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So I am really serious now about quitting smoking, improving my diet, and dropping weight, gaining muscle, and running a sprint triathlon next summer and also looking good in a suit before my trip to Hawaii that i have been saving to do on my birthday next summer.

Are there any ex-smokers that know of some good resources to help me quit and quit for good!

Going cold turkey works for many people.
If you need more help, here is a link to one federal government site.
There are toll free phone numbers for smoking cessation counselors. Literature is also available.
http://www.smokefree.gov/


I believe Nicorette is still available without a prescription. Zyban and Chantix are available by prescription.

There is this prescriptin drug that you can use call: Chantix, it is only given to people with a prescription from a physician... I know a few people that have quit using Chantix little by little....

I hope it helps...

dont put the thing in your mouth lol

In my own experience, and others I've watched quit, the methods vary, but the successful ones always seem to have a couple basic things in common:

1) They last one year without lighting up. There seems to be a psychological barrier at one year where the investment in not smoking seems significant enough that you value it too much to backslide, and that, simultaneously, you've proven to yourself that, in fact, you don't really need it.

2) They are public about it to their friends and family, who all support them -- including their smoker friends who try not to light up around them (this last one is the one I've had real trouble with).

Good luck Mile -- it's tough, but a very important and obviously a very worthwhile thing to do -- probably one of the most worthwhile in your lifetime.

I'm an ex-quitter, but I would like to endorse Nicorette. Especially now that they have several really good flavors and they added whitening to the gum, it's a very good, easy method. I didn't actually chew when I had a "craving", I would just chew pieces on a schedule, and gradually lowered the number over a period of weeks. I was smoke-free for 6 or 7 months before I got caught up in it again. Now I wish I had held out for the year benchmark.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Btw, I would skip Chantix and the other drug. I had a friend try to quit with Chantix, and not only was he outside with me every chance he got to smoke a cig while taking it, but it also messed with his appetite. And it can cause depression and suicidal tendencies. Not worth it.

There is this lovely device from JigSaw Inc.

milehigh2009 saidSo I am really serious now about quitting smoking, improving my diet, and dropping weight, gaining muscle, and running a sprint triathlon next summer and also looking good in a suit before my trip to Hawaii that i have been saving to do on my birthday next summer.

Are there any ex-smokers that know of some good resources to help me quit and quit for good!

Do this, for yourself: STOP.

On May 25'th my mom died from COPD, after watching, without exception, all of her close friends die from lung cancer. Mom was 79, and enjoyed a good life, and had 57 years of marriage. She had DNR (Do Not Resuscitate ) order in place and called my sister to call family to be by her side so she did the responsible thing and let herself face death in the eye with the sister by her side. When her hemoglobin went to 40, they turned the morphine up, and she passed peacefully without leaving medical bills for dad and the system. Even in her death, she lead by example. My mom STOPPED smoking in 1982.

In April, Dave, who was only 59, died from COPD.

This is easy to decide. Do you want to live, or not?

I've never been a smoker, but I do have an understanding of quitting something that's horrible along with the psychology that goes along with addiction.

1. Get yourself educated on exactly what you're doing to your body. An example factoid would be that one drop of pure nicotine is toxic enough to kill someone on the spot. Look at gruesome pictures, talk with people who are now living with the day to day irreversible consequences of smoking. It's not easy to listen to, or pretty to see, but exposure to reality is always helpful.

2. Before you light up your next cigarrette ask yourself. "do I really want this to be a part of me, my body, my respiratory system, my brain function? Do I really want to keep feeding this beast? Do I really want tobacco companies taking a monopoly on my brain chemistry?" Tobacco make billions and billions of dollars because they have a highly addictive product that will eventually kill you if you don't stop. That's a screwed up way to make a buck in my opinion.

3. Understand that approx. something like 20-25% of quitters experience no withdrawal symptoms. If you go into your quit thinking that it's going to be hell, it will be. You'll create all kinds of symptoms because that's what you believe in. Think positively about how much better you're going to feel, how you free you'll be, and all that other good stuff.

4. Make yourself accountable, tell everyone who will listen that you quit smoking, and that you never want to go back to it.

5. If you're a drinker, consider not being one for the time being. Smoking and drinking feed into each other because of certain chemical reactions in the brain that occur when both substances are in there at the same time.

6. Avoid situations where you'd be the most tempted to smoke, and don't be afraid to ask your friends if they can hold back on smoking around you until you feel stronger in your quit.

There are online sources such as quitnet.com where you can go for support, success stories etc. To me going on drugs is ineffective as you're depending on another drug to stop depending on another. Drugs can help, but not if that's the only thing you do toward recovery. It's better to dive in and get to the root of the problem.

I used the nicotine patch and accupuncture. I smoked for 32 yrs. have been smoke free since Nov. 08.

Good luck!

You have to turn yourself off to smoking. It's disgusting, it makes you smell; you can't be an athlete and smoke; it takes time off your life every time you light up.

You have to stop. You have to have a bit of self discipline to stay stopped. There are worse things in life than not smoking. It's that simple.

Just like a fat-ass should be able to stop engaging in self-destructive behavior, this is something completely in your control. Either you light up, or not.

Quit cold turkey, and stay quit.

After a few days, you'll be fine. After a few months you'll be wondering how you could have been so vile to begin with.

It's in your hands.

Hope that you quit soon enough. I've seen more suffering from smokers than you'll ever know.

You want your lungs looking like a tar pit?

go to britesmile and get your teeth whitened....they do a before and after pic and when i saw how much smoking had affected my teeth, i basically stopped cold turkey after that.

there are some good web sites of forums of people who are quitting smoking too, i found those helpful. and having carrot sticks on hand all the time, and drinking lots of water.

also once you stop, you will love going to the gym so much more... you can basically keep lifting and working out until your body has had enough, instead of when you run out of breath.

good luck!!!!!

I went to cold turkey route about 10 years ago. I smoked my last cigarrete, threw out all the ashtrays in the apartment, and told my partner at the time (we lived together), not to ever mention it (as in, don't say "good job!" or bring up anything related to me smoking).

I also didn't tell any of my friends and coworkers when I quit. I figured, the less they brought it up, the less I would think about it, and the less cravings I would have. It worked wonders for me. I didn't tell anyone till I hit the 2 month mark, and they were all shocked.

About 5 years ago, my stepmother died of lung cancer (she'd been smoking since she was a teen). It had spread to her brain and took over her body. Once you've witnessed someone die a slow, painful, death from smoking related cancer, you will never smoke again.

Smoking is my #1 deal breaker in any dating interest. I don't care how smart, kind, and beautiful someone is. The second I see them light up a cigarette, it's all gone.

Yep, I don't allow smokers anywhere near me, and I certainly don't allow them in my home. They stink. They can't breathe. They hack. It's disgusting.

yeah, you need to find another vice, preferably not food. Sex, Working out are all good.

I switched from Marlboro reds to an additive-free brand (like American Spirit) for a few weeks before quitting cold turkey. That was 13 years ago.

My late partner did the patch, and it seemed to help. Then I screwed it up, by taking us to gay clubs, where smoking was allowed. I selfishly wanted to party.

I didn't appreciate how second-hand smoke would affect him, and the sight of other smokers all around us. Before long he was smoking again.

Sometimes a smoker not only needs to quit it himself, but to stay away from all other smokers and secondary smoke. It's not unlike some recommendations for alcoholics. I mention this so others don't make my thoughtless mistake.

One way to quit is to determine what are your "triggers" - events, times of day, feelings, etc. that cause you to feel that you need a cig. http://www.copd-international.com/library/smoking-triggers.htm

My mom smoked (it killed her) when I was a kid. At about 12 or so, I started taking puffs, and liked the way if felt. I was working in a radio station through high school, and everyone there smoked, so then, I was smoking on a regular basis. When I started lifting, I backed off the smoking so I could breathe, but, I didn't quit. When I was in college, doing squats, I decided it was time to quit, and did. I stayed away from nicotine until I worked for Gold's Gym as a sales guy and everyone dipped snuff. I got going on that in 1987, and continued chewing until 2005. One day, as I could tell my blood pressure was to high and I was out walking around the lake shore I told myself I will not let this kill me and I brought my dip can into my place and put it in my upper left desk drawer. It remains there to this day. I was very, very, addicted to nicotine, and had chew in my mouth nearly 24 x 7. When I stopped, I was fidgety for a few days, and craved it for close to a year from time to time. Now a days, I never crave nicotine. Like being fat, or an alcoholic, I don't believe it's a disease but rather is willful self-destructive behavior. If you want to quit, just do it. Then, stay quit. The cravings are a very temporary thing.

A few weeks ago, I tore my right biceps tendon, and it really needs surgery and it looks like I finally found a way to get it done. It'll hurt, BAD, and my arm will be in a sling for three months, but, like many things in life worth having you get through it.

My mom spent the last 2 years of her life on an oxygen machine. I watched her friends die from lung cancer. Would you do that to yourself? A little TEMPORARY discomfort is nothing. The saying that's been used around here lately is "man up." That's just what you need to do. Sometimes shit is hard, but, we do it because we know it's the best thing.

My friend, Dave, who retired at 42, after 20 years as a pilot for TWA, died at the age of 59 from COPD. Until almost the very end, Dave wouldn't stop smoking. Don't be like Dave. Don't abuse yourself like that.

flex89 / Logan is a type 1 diabetic who lives with me. Dealing with nicotine withdrawal is nothing like dealing with diabetes daily. You just need to man up and get 'er done.

Just like a drunk shouldn't be around drunks, or a fat person around fat people, you need to stay away from situations that trigger your bad behavior. After you've been quit for a while, you maybe can re-enter those situations, but, at that point you could very well not wish to be around unhealthy people and the stinky folks and have no desire to go back there.

The American Lung Association is a great place to start.

I have only one: STOP!

For me, it was much more a mind-over-matter situation than my physical addiction. I constantly, forcibly, repeatedly made myself believe I was no longer a smoker. I put myself in situations where I might be tempted and stood there, sometimes very uncomfortably, and didn't smoke.

That said, I would stay away from drinking as long as you can. It's way too easy to relapse when you've had a few martinis.

Using the patch helps, nicorette helps, but above all else, you have to radically change your behavior which takes sheer will power, not chemical crutches. Don't put your faith in a patch to help you quit, rather, use it as an aid. Realize that YOU are the one responsible for your not smoking.

KEEP QUITTING !!

I quit 13 years ago....for good.

But I quit 100 times before that. Just keep quitting. If you screw up and have one...start quitting again.

All of the above statements are brilliant and each, in their own right, has a point (I especially love the bear trap pic...hilarious). To be honest, quitting smoking is like losing weight . . .
. . . you have to SERIOUSLY WANT to do it.
Not for anyone else, not for any other reason than simply "it's time".

There are time points for you to remember which will be helpful and you'll find that they usually happen in 3s. What I mean is simple,
After 3 days your body is cleansing itself (you'll crave)
After 3 weeks your habit is breaking (you'll crave)
After 3 months your body is ridding itself of the rest of the nicotine (you'll crave).
Get through those and you'll be fine. After a period of time you'll actually be repelled by the smell. And as stated before, KEEP QUITTING!!! I can't tell you how many times I "quit". Oh, and don't ever...EVER...have 'just a puff''. It'll hook you again!

Chantix. That's all.

Today is week 5 no smoking, cold turkey for me. It helps to keep yourself busy. It gets you through the nicotine fits.

9 days smoke free here-quit with a group of friends at work. Instead of going outside for a smoke, we now go for a walk around the building. I think it was more of a social activity for us and being able to keep the social contact has made it much easier

I quit cold turkey, had a lot of lollipops the first couple of days and made sure to keep healthy snacks available so I wouldn't gorge on candy and sweets as compensation. Making it through the first weekend was key. I'm SURE it's going to work.

milehigh2009 saidSo I am really serious now about quitting smoking, improving my diet, and dropping weight, gaining muscle, and running a sprint triathlon next summer and also looking good in a suit before my trip to Hawaii that i have been saving to do on my birthday next summer.

Are there any ex-smokers that know of some good resources to help me quit and quit for good!

Yes. STOP. COLD TURKEY. You'll be fine.

I read Alan Carr's "Easyway to Stop Smoking" . I have been smoke free ever since.

iguanaSF saidIn my own experience, and others I've watched quit, the methods vary, but the successful ones always seem to have a couple basic things in common:

1) They last one year without lighting up. There seems to be a psychological barrier at one year where the investment in not smoking seems significant enough that you value it too much to backslide, and that, simultaneously, you've proven to yourself that, in fact, you don't really need it.

2) They are public about it to their friends and family, who all support them -- including their smoker friends who try not to light up around them (this last one is the one I've had real trouble with)...

Good advice! Methods do vary, so don't get discouraged if you try one and it doesn't work well for you. Just try another. It's not unlike prescription meds for a medical condition: your doctor often has to try different ones from among many choices to find the one that YOU respond best to.

My late partner did well with a patch, and was free for about 6 months after he stopped using it. But then I screwed up, and started taking him to a gay club that allowed smoking, the place as dense as a London fog. I literally used to strip naked in our laundry room when we got home, leaving my clothes in the closed washer until morning, and immediately took a shower, I reeked so badly of the smell. The second-hand smoke was like having a couple of cigarettes over several hours there, and he started smoking again.

So avoid places where smoking is still allowed! It's not just the sight of others smoking, but the smoke gets into your lungs and your blood, keeping your addiction going. Fortunately those places are becoming more rare these days.

Good luck to the OP and all those trying to quit!

Just keep quitting. If you mess up, quit again. It can take a while but it will be worth it. I did it for years and did the nicotene lozenges to quit. It's been years but I still sometimes pick up a box of the lozenges. Find a method that works for you. Also, avoid bars for a while (even if its nonsmoking that outside patio will still tempt you). Avoid the ten o'clock club at work(all those people that meet out the back door a couple hours into the the workday).

i quit 3 months ago w/lozengze......and i just didn't smoke...i'm so happy...i really hated smoking...i had quit for 14yrs but started again....so glad its over!!