How did you stop smoking or lose weight?

I knew a girl who had crabs !

how well did you know her

i knew a man who got gonorrhea his first time.. but i didnt know him THAT well..

sad. (that he got it his first time, not that i didnt know him THAT well.. )

Luckily i didn't get to know her that well too

(Sorry I had to make a joke as it was Monday Morning)

I stopped smoking using Chi Kung (Qi Gong). In fact that was the exact reason I took up Chi Kung in the first place. I got many more benefits fromt the training than just giving up smoking, though

I had tried to quit smoking for easliy 10 years and nothing worked. Now it's over 2 years since I quit and I did it by reading 'The Easy Way to Quit Smoking' by Alan Carr. Now don't just dismiss this as nonsense! There are millions or books and audio options out there claiming to do this but several of my friends and I all used this method - and it works!

I think the trick is that the author treats the subject in a very different way and in fact encourages you to keep smoking while you read the book. Once I competed the book I put out my last smoke and never looked back. I had no cravings and no weight gain. Google the book and have a look for yourself! Good luck!!

Hi there ex-smokers,

I have made up my mind to quit smoking. I have read through the ups and downs of the people on this forum who tried and succeeded/failed to quit smoking.

regrettably, I don't think I can do this alone without compromising something else like getting really edgy or gaining weight and those are things I just don't want to fight as a side-effect.

I've heard in some occasions that there are certain places/resorts where you get to spend a week or two where, with teh help of specialists, you can quit smoking and stay on track. I've found a couple of those on internet but have no sense of which ones are professionals and which ones are telling the real story.

Has anyone had an first-hand experience with any of those or has heard from close friends/relatives recommending any?

thanks

a

Re: bold. I understand what you're going through, but maybe you need to reign in your expectations. It will not be painless. No pain, no gain. But you'll feel so much better in the end that it's worth it.

As for the resorts, etc. you really don't need to go to all those lengths. Nicotine's not heroin, you don't need to be quarantined to stop. It's mainly a psychological, not physical, addiction. Nicotine's gone from your system after 4 days, from then on, it's all in your head. No offense, but it sounds like you want others to do the work for you. Which is the wrong way to go about it.

I suggest you read Allen Carr's "Easy Way to Stop Smoking". I never thought a book would have a psychological effect on me, but this one did and it was key in helping me quit smoking and not looking back. If you don't stop smoking after reading it, chances are you don't really want to.

Good luck. One thing you can already do is put yourself in the mindset that you are no longer a smoker and that it's not something you want to have in your life. You're not a smoker that's "quitting", but a non-smoker that is relapsing. Don't despair when you do, it's no big deal, hold strong.

Don't see it as compromising: smoking gives you a very high chance of a painfull smoking-related death.

Gaining a bit of weight or being a bit edgy really is only a mild inconvenience.

Good luck!

Thanks guys. I absolutely agree with you that I don't want to do the work. I just want the outcome but like everything else, I guess I cannot have it easy and need to put my head to really doing it. Now I'm in the phase of talking to myself out of it to get in the zone and will give it a try soon. I just hate failing at anything so when I try to leave the habit behind, I want it for good and not just for a couple of hours or days.

Thanks for your input and am definitely getting that book!

A

I gave up January 1st 2007 - 18months.... 25yrs smoking - up to 3 packs a day....

I quit cold turkey - been planning it for years.... and putting it off. Worked in Providence and St Louis and had to smoke outside - not good in winter. Eventually did a lot of research online- planned a few things (like what to do instead of smoking when I crave / setting a date / getting straws in cut to cigarette lengths to suck on). Most importantly - I worked out when I wanted one the most (other than all the time) - I noticed it was going to airport, getting off plane, getting in the car, getting onto highway, getting out of the car... etc.etc it was a pattern so I knew those times were going to be extra difficult.

Went totally psycho for about 3 months....... poor poor car rental agents.... and airline agents.... and hubby....

Its okay now - still think about it every now and then - especially with moving to Switzerland.

Still dream about smoking - even now - wake up feeling guilty in the mornings, and then realising it was only a dream.

What it comes down to though..... when you are ready - you are ready - and you will give up.... until then - I wouldnt even bother.

maybe eat apples but i have the same problem, if i drink a bier than i smoke a cigarette

What I like about MsCarolines post is that it shows these types of issues need a lifestyle change in order to succeed.

I like that she identified where her weaknesses were, and found ways to work with these to get her goal.

I still have a sugar addiction/weakness. Get sugar lows, and find afternoons with the kids very difficult to get through without sugar if I have had sugar recently.

Go girl!

I just had to think for a few months that cigarettes just were not an option. In my head I could not see the possibility of having one, I just forgot about them. After 6 months I could allow me to have one, and now, after 2.5 years, I do smoke once in a while when I have some wine with friends.

Exactly. I also remember having my morning cigarette, after lunch cigarette, and so on. A lot of it consisted of new ways of occupying my time. It wasn't just the nicotine, but having the cigarette in my hand and knowing that I was occupied for those few minutes. Apples and chewing gum did help.