Gameplan for Quitting

[KelBel]

WOW! I am so impressed with all of you guys that post on this board! A really big congratulations for having quit! I've been contemplating quitting myself for awhile now. I went to a hypnotist last October and for the first two days didn't even think about nor desire a cigarette. Then the third day came and I was an absolute raving b*tch! Wasn't necessarily craving, but just extremely nasty. Knew that I was being extremely nasty and just could not stop myself. I broke down and had a cigarette and my mood was lifted. I guess I feel I could get through the "physical" stuff, but ALWAYS seemed to get stopped by my evil twin that comes out. Did you guys experience this? What did you do about it? Also, was there a "gameplan" you developed before taking the plunge? I am also scared to death of gaining weight and I know gaining a few pounds but reaping the benefits of not smoking is well worth it, but I'm fearful of gaining alot. Maybe I'm just using that for an excuse - I don't know. I know I need to quit for a bunch of reasons. Any input you guys have would be greatly appreciated!!

~ Kellie

[pooder]

Hi Kellie:

I had to laugh when I read your comment about turning into a royal you know what. A few years back when I tried to quit I can remember hollering at my husband. He in turn did things to bother me (not really, but I thought he did). Guess I wasn't ready to quit, because I, like you, had a cig. when I was mad at him. Of course, it was the withdrawal that caused everything he did to make me mad. Breathing, talking, snoreing, etc.

This time (over two years ago now), I really set up a plan. First of all, this time I had a computer. I did not the other times. Anyway, I e-mailed everyone I could think of and told everyone I knew that I was going to quit. I quit with answering an inquiry on this site. Anyway, my BCB set a date we were going to quit. I bought sugarless gum, sugarless candy, read everything I could on quiting etc. I posted on this site a lot. There is also a quit.net site that was very helpful for me. In order not to gain weight, I started to walk. I walked around the house everytime I wanted a cig. I also used a cut up starw and chewed it, sucked it or whatever. After the weather started to get cold, I got a used treadmill. I walked it a lot. Sometimes for ten minutes, sometimes more. I have managed to stay at my WW goal now for the two plus years that I have quit. Most of the time I am at my personal goal. (this is five pounds less than WW goal). When I do get lasp, over holiday etc., I know that I have to get focused again and watch my points and exercise.

If you stay within your points and exercise, you will not gain weight. Before quiting, I would gain weight back after I quit going to meetings, etc. So, it is a matter of staying focused and wanting to quit more than anything.

By the way, this time I told my husband not to talk to me about quiting. Poor man, he was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. He learned to ignore my rantings etc. He wanted me to quit so bad, that he put up with my moods for awhile. I sometimes would say I'm going for a walk. He would say good idea. Another thing that worked for me. When I wanted a cig so much that I wanted to die, I would say "if I still want one this bad tomorrow, I will smoke". Of course I had to say the same thing day after day, but it worked for me.

If I can be of any help to you, let me know.

Hugs to you,
Clara

[KelBel]

Clara: Thanks so much for your thoughts! I never know whether to tell everyone or tell no one, use hard candy or not -- ya hear so many conflicting things! Anyway, I think I'm going to have to talk with my DH prior to doing this. When I turn into Jekyl (or is it Hyde??) he encourages me to smoke (he is a smoker himself)and what I really need him to do is wipe the froth from my mouth, smooth my hair back and tell me smoking isn't the answer!! I currently exercise 6 days a week and that's actually part of the reason I want to quit. I'm really tired of my lungs burning after 30 min. on the elliptic and I just want to get really healthy (and so many other reasons!!). I'm going to formulate a gameplan over the next few weeks and try and get some things in order and then check back in and see what ya think. Thanks again!!!

~ Kellie

[cindil]

I am a smoker... odear.gif I had set a goal to quit on 3/19/04 or at 18 lbs lost... Well, they have both come...I am still smoking. I thought I would start a healthier lifestyle, lose some weight...then I would be ready...I blew it.
I am going to try to make TODAY my LAST DAY!!
I lost my mom to breast cancer In November. I vowed to my self that I would quit and get healthy.
Anyone looking for a quitting buddy to email? I have a weight loss buddy that I just adore but could really use a quitter's buddy!!! My WL buddy is on vacation for 10 days so I am pretty vulnerable right now with no one to be accountable to!! :D
Let me know!
Cindy

[KelBel]

Cindy: I wish you well and admire you for doing IT! I've not quite committed myself to this endeavor yet. I'm very sorry about your mom. My mom and aunt both have emphysema (my aunt is on oxygen all the time) and I KNOW I need to quit now and vowed that once I reached goal (I'm still 16 lbs shy of it) that I would tackle that next. Maybe I'm gearing up for it! Are you planning on going cold turkey or do you have something else in mind? However you're doing it I wish you all the best!! ~ Kellie

[pooder]

Cindy:

I don't know if I'm the kind of quitting buddy your looking for. I quit 2 plus years ago. I quit by answering a challenge on this very board. I made up my mind and took it from there. I also got on the quit.net site and had support 24 hours a day, right away. I usually check my e-mail once or twice a day and get on this site and read daily. If you would like to e-mail me to just vent or to ask questions, feel free to e-mail me at cflatt@reliable-net.net.

Wish you the best and let me know if I can be of any help.

Clara

[annied77]

Kellie--
DH and I quit together. That was the only way we could do it. He was my darling fiancee at the time, we were a little over 2 months before our wedding. I kept saying I didn't want to burn a hole in my $1000 dress!

Anyhow, I was a raving B--ch too the first week. Luckily, Jack was out of town, so I could be a grinch and not worry about getting him so mad at me he would leave! (Not that he would ever do that, but....)

Here is what I did. We set a date, June 1, being our first day w/o smokes. I counted back the days, to 20 days before. On that day, I only had 20 smokes. The next day, 19...18...17...16...15. I went to the doctor and got samples of Wellbutrin. He gave me enough to take 2/day for 6 weeks. I started when I had two weeks left, and took one a day. That's all I could handle. It did something weird--it totally didn't let the smokes effect me. At that point, it was just mental. Toward the end, I actually felt ILL when I had a smoke. Ahh, that last one--we went out and had our last smoke at 10:30 pm on May 31. It was very anticlimactic. I wanted it to last forever, but when it was done, I was like "oh, I guess that is my last cigarette forever".
I chewed gum till my jaw was popping when I ate. I drank a ton of water. I got snippy at people, but they were warned not to piss me off. (I actually LIKED the excuse of "I am quitting smoking, sorry if I was snotty" I have allowed that part of my personality to come out-if someone pisses me off, I will tell them, instead of just going out for a smoke.)
I am still a non-smoker. I gained 14 lbs. I have lost 9. Female Doctor told me the other day, "big whoop-you've gained 4 lbs since I saw you last, and you have gained years".
Good luck with your journey. Its hard, and you will need all the support you can get. BUT-its NOT impossible. graemlins/bcbsalute.gif

[KelBel]

Thanks Annie. I was considering seeing my dr and getting that med. I talked to my husband night before last and asked him if he would consider quitting with me and I got a very short and loud NO. Obviously, he's not ready yet!! However, I did tell him that I'm formulating a gameplan and once I start it, he really needs to stop encouraging me to smoke because I'm being nasty. He didn't see it quite the same way, but I'm still working on it. He may see me get nasty before I even stop if he keeps that up!! Anyway, thanks again. I printed your plan out and am going to take it with me to my dr. appt. graemlins/wave.gif

~ Kellie

[annied77]

Kellie-
Its really too bad that he's not being supportive of you. I know that I couldn't have done it if my DH hadn't done it too. But maybe the example that you will set, will encourage him to stop!
Good luck.

[KelBel]

I'm hoping that will be the case, but we will see. Thanks again for YOUR support though!! graemlins/kiss.gif

~ Kellie