wrong...I think about having a cigarette, but the cravings aren't there...well, they aren't there to the extent that they were yesterday. I think no smoking at work is turning out to be the easiest part...I wouldn't have thought that prior to doing this.

I'm not too concerned about the drive home today, either...like I wrote went I got home last night, there were four instances yesterday where I really wanted to pull over and buy a pack. But it wasn't earth shattering that I didn't.

So I'll drive home tonight, exercise some and try to avoid running out and buying a pack. I'm not totally convinced that I'll be successful at restraining myself, but if there's one thing I learned today, it's that a slip up isn't the end of the world. The ultimate goal is to be smoke free. Doesn't necessarily have to be today or tomorrow or whenever, but as long as I'm making an honest effort and feel good about my actions, I'm headed in the right direction.

[Dutch]

You should also keep us up to date on how much time you spend on that treadmill. You will love us for wanting to know. :)

[SFL Cat]

Keep it up VPI. Sounds like you're doing great. I think you should get a Mulligan on the slip-up since it sounds more like something you did out of habit without thinking than giving in to a craving.

[fantastic flying froggies]

Made it thru the night OK ?

[VPI97]

Made it thru the night OK ?
Entry #19 - On my way home last night, I stopped and bought a pack. When I got back to the car, I opened it up, took out a cigarette, and just held it. After a minute or two, I threw it out the window. Don't really know why I stopped to get it (the voice in my head said that I needed to get something to drink for the ride home). I was a bit cranky last night after I got home, but didn't have time to do much else as the time spent on the treadmill Wednesday night showed it's lingering effect as I fell asleep on the couch around 9:30.

So, I didn't get to exercise, but I didn't smoke either. I'm still cranky and I don't have any cigarettes with me at work today. Usually, Friday's are boring around the office so the temptation may be more apparent today. Also, I'm not looking forward to the weekend, when the ability to run out and get a pack is availabale 24 hours a day.

[John Galt]

Congrats on resisting. Keeps it up.

[AnalBumCover]

Wow. That was a major test you just passed. Way to go. Stay strong this weekend. And think of all the money you'll save by not buying new packs.

[WSUCougar]

And think of all the money you'll save by not buying new packs.
Just a suggestion, but set aside the money that you would have spent on smokes. Then buy yourself and your wife something with a portion of it - indulge yourself (seriously).

[VPI97]

Just a suggestion, but set aside the money that you would have spent on smokes. Then buy yourself and your wife something with a portion of it - indulge yourself (seriously).Right now, the only thing I can think of that I really want to indulge in is tobacco. :)

Looking forward, I think the weekend will be rough...but even rougher will be the fact that I'm going to be going to a Counting Crows concert on the 19th. For me, drinking and smoking go hand in hand. We have great seats for the show and I hope I won't be distracted by thinking about smoking the whole evening.

[Dutch]

Now that's living on the edge. I went to a barbeque about 2 weeks into it and was absolutely miserable. Be careful, but hey, nobody ever said this was easy.

[VPI97]

Entry #20 - It's been an uneventful day at work...and that's a bad thing. The physical need for a smoke isn't really a worry anymore, but the mental need is kicking into high gear. Yesterday, I was busy the entire day and didn't have the "downtime" to think about smoking. Today has been the opposite...the only thing that's stopped me from running out to bum a smoke from someone has been the commitment to keep this thread alive.

[FrogMan]

man, we're still here with you, don't give up :)

FM

[VPI97]

Entry #21 - I now have gum. Wrigley's Winterfresh to be specific.

[condors]

oh something i did in the past when i quit

get a racketball and just use it to keep your hands busy

squeeze it bounce it whatever just don't smoke

keep up the good work!

[AnalBumCover]

Buy some baby carrots. Hold one like a stogie while eating it. You'll be doing the same physical motions as if you were holding a cig. That may curb the mental cravings.

[VPI97]

Buy some baby carrots. Hold one like a stogie while eating it. You'll be doing the same physical motions as if you were holding a cig. That may curb the mental cravings.Thats what I've been doing at home...we have bags of baby carrots because the kids like them with dinner, so I've been taking some for myself the last two nights :)

[MizzouRah]

Good for you VIP! Keep it up!!


Todd

[VPI97]

Entry #22 - No smoking and halfway through tonight's treadmill time. I got 1.4 miles out of the way before my wife came down and said she wanted to give it a go...she's on there now (of course, she's 5'2" 105, so it's not like she needs it that much :) ) I want to try and get to 3 miles, but that may prove to be difficult...anything over 2 and I'll be happy.


P.S. If you ever get a treadmill, I recommend playing Paul Oakenfold or Paul Van Dyk to jog to...excellent beats.

[VPI97]

Entry #23 - The good news it that I made it to 2.2 miles jogging/speed walking before calling it a night...It's not 3.0, but it's pretty good for a guy who was a pack-a-day smoker 58 hours ago.


The bad news is that I'm outta gum.

[JeeberD]

The bad news is that I'm outta gum.

So now it's time to kick ass?

[kingfc22]

Keep it up VPI.

[VPI97]

Keep it up VPI.Thanks for the support.

Entry #24 - No smoking today...The key is to keep busy...so today I did yard work, went to the neighborhood pool with the family for a little bit, checked message boards religiously and shaved the cat (long story). After nearly four days, the urges aren't as apparent anymore. Yes, I still get them, but they're further apart and not as "urgent" as they were during the week. I'm afraid of getting too confident, though...smokes are just a 2 minute drive away. I have been snacking a little more than usual, so that's something I'm concerned about.

Haven't had a lot of outside stress during this time, so I'm a bit worried about starting a major project next week at work and wondering how that's going to affect things. But we'll see when I get there, I guess.

Aside from the yardwork, no exercising today...but doing yardwork in the Georgia heat is rough enough :)

[korme]

I am anxious to see how you do when you drink.

[Rich1033]

Great read. I know a lot of people who have tried to quit. Congrats on how far you have gone, and best of luck in the future.

[Dutch]

I'm afraid of getting too confident...

I always felt that one of the reasons I failed at quitting the few times prior to actually quitting (long term anyway) was the fact that after a day or two I thought, "this isn't so bad" and then you let your defenses down and get slammed by an urge to smoke. So that's a good catch you may have made.

[timmynausea]

I always felt that one of the reasons I failed at quitting the few times prior to actually quitting (long term anyway) was the fact that after a day or two I thought, "this isn't so bad" and then you let your defenses down and get slammed by an urge to smoke. So that's a good catch you may have made.
I totally agree. The longest I've made it is about a month and a half.
It becomes an insane cycle. I'll not smoke for a few days, approaching the whole thing really seriously and committed, and before I know it, I'll feel so good about not smoking for a few days that I'll want to reward myself...with a cigarette.
I've quit enough times for short periods of time that I can get over the physical cravings/addiction pretty quickly, but the mental addiction is killing me. Especially if I even think about drinking.
All my friends smoke so whenever I'm around them, that's tough, too.

[MizzouRah]

Drinking and tobacco are like best friends. I can quit chewing during the week, then go out with a few friends and BAM! I'm picking up a can on the way home.


Todd

[VPI97]

I'll not smoke for a few days, approaching the whole thing really seriously and committed, and before I know it, I'll feel so good about not smoking for a few days that I'll want to reward myself...with a cigarette.Bingo.

Entry #25 - Last night, I had a little set back. I needed to go out to the store and get some milk for the kids and I experienced exactly what timmy is talking about. I got the milk (Mayfield whole milk, if you're scoring at home) and the voice in my head talked me into getting a pack as a 'reward' for doing good so far. So, I get a pack and once everyone's asleep, I smoke one in celebration of quitting :rolleyes:. Of course, that was followed by another one an hour later.

Brought the pack to work with me today and had another one this morning (all the while rationalizing with myself that it was still better than the frequency of the past 10 years), but then I came back to the thread and common sense hit me upside the head. Threw away the rest of the pack, but the truth is that I'm all the way back to square one. Dammit.

[korme]

:(

[WSUCougar]

Get back up and on that horse, soldier. Do it now and don't look back.

[Swaggs]

Good luck VPI.

You are making progress, but smoking seems to be an all-or-nothing deal.

[FrogMan]

we're still here with you dude, don't give up!

FM

[John Galt]

That's okay - you did good and can do it again if you rededicate yourself - don't give up.

[AnalBumCover]

VPI,

A minor setback. This news from me, however, will get you back on track:

As of 10 minutes ago, I opened up my pack and destroyed all its contents. I will (hopefully) be as smoke-free as you, as you are currently my inspiration.

Thank you.
Rob

[VPI97]

you are currently my inspiration.Dude, you're not getting my Bud Light. :)


Great news, Rob. It's been tough, but hopefully we both can get beyond the hold that these things have on us. Just take it one hour at a time and remember that you don't need to smoke in order to survive. It's a habit and habits are made to be broken.

[duckman]

Good luck, VPI! My mother quit smoking after 30 years about 7 years ago. If she can do it then so can you. :)

[MizzouRah]

Get back up, dust yourself off and go at it again. I agree, that although you caved, you're still doing better than smoking like you have in the past. Cold turkey is hard, but you're wanting to quit.. and that my friend, is half the battle.

Tomorrow is a new day!


Todd

[JeeberD]

Keep on working at it, VPI. :)

[Radii]

You can do it, I'm here cheering you on with everyone else.

[Buzzbee]

Checking in. Missed this until now. As others have said, don't let the little set-back dampen your spirits. Believe it or not, you are NOT back to square one. You have proven that you can go a weekend without smoking. That's further along than when you started.

One thing a lady in my office does when she wants a break from coding and gets the urge is to play a game of Solitare or FreeCell on the computer. It is long enough to give her a break, interesting enough to take her mind off smoking, and harmless enough that it isn't like "playing" while you're on the clock.

You'll just have to find your own thing that keeps you busy and takes your mind off the urge.

Stick with it! My wife was a smoker for 10 years and was able to quit. The biggest thing for her was finding the motivation. Our daughter had respiratory problems as an infant. Three trips to the emergency room in one day, and a daughter who almost quit breathing was enough motivation for my wife. I wish you the best of luck in finding yours.

And if I'm ever online and you get the urge, a simple PM and I'll be happy to feed you positive thoughts or take your mind off smoking with some off topic conversation.

Buzzbee

[VPI97]

Entry #26 - Quick update. Didn't smoke today, but I thought about it. My co-workers know I'm trying to quit, so whenever they see me go somewhere they've taken to reminding me about it. It's stopped me from going out to my car and driving to a store more than once. Busy is good and I was busy today...hopefully it'll be the same tomorrow.

[AnalBumCover]

I've been needing to go back to this thread to keep myself sane. I've been smoke-free for 45 hours, and I've come this close to bumming a cig from the really cute coworker who I usually have smoke breaks with.

[WSUCougar]

Alright, ABC. Stay strong.

[Raven Hawk]

VPI97,

Don't worry about the setback. Stay strong. I quit one year ago. Even though I had a couple of slip ups in the first three months, I made it through. It's actually been only about 9 months or so since I've had a cigarette, but I keep count from one year ago. It's too easy to go back to it if you say that you quit yesterday. If you say that you quit 7 days ago, you have a bigger streak at stake. It makes it just a little bit harder to pick up that next smoke. If you stay committed, you'll eventually get to that day where you smoke your last cigarette and say to yourself, "This tastes horrible, why the f*ck would I smoke this shit?"

Cold turkey is hard because it's like the ex-girlfriend when you don't have a new girlfriend. If you never call her or see her again, you might wonder why you broke up with her and start pining for her. If you go out on a date with her 3 months after you broke up with her, you realize quickly why you broke up and you quickly realize that you never want to see her again.

Don't worry about a slip or two, just stay committed. Know that you want to quit and everything will come around. Don't start your "days without smoking" count over.

Good luck to all of you who are quitting! Stay strong!

[AnalBumCover]

Alright, ABC. Stay strong.I tried. But after pacing around my desk for 15 mins, I gave in. :(

[Buzzbee]

I tried. But after pacing around my desk for 15 mins, I gave in. :(

As others have said, keep with it. Not many people just say "okay, this is my last cigarette" and actually quit. Most will falter from time to time and have a cig or two, but as time passes, those hurdles will become fewer and farther between. Focus on the positive that you made it nearly two days without smoking. Now see if you can beat that and make it three.

VPI, ABC, and any others out there following and/or lurking who are trying to quit, know that the people who have posted here are rooting for you, supporting you, and pulling for you to succeed.

[FrogMan]

VPI, ABC, and any others out there following and/or lurking who are trying to quit, know that the people who have posted here are rooting for you, supporting you, and pulling for you to succeed.
This is so true. I was lucky enough to never smoke in my life, yet I have many friends who have either stopped or are in the process of stopping, and while I don't know first hand how tough it is, I can see them struggle.

We're here for you guys, keep trying, and as was said a few times, one lapse doesn't mean you failed forever, keep trying...

FM

[VPI97]

one lapse doesn't mean you failed forever, keep trying...Exactly.

Get back on that horse, ABC...after two days, I just felt healthier and hopefully you got that feeling as well. That feeling is the reason I'm still working at this rather to have stopped trying after my relapse.

Entry #27 - Some urges, but no smoking...kept myself busy for most of the day and had juice and pretzels around all afternoon. :) I'm going to try and get on the treadmill tonight, but I don't know if I'll get home in time to do so.

[fantastic flying froggies]

You're doin' good VPI, keep it up !

[AnalBumCover]

Get back on that horse, ABC...after two days, I just felt healthier and hopefully you got that feeling as well. That feeling is the reason I'm still working at this rather to have stopped trying after my relapse.I'm back on track. Thanks guys. As for feeling healthier, I'm way ahead of ya. I'd been on the South Beach Diet for three weeks already. Mix that in with lots of exercise (running, cycling, Tae-Bo, Bally membership), I've lost 10 pounds and I haven't felt this good since high school. It only makes sense to quit smoking as well.

Apologies to VPI for tagging along in this dynasty. Maybe it's time I create my own. :D

[SFL Cat]

Sounds like you're doing well. Keep it up. Like my daddy always said, whenever you fall on your ass, don't sit there looking stupid, get up and keep on trucking. Actually he said that to me yesterday ;)

Keep going forward.

[fantastic flying froggies]

I sincerely hope the lack of updates is not a bad sign... Come on, be strong !

[Dutch]

I sincerely hope the lack of updates is not a bad sign... Come on, be strong !

Ditto. What's up fella's?

[VPI97]

Ditto. What's up fella's?It's been going fine for me...just haven't reminded myself to update the thread. My wife's grandmother had a stroke on Thursday night, so I took yesterday off work to watch the kids (my mother-in-law usually has them) and we spent some time at the hospital today. As for smoking, I haven't had one since that one on Monday morning, and while I'm still thinking about it at times, I've been able to stop myself from going out to buy a pack.

Got on the treadmill last night, as well, and did two and a half miles...I also took my son to the gym today for a session of kid's gymnastics, so I've had my exercise today, too. :)

[WSUCougar]

Excellent news!

[Dutch]

Fair enough (I haven't run in 3 days AND had steak on Friday and drank beer last night...but time for me to get on my own horse tonight.)

I hope your wife's grandmother is going to be okay.

[duckman]

Sorry to that about your wife's grandmother. Good to hear that you are still working at not smoking.

[Buzzbee]

Glad to hear things are going well! Keep up the good work! We're still rooting for you, and will be for many months to come.

[Radii]

still here and reading and cheering w/ the rest of the crowd!

[VPI97]

Entry #28 - Quick update: Still going strong with non-smoking...it's been 9 days since my last smoke. Monday night we went to the Counting Crows concert at Chastain and the urges weren't as bad as I would have thought. First of all, there's no smoking in the ampitheater except for designated spots near concessions. That meant that I didn't directly see anyone smoking, so thoughts about lighting up were few and far between. Secondly, it was a great show (including Graham Colson opening), so I didn't want to leave my seat to go scrounge a smoke from someone for fear that I would miss anything.

We drank, as usual, but the alcohol didn't trigger a great need for nicotine...maybe if I were drinking somewhere with more accessible smoking, I would have caved, but that test will have to wait for later. All in all, it was a great night that wasn't a trigger for any missteps in my quest for nicotine freedom.

[FrogMan]

Entry #28 - Quick update: Still going strong with non-smoking...it's been 9 days since my last smoke.
This is GREAT news!!! Keep going!!! :)

FM

[WSUCougar]

Wow, that's outstanding, VPI. Ride the wave, you're on a roll!

[Buzzbee]

Awesome! Glad to hear such a positive update.

[Buzzbee]

Just a bump to let everyone know that as of this past weekend, VPI was still holding stong.

Hopefully any others that were inspired are having the same success.

[MIJB#19]

Before you know it, those 9 days have turned into 9 weeks, or 9 months.
Go Awesome Commish!

[Franklinnoble]

From my experience with friends and relatives who smoke, getting past the first 2-4 weeks is the toughest part of the chemical addiction... after that, it's supposed to get easier.

But, hey, don't take my advice. I've been trying to quit biting my fingernails since I was about 14...

[AnalBumCover]

A little update on my own attempts. I have since continued smoking. But I do have a new passion/goal that will greatly aid in my journey to finally become smoke-free.

In fact, I plan on starting up my own dynasty on this soon. Stay tuned.

ABC

[Franklinnoble]

A little update on my own attempts. I have since continued smoking. But I do have a new passion/goal that will greatly aid in my journey to finally become smoke-free.

In fact, I plan on starting up my own dynasty on this soon. Stay tuned.

ABC
Does it have something to do with a hot chick?

[AnalBumCover]

Does it have something to do with a hot chick?The continuing to smoke does. The passion/goal does not. :p

[Buzzbee]

What he's saying is:

The hot chick he's dating now does smoke. The hot chick he's got his eye on doesn't smoke. :p

[MIJB#19]

From my experience with friends and relatives who smoke, getting past the first 2-4 weeks is the toughest part of the chemical addiction... after that, it's supposed to get easier.

But, hey, don't take my advice. I've been trying to quit biting my fingernails since I was about 14...Now here's an idea for a second dynasty report... [insert thinking smilie]

[hhiipp]

But, hey, don't take my advice. I've been trying to quit biting my fingernails since I was about 14...
You and me both FNB, I think we need to form a support group or something cause nothing I try seems to work.

[Franklinnoble]

The continuing to smoke does. The passion/goal does not. :p
Details, man, details!

or, in other words... pix pls, thx...

[MizzouRah]

VPI? You still smoke free?

Just saw a billboard with a counter here in New Mexico that read: "295,546 smoking deaths this year and growing" as the counter slowly counted up. :(


Todd

[VPI97]

VPI? You still smoke free?Yup. Not really having any cravings anymore...It helped when I made some small adjustments to avoid falling back into things. Like for my commute, I now stop by Starbucks in the morning and get a large cappuchino...that thing will last my entire trip, so that habit has taken the place of morning smoking. At work, I rarely think about it because I don't have any time to...If work is a little light, I'll look to a list I've started to maintain that has a bunch of things to do that I've been keeping up with. The evenings were where I started snacking a lot by stopping to get fast food for my drive home...but now, I'll grab a granola bar and a C2 from the office vending machine before I leave and that gives me something to occupy myself with for the drive. At home has been the easiest...without cigarettes or ashtrays around, I don't think about smoking at all.

Pretty much, the old habits have been replaced by new ones. It's all good.

[MizzouRah]

Yup. Not really having any cravings anymore...It helped when I made some small adjustments to avoid falling back into things. Like for my commute, I now stop by Starbucks in the morning and get a large cappuchino...that thing will last my entire trip, so that habit has taken the place of morning smoking. At work, I rarely think about it because I don't have any time to...If work is a little light, I'll look to a list I've started to maintain that has a bunch of things to do that I've been keeping up with. The evenings were where I started snacking a lot by stopping to get fast food for my drive home...but now, I'll grab a granola bar and a C2 from the office vending machine before I leave and that gives me something to occupy myself with for the drive. At home has been the easiest...without cigarettes or ashtrays around, I don't think about smoking at all.

Pretty much, the old habits have been replaced by new ones. It's all good.
:)
Good for you, I'm so happy to hear that. C2 is about all I drink when I want a soda, it's definitly good. :)

Inspiration, that's what this post from you just gave me for my quit with chewing tobacco.

Keep it up! I'm proud of ya VPI!!


Todd