Karen's Quit Smoking Journey

[kare30bear]

I started smoking a month after I turned 18 years old, and next month I am turning 31. I have tried to quit MANY times, and though I feel a bit discouraged from failing many times before, I know that I cannot let that stand in my way.
As I sit here, typing, I have 8 cigarettes left in my pack. I am planning on starting my quit tomorrow, June 17th 2011. Here is my plan so far:

-By the time I go to bed tonight, whatever is left in this pack of cigarettes will be shredded and trashed.
-All cigarette butts will be picked up from sight, ashtrays emptied and thrown into my large trash can (outside) so I will not even see a single one in the morning. (All ashtrays will be thrown away!!)
-All lighters will be trashed
-I will be using the Nicoderm patches, starting with Step 1 for 6 weeks. After showering each morning, I stick on a brand new patch.
-Every morning I will use my Crest Teeth Whitener strips
-I will keep this journal to record any feelings I have relating to smoking: stresses, breakthroughs, setbacks, obstacles, progress etc.
-Use Nicoderm CQ site to record cravings, temptations and successful days of NOT smoking
-Start an exercise plan after getting through the first 3 days
-Take notice of my "triggers"
-Reward myself every month I go without smoking (not sure what to reward with yet...)
-Take it one day at a time



Wish me luck! ("Good Luck Karen!" )
Now it's ON like Donkey Kong!!! LOL!

Thought these were great reads for today: Tips to help you Quit Smoking,
Benefits of Quitting

[kare30bear]

I've been up since 4:15am, we are taking the girls to the Aquarium for the day for some much needed family fun time. It was weird having to rearrange my routine this morning because I usually go straight outside to "you know." Anyways, after getting dressed, I stuck my patch on and it has calmed my brain down more...im not as fixated on the thought if a cig every second, more like every 30 min or so...lol. It's the habit of my routines throwing me off today, but spending time with my family today is helping because I think or look at them when my thoughts start and that makes me laugh at the fact that I would even consider smoking ever again.
I notice how my mood changes so much when I am NOT smoking. Im not as anxious, more patient, and I feel happier already. I didn't get to use my whitening strips this morning but I will probably do them before bed tonight. Plan on picking up some gum later and my stepfather gave me these plastic toothpicks because he said they helped him stop by satisfying his hand to mouth problem. So those are in my purse for safety. I can do this....so far I am not doing too bad.

[kare30bear]

Had a great day out with the family. Spent half the day at the Long Beach Aquarium, the kids loved it. Then we decided to take the girls to the movies on our way home, saw Kung Fu Panda 2 in 3D (cute movie). I did pretty well on my first quit day. No smoking at all!!!

The patch helped A LOT today. When I have tried to quit without it I could barely think, I wanted to sleep all the time, and I wasn't able to focus on anything. When I wear it, my cravings and temptations feel as if they are cut down by, at least, 75%.

Once we got home, I suddenly felt this awkward "what do I do" feeling. I'm so used to my old habits, so that's going to take some getting used to. I used to chain smoke when I was on my laptop, so even sitting here typing is throwing me off.

I was planning on going to my mom's so I could take the girls swimming there this weekend (We have swim day on Wednesdays & Sundays this summer), but she smokes, and so does my sister, and I don't feel comfortable being around smokers if I can help it for now. If my husband agrees to go, MAYBE I will attempt it, but idk yet. Better to be safe than sorry.

I went onto my Nicoderm CQ website and browsed around, read my daily advice tip, tracked some of my temptations, etc.

I think it's important for me to pay attention to my TRIGGERS...I have noticed some already:

-when I first wake up
-when I am bored
-after eating
-drinking coffee
-talking on the phone/using my laptop
-being around smokers
-when I get upset....and strangely, when I'm so happy I want to celebrate
Hopefully, as time passes, I can identify and be aware of these so I can deal with it better.

Tomorrow I am making a schedule of things I want/need to do this week so I can keep myself busy & hopefully start retraining myself for new, healthier habits. I'm thinking exercise will be on the top of that list, plus adding some fun time with my girls will be nice, too.

And now, since I was unable to use my whitening strips this morning, I am going to do that and give myself a mud mask, then hit the hay so I catch up on sleep.

Goodnight!

Great reads for today: Taking Control of Your Smoking
, Putting a Stop to Smokey Thinking, & Dealing With Cravings

[kare30bear]

I've almost gone a complete 48 hours since smoking!

Today was a little rough, worse than yesterday at least. I was very irritable and fighting the urges more this time. I actually got stressed out during lunch time (the kids were fighting and I didn't cope well) so I took a nap afterwards to stop thinking so much.

The patch gives me nightmares, it always does, but for now, I'd rather have the nightmares than risk the support I get from it. I tried to take the patches off at nighttime before and I would wake up with the sudden urgency to smoke, it spiraled out of control and I ended up going back to it. So I'm going to try and stick through the bad dreams and see if I can handle it.

I tracked my temptations on the Nicoderm CQ website, though I feel I have more than I actually track because I can't possible track every single one...I would have to carry around my laptop for that. Plus, some are so tiny and pass within a minute or 2 and it's pointless, so I track the ones that I can't shake off as quickly.

I'm kind of upset because nobody seems to care or pay attention to the fact that I'm trying NOT to smoke...but I get so much crap when I DO smoke. I understand that my failed attempts in the past make it seem like I will not follow through this time either, I just wish I had more support on that end of things. On one side, it makes me just want to smoke, but on the other...it makes me want to trying harder NOT to smoke. Maybe I'm just being a whiner...idk.

On Monday, I am going to implement some exercise. I'm actually ashamed to admit that I haven't exercised since starting low carb, and the fact that I lose without it didn't make me want to do it. But I know it's good for me, I need to be active, I want to tone, it'll help me feel better so I have a plan in place....sort of...still working on the details some. I am going to do my Wii Active Trainer (the 30-day challenge) on beginner. I'm also going to go on bike rides with my girls a couple times a week, and of course, we always have our swim days. I like to have my youngest get on my back and I swim back and forth across the pool, and that actually gives quite a workout. I cancelled this weekend's swim day bc I REALLY don't trust myself around smokers right now.

I haven't had any problems with wanting to eat my entire house yet, I actually didn't have much of an appetite today, but I think with the low carbing, I have learned so much about my portions and I plan my meals to make sure I stay under 20g/day...so I'm not so sure I will have a problem with that part.

My sense of smell has gotten better already. And it was nice waking up to a cleaner feeling mouth this morning. I noticed that when I did smoke, I used to distance myself from people, especially my husband, and especially after smoking outside, because I KNEW I stunk like an ashtray. I would barely kiss him, but now I can be close and affectionate without worry and I think that is a MAJOR plus. We're actually going to watch a movie tonight, and that's something I rarely looked forward to because I would have to go a long period of time without smoking and hated it.

I left the blinds in my kitchen closed today to shut out the view in my backyard. It may sound weird to some people, but I used to go back there to smoke, in my spot/area, and I really didn't want to be reminded by looking out there. I basically avoided anything that would trigger me to want to smoke today. It's hard being home all day and trying to fill up that emptiness that lingers now, and it doesn't help that I am not one that likes to sit around. I'm a major multi-tasker . If I am watching tv, I usually have a notebook in my hand planning something, writing a to-do-list, copying a recipe, etc. Maybe I need to learn to relax more and not be so OC.

Well, it's movie time with the hubs. Honestly, I can't wait to go to bed so I can stop thinking about a cigarette. I hope tomorrow isn't worse than today....we'll see.


GREAT READS FOR THE DAY: Timetable to A New You, Give Up Smoking, Not Your Social Life, Leaving the World of A Smoker

[kare30bear]

I was anticipating today to be worse than yesterday, but I was wrong. I felt more at peace today, not as many thoughts about cigarettes. When I would get a thought, I was surprised to find out that my response was more of disgust than talking my irrational side out of wanting a cigarette.

I will admit that I honestly am freaked out that my husband has to go back to work tomorrow for the rest of the week. I feel stronger when he's around, and I know if I ever get to the point of really almost buying cigarettes, I can talk to him and he can snap me out of it.

I feel like I may be developing a phobia of being out of my house for the moment. I don't trust myself around smokers right now, nor around places that sell cigarettes. I cancelled plans with my family this weekend bc of this. (1/2 of them smoke) I know my kids were disappointed that they didn't get to go swimming today because I was cautious of the surroundings and situation, but I explained to my older one why I didn't want to go and she seems to understands. I'm not sure how I am going to tackle this issue of being around other smokers...maybe I need to really remember that ONE IS NEVER JUST ONE!! A lot of my past failures were thinking I could smoke one cigarette and be satisfied or re-convinced that it was gross. As soon as I would take a hit off of it, I IMMEDIATELY felt like a failure, disgusting, and regretted it. All that hard work....GONE!

Before dinner time, I convinced my family to take a bike ride. I felt like getting out of the house, but not completely alone. So we rode them to the small market we have in town so I could pick up some cheese, tomatoes, and celery and then rode back home. It was nice to get some exercise in for a change, and it made me realize how out of shape I really am.

Tomorrow I am starting my Wii Active 30-day Challenge....first set is on beginner. After the 30 days is complete, I will move onto intermediate and so on. My dad bought me P90x a few months ago, but I am too scared to use it right now because I heard it is BRUTAL, so I need to work my way up to it first. Maybe after 2 months of regular exercise I may give it a go.

I didn't have as bad of a nightmare last night as I did the previous days, but I think it's a combo between when I get too hot and start to sweat and the patches.

I was less irritable today, but I feel very S....L....O.....W.... when doing things. I guess this could be a good thing for me because I am usually multitasking 5-10 things at a time and spinning around the house all day. I could use some lessons in patience and relaxing.

I'm planning on ordering 2 books tomorrow on my Nook, as a reward for hitting my next weight goal last week of 170 lbs. The first one is Satan's Sisters by Star Jones and then I want to get The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I've seen both on the Nate Berkus show and penciled them into my phone (on an app) so I would remember to get them, so I am EXCITED!!! It will surely keep me busy.

Still staying on track with low carb eating. I haven't had any fluctuations yet, hopefully never. I am feeling a little more positive today, and I hope I can find things tat keep me on that path. I have the tendency to beat myself up from time to time, and be harsh for no good reason, but I would like to learn to be more confident in myself and work on the little things I know I need to take care of. I can always be better!

Three days down, a lifetime to go. Got to get my girls in bed, use my whitening strips, wash my face and hit the sack myself. Tomorrow is new day...time for some sleep.

GREAT READS FOR THE DAY: Instead of Smoking, The Truth About Nicotine, Stop Smoking Helpguide

[kare30bear]

Another day complete, I have survived without a single smoke!

We went to bed late last night so I ended up sleeping in until almost 10am (blugh!). I HATE sleeping in! I felt like most of my day was wasted. So I got into the shower and, after getting out, realized that I just made a stupid choice bc I was supposed to exercise first...Doy! Anyways, I made a cup of coffee, ate a couple strips of bacon and did some tinkering online.

Around 1pm I decided to finally get my exercise going. I completed my first day of Wii EA Active, I chose to do the 30 day challenge on low intensity. After the 30 days are done, then I will do another 30 days in medium intensity. I want to eventually use my P90x, but I heard it is pretty brutal, so I thought it'd be good for someone like me (who rarely works out) to work up to that intensity. I must say, I felt good after that workout, but my legs were like jelly.

I did 2 sets of 25 crunches, which is part of a daily goal for my *********** team. (50/day) And when my hubby got home from work, my daughter and I took a bike ride again, which was 2.24 miles total.

At first I couldn't understand why I was having some issues this morning with cravings and I realized that I forgot to put my patch on after my shower...Der...so I quickly fixed that and have been doing pretty well the rest of the day. I sometimes feel like I have the devil and angel perched on each side of my shoulders and they have a battle every now and then. But today, when I thought about cigarettes, I felt more disgusted than anything.

My kids have been bickering a lot lately, it's summer, so they are all dealing with each other a lot more during the day, and I sometimes get stressed or upset and would turn to cigs, so now I just walk away if it gets to be too much.

I finished my laundry today, except for the socks...hate doing the socks. Cleaned my kitchen, including the microwave, swept the floors, and made hubby's breakfast and lunch for tomorrow. Now it's about time for bed and I can't wait. I haven't been having any problems with the nightmares for the past 2 nights (good thing )....I do remember having a dream about my daughter using the toilet...she's 3 and refuses to potty train.

Tomorrow's plans: cook some LC recipes I've been wanting to make, doing a craft project with my girls, going to tackle those pesky socks once and for all, and then organize some school papers off of my counter to de-clutter some more in my kitchen. Oh! And exercise on the Wii. I may add some yoga from the Wii Fit tomorrow also.

I weigh in once a week, on Mondays, and was sad to see that I gained 0.04 lbs, so I went from 169.8 to 170.2. Now a huge gain, but I like seeing it go the other way. So, to be fair, I did NOT order my books today. I started measuring myself today, which I have been meaning to do for awhile, so I will be adding that to my weekly weigh ins to track from now on. The last time I measured myself was about this time in 2009 and the difference was awesome!! Still in the overweight category for BMI, but at least it no longer says obese.

I feel happier already, I just hope to keep it up and not lose momentum. I tend to not follow through with things at times, so I am trying SO hard to stay motivated and determined.


GREAT READS FOR TODAY: Helpful Hints to Kick the Smoking Habit , Help for Cravings & Tough Situations, Toughest Triggers

[kare30bear]

Today has been....rocky....

I woke up feeling great, but by mid afternoon, I just crumbled. I set my alarm last night so I wouldn't sleep past 7am this morning (check), immediately did my Wii Active Challenge Workout, Wii Fit Yoga (8 poses), and an Advanced Step Aerobics (Wii) for fun bc I love it, then took a shower, got dressed, ate breakfast with the kids, did a craft project with the kids, cooked up some LC Danishes, LC Cream Cheese Muffins, and LC Spicy Stuffed Mushrooms for the week.

But I have been feeling SO weird today, not satisfied really. My patch wouldn't stick on right all day, so I was annoyed having to check it and push on it....which makes me think about smoking even more. And I am taking my girls swimming tomorrow so I have been having a mental battle with my brain all day about how to handle myself if my mom is there (bc she smokes) and I am so confused.

I SHOULD know that ONE LITTLE CIGARETTE will NEVER be ONE!! It will lead back to full blown smoking.....PERIOD. But I keep going back to...."if I only smoke a few while there and not buy any then I won't smoke when I get home".....yada yada yada. It is driving me INSANE!!

I rarely ever drink, I did once upon a time, but since I've had my second child and have done my share between the ages of 17-26, I just don't ever feel up to it. I literally get a bad taste in my mouth thinking about it really. And I think about the fact that I am going to have a headache in the morning (even if it's minor) or be nauseous and lazy and feel crappy. I've tried relaxing with family with a glass of wine and never end up finishing it. I don't know why I am like this, but I wish I was like this with cigarettes. I'm practical, responsible and logical when it comes to drinking, but not these dang cigarettes and I HATE it!! I wish I had NEVER picked one up!!

I was trying to order some books on my Nook today, a few about quitting smoking, and the stupid thing said that my current address needs to be updated. So I went online to do so and it was being retarded and wouldn't let me click on the send key....Errrrrr!!!!!! Now I am going to have to call them to fix the problem so I can download/buy new Nook books...I am putting that off for tomorrow bc I don't want some poor person to have to deal with my rudeness today.

Tomorrow says it's my "rest day" for the Wii EA Active Challenge, so I thought going swimming with the girls would provide some exercise for me, plus I cancelled Sunday's swim day for them and feel bad so I don't have the heart to cancel this one. I'm hoping that my mom is working in LA tomorrow, instead of at home so I am not even more tempted to smoke. I really don't want to hide in my house 24/7, but I have no idea if I am ready to walk next to a pack of cigarettes, or even smell them. I thought I should print out a few pictures that would turn me away from smoking, so I could carry it around in case of an emergency or just a reminder. IDK ... IDK.... IDK!!!

I do have some books to return to the library tomorrow, so maybe I should see if they have any on the subject of smoking while I am there!?!?

Anyways, that's all I have for now. I'm just in a sour mood at the moment and think I've griped enough, so I hope I can find something to change my mood and gain some positivity with a quickness. (And.....GO! )


P.S. Made it through another day WITHOUT smoking!!


GREAT READS FOR THE DAY: Graphic Images on Cigarettes, Quitting Countdown, Staying on Track

[kare30bear]

What a total FAIL!!!

Took my girls to my mom's for swim day, and of course, I smoked. I don't even know how many...that's how bad.

I've beaten myself up about it for the rest of the day, and I didn't buy any or take any home with me, so I have been clean since about 6pm. I don't understand...every time I lit one, I hated it....so why do I do it? It tasted like an ashtray, smelled horrible and was such a waste.

Whatever! I have decided to research some e-cigarettes. I am horrible when hanging out with smokers, and I'm hoping with the e-cig, it helps me in that department. I asked the hubby if I could get one and he said yes, but I still have to use it outside. So now I just have to decide which one I want...I have no clue about these things.

I'm definitely NOT giving up. If I were to slip up during LC eating and "cheat", which I haven't, I would jump right back in and pick myself up....so that's what I'm doing here. So now I basically start all over and try harder!?!?!

GREAT READS FOR TODAY: Smoking & Weight Gain, Smoking & Stress, Quit Smoking Mood Manager

[Jillo]

I am proud of you for making it 6 days without smoking. Now you know you can do that again, and you made a strategy for when it gets tough next time.
I know you feel like beating yourself up for smoking again, but add in a little forgiveness to that, too. You're trying and it appears to me that you're doing your best and that you will succeed.

I quit 13 years ago. I had a few setbacks at first too, but your determination sounds like mine.

You can do this!

[shapeup1]

Originally Posted by kare30bear

. I don't understand...every time I lit one, I hated it....so why do I do it?]

Because you are addicted, good for you for going 6 days.
I found that haveing nicotine in me from either a gum or whatever kept the addiction simmering. I succeed only by cold turkey, went thru 3-4 crappy days, took one day at the time and doing well now for many years.

[kare30bear]

Jillo: I quit 13 years ago. I had a few setbacks at first too, but your determination sounds like mine.

13 years is sooooo long...that is awesome, congratulations!!! Thanks for the encouraging words.

Originally Posted by shapeup1

I found that haveing nicotine in me from either a gum or whatever kept the addiction simmering. I succeed only by cold turkey, went thru 3-4 crappy days, took one day at the time and doing well now for many years.

I hated the gum, it tasted so nasty, and I've tried doing it cold turkey a few times, but I couldn't concentrate AT ALL, it was SO bad. All I would do is sleep to avoid it, which isn't possible for me to do because I have 3 girls to care for. I wish I could do it cold turkey, but once I tried the patches, I decided it was best to wean down from the nicotine slowly. It helps me get through the day better. It really isn't that bad, the cravings pass so quickly, my main problem seems to be when I am around other smokers. Thank you so much for the advice, I really appreciate it.

[kare30bear]

I'm choosing to be positive today, instead of throwing myself into a disastrous spiral into failure. :blush: Because, really, me trying to quit smoking is strongly linked to my self control and self esteem issues. I do find myself picking at the things I DON'T or "CAN'T" do instead of remembering what I have, can, and do on a daily basis. This makes me realize how I need to build my inner self more and work on becoming stronger and happier. (Don't get me wrong, I am pretty happy, but there is always more to improve on) I feel like if I can conquer this, I can do a lot more in life, face more of my demons. I would like to have that inner peace and happiness all around.

So, I know everyone has their own opinion on these, but I thought a lot about it and finally ordered the e-cigarette. It should be here in the next week. I think it will help me when I am around smokers. I don't plan on using it much while at home, and I didn't order the cartridges with the nicotine in them since I already am using the patch, which has nicotine in it, so that would probably be a bad combo. I'm looking forward to experimenting with it and make some "rules" so I can keep in control. One that has already been established is the fact that I will not ever use it inside the house. Even though it is stated to be safe, I don't want to create an environment around my kids so they would get the wrong idea.

I had another successful day of exercising. Although I hit snooze on my alarm and didn't wake up till an hour & 1/2 after, I went straight to the Wii and did all of my exercises, and then decided to switch it up a bit and did the Strength Training on the Wii Fit instead of Yoga. I think I will just alternate between the 2 during the week. Then I did one round of Adv Boxing and one round of Adv Step Aerobics on the Wii Fit (bc they are fun). I did my 50 crunches for the day (part of a team goal I joined on ***********). And when my husband got home, my daughter and I took another quick bike ride, which turns out to be 2.68 miles round-trip (I calculated it on my *********** tracker). I'm taking baby steps in order to avoid a blowout. I am not used to exercising, just the little bit I get from cleaning around the house, so I feel like I may have better success from taking it slow and working my way up to bigger things. I usually only weigh myself on Mondays, but since I get on the Wii, I decided to weigh in and it showed that I have lost 1.3 lbs since Tues. That made me more determined when doing my exercises today. I have officially reached my pre-pregnancy weight from my last child, which was from...4 years ago.

I have been feeling a little munchy lately.... I think I need to cut out the diet cream soda floats and just stick to the water for a bit. I already have to force myself to drink water, and I should remember, just because I can have it doesn't mean I should.

I've been reading some posts about egg & meat fasting that have sparked some curiosity in me. I'm going to keep reading and see what happens. If ever I feel like challenging myself more, maybe, but not at this moment. I haven't had problems losing really, so no need to change it up yet. I'm actually quite nervous about transitioning into OWL one day. I have read that portion of the book, but feel lost. I have decided to wait until I am at least 15 lbs away from my goal weight, so when I hit 145, so I have some time figuring it out I suppose.

Today wasn't too bad, I had minimal cravings, no temptation to go buy cigarettes, and I got a lot accomplished.

Tomorrow I plan on finishing laundry, mopping the floors, vacuuming, exercising (1st priority), dusting, and then I am meeting my mom in town to get a pedicure (a reward to myself for making it under my 170 lbs goal). The kids are happy about it since they get to go swimming with grandpa (AGAIN) while we do our girly stuff.

And that's my day. Not too shabby, I'm happy about it.


GOOD READS FOR TODAY: Surroundings When Quitting, Quit Smoking Advice, Quit Smoking 101 E-Course Lessons

[kare30bear]

I have screwed up REAL bad this past week and a 1/2....but I plan on getting back in action Monday (July 4th).

My e-cigarette came in last week and I have fiddled with it off and on, and I haven't used my patches or been motivated to not smoke so hopefully I can pick myself back up this week. We'll see. :blush:

[kare30bear]

I've been quite upset ALL day. It started this afternoon, my family and I were getting ready to leave the house to go swimming at my mom's today and my husband saw that I was smoking a cigarette....apparently he has been on "vacation" this week and doesn't pay much attention to the things going on around him because he acted as if he hadn't seen me smoking all week?!?!!

So...he blurted out some hurtful words and has been pissed at me all day. At first, I just felt sad because I knew he was disappointed in me, but it has now grown into anger because I have stewed and had to deal with the constant attitude from him all day. I understand his side, but to treat me like this is not okay with me. He should be speaking to me like an adult and not attacking me.

When I feel like I am FORCED to do something, I immediately want to rebel against that person (I had an ex husband who was extremely controlling, so I have a problem dealing with people telling me what to do). But, in a way, this is also making me want to quit even more to prove him wrong. I want to feel like I am doing it for myself though, in the long run.

We just returned home from a very long day of swimming, and I was planning on making some low carb things to bring to a get together tomorrow, but I am in a crappy mood and honestly don't know if I even want to go with him tomorrow now. I noticed that he took my e-cigarette and must have hid it somewhere, and I may need that when I start my quit tomorrow, so I am hoping to get that back before the end of the night so I can charge it and have it ready to go, in case I need it.

I was supposed to be focusing on my plan for tomorrow, and getting myself prepared, but now I am in very low spirits and can't concentrate on anything, I just want to go to bed. The tension in my house is so thick between us at the moment, and I feel like throwing it away, but I know I am going to be dealing with a lot of stressful issues while trying to stay quit, and just because this one comes a day early doesn't give me the excuse to fall already. This is part of my life, it's going to be an everyday struggle, starting today, and I need to conquer every part of it in order to make it. I need an alternative to relieve stress, anxiety, fear, tension, boredom, excitement, etc. Not sure what yet, but typing all this helps a bit (I just had deja vu...weird). Just as I try to find alternatives and substitutions for LC, I need to find substitutions and alternatives to get me out of these bad habits.

I was thinking about what/why my past attempt to quit suddenly slipped and part of it had to do with being around my family. As mentioned before, my mother and sister both smoke, and we get together quite often, especially now that my mom is about to move to Hawaii in September. I want to spend time with them, but sometimes I am going to have to say no because they make me want to smoke by being around it. I am used to being around them and smoking all the time. I am not blaming them personally, I have the right to make a choice to either light one up or leave it be, just the same as I choose not eat the foods in their houses because I lead a LC lifestyle and I can tell them I do not want a beer or glass of wine, etc. because I simply do not care to really drink. It's harder for me when it comes to cigarettes (obviously), so LOTS and LOTS of work to be done.

Maybe I need to let go of the idea of it getting easier with time. I think I will always be on alert and struggle daily. It only takes ONE!! Only ONE stinky, disgusting, nasty, dirty, toxic cigarette to suck you right back in. I NEED TO REMEMBER THAT !!!!

Well, this has surely lifted my mood a bit...venting to....whoever reads these, and especially myself. I think I will actually go make those LC recipes, then read up on some helpful advice about quitting so it is fresh in my brain and encouraging me for tomorrow.

My first task for tonight will be to "be the bigger person" and to not let people discourage me or throw me off track. I am me, and I can only control me.

I've just smoked my last cigarette, now I am going to throw all these butts away and rid my home of anything related to cigarettes. GO ME!!

Great Reads for the Day: Removing the Links Will Aid Your Effort, Dealing With The Undesirable Consequences, Giving Up For The Right Reasons

[yorick]

Stay strong today with quitting.

You've posted a lot of great links to read to give you strength for quitting. Although there isn't much I can add, I do want to say to just keep in mind that nicotine isn't actually making your anxiety or anger any better - it's just a mind game. Your mind wants nicotine for nicotine, not to make your emotions any better.

Your mind thinks you need it because it is used to functioning with it. Your body and mind will reach homeostasis where everything will feel much more manageable. It will just take a small amount of time, some deep breaths, and the ability to always put one foot in front of the other.

Good luck and stay strong!

[winkydink]

I smoked for almost 30 years and quit 3 months ago. I wouldn't do the e-cig. You will only continue your nicotine addiction. All I can say is after a couple of weeks you won't think about them so much and soon they will smell terrible to you. I love that may hair smells like shampoo ALL day.

[yorick]

I don't think you posted this link yet. Here's a free e-book that I saw recommended by somebody. You might find it helpful:

http://whyquit.com/joel/ntap.pdf

[Jillo]

Either way, you win. You decided to quit, and you went for it, and you were successful. You had a setback - just like most (if not all) of us have done with eating or smoking, or drinking, or getting over an ex - whatever. You had a setback and you're disappointed because all the people around you should know better than to piss you off.

Thing is, they're going to keep pissing you off. One way or another. That's just life. It is what it is. You can't do anything to change how they act. And, honestly, I don't think anyone can change how they feel about other people's jerky behavior.

But we can darn well change how we act.

Your decision to quit was based on your choice. And your decision to keep trying is your choice. Our loved ones can jump up and down and claim the credit all they want, but you know the truth - you're quitting FOR YOU. Not for them.

And you'll do it when you're good and ready.

And I'll be here cheering you on.

[kare30bear]

Originally Posted by yorick

I don't think you posted this link yet. Here's a free e-book that I saw recommended by somebody. You might find it helpful:

http://whyquit.com/joel/ntap.pdf

I LOVED that! Thank you for the link. I saved it to my computer and have been browsing through it periodically, but I think I will actually diligently read it from top to bottom starting tomorrow. I looked at the pics and whoa! I need to print out some pics to carry in my wallet for reminders because those definitely snap me into reality quick!

Originally Posted by winkydink

I smoked for almost 30 years and quit 3 months ago. I wouldn't do the e-cig. You will only continue your nicotine addiction. All I can say is after a couple of weeks you won't think about them so much and soon they will smell terrible to you. I love that may hair smells like shampoo ALL day.

I do agree that the e-cig can reinforce the behavior you are trying to stop, and I considered that when thinking about purchasing it, but I would rather have that than a regular cigarette when the time is needed. I didn't get the ones with nicotine in them, though I am using the patch to wean me off of the nicotine slowly, which has been the best alternative for me so far. My ultimate goal is to get off nicotine all together some day, but I've noticed that when I go cold turkey it is really hard for me to concentrate and I have HORRIBLE mood swings, which affects my family. Thank you so much for the advice and congratulations on being 3 months clean.

Originally Posted by Jillo

Either way, you win. You decided to quit, and you went for it, and you were successful. You had a setback - just like most (if not all) of us have done with eating or smoking, or drinking, or getting over an ex - whatever. You had a setback and you're disappointed because all the people around you should know better than to piss you off.

Thing is, they're going to keep pissing you off. One way or another. That's just life. It is what it is. You can't do anything to change how they act. And, honestly, I don't think anyone can change how they feel about other people's jerky behavior.

But we can darn well change how we act.

Your decision to quit was based on your choice. And your decision to keep trying is your choice. Our loved ones can jump up and down and claim the credit all they want, but you know the truth - you're quitting FOR YOU. Not for them.

And you'll do it when you're good and ready.

And I'll be here cheering you on.

I am so thankful to such positive support from people like you and can't express how much I appreciate it! Thank you for the words of encouragement, they truly make my day even better.

[kare30bear]

I had one of the best days, and even more so, one of the best 4th of Julys in a long time.

I woke up wondering if my hubby was still upset with me and as I started cooking some more LC goodies, he apologized to me for reacting the way he did. He said he sometimes forgets how hard it is to quit smoking (he quit about 4 years ago). I was happy to hear that he didn't think I was an utter failure, and that he also understood what I was going through.

We went to a friend's house today for a 4th of July get together, and had a great time. We played Pictionary on the Wii (men vs. women) and there was no beer, and no smokers. Each of us couples had children, who played very nicely together, and we watched the fireworks tonight and set some of our own off, did face painting for the kids, and I really enjoyed it all. No drama, no chaos, no temptations...loved it!

I went almost until about 2pm until I put my patch on. I felt moody up until that time, I always feel more depressed (not mentally, just physically), but I finally got into the shower and put it on and was doing great. For some reason the patch hasn't wanted to stick to my skin as well as it was before. I had to use some bandage tape to keep it on. I thought it may be because of my lotion, but lately I have put it on before rubbing on my lotion and it still does it, quite annoying, but I can improvise. I checked the dates to make sure they weren't expired, so maybe it has something to do with the heat or my body wash, or maybe my skin is oily?!? Idk...

I didn't feel the need to use my e-cig at all today. It's still sitting on the counter....I really don't know how often I will even use that thing, but at least I have a back up.

I did go over my carb count limit the last 2 days. Yesterday I was at 24g (4g over) and today I was at 23g (3g over). I think because I was up until almost 1am last night cooking LC treats, I was in munchie mode and had a tester. And today I had 2 snacks, it's a holiday, and I'm not upset about it because it wasn't an obscene amount or anything...plus, it wasn't a non LC food so I will be gentle with myself on it.

I noticed my senses were clearer today, I kept smelling my hair (shampoo) and my perfume, which I usually can't. Not a bad thing at all.

I felt like I have accomplished quite a bit today and that always makes me smile. See... LOL. So I'm ready to conquer another day because today was awesome!!

Hope everybody had an awesome 4th of July!!!

Great Reads for the Day: There is No Such Thing as "Just One" Cigarette, Michelle's Quit Smoking Story, Why Am I So Afraid to Quit Smoking?

[Jillo]

I AM SO FREAKING PROUD OF YOU!! YAAAAYY!

And that sounds like a perfect July 4th!

[kare30bear]

My day started late today, the kids had us up late last night so I didn't even get out of bed until about 11am, which I HATE doing because half my day is gone already. I like to get an early start.

Immediately brushed my teeth and stuck on my whitening strips, then grabbed my measuring tape and went to town. After the strips were done processing, I tackled my morning (or afternoon) workout. I JUST started working out about 2 weeks ago, and surprisingly, have stayed consistent with that every day....yay me! I will say that it does make me feel better and it helps to replace that morning cigarette with a healthy workout.

I noticed that I have been consuming way too many sweets lately. When I first started LC, I ate breakfast every morning, ate plenty of veggies, and was losing weight at a good pace. I came across a thread where it was talking about making diet root beer floats, so I tried them and have been HOOKED. So, I am trying to cut back on those and with my carb intake, period. I went over my limit the last 2 days, so today I have only had 13g and I was thinking about adding a snack, but I think I am fine where I'm at. I'm not hungry, so I should be okay....just because I have the carbs to spare, it doesn't mean I need to fill it.

I'm at a point where I may need to research myself on what I should cut back on or add into my diet. I started on March 7, 2011, at 201 lbs. by June 6, I had lost 30 lbs exactly and down to 171 lbs. But I have teetering ever since and it's making me wonder if I am doing something wrong? If something changed? Am I building more muscle from working out? Am I consuming more HWC? Do I need to redo a STRICT induction? All are possible factors...of which I will be looking at more and more. I did go down 1/2 in on my neck (weird), and 1/2 in off my calves, a 1/4 in off my upper arms, and 1/2 in off my waist...so that's good. I usually only weigh myself once a week (on Mondays) so I don't get too flustered. but ever since I started exercising, and since I use my Wii for part of my program, I have been doing it almost everyday...it has really screwed me up. So I vow to go back to solely weighing in on Mondays, and now I added measuring (also on Mondays...did it late today bc of holiday).

I didn't have any soda at all today....just water all day long. Yesterday I did have about 1/2 a can of diet cream soda. I buy the atkins shakes but usually only use them in case of an emergency, I haven't had one in weeks or so. I need to get back to the basics I think and cut all the goodies out.

I got a lot done today...I made my weekly cooking menu and posted that on the July Weekly Menu Thread (I do this every week), I posted my day's eating on HERE (which I do daily), and my daily exercise on HERE (again, do daily)....was bummed that I wasn't able to take my bike ride today because a sudden thunderstorm popped up , I DID join a Challenge on here today, which I am SUPER DUPER excited about...I have been dying to join a challenge and thought this would be the perfect time to do so. I watched some stuff on my DVR that needed going through, and one in particular was Oprah Winfrey's Master Class, this episode had Maya Angelou on it, and I have to say I was inspired!!! She really has such a positive outlook on things and I love her spirit. It makes me want to strive for bigger and better things in life. I saved it so I can watch it whenever I am feeling low. I also watched Celebrity Rehab, which I love, but when I watched it today I thought about how I could relate to some of the stuff they are going through, at a smaller level of course. But I could seriously take some of the things I see from there and put them to good use in my own battle with cigarettes. Just a thought, maybe it only makes sense to me.

So I have made it through day 2 with great success, I was terribly grumpy today, but that could be for other reasons (TOM coming soon). :blush: Point is, I did it, I am happy about it and I didn't even need my e-cig at all, so that's great. And.....my patch stuck on all day without problem or without duct tape....

Time to go make the hubby's breakfast and lunch for tomorrow, then off to bed. (I'm setting my alarm for 7am so I don't oversleep again.)

Take care!

Great Reads for the Day: Developing the Will to Quit Smoking Permanently, How to Achieve the Right Mindset to Quit Smoking, The First 6 Smoke Free Months

[kare30bear]

I was just thinking about how I share my quit day with Independence Day...how ironic, and memorable. It is also my late Grandfather's birthday, so that makes it even more special. (Not planned exactly, but it works for me)

Today was swim day, again, so I conquered all my exercising tasks, then got my kids ready, the bags ready, I packed a lunch for myself, and got out of the house around 1pm. The weather report said "mostly sunny", but what a crock of doo doo!! I don't know why I even bother checking the forecasts, they are rarely correct. I had been swimming for about 30-40 min before the lightening and thunder began. I do like thunderstorms, but I like getting my swim on also, so it literally rained on my parade today.

Since we were swimming, I wasn't able to wear the patch, and boy have I been the meanest and grouchiest person ALL day. I really battled with myself today, and I get SO depressed without the patch...it can get pretty bad. Anyhow, I drove to get dinner and had a 10 min conversation with myself about cigarettes, the whole time. When I have access to them easily, I find myself in trouble. The angel reassured me of all the reasons why I shouldn't get some, the devil was saying it wasn't as big of a deal. The ANGEL WON!! Ultimately, what stops me is thinking about losing control and the effects of going against my word. I really don't want to be the unreliable, untrustworthy, and irresponsible person in life. I desire to have a good heart all around, I want to surround myself with happiness so I can export that to others, instead of portraying a different type of person.

I seriously feel like a complete different person when I am not smoking, and sometimes it throws me off, but most times, I try to embrace it and learn how to be that.

I was talking to my brother about the smoking thing, he quit a few weeks before Thanksgiving in 2010. He admitted to taking a few puffs off of one cigarette on the 4th of July, and that it reminded him of how nasty it tastes and smells and felt really bad for even wanting one like that. So it is nice to have somebody in front of me to chit chat with about it, and to have a family member that I can actually be comfortable hanging around without worrying about the smoking issue. I know if I need help, he will try and give me advice.

Mainly, my goal is to work on the whole inner me. I think my smoking has a deeper meaning to it. There is a reason why I have failed to quit before, reasons why I continued to allow myself to smoke, and I want to improve on all of me, to be healthier all over. This is a lot of a mental battle as well as some physical, but I think I am having a tougher time mentally.

Things I am working on or would like to get better at:
*Being more positive in my life, seeing the better side of people, places, and things.
*Not being so judgmental, and not assuming so quickly.
*Reacting more calmly in situations. (Keeping my cool)
*Not worrying/stressing out about so many things.
*Letting go of past history holding me back.
*Reaching my goal weight (125-130 lbs).
*Following through on things.
*Pushing myself to do more than I am originally comfortable with. Taking some risks.
*Have more fun in life, letting loose sometimes.
*Becoming closer to God.
*Spending more time with my kids.

That's my list so far, but I will probably be adding more in the future. Gotta always keep striving for more.

All in all, my day was just okay. I'm happy that I got through it, it surely felt like more of a struggle than the past 2 days, which is not a total shock, but sucked while dealing with it. Tomorrow (Thursday 7/8/11) will be my house cleaning day, so no running around like a crazy person. Hopefully I can get a lot accomplished tomorrow and put this newly free time to good use. It's also my forced rest day from exercise, but I plan on going for a bike ride, at least 5 miles.

Great Reads for the Day: Pathways To Freedom, Why are unhealthy people so reluctant to change their lifestyles?, Barb Tarbox

[kare30bear]

I've been putting off posting here tonight because I wasn't sure if I had much to say, but here goes.

Got up this morning, put on my whitening strips and jumped into the shower. I cleaned my house a lot today, and I since today was my forced rest day from the Wii Active 30 Day Challenge I am doing, I was going to attempt a 5 mile bike ride to get some other form of exercising in. Well, the winds were blowing against me so hard, I only made it 3.85 miles, but I did go past the 2.5 miles I usually stick to, so I will not mope about it. (My legs are sore now) I have pretty much been working out every single day, minus last Monday (holiday...too much going on). I'm quite proud of myself for sticking to it and pushing my boundaries.

Oh! Funny story, but maybe it will only be funny to me because I was there to witness it, and every time I visualize it, it makes me giggle. Yesterday, I had just put on my whitening strips and I had to go into the garage for something and felt like I had to sneeze, within that brief moment I tried to figure out how to sneeze without affecting the strips in my mouth.... too late...the top one blew right out! I was SO mad, but now I laugh about it.

My husband started the night shift tonight, and I thought I would enjoy it a little because I feel bad cleaning and organizing, etc. while he does his thing (usually on the couch ), but I actually already miss his company. I think he has to do it for 3 or 4 months.. idk, his work switches things around so many times. But am trying to look at it in a positive way... a little bit more money, I can use the extra time to do one on one stuff with my girls, I can clean and organize without feeling guilty, and I can watch some of my shows on TV (yeah right, I rarely watch my shows, it's usually Disney or Nick Jr. for the girls)....we'll see.

My birthday is on Sunday, so I doubt we will have a swim day, plus my mom comes back from Hawaii that day and I would rather not deal with smokers right now, it's not safe yet. (Sorry mom, I love you!) I'm not sure what I will do that day, maybe sleep...lol. Actually, I'm really loving the fact that I don't require as much sleep as before LC. I used to debate whether to take a nap mid day with my daughter or tackle a task (usually nap won), but now I don't ever think about wanting or needing a nap. In fact, I don't think I've taken a mid day nap since I started my journey on LC.

I didn't really think much about smoking, I think my other routines I have started to create have slowly been pushing my smoking habits away, which felt good. When I was going to the store today, I actually didn't even contemplate buying cigarettes, I didn't have a conversation with myself like I usually do. I'm sure it's not a cure, just a good day I had I suppose. (Felt nice to feel "normal" for once.)

I remember the reason why I started smoking was because I would get that lightheaded felling for that second. Of course, then, I wasn't smoking as much as I did last week or last month, etc. A week before my 18th birthday, my family and I took a trip to Minnesota to visit my relatives for 2 weeks. Everyone on my mom's side of the family smokes...and even worse, they smoked in the house, even with the kids around. I distinctly remember being SO annoyed by the fact that we (the younger kids/teenagers/nonsmokers) had to endure the cloudiness, grossness, and toxic smoke they were producing all around us. And I kept making comments to them all day, for example, I told them that if they wanted to kill themselves, that's fine, but at least don't kill us along with them. And sure enough...a month and a 1/2 later....I'm a smoker.

That was.... almost 13 years ago. Time really does fly by. I can't believe it has taken me THAT long to quit. I am going to be 31 this weekend, and I can barely remember what it was like to be a nonsmoker, and never have the cravings for nicotine, but I'm glad to be headed in the right direction now. I give up because that is the easy thing to do, but I'm liking the fact that I can fight it and get stronger.

I made a huge step with myself today, well it huge to me. It has to do with my "addictive" personality (which I diagnosed myself with). I feel like I am easily addicted to things, quickly and strongly. I had about 3 game apps on my cellphone that required a lot of attention. (Don't laugh) I had this one called Bakery Story, where you order food, it becomes ready at certain times and sends you a message to serve it and you have to tip people...etc. Just a big pain in the butt, though it was fun at first. I had Fashion Story and Paradise Island too, both closely similar to the first one. I knew it was time consuming and I found myself stressing over it (if you wait too long the food goes bad and you lose money, plus have to cook new items). I was thinking about how I have let it control me and how I would drop the things I was doing to attend to these dumb games and finally just uninstalled them from my phone this morning. I could be reading a great book, or playing a game with my kids, putting in some extra exercise, heck, I could just take a break and breathe. I want to eliminate the things that knock me off track or distract me and do things that are more worthwhile in life. So I FINALLY got rid of them. You know it's bad when your daughter makes a comment about it, and that stuck to me hard.

I've noticed that, when I exercise, I can actually breathe now. When the Wii Active Trainer makes me run FOR-EV-ER (well...that's what it sometimes feels like), but I can actually run the ENTIRE time now. I LOVE THAT!!! It's the little things!!

I am proud to declare I have successfully made it through the last 2 days WITHOUT soda! Last night I contemplated getting a Diet Coke when I was at McDonald's, but opted for an iced tea, a compromise. I wanted some flavor, but I am really trying to cut back on the sodas since I have been up and down on my weight the last couple weeks. I don't need anymore BAD habits in my life anyways. I think I am also going to cut my SF Vanilla Cappuccinos for a bit and see if that helps. I started that today.

Well, it's getting late and I should have been in bed about an hour ago, but I guess I had more to talk about than I thought.

I hope everyone is staying strong in their quit and enjoying the summer days as much as possible and having much weight loss success!! Goodnight!

Great Reads for today: Nicotine is less addictive for smokers who have a particular genetic quirk, study finds, Are bidi cigarettes a safe-smoking alternative? <---I started out smoking these and had NO idea about them back then...woah!, Understanding the Icky 3's

[Jillo]

"I desire to have a good heart all around, I want to surround myself with happiness so I can export that to others, instead of portraying a different type of person."

This, I believe, is the best possible goal in the whole world, and I think you put it exactly right. I am happy for you, and proud of you.

I used to tell myself "I'm a non-smoker. Why would I want to go do that?" when some dark little voice would urge me to do something I did not want to do. Just saying "I am a non-smoker" out loud gave me strength.

I'm very happy for you.

[kare30bear]

Originally Posted by Jillo

I used to tell myself "I'm a non-smoker. Why would I want to go do that?" when some dark little voice would urge me to do something I did not want to do. Just saying "I am a non-smoker" out loud gave me strength.

I'm very happy for you.

I'm going to try that trick. I kept thinking I wasn't worthy enough to call myself a non smoker just yet, but I have not smoked in 5 days...so I am a NON SMOKER! Thank you for stopping by again.

[kare30bear]

Another good day, LOTS of things accomplished...I have realized just how much time I have to do other things now that I don't waste it on smoking. I swept & mopped all of the floors in my house, cleaned up my girls' playroom, vacuumed the entire house, folded laundry, did my exercising, and even tackled the huge laundry basket full of 5 people's socks that have been piling up for the last month and a 1/2. ( I hate doing socks obviously...but finally they are done!!)

I have been soda free for 3 days now, and have been solely drinking water all day...so much I have lost track of how much. Been making bathroom trips about every 30 min, even waking up in the middle of the night for it. But, it is what it is.

I've been stressing out a bit over the fact that I keep losing and gaining the same 2-3 lbs these past few weeks. Mostly, because I went through the first 3 months of LC without exercise and was losing at a pretty good pace. So now I have 5-6 theories on it, with the first one being maybe I screwed myself by implementing the exercises?!?!

So, I received a tiny "birthday gift" from Marlboro yesterday, in the mail....when I saw it I busted up laughing. It was some goofy card talking about preserving our land...blah...blah...blah. Apparently they are doing these preserving and restoration projects around the U.S. (10 to be exact), but it seems a little strange to me. I think they do it to cover their butts or relieve some of the backlash they get, because I can't comprehend how "people" can be worried about things like that and not see the bigger picture that they cause in the world. Maybe that's why it doesn't say anything about the environment, because they'd have to quit making cigarettes to help in that department. Anyways, I thought about giving it to my mom, it had a couple coupons in it for cigs, but I decided to throw it away because I don't want to have association with them at all, and encourage anyone else to smoke or continue smoking for that matter.

A little funny....when I did my exercises on my Wii Fit last week, I could have sworn the trainer I had on there (a guy) had shorter hair when I first started. Then, Wednesday, I noticed his hair was in a tiny ponytail... What!!!! So funny! His ponytail was a little longer today too. My Wii Fit counter turned gold today because it said I had reached 10 hours of exercising this month so far...WooHoo!! (I had to brag about that one to my hubby this morning :blush.

I took a 2.5 mile bike ride, pulling a bike trailer with my 32 lb daughter in it and boy was that exhausting. I waited until 5:30 pm, thinking it would cool down more and hoping the wind wouldn't be crazy...mmm...nope. It was still hot and the wind was not cooperating as usual, but I made it through to my minimum goal. She was mad that we didn't go longer but I was on fire and could not work against that wind anymore. I think I was going 4 or 5 miles and hour against it for a few minutes...I could have walked faster than that (hmmm....there's an idea).

This week, my exercises worked out really well, as far as scheduling goes. The Wii Active had me at rest days on 4th of July and on Sunday, for my birthday...how nice is that!?! I've noticed I have to drag through some of the exercises lately...after the 30-day challenge is complete, at the end of this month, I may try another routine/program. Maybe to a month of my Taebo that I haven't touched since purchasing a couple years ago. I have been looking at some exercises I can do on the side too, to focus extra attention on some trouble areas I would like to tackle...abs, thighs, butt....ummmm pretty much everything really.

I am DYING to buy this ebook because it seriously seems like it could really teach a few things, I'm pretty sure I have mentioned it before: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I read her blog often and get bits and pieces of the idea, but I'd like to read her entire book to get the whole enchilada VERY SOON! I get e-mails with advice and fun things to read and do, like this one: If you can't do anything else today you can do these. She went over some of these things when I first saw her appearance on the Nate Berkus Show and I have been implementing a few the last couple of months. Lets see: I always wear my seat belt, so that is not really something I HAVE to remember to do, I feel naked without it. I have been opening all my curtains and blinds and letting the sunshine in for the entire day and I have been making my bed every day (I also make my kids make their own beds every morning...which they HATE, but will thank me for one day, I hope ) I always put my keys in the same place, before I even read that. And she mentioned, on that show, that even if you have nowhere to go, take a shower and get ready for the day. It's supposed to make you feel better and like you have accomplished something. My mom works from home sometimes and she was discussing how she was in a foul mood one day. I saw she hadn't even curled her hair and was still in her robe, and I told her about this. So she's been getting ready everyday and says that it does make a difference, and I agree. I feel so much more prepared and more established and ready when I am put together and clean.

I've just been in a cheery mood this week and I love it. I hope I am not getting ahead of myself. I know it's a lot easier to control my quit when I am indoors most of the time and not dealing with the constant in-your-face temptations, so that will be a whole new challenge for me. I know my mom will probably bring up wanting to do a lunch get together for my birthday Sunday, but I think if she asks about it, I may suggest that they all come over to my place, where I am not around all the smoking and her place really reminds me of smoking period so I may feel better if they came here. Plus, I am the one who cooks all the LC stuff for parties and it would be more simple to do that in my own house. I can't eat regular cake, so I would probably make my LC Oopsie Cake or maybe try a LC cheesecake this time. It's pretty hard for me to say no sometimes, but when I mention that I am trying not to smoke, they usually understand and are supportive of it. My daughter told me to just ask them not to smoke when I am there, and though I wish it were that easy, I had to explain to her how smokers are. She gets disappointed, but I know she understands because she says she would rather miss a day or 2 of swimming in order to help me not smoke...how sweet is she?!?!

Way past my bedtime, I need to learn to go to bed when I first get tired. Take care!!

Great Reads for the Day: A Woman's Quit Story, Tips for Parents, Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking

[yorick]

It sounds like things are going really well for you. Congratulations!

It's wonderful that you have been in a cheery mood. You have every reason to be happy though. You are working hard in your home/with your family, and on your quitting journey. You are extending your life span and improving your health. Awesome work.

I doubt you are messing anything up with exercise unless you are really under eating while exercising or over exercising.

I'm a big fan of exercise, and I think the best piece of advice I can give is to make sure you find some form of exercise that you really enjoy. In the past when I've forced myself to do something that I didn't enjoy much, I didn't stick with it.

I'm a big fan of weight lifting, but I know that isn't for everybody. There are more than a few women on this forum that lift (inatic, Firm Hottie, WATCH-ME-SHRINK - just to name a few). I think the Body For Life program comes pretty highly recommended by a few of them.

I also like a lot of the body weight training stuff that incorporates full body movements like pull ups - P90X, etc. (I've never tried P90X, but I'm going on the little I know about it. It does include some good exercises).

There's also nothing wrong with the conditioning stuff like WII Fit, Tae Bo, etc, as long as you enjoy it and don't over do it. I just lean towards weight lifting because muscle helps with body recomposition and fat loss.

Keep up the good work.

[Jillo]

YOU ARE WORTHY! YOU ARE WORTHY!!


Hugs, love, and thoughts of strength,
from one NON-SMOKER to another!

[kare30bear]

I decided to no longer include the label, "restart" on my titles since this is the farthest I have made it through this no smoking journey. Day 6...WOW! And One week on my birthday...how can I forget that?

My patch stayed on ALL day without having to use the tape. Yeah! I stuck it on the left side of my back, thinking I have less muscle movement there, and per advice of a friend, I used the rubbing alcohol to clean the area very well before sticking it on. I even sweated my toosh off biking in this heat today and it didn't budge. So I will give it a try while swimming to see if I can make it work.

Speaking of swimming, I wanted to ditch it for tomorrow, since my mom is now back from Hawaii and I didn't want to be around her smoking. But she called me this morning and said she wanted me & my family to come over to BBQ & swim for my birthday (it's basically tradition now-a-days) and I said no, but then I changed my mindset and said yes. The reason for this is because I don't want to hide from my temptations, I want to face them head on. And I'd rather do it when I have the support behind (my family) and get through the first hard part, than to freak out and hide forever. I have to deal with it anyways, there are going to be smokers all around me, wherever I go...people smoking. I will admit I have been in a panicky state most of the day, but I know I am being silly, and I'm sure I will be fine once I get there and go swimming. I feel like I have more desire to show my mom that I can quit also, because she probably doesn't think I will stick with it, AND I want her to see that it is possible. I would like to see her quit one day, but that's all on her, when she's ready.

I watched another Master Class from Oprah Winfrey's Network last night while tackling the laundry. This one has Diane Sawyer, another well spoken and educated lady...I never knew she was so smart and had accomplished so much, it was very inspiring. Again, I saved it in case I need it during a down time. The next one I want to see if with Jay-Z, should be interesting. I don't really care for most of his songs, maybe one or 2 have been okay. But I'm sure he is on there for a reason, so I can't wait to watch it.

I didn't do a whole lot today since I got most of my cleaning done this week already. I exercised, researched FOREVER for a good LC cupcake/cake recipe to make for tomorrow, hung out with my youngest daughter while she practiced riding her bike, planned one week of my 2 week menu plan, went for a bike ride while tugging her along in the bike trailer, and...put away some more laundry.

So I did finally find a recipe for a cake and I had batter leftover for cupcakes too....


Droid Pics 006.jpg
Droid Pics 005.jpg

Problem is, now I have to calculate the carb counts so I can eat a piece tomorrow. I usually make my Oopsie Almond Chocolate Cake, but I wanted to try something different. I don't even know if it tastes good yet...lol. It's gotta be better than nothing right?!?! Well, I got the cake recipe from Classic Almond Flour Pound Cake and then I used Linda Sue's Mocha Cream Frosting but without the coffee in it, basically just chocolate. For the Cupcakes, I crumbled some of Linda Sue's Buttery Almond Bars on them. I tried one of the cupcakes, and they were pretty good, but nothing I would die for. Anyhow, I want to make this next. But after today and tomorrow, it won't be for awhile....I have a challenge goal to meet.

I've used my e-cig a few time in the last 2 days, but I'm realizing that I feel like I am cheating by using it. I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like it plays into an old habit and that it seems like I am really smoking, even though there is no nicotine in it. I think I will lay off it while I am at home to stay away from the habit I am used to, and just use it for when I am around an actual smoker, maybe I won't want/need it at all. I felt fine without it, idk why I even started playing with it.

My hubby and oldest daughter went to town for the day, and they let me open up my birthday gifts tonight and I am so glad he listens to what I want/like. I showed him a picture of what I wanted and he didn't even look at it, but he heard what I said....he ended up picking out the exact one I showed him without realizing it.

I got this heart rate monitor so I can track my calories burned from my workouts better and my daughter got me a cute purplish pink nail polish (she knows how I am obsessed with nail polish, even if I rarely use them), and they got me a new resistance band because I was just complaining how the one that came with my Wii Active wore out and my backup one snapped on me this week and I panicked!! I have a great family!

I feel like I had a long day, and I am so tired now. I wish I would stop staying up so dang late. I'm happy about conquering another quit day, but today I have felt lower than usual...I think it's TOM sneaking up on me.... Hopefully, tomorrow will be great and I don't go overboard on eating.

Goodnight!

Good Reads For the Day: Stress and Smoking Can Affect Diabetes, Remaining a Non-Smoker, Should Smoking Be Illegal