HELP ME STUB iT OUT!!!

[QuestionableCarro]

Guys

Its time for that ubiquitous thread that appears on just about every forum out there - quitting the dreaded weed.
I started ten years ago and now think its about time I kicked the habit
After every 20 mile on the bike I will stop and have a puff, give myself a telling off and then do the same when I get home.
I want to get into fitness for the summer and I know that biking is a great way to do so, but smoking is a great hurdle...

Or is it?

I have done some 25-30 mile rides lately interspersed with the odd fag break on the way or sometimes while riding

For those that still smoke and ride feel free to reply but ex smokers?
Give me the uplifting messages that I need to hear!

 

[BigCol]

Hi

I stopped smoking about 2 months ago when I agreed to jump on a bike after 16 years and ride the C2C challenge in September.

I have convinced myself that quitting the fags will help me succeed in the challenge and since the ride is to raise money for Cancer Research UK, it seemed pertinent to stop.

I have gone cold turkey and not bothered with the patches, gum, etc. This was very important to me as I didn't want to go from one addiction to another.

The thing that has really helped me is having the C2C goal and also support from my fellow riders. I have also taken the typical ex-smoker approach and the meer smell of smoke sickens me. This also helps because the sooner you can convince your brain that smoking is awful, the easier it is to ignore any urges.

Good luck!!

 

[kyuss]

There are plenty of fit people out there who smoke. My brothers boxing coach for instance is one of the fittest guys I know and he's on 20 a day. BUT.....

I quit 4 years ago (and stupidly started again about a year back, but let's forget that for the moment). When I stopped, the jump in fitness was astounding, and it came quickly too. I was sprinting up hills I previously had to spin up. I wasn't any stronger but my lung capacity was obviously better. I went from a 15.5mph average over my regular hilly 26 mile route to 17.5mph within a month (managed a couple of 18's too) without even really trying. Everything just became easier.

The first 2 weeks without nicotine are the worst, but once you're past that (and don't get cocky thinking you can have the odd one here and there 2-3 years on ) you're laughing.

Very best of luck. I know how hard it is, but it really is worth it.

 

[Hollyhillian]

Greetings from someone who smoked from when he was 14 up until 3 years ago. That's 23 years.
I had always said that I didn't care about the effects that smoking took on my body up until I visited someone in hospital who had just had to have a node of a lung removed due to cancer caused by smoking (my mother actually).

Visiting her and seeing a ward full of smokers all in massive pain after their operations with tubes of pink gunk coming out of them was enough to put me off fags even after 23 years.
I got home and threw my fags away and never touched another. I have to say that even now I do occasionally get the urge but it only lasts for seconds and I can easily cope, but ,the 1st 18 months or so were hard work. It was the site and smell of all the illness that I knew I didn't want to put myself, and my loved ones through that enabled me to kick it for good.

Once I'd done that it was easy to put some weight on and I did. You do miss having something to do with your hands so snacking is a good substitute. I reasoned with myself though that I would rather be a bit porkier than lying in that hospital ward so didn't beat my self up over the extra stone or so I put on.

About 6 months ago I decided that I had finally kicked it for good and now wanted to to start losing the weight and took up cycling.
I'm now fitter that I've been for many years. Have lost about 3/4 of a stone that I had put on. I'm now back to just over 13 stone ,and ,have entered a 55 mile BHF ride next week and a similar distance to raise money for FORCE a local cancer help charity.

So I would say to you .
Give up the weed unless you fancy lying in a ward full of not very old people and a tube of pink gunk being drained out of you and your children having to come in and see you like that.

I know that is not a nice thought and I don't mean to seem harsh but that was the reality I had to face and it pulled me up sharp.

Good luck with giving up ,stay strong and focused and don't let it beat you.

From a quite passionate ex-smoker.

 

[numbnuts]

If you need a good excuse to give up come and watch me climb hills at 3-4 mph and when I get to the top I’m totally exhausted ......I’ve got emphysema

 

[bonj2]

Guys

Its time for that ubiquitous thread that appears on just about every forum out there - quitting the dreaded weed.
I started ten years ago and now think its about time I kicked the habit
After every 20 mile on the bike I will stop and have a puff, give myself a telling off and then do the same when I get home.
I want to get into fitness for the summer and I know that biking is a great way to do so, but smoking is a great hurdle...

Or is it?

I have done some 25-30 mile rides lately interspersed with the odd fag break on the way or sometimes while riding

For those that still smoke and ride feel free to reply but ex smokers?
Give me the uplifting messages that I need to hear!

What's the question, exactly?

If I'm reading between the lines correctly, and it's "how do I quit smoking?", then it's a fairly easy, trivial task - you simply don't do that thing where you put a fag in your mouth and light it any more.

 

[John the Monkey]

I gave up a while back now (must be 13 or 14 years).

Personally, I just stopped - 3rd day was tough, as was the third week, for some reason, but it does get easier. Bin the cigarettes (or at least, don't buy more after smoking the last one from your current pack). If you have sensible, supportive friends, tell as many as possible that you're giving up (and when). That can help because starting again, you'll feel like you're letting them down in some way.

The key for me was finding some sort of mental "trick" - mine was thinking that if I did light up after x days of not smoking, I'd have to do those x days of not smoking all over again just to have given up for the same amount of time. Not particularly sensible, but it did work. All the best in any case - not easy to stop, but you can do it.

 

[Landslide]

Or is it?

That's the bit of your statement that worries me.

I tried giving up a couple of times because it seemed like "the right thing to do". I relapsed. The odd one "just when I'm at work" or "only if I'm having a beer" became a full-time habit again.
Then one day I decided that was it. No cutting down, no NRT, just a decision to stop completely.

Don't look for excuses, just do it. If you ever feel like your resolve is wavering, look for support - friends, family, posting on here, whatever.

Good luck!

 

[RSV_Ecosse]

I stopped smoking almost 1 year ago now. Like others have said, the jump in fitness can be quite astonishing after even a short time without puffing away on the fags. I just stopped completely, no cutting down, no patches or gum etc - just willpower. I didn't find it that difficult because this time, compared to previous years I really wanted to stop. You have to "want" to stop. Sounds a bit obvious but it's very true.

I stopped to coincide with getting my bike on the Cyclescheme and decided to sort of "replace" smoking with cycling. Sounds a bit strange, but it worked.

I am now however, seriously addicted to cycling.

 

[ASC1951]

If I'm reading between the lines correctly, and it's "how do I quit smoking?", then it's a fairly easy, trivial task - you simply don't do that thing where you put a fag in your mouth and light it any more.

Unfortunately it's neither easy nor trivial - smoking is both physically and socially addictive and many people find it appallingly difficult to stop.

I smoked from 16 to 30 and only found it possible after I had mentally moved from "I am someone who is giving up smoking" to "I am someone who has given up smoking". As they say, 'giving up is easy, I've done it loads of times'.

 

[bonj2]

Unfortunately it's neither easy nor trivial - smoking is both physically and socially addictive and many people find it appallingly difficult to stop.

I smoked from 16 to 30 and only found it possible after I had mentally moved from "I am someone who is giving up smoking" to "I am someone who has given up smoking". As they say, 'giving up is easy, I've done it loads of times'.

It IS easy, all you do is simply refrain from putting one in your mouth.
The act of putting a cigarette in your mouth and lighting it is a completely voluntary action, and one that requires complete premeditated intention, and therefore it's perfectly easy NOT to do it.

What you actually mean, is that winning the psychological battle as to whether or not you WANT to give up smoking is not easy.

People that SAY they "want to give up smoking, but can't", what they actually mean, is that they don't want to give up smoking, because they enjoy it - but they would like to want to.

If you actually want to give up smoking, you just do, like I did. Simple as that.

 

[Hollyhillian]

It is true .
All you need to do is decide NOT to smoke..........

The problem arises in actually doing it ,as it is easier to give in to the weedling voice inside you that says "Go on ,one won't hurt you".

Be strong and say NO.

You can do it if you want to enough.

 

[cheadle hulme]

I generally hate self help books with a vengeance, but Alan Carr's Easy Way is very useful.
Nothing you won't already be aware of, but helps you to rationalise your thoughts and reinforce what you already know is the right decision.

 

[punkypossum]

I hated the Allan Carr book, thought it was really condescending and didn't do anything for me. One of my friends gave up with it tho and thought it was great...

 

[phaedrus]

I generally hate self help books with a vengeance, but Alan Carr's Easy Way is very useful.
Nothing you won't already be aware of, but helps you to rationalise your thoughts and reinforce what you already know is the right decision.

Alan Carr's book helped me a lot when I was giving up (ten years ago and counting).

The breakthrough for me was the realisation that I'm a nicotine addict, so there's no such thing as a "safe" cigarette for me. My choice is clear: no more cigarettes again, ever, or a 40+ a day habit.

I've tried everything: hypnotherapy, acupuncture, patches, pills...none of them were any good for me. I had to recognise the power of the addiction and deal with it appropriately.

Sincere good luck to you.