Old Man Coffee

Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement. As we are getting some warmer weather and the clocks just sprang forward, it is becoming more tempting to have a beer when grilling, since there are still some in the garage fridge; however, I have made the promise to not drink through lent and my wife and kids have made the promise to continue to not have sweets/desserts through lent as well. Clothes are fitting better, sleep is better, anxiety doesn't hit as hard, and my mental clarity is sharper. I was oddly tempted to smoke this morning on my way to work- can't put my finger on the trigger, but it was the strongest craving I've had in a while. Urge Resisted- Quit Maintained!!!

I decided to quit all of a sudden when I had one cigarette left in the pack. Said to myself that this is the time, smoked the last one and haven't looked back. Do not have them around.

Warrior, Try this: wake up tomorrow and go to the Daily NOPE Pledge section of the forum and pledge to not smoke for the day. Then do it again tomorrow, then the next day, and so on. You have to take it one day at a time. If you look at a lifetime without something that you have lived with for 21 years- it will seem impossible. If you look 24 hours at a time, each day will get easier.

When you're young, smoking looks manly and cool; when you're old, it looks like death. My father is 73 and has been smoking sine he was 13. He had throat cancer over 20 years ago, but continues to smoke He can't get around very well, coughs constantly, and is always in a foul mood. On the other hand, my father-in-law is the same age but only smokes the occasional cigar. He plays golf 2-3 times a week, is active with maintaining the five plus acres of land he owns, and is consistently upbeat. Right now, who is manlier?

This week I'm starting to see more results. I haven't stepped on the scale, but the mirror and my clothes are showing progress. I'm focusing more on better eating this week. I misguidedly thought that just quitting alcohol would automatically shed the pounds. My family is supporting me in my dry month by not eating sweets (i do not have a sweet tooth and my wife doesn't drink much at all). Already my wife has lost 10 lbs and the kids have lost a few pounds as well. With focusing on not drinking, I honestly haven't even thought about smoking- so there is another benefit.

With four and a half months of quit behind me, the most frustrating thing right now is the 8-10 pounds i put on after quitting. This month I have been at the gym 4-5 days a week and I have stopped drinking; however, the pounds are sticking to me. The work will eventually pay off and I am seeing benefits even though the scale is not moving. This quitting weight has been the most stubborn extra weight I have ever dealt with. I'm interested to know what have been your experiences with post quitting weight gain and taking it off.

I will hit four months without smoking on Friday. Now I have started on a Dry February and have been alcohol free for the past week- I made Super Bowl Sunday my last Hoorah. The skills I have developed by quitting smoking have greatly helped me in this endeavor. I'm not an alcoholic, but I do drink too much and I also know that drinking is one of the biggest triggers to starting to smoke again. I slept a full eight hours uninterrupted last night and I'm already starting to see improvements in my face and the tightness of my clothes. I think I will take this Dry February into the next couple of months- maybe through Lent.

Doing well! Besides the 9 pound weight gain, everything is going well. There are many days where i don't even think about smoking. Decided to do a sober February and my family is showing solidarity by giving up sweets. I'm drinking half caf coffee. No depression and the anxiety has lessened due to work stress going down for the time being. Thanks for checking in.

Glad to hear you are recovering. This is a good lesson to all of us that just because we quit smoking, we are not out of the woods with strokes and heart attacks. Plenty of never smokers die of these ailments. We still have to watch our diet and exercise and keep monitoring our health.

Still going strong. the main issue I'm having right now is that I suffer from very sharp, acute bouts of anxiety. When these bouts come on I feel like someone has reached inside my stomach and is squeezing my guts. This and the tension throughout my body feels an awful like nicotine withdraw, so I crave the smokes. What I realize is that it is really the anxiety and that I have kicked the physical need for nicotine- the cigarette will not help it. Otherwise, I'm enjoying my freedom everyday. I feel so proud that I have been able to do what a great number of people seem to find impossible and this forum has been a major factor in that. Thank you all for everything!

Three months quit today!!!!

Here is a thought to be happy about: In a couple of weeks you will be two months ahead of all those people who are making quitting their New Year's Resolution. I sometimes feel the same way- jealous of those who are still smoking. The problem with my previous quit was that I rationalized to myself that if I only smoked a little bit, then I wasn't really a smoker. Then the little bit became more until I was a full-fledged closet smoker having to invest heavily in mints and febrezze because I told my family that I quit. It sucks. This is something we derived pleasure from and we can't do it anymore. However, do you want to be looking back at December 2019 years from now with regret wishing that you had a time machine to go back and relive right now and stay quit?

I'm more afraid of slipping up when I'm out having a good time then I am of slipping because of stress, anxiety, or sadness. One thing I have done so far in my quit is when I'm out with my friends who smoke, I tell them right away to not give one to me if I ask no matter what. Luckily, I have not been tempted, but I am scared that too many drinks one evening might cause me to let my guard down.

Lucky, I am only 15 days ahead of you in my quit and I haven't felt this good about myself in a long time. I feel a sense of accomplishment and pride that I have been able to do something this substantial for myself. Just yesterday I had a strong urge to buy a pack but I remembered how much more I am able to do at the gym, how much money I have saved (the ticker on this site is a great motivator), and how much encouragement the people on this site have given me. The problem we all deal with is that in some way we are all still "smokers" and will always be; however, we are "smokers" who choose not to smoke. The desire will always be with us because it is a part of us. It is something we didn't just experiment with, we are addicts. These words sound discouraging, but to me they are the opposite. Everyday you beat the addiction, you are stronger.

This is exactly how I found this forum. I could not concentrate on anything at work before lunchtime. This was mainly because I would smoke at least five cigarettes before work. This has helped me out so much as well. Just to know that the things you are going through are shared by so many people who have had success in quitting is very comforting. Also, the idea that NOPE is non-negotiable is a great motivator to not slip. You are a non-smoker now!

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE KIND WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT!!!!! This forum has help realize that quitting is a total commitment and that NOPE must be the mantra for life- not one when I'm stressed, not one when I've had a few drinks and I'm having fun. NOT ONE EVER! That has made this all easier. Make mine a Rum and Coke and I'll cheers you!

Doing great!! One month smoke free!!! I still have moments when I romanticize the smokes and think about how nice it would be to have one with a coffee or a drink; however, I realize that I am a non-smoker now and it feels good. I ran a mile for the first time in years this weekend (not very fast and my legs were aching, but my heart wasn't pounding out of my chest) and I hope to do a 5k in a respectable time next year.

NOPE!

Do as much physically demanding activity as your can. It will remind you why you're doing this in the first place when you're short of breath. Each day you will be able to do a little more.

Thanks! Also, I was able to go to a casino and play in a poker tournament without having to run to the smoking area on break.

I'm now on Day 21 of the quit and things are going very well so far. There is one strange thing that I have been experiencing- a couple of night I have had dreams where I was smoking and I have awoken angry and disgusted with myself thinking that I must have broke down and smoked the night before only to realize after a minute or two that it was just a dream. Anyone else have this happen to them? What were your dreams like during the beginning of the quit?

This is where it gets tough. My suggestion is to try and fill the free time doing new things that you don't normally do. This will help you avoid triggers and keep your mind occupied. Also, if the weather is nice, do an extended walk or run. This will give you a sense of accomplishment, show you how much more you can do physically without smoking, and help slow the inevitable weight gain (I'm up 2-3 pounds over the last three weeks, but i think it would be more without doing some exercise).

Third NOPE Friday for me. Fridays have been the toughest days for me because of Happy Hour; however, each one is getting easier. I can still go and enjoy the end of a work week with my friends and avoid the smokes. The good thing is that the group of smokers in my work group has dwindled over the years. It was getting sad and lonely- for good reason.

Oh so true!!! Part of the decision to quit came from just being sick and tired of hiding it. I went through some much mouthwash, febreeze, mints, and hand sanitizer. I do feel a great sense of freedom now.

I’m now on day 18 of the quit. I had my last cigarette at 5:00 am on October 14, 2019. I had just turned 46 a few weeks earlier and I realized that I had been smoking for 30 years- a sobering thought. So on a Monday morning a couple a weeks after my birthday, I was heading to work and I saw one cigarette left in my pack. I lit that final one up and decided not to buy another pack. So, a little back story- I started smoking at 16 and it became a pack a day habit until the birth of my daughter in 2008. Went on Chantix and was able to knock out the worst of the physical symptoms, but I would still have one or two at the bar. After a year or so, the one or two at the bar became a couple in the car while driving to work, one on the way home, one or two on a solo trip to the store. I became a regular closet smoker- never smoking in front of my wife and kids but smoking as much as I could when I was not around them. My kids (who are 11 and 9) still have no idea; they knew I used to, but I have been able to keep my current smoking a secret from them. I want to come clean to my family eventually, but first I want to achieve a good length of quit- maybe a year. Because I wasn’t smoking heavily, the quit hasn’t been that bad so far. The major issue I’m having is the metal fog at work in the mornings. The bulk of my smoking would be before work and I’m sure that my body is missing the jolt of adrenaline first thing in the morning. I have been avoiding going to bars, I’ve taken off two of the last three weeks of my weekly pool league, and I had left later in the morning for work so that I only have time for the drive and not any extra time to be tempted to go buy a pack. I have only been seriously tempted once- a few nights ago I was drinking at home and I was tempted to go to my local bar and get a drink and find someone outside to bum a smoke from. I quickly resisted the urge by remembering that I promised myself that I was stronger than this. I realize this is something that if I don’t do it now, I may be looking back in the future when it’s too late regretting not taking this step.