I quit smoking about 4 months ago. Best decision of my life, hands down - besides asking Amanda out.
I'd like to quickly share how I did it and offer support to any of my neighbors here who are going through that battle.
I've actually tried to quit for a couple years now. I was a party guy in college, and picked it up with drinking there. I think it started as just something to do while I hung out.
When I finally successfully quit it was cold turkey. I'd seen a grandmother with an oxygen tank and never met my grandfather who died of smoking complications - but this wasn't the motivator. My quitting smoking came as a package deal for a better life. I went through some trauma about a year ago and decided to change things, including the smoking and my weight - just to be a better person, and to be happier with myself.
The first two weeks are hell week. You have to really dig down deep to get through this part. My changes included such extremes as not going inside to gas stations, not going to the bar at all, not drinking at all, not hanging out with any smokers, and not eating in places with even a patio (much less a smoking section). Cravings were insanely bad. I stayed extremely busy, and did physical things. Being hot and tired - especially out of breath - Cut the cravings, although of course stress did not. The moment I would stop I would crave. So if you are quitting, move move move.
Once you make it two weeks there are still cravings but it get easier on out to a month. Make it a month, and you're home free.
A couple motivators for you guys to actually want to quit:
1.Smoking helped me lose weight - a lot of it. Before quitting I would diet, but something about tobacco slows your metabolism. Since I have quit the weight has begun to fall off. It's like I've been tied down all these years. I am actually back to HIGH SCHOOL WEIGHT (that's right ladies!). This came with a lot of hard work, dieting, and exercise, but I promise you that for me none of that helped until I quit smoking and let my metabolism get back to normal.
2. Breathing. I now run 5 miles whenever I want to, at a 9:30 mile pace (not bad). Pre-quitting I was an asthmatic. No joke. I would wake up and have trouble breathing. Now I don't run out of breath running, I just end up running out of legs - which is something you'll never experience until you have wonderful lung capacity compared to the average American.
3. Sickness. I used to be sick constantly. The winter before I quit I actually caught Pneumonia! I was a 23 yr old young man with a lung sickness that can kill you. My doctor told me that although smoking does not 'cause' that, it makes you more prone to sickness and will certainly send you on the path to Pneumonia. I was nearly hospitalized after multiple shots of antibiotics and pills, plus 3 weeks off work.
4. Money! Average - $1800 per year, $73,000 lifetime (i.e house) or a MILLION dollars by the time you're 50 if you start putting away $5 into the right accounts now instead of smoking it.
Okay. This is a long post. I just felt the need to share a big something about myself on here. I'm sure plenty of people will respond about how gross smoking is and all that - but remember smokers can't smell that, so I am trying to give reasons anyone can appreciate. I didn't know how bad smoking smelled until 3 months after quitting - until then smoke smelt good to me. (No joke)
I hope I can inspire just one other person to quit. It's the greatest thing I have ever accomplished in my life.
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