Quit Smoking!

[Latic]

... no golf for a couple of weeks which will help.

In my case that helps with a lot of things

[stuboy]

After 16 and half years of smoking approx 15 a day I managed to quit smoking using the Alan Carr book (not the high-pitched comedian but a former smoker). Incidentally he died recently.......but nevertheless, I'm now 15 months free of the nicotine, apart from one drag on New Year's Eve 2009/10, which I don't actually remember.

Unfortunately I have picked up a bit of extra timber (about 2 stone I think ) that I now need to shed ready for my upcoming wedding!

[blahblah]

I think that he died of cancer

[stuboy]

I think that he died of cancer

A bit like the Atkins diet guy who died of heart attack I think.

Ultimately, we all know you're better off without the cigarettes and there are very few smokers I know who wouldn't love to give up today. Most people who don't are actually quite scared of making the jump and actually make a (wrong) link between a cigarette and some satisfying moment (eg, after a big dinner or calms you nerves).

I don't think there is a right/wrong way to quit - it's whatever works for you. I've just been warned that from about 9 months onwards - till about 4 years, you're likely to start again So am keeping my guard!

[blahblah]

Most people who don't are actually quite scared of making the jump and actually make a (wrong) link between a cigarette and some satisfying moment (eg, after a big dinner or calms you nerves).

[Richt]

I think that he died of cancer

A bit like the Atkins diet guy who died of heart attack I think.

Ultimately, we all know you're better off without the cigarettes and there are very few smokers I know who wouldn't love to give up today. Most people who don't are actually quite scared of making the jump and actually make a (wrong) link between a cigarette and some satisfying moment (eg, after a big dinner or calms you nerves).

I don't think there is a right/wrong way to quit - it's whatever works for you. I've just been warned that from about 9 months onwards - till about 4 years, you're likely to start again So am keeping my guard!

Atkins didn't die of a heart attack. He slipped over on some ice in a road and bashed his head. He died in hospital.

[Richt]

Taken from this site - http://www.blurtit.com/q481532.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Robert Coleman Atkins died on April 17, 2003 due to a kidney failure. Prior to these, Robert Atkins suffered from several problems. In April 2002, he suffered from cardiac arrest and was hospitalized for several days. After a few weeks of intense medical care, he came out of the hospital and immediately resumed work. He was quite fit and fine during that time. In April 2003, due to negligence, Robert Atkins slipped on thin ice just outside his medical office in the city of New York. He suffered many head injuries due to that and had to be hospitalized again as he had undergone coma. After a week of intensive treatment, he did not recover and eventually died to a kidney failure.

He died a very fit person who was quite slim at the time of his death.

I was on Atkins for many many years and it helped me shed a hell of a lot of weight (at my heaviest i was 19.5 stone)!!!! It used to really piss me off how much of a bad name the diet got, which even my doctor agreed is infact a really healthy lifestyle (just as long as it is done properly).

[Latic]

I think that he died of cancer

No doubt lived a hell of a lot longer and helped millions including myself quit smoking.

[stuboy]

Taken from this site - http://www.blurtit.com/q481532.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Robert Coleman Atkins died on April 17, 2003 due to a kidney failure. Prior to these, Robert Atkins suffered from several problems. In April 2002, he suffered from cardiac arrest and was hospitalized for several days. After a few weeks of intense medical care, he came out of the hospital and immediately resumed work. He was quite fit and fine during that time. In April 2003, due to negligence, Robert Atkins slipped on thin ice just outside his medical office in the city of New York. He suffered many head injuries due to that and had to be hospitalized again as he had undergone coma. After a week of intensive treatment, he did not recover and eventually died to a kidney failure.

He died a very fit person who was quite slim at the time of his death.

I was on Atkins for many many years and it helped me shed a hell of a lot of weight (at my heaviest i was 19.5 stone)!!!! It used to really piss me off how much of a bad name the diet got, which even my doctor agreed is infact a really healthy lifestyle (just as long as it is done properly).

I was just jesting about Atkins and have heard a lot of people compliment it. I have heard people complaining about their general smell (body and breath) when on Atkins. Did you notice this? Or did you notice that a number of your friends, stopped being your friend

[blahblah]

I thought that we were talking about the Yank jogging freak from the 70's, who died of a heart attack, while running

[Richt]

I was just jesting about Atkins and have heard a lot of people compliment it. I have heard people complaining about their general smell (body and breath) when on Atkins. Did you notice this? Or did you notice that a number of your friends, stopped being your friend

that's a common side effect from the first couple of weeks of the plan. But after that all returns to normal.

(sorry for the sense of humour breakdown, it comes from being an admin on an Atkins forum for a number of years and having to put up with a lot of trolls and wums) as you can imagine probably.

[stuboy]

I thought that we were talking about the Yank jogging freak from the 70's, who died of a heart attack, while running

I spelt the name wrong but we're talking about Allen Carr who was from London and smoked 100 cigarettes a day before he found the "formula" to quit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Carr

[Richt]

and back on topic if I may - I am currently cigarette free for an entire week! (as blahblah probably knows)

[Latic]

. Year and a quarter for me!

[blahblah]

20 mins

[Richt]

20 mins

[stuboy]

. Year and a quarter for me!

Good job - I'll die by my date - October 6th 2009.

[murf]

I thought that we were talking about the Yank jogging freak from the 70's, who died of a heart attack, while running

To clarify and let you all stay/get back on topic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Fixx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - popularised jogging and died of a heart attack (some relevance to this thread as his heart issues have been linked to his heavy smoking in his pre-jogging days)

[stuboy]

and back on topic if I may - I am currently cigarette free for an entire week! (as blahblah probably knows)

Very well done. You got to start somewhere and I'd say week 1 is harder than month 9 - month 12. If it helps and not sure what format you are using to quit but if you go cold turkey, it takes 21 days for the Nicotine to leave your body. After that time, you're actually no longer addicted.

It's habit and mental statements that could drive you back to the drug!

[Richt]

and back on topic if I may - I am currently cigarette free for an entire week! (as blahblah probably knows)

Very well done. You got to start somewhere and I'd say week 1 is harder than month 9 - month 12. If it helps and not sure what format you are using to quit but if you go cold turkey, it takes 21 days for the Nicotine to leave your body. After that time, you're actually no longer addicted.

It's habit and mental statements that could drive you back to the drug!

Cold Turkey it is.

[Latic]

Nicotine has a very short half-life and would have left your system already.

Nicotine doesn't stick around your body for too long. It has a half-life of about 60 minutes, meaning that six hours after a cigarette, only about 0.031 mg of the 1 mg of nicotine you inhaled remains in your body.

[stuboy]

Nicotine has a very short half-life and would have left your system already.

Nicotine doesn't stick around your body for too long. It has a half-life of about 60 minutes, meaning that six hours after a cigarette, only about 0.031 mg of the 1 mg of nicotine you inhaled remains in your body.

You're right. I think what I meant, if I remember the book well enough, is it takes 3 weeks for the pangs of needing nicotine leaves your body. The nicotine itself doesn't stay for long, which is why most people need to smoke every hour but the craving for nicotine (the main reason most of us continously smoke) leaves the body after 3 weeks.

Does that make more sense?

[blahblah]

I thought that we were talking about the Yank jogging freak from the 70's, who died of a heart attack, while running

To clarify and let you all stay/get back on topic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Fixx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - popularised jogging and died of a heart attack (some relevance to this thread as his heart issues have been linked to his heavy smoking in his pre-jogging days)

I was just pointing out that the anti-smoker died of cancer, and the jogger had a heart attack...

[Latic]

You're right. I think what I meant, if I remember the book well enough, is it takes 3 weeks for the pangs of needing nicotine leaves your body. The nicotine itself doesn't stay for long, which is why most people need to smoke every hour but the craving for nicotine (the main reason most of us continously smoke) leaves the body after 3 weeks.

Does that make more sense?

Yeah that's it, it was about 2 weeks and 3 or 4 days - fantastic feeling! It wasn't a sudden moment for me more the realisation that the cravings were ceasing and that things were a lot better.

[murf]

I thought that we were talking about the Yank jogging freak from the 70's, who died of a heart attack, while running

To clarify and let you all stay/get back on topic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Fixx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - popularised jogging and died of a heart attack (some relevance to this thread as his heart issues have been linked to his heavy smoking in his pre-jogging days)

I was just pointing out that the anti-smoker died of cancer, and the jogger had a heart attack...

Both of whom had been long time smokers and had benefitted from healthy lives after giving up (til they died of course ). Who knows when they'd have died if they'd not given up? Still funny though.

Allen Carr did indeed die of lung cancer but was a heavy smoker for 30 years before giving up (wiki)

[Lister]

I have failed in my recent atempt to quit but as a result of trying I now only smoke half as much before so feel it was worth the try, I may try again later in the year. It was not the best time to pack up as me and my partner split up soon after I quit.

[Steph]

I recommend combining giving up with signing up for a 10k run. You immediately notice the improvement in physical condition once you stop smoking, plus the endorphins naturally released by running get rid of any cravings pretty quickly.

I've stopped smoking for 6 months or so, but sadly still on the nicotine replacements. My brain stops functioning and my mood is seriously bad without nicotine (or so it seems) and I honestly believe if I went cold turkey I might lose my job and my family

[Richt]

I recommend combining giving up with signing up for a 10k run. You immediately notice the improvement in physical condition once you stop smoking, plus the endorphins naturally released by running get rid of any cravings pretty quickly.

I've stopped smoking for 6 months or so, but sadly still on the nicotine replacements. My brain stops functioning and my mood is seriously bad without nicotine (or so it seems) and I honestly believe if I went cold turkey I might lose my job and my family

I have a 5 mile road race to look forward to in April. Really miss running which is one of the main reasons I wanted to stop smoking. Its been too long since I have ran in a race. I miss the buzz

[blahblah]

when is the wedding?

[Richt]

April 21st 2012