If you are an ex smoker, how did you go about quitting the habit?

[youngoldbloke]

Fear. The requirement to be a non smoker before my first angioplasty - needed as as a result of smoking, absolutely no doubt. 19 years ago. Don't cut down, STOP NOW. You will die earlier than you should otherwise.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Alan Carr and a bout of the flu got me off a very long habit, then getting into cycling again got me off the occasional one (unless very tipsy). The last big challenge was wanting one after coming off stage (not as grand as it sounds), but I tried half a rollie a few weeks back and it just plain HURT.

 

[citybabe]

Just willpower - 14 years ago now
And also the fact that I had a chest infection and the colour of the stuff I was coughing up was enough to stop me. I was only 26 at the time

 

[paulw1969]

Read Allan Carrs first book twice, set a date (Jan 6th) after 20 years plus of 20 plus a day.......found it ridiculously easy.....the book helped focus my thoughts as to why i no longer wanted to smoke (had been wanting to be free for a few years.....there were always excuses) and i would recommend the book to anyone who seriously wants to be free of the weed
See Peteaud's thread for more details

 

[Andrew_Culture]

One small problem with the Alan Carr book was that I'd quit habitually smoking before reading it, so the chapters that tell you to smoke while you're reading them...

 

[Peteaud]

Read Allan Carrs first book twice, set a date (Jan 6th) after 20 years plus of 20 plus a day.......found it ridiculously easy.....the book helped focus my thoughts as to why i no longer wanted to smoke (had been wanting to be free for a few years.....there were always excuses) and i would recommend the book to anyone who seriously wants to be free of the weed
See Peteaud's thread for more details

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/diary-of-a-smoker.92703/post-1815970

 

[paulw1969]

One small problem with the Alan Carr book was that I'd quit habitually smoking before reading it, so the chapters that tell you to smoke while you're reading them...

but he does add not to start smoking again if you have already stopped.........anyone who does start again is looking for any excuse

Seriously though, i think the book can help anyone. And i know i keep on about it......but it does work....a colleague has just stopped by using it after i nagged him to finish it (he recommended it to me in the first place after friends/relatives recommended it to him).

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Ha, nail + head + well aimed kinetic thrust = your post!

 

[jjc89]

I'm still young but I had been smoking on and off since I was around 17/18 until one day I realised I had been doing it for nigh on 5 years. After a few stuttering starts and stops I managed to give up for around 3 months, was going to the gym 5 times a week (+ at least 45 mins cardio a day) and eating the most calorie restricted diet. Then I went on holiday to Barcelona that summer and smoked like a chimney and have been on and off since. That was last summer. Again I made the decision to quit cold turkey and it has worked so far, the only problem is on nights out, especially when drinking. For example the whole of last week I didn't have one fag, then last night I went to a few bars and smoked 10. I suppose you could call me a social smoker, I do enjoy a fag with a drink that's the annoying thing. Plus literally EVERY one of my friends smokes so yeah, it's tough. I think since going cold turkey isn't really working with the drinking I'll need to wean it down from 10 to 5 to 3 to 2 to 1 to 0 over time. Or drink less(but then again I only drink one night a week) or get new friends, ha.

 

[Albert]

I hads a heart attack. Stopped smoking and took up cycling - simples

 

[Punt1971]

3rd January 2001 was the day I had my last cigarette after many years of smoking heavily, 40+ per day. I timed it so my first day back at work after the new year would be my first non-smoking day. I didn't make a big deal about it either, I just got on with it. I did however make the office non-smoking much to the annoyance of others, management perk!

I didn't use patches or gum but I did use one of them inhilator things but without the cartridges. The hardest part was after a meal and that's where the inhilator really helped, habitually I wanted to put something in my mouth (!) and this filled the gap a cigarette left.

Overall, I didn't find it too difficult at all. If only I could stop over-eating as easily!

 

[172traindriver]

I had got up to probably 30 a day, got a new job (ie current one) and during the medical which was very stringent the BUPA doctor gave me the lecture. Anyway his words stuck, I went and saw my GP he gave me patches.
I smoked my last couple of cigarettes that were in the packet and thought to myself start with the patches in the morning.
The next morning came but I never used the patches and have never smoked since. That was nearly 10 years ago
We moved house 3 years ago and whilst getting all the junk together, I came across the patches and threw them away as they were no longer needed.
It wasn't as hard to stop as I would have thought, just will power and a kick up the a**e.
Best thing I ever did!!!!!!

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Since getting properly into cycling I still want the occasional ciggie, but if I have one it hurts like hell. So I won't smoke now because it hurts, easy!

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Oh, and becoming a dad kinda sealed the deal, I mean, staying alive is no longer selfish act!

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

I used the inhaler and started this cycling malarkey. My motivation was simple, I was very unfit, every time I was climbing the walls for a fag I would get the bike out and ride till I felt sick, which wasn't far back then. I certainly didn't want a fag when I got back home! And I just repeated that scenario, each month I cycled further and slowly but surely my fitness increased. Now I cycle 6 out of 7 days a week. Spend way more money on bikes and gear than I ever did on fags, but I feel great, fitter than I've ever been in my life. Best thing I ever did.