Diary of a smoker

[col]

Make your last fag tonight the last....be conscious its your last......dont look back....dont feel like you are giving anything up....try to think of it as not stopping but as beating the addiction.....cos thats what it is!
And remember your cravings are the nicotine not because you want to smoke......if you wanted to smoke you wouldn't be giving up and you have made the biggest step in making your mind up to stop

I guess you have read the rest of this thread so i wont mention a certain book (it helps with the feeling scared bit....i felt the same when making my mind up i wanted to stop)

And remember you will so see the difference in your cycling!

OK sermon over..(theres nowt worse than a reformed smoker is there ) ...you can do it......if i can anyone can!!

I wish you success i really do.

ATB Paul

Thanks for that, and thanks to all the others too.

 

[justin33]

A HHHUUGGGEE well done to all that have given up smoking.

Im about to embark on quitting as i hate smoking and i feel angry,ashamed and frustrated everytime i light one up.I have been smoking for about 12 years and although i havnt smoked full strength ciggys im still hooked and desperatly want to give up.I did give up about 5 years ago for a few weeks but i got a horrible taste in my mouth of bitter,burn toast and it made me feel sooo sick,i know it would of passed but the taste was disgusting and i just gave in and started again.

I have been gradually cutting down the past few weeks and when i spark up i only smoke half and then put it out.Im probably down to about 6-7 a day but thats 6-7 too many.

I brought a new bike a few weeks ago and i did infact suprise myself by doing just over 18 miles on my first trip out after 9 years away from biking and i then did just over 20 miles on my second outing out.I know its not a massive amount of miles but considering it was on a mountin bike and on fields and gravel paths i dont think i did too bad.My 3rd out was on sunday and me and my cycling buddy went for some propper off road and to say i was strugging was and understatement! i was panting like a dog at the smallest uphill and my legs were feeling like they were going to explode!! It really got me down and i was so frustrated as i know i should of been able to breeze the climbs easily.I know its soley down to smoking coz my lungs just cant get the amount of oxygen they need to keep me pedaling.

My main problem is going to be physcological(spelling) as i live in a house with 2 smokers and my girlfried also smoke so the temptation is all around me and will be going it alone.I have entere my first ever cycling event,its nothing big just a 15 mile ride for charity but its 4 weeks away and im planning on being a non smoker by the time im sat on that start line.I know its going to be hard but having a goal will help and i also know i will feel so different once ive given up.Im longing for the days when i have lots more energy and feel fitter,im not worried about putting on a few pounds as i probably need to put on some weight anyway lol

This thread has gave me the confidence to give up for good and im excited at the thought of being able to ride longer and harder and not be a huffing puffing loser trailing behind everybody else.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

I was very sceptical of the Alan Carr book but it did help in some small way, even if just to give me hope.

My bandmate smokes one of those electronic cigarettes now, he's hooked on it but it's much less damaging (potentially).

 

[Peteaud]

A HHHUUGGGEE well done to all that have given up smoking.

Im about to embark on quitting as i hate smoking and i feel angry,ashamed and frustrated everytime i light one up.I have been smoking for about 12 years and although i havnt smoked full strength ciggys im still hooked and desperatly want to give up.I did give up about 5 years ago for a few weeks but i got a horrible taste in my mouth of bitter,burn toast and it made me feel sooo sick,i know it would of passed but the taste was disgusting and i just gave in and started again.

I have been gradually cutting down the past few weeks and when i spark up i only smoke half and then put it out.Im probably down to about 6-7 a day but thats 6-7 too many.

I brought a new bike a few weeks ago and i did infact suprise myself by doing just over 18 miles on my first trip out after 9 years away from biking and i then did just over 20 miles on my second outing out.I know its not a massive amount of miles but considering it was on a mountin bike and on fields and gravel paths i dont think i did too bad.My 3rd out was on sunday and me and my cycling buddy went for some propper off road and to say i was strugging was and understatement! i was panting like a dog at the smallest uphill and my legs were feeling like they were going to explode!! It really got me down and i was so frustrated as i know i should of been able to breeze the climbs easily.I know its soley down to smoking coz my lungs just cant get the amount of oxygen they need to keep me pedaling.

My main problem is going to be physcological(spelling) as i live in a house with 2 smokers and my girlfried also smoke so the temptation is all around me and will be going it alone.I have entere my first ever cycling event,its nothing big just a 15 mile ride for charity but its 4 weeks away and im planning on being a non smoker by the time im sat on that start line.I know its going to be hard but having a goal will help and i also know i will feel so different once ive given up.Im longing for the days when i have lots more energy and feel fitter,im not worried about putting on a few pounds as i probably need to put on some weight anyway lol

This thread has gave me the confidence to give up for good and im excited at the thought of being able to ride longer and harder and not be a huffing puffing loser trailing behind everybody else.

Good luck.

 

[gbb]

Pushing 5 months now, still an ex smoker, and its beginning to occur to me the damage it was doing..or how much better im doing without them.
So'd been off the bike for 6 months barring an occasional shortish ride, but started again maybe 2 months ago, quickly realising how much stamina and fitness i'd lost. Bloomin hard work at first, legs got tired quickly, no desire to push the mileage because i knew i wasnt ready.
But, 2 months later, although i'm not doing any great distances (59 was the most, normally 20s), my speed has increased very quickly, to the point where i'm pushing along at 17 mph AGAINST wind that'd normally see me at 14 mph ish.
I seem to have quickly gained something...not smoking has doubtlessly helped enormously.

Now, if only i could stop the wife smoking...

 

[Peteaud]

Pushing 5 months now, still an ex smoker, and its beginning to occur to me the damage it was doing..or how much better im doing without them.
So'd been off the bike for 6 months barring an occasional shortish ride, but started again maybe 2 months ago, quickly realising how much stamina and fitness i'd lost. Bloomin hard work at first, legs got tired quickly, no desire to push the mileage because i knew i wasnt ready.
But, 2 months later, although i'm not doing any great distances (59 was the most, normally 20s), my speed has increased very quickly, to the point where i'm pushing along at 17 mph AGAINST wind that'd normally see me at 14 mph ish.
I seem to have quickly gained something...not smoking has doubtlessly helped enormously.

Now, if only i could stop the wife smoking...

Well done.

I am booked up for a 100k ride, something that i could not even contemplate 5 months ago, now i feel fitter bring it on.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Brilliant!

 

[gbb]

Well done.

I am booked up for a 100k ride, something that i could not even contemplate 5 months ago, now i feel fitter bring it on.

Well going on my experience last week, you'll be fine.
As i said, despite precious little mileage lately, i went out and did 59 miles (circa 95 kms)...with relative ease. I set out at an easy pace into a mild breeze, maintained 14 mph here or there, gained on the home run, and still averaged 15 mph despite what seemed a relatively steady ride. I got off the bike and carried on like i'd just been round the block a few times.

 

[alans]

So it will take me 10 - 15 years to effectivly recover, or 2022 & 2027, makes you think what a bloody idiot i was for starting smoking. I am going to be 60 before before the risk of a heart attack is that of a non smoker.

I stopped using coffin nails approx 15 years ago.
I'll be sixty in a few weeks.

I had a health issue diagnosis a couple of weeks ago which was caused concern whilst waiting for results.
Had I not stopped smoking I'm not sure I would be seeing my 60th birthday.

So that's a bit of a win-win.Think on & live longer.

 

[Plax]

4 months.

Longest ive ever gone since i started smoking.

I am very pleased with myself.

Well done and keep it up. I lost my dad to lung cancer in February, he was only 53. My dad ended up using those electric cigarettes but by the time we found out it was too late and he was dead less than 6 months later. So anyone who gives up, especially those with a family get extra kudos from me.

 

[gbb]

I think i will always be a smoker, who does not smoke anymore.

Hopefully it will get to a point in time where i dont even think about a cigarette.

Remember saying that Pete ?
It's just over 5 months for me now. I often sit with the guys in the smoke shelter at work, we laugh because i occasionally stick my head in the bin of cig butts and inhale....ahhh lovely. Just a bit of fun.
One guy offered me a cig today....no thanks, not even one tiniest bit interested, i dont even think like an ex smoker now, i am a NON smoker.

 

[stowie]

I gave up smoking in August 2007. Due to a variety of factors, but realising my health was being badly affected after starting to cycle again was one of them. As was being unable to smoke in the places I liked smoking (pubs, car, work).

I glanced at the price of my favourite ciggies the other day and had to do a double take. I have looked in a few other shops and the cheapest packet was £7.60, the dearest about £8.50. Unbelievable, how do most smokers afford this - at my 20 a day this would work out at £3k p/a after tax.

 

[Peteaud]

Remember saying that Pete ?
It's just over 5 months for me now. I often sit with the guys in the smoke shelter at work, we laugh because i occasionally stick my head in the bin of cig butts and inhale....ahhh lovely. Just a bit of fun.
One guy offered me a cig today....no thanks, not even one tiniest bit interested, i dont even think like an ex smoker now, i am a NON smoker.

I still think of a smoke every now and again, but to be honest i now consider myself an ex smoker.

All i can say to you is bloody well done.

 

[ianrauk]

I still think of a smoke every now and again, but to be honest i now consider myself an ex smoker.

All i can say to you is bloody well done.

Indeed, and a bloody big well done to you also Pete.

 

[Peteaud]

I gave up smoking in August 2007. Due to a variety of factors, but realising my health was being badly affected after starting to cycle again was one of them. As was being unable to smoke in the places I liked smoking (pubs, car, work).

I glanced at the price of my favourite ciggies the other day and had to do a double take. I have looked in a few other shops and the cheapest packet was £7.60, the dearest about £8.50. Unbelievable, how do most smokers afford this - at my 20 a day this would work out at £3k p/a after tax.

Now i see that as £3k = one hell of a carbon bike or an ashtray full of stench, hhhmmmmmmm, what would i prefer