Sunday, July 12, 2009

Quitnet.com Tip of the Day

The quitnet.com Tip of the Day:

Snacks to Keep You Busy

When you feel the urge to smoke, have a snack that keeps your hands and mouth busy. Buy a bag of shelled peanuts to eat, so that you have to work at shelling each nut. Do the same with sunflower seeds. Make a big bowl of popcorn, a good low-fat snack. Practice catching pieces in your mouth.

I am Doing Better

It has been roughly 36 hours since I have had my last cigarette. It has been a bit of a struggle. But I think I am doing okay. I have read that the cravings come and go, but sometimes I feel like it is a constant craving. The 'nicotine monster' wants to be fed. I will do my best to ignore him.

We went to a block party yesterday. I found myself looking around for someone smoking a cigarette. Strangely, I did not see 1 person smoking. I thought that was very weird. There must have been 30 or 40 adults there and I did not see a single one of them smoking. Maybe it was because most of them had kids and either did not want to smoke around their kids or had quit smoking altogether because they had kids.

We have a baby shower this afternoon so we will see how that goes. I know that there will not be any smokers in our group. But it is at a banquet facility so there might be someone there outside our group that smokes. I know that I should not smoke at all, but will 1 cigarette kill me?

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Not Quite There Yet

Okay, so I have a bit of a confession to make. I have not quite quit smoking yet, but I am trying. I did intend to quit on July 5th. But on the morning of July 6th I was on a plane heading down to go through my dad's things. I did not bring any cigarettes with me. I thought I was doing good. I don't recall having a craving, but I did find myself buying a pack of cigarettes at the gas station that was right next door to our hotel. So I smoked the pack throughout the course of 3 days. I had the last one at the airport waiting for our flight home. That was going to be my "last cigarette". The morning after I got back home, I had to go to work. Again, I had no intention of smoking. But the cravings became too great. I went out in the early afternoon and bought a pack. I do not bring it home with me. It stays at work. The first night wasn't so bad because I knew I would be back at work the next morning and could have a cigarette then. But now that it is the weekend, I have to wait 2 days to get back to my cigarettes.

Maybe it will be a good thing. Maybe I won't be craving them by the time I get back to work Monday morning. But that might also be a bad thing. What if I am not craving them, but they are there? I don't think I will have to power to throw them away. I guess I will have to see what happens Monday.

Right now I need to focus on getting through the weekend. Just take 1 day at a time. That is all I can do. If I keep thinking about having a cigarette when I get to work on Monday morning, it will drive me crazy! So I need to find other things to keep myself occupied today.

Wish me luck!

Quitnet.com Tip of the Day

The quitnet.com Tip of the Day:

Relaxation Is Easier Than You Think

Consciously relaxing your body and mind is really helpful, not just in the early days of quitting, but as a way of dealing with stress in your life from now on. Relaxing can be pretty easy to do, once you get the hang of it. Simply close your eyes and breathe naturally, picturing your breath as it flows in and out of your body. You may want to imagine your breath filling your body with energy, and then pulling all tension out with it as you exhale.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Quitnet.com Tip of the Day

The quitnet.com Tip of the Day:

A Question Of Priorities

Sometimes you have to make quitting your #1 priority; which can mean putting your social life on hold during the early days. If you must socialize in risky environments, perhaps your party friends can help you by smoking less around you, etc. This is your quit, and you need to do whatever you can to not smoke. The responsibility is yours.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Quitnet.com Tip of the Day

The quitnet.com Tip of the Day:

Caffeine and Nicotine

For many people, coffee is strongly associated with smoking. If this is true for you, try changing your coffee drinking routine. Sit in a different chair or room, or take your coffee differently. Changing your coffee mug may help, too. While you drink coffee do something different than you usually do; you could try reading quit-smoking literature, for example. If you go out for coffee, go to a non-smoking place. Some people choose to switch to another hot beverage and avoid drinking coffee altogether in the early days of quitting.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Quitnet.com Tip of the Day

The quitnet.com Tip of the Day:

Avoid Excess Sugar Consumption

Avoid eating any foods high in refined sugars, carbohydrates, and fat. Eating a well-balanced diet of healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and low calorie snacks is a good way to minimize weight gain. To avoid excess sugars and fat, start reading food labels. It is also helpful to avoid alcohol when you are quitting smoking. This can help to reduce your chances of relapse. Some people also choose to avoid coffee when they are quitting. If you find it hard to avoid smoking when you drink coffee, you may want to try another beverage of choice like tea or hot cocoa.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Quitnet.com Tip of the Day

The quitnet.com Tip of the Day:

Dealing with Frustration

You may be finding that the little problems in life seem incredibly difficult. This is an effect of withdrawal from nicotine and WILL pass in a couple of weeks. You don't have to smoke to deal with frustration. You can choose a different response. How have you seen other people handle frustration, in healthy ways? To let go of frustration, get alone for a few minutes and take a few deep breaths, slowly counting to ten for each inhale and exhale. You could try clenching your fists for a count of five, then shaking out your hands several times; imagine getting rid of some of that frustration as you shake your hands out, like a dog gets rid of water by shaking after a swim. Do this several times, followed by a few slow and calming breaths.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Quitnet.com Tip of the Day

My quitnet.com Tip of the Day:

Dealing with cravings

You've done it. You've made it well into your quit day and you are still smoke free! You're probably beginning to have cravings for tobacco, however, and are wondering how you are going to deal with them. Craving a cigarette can be hard to deal with but remember -- cravings are temporary and pass in a few minutes. Fight the urge to smoke with the Five D's: Delay (until the urge passes); Deep breaths; Drink water; Discuss your cravings; and do something to Distract yourself (like exercise one of the other four D's, for example).

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Quitnet.com Tip of the Day

Here is my quitnet.com Tip of the Day:

Quit Day!

Quit Day - Congratulations!!! This is it, the moment you've prepared for, anticipated and even dreaded. Fear not! A vast majority of successful quitters will tell you that their fearful expectations were always far worse than the reality of quitting smoking itself. This is your quit! Nothing in the world can make you throw it away, and all the power in the world is available to help you succeed. How about logging on to the QuitNet and announcing your quit in the forums? Such a public commitment to your quit can really make a difference. You'll get cheered on by many others successful in their quits- so be prepared to stand up and take a bow!

Day 1

My quit day has finally arrived. I feel a little strange. Actually, I am not sure how I feel. I feel that I need to go out for my morning cigarette. But I have to remind myself that I do not do that anymore. So instead I am eating an apple. I think I will have to keep myself busy today to keep my mind off of smoking. I almost wish that I could stay in my bedroom all day. I know that there are going to be several situations today where I will feel the "urge" for a cigarette. I will just have to find a way to get through them. Maybe I will stop at the grocery store and pick up some vegetables like celery or carrots and use them as props. When ever I feel the urge for a cigarette I will pretend that a stick of celery or a carrot is a cigarette.

I will check back in tonight to let you all know how Day 1 went.

Friday, July 3, 2009

Quitnet.com Tip of the Day

The quitnet.com Tip of the Day:

Log On, Don't Light Up!

You're almost there...your quit day is today! One the best ways to get through the process of quitting smoking is to have support. Thats where the QuitNet can really help. When you feel like lighting up, log on to the "Q" and read or post a message in the forums, participate in one of the chat rooms or check your Q-Mail. Since most cravings last less than 5 minutes, a short distraction is all you need. You CAN do this. Good luck!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Quitnet.com Tip of the Day

The quitnet.com Tip of the Day:

Tell Your Family and Friends!

As part of preparing for your quit-date, you may want to get some support from your family and close friends. Think about the ways that they can be helpful to you, and then communicate those ways to them. For example, will you want to be asked about how your quit-attempt is going, or would you like to be left alone on this topic unless you bring it up? Also, if you discuss with them, before your quit-date, the fact that you might be a bit hard to live with for a while, they’ll be less likely to take your irritable behavior personally.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Quitnet.com Tip of the Day

The quitnet.com Tip of the Day:

A Little Exercise is Better Than None

Exercise can be very helpful when you are trying to quit smoking. Smokers are less likely to exercise; conversely, people who exercise regularly are less likely to smoke. Adding even a moderate amount of exercise can burn calories and increase metabolism- helping to avoid or minimize weight gain. Also, regular exercise can reduce stress and enhance your sense of well-being (by increasing metabolism and dopamine synthesis in the brain). NOTE: If you are considering starting a new exercise program, talk to your doctor first. Your physical capability may not be on a par with your enthusiasm. Normally, it helps to set modest goals at first, and increase your activity gradually. Start with goals you know you can achieve, and increase the challenge after you've developed the HABIT of exercise.