Anyone lift but smoke or history of? I am trying to quit but only have myself cut back to like 5 a day. Every time I go to pull the plug I freeze up. Any tips?? I quit cold turkey when I got pregnant with both of my kids. I need to do it for me
this time.
Notice: I want actual advice. I do not need negativity.
Thank you in advance!
-Steph
Ha! Thanks Mod for the edit. I didnāt realize it was so formal! Good eye 
I smoked for 8 years and quit when I found out my son was coming. IMO there really isnāt a ātrick.ā You will quit when you have a good enough reason and you can commit to it.
Thanks for the reply. After we had the boys my husband and I both quit. But then we were like well only when we drink and then I started a thesis and I wanted to smoke one day while I was writing and it just steam rolled. When Iām working out I can feel it. And I know in that moment itās like you HAVE to stop. But by the afternoon Iām fine and I do it again.
I assume I know all these things. I guess I posted to see what others had to say. Support if you will. My husband doesnāt really anymore. Only when he has a beer and we donāt drink often. But youāre right. Obviously thatās how I was able to do it so easily because I knew I was pregnant.
Thanks for sharing!
I have had a couple of life long smokers read and follow the book Allen Carrās Easy Way to Stop Smoking. The book insists you keep smoking while reading.
If you are ready to quit you will. Both my parents died of smoking related cancers, on oxygen, etcā¦ i wouldnāt wish that end on anybody. Good luck!
I quit for several years initially using acupuncture for the withdraw, then changing habits associated to the habit. Morning coffee had to become morning green tea, stuff like that.
Started again during finals week/breakup with girlfriend out of stress. Bad move.
I quit 13 years ago by using the nicotine gum.
First, I picked a date that was about 5 or 6 weeks ahead and put that in my head as my deadlineā¦I continued to smoke normally (cutting down is of course better than smoking more, but i donāt think it helps) until that date then i stopped, but of course chewed the gum.
I chewed the gum for about 3 monthsā¦then stopped that.
I moved in with a girl who didnāt smoke, and just stopped.
Thank you everyone! I just left Walgreens. Bought the gum. I have never done it this way before. I have 2 left in this pack. I am ready to do this. I think this is a good time. Iām an adjunct at our college and classes start next Monday. I would have started cutting down this week like I do every semester because I cannot smoke at work obviously. I normally donāt add major cardio but I am today so I can physically feel how horrible it is! Ha.
I expected harsh criticism. Thanks for proving me wrong! Will update to let know how itās going!
-Steph
STICK WITH IT. It will get better! I found that having a piece of wood and a hammer around helped. Find something that is calming and focusing to get you through. I liked to go for a little walk and focus on breathing ārealā air. Keep busy. Seriously donāt worry about the weight gain. Itās a minor sideshow in the scheme of things. It will get better too. Iām so glad I quit.
Well I am good so far. I tried one piece of gum after I ate lunch (normally when I would smoke). I hated it. Awful taste and weird sensation. I decided to use the little dum-dum suckers. they are only like 10 calories and give the actual physical action so it seems like I am doing something. If I can get through the first 48hours the rest is just muscle memory.
Also, running deff helped motivate me into knowing today was the day. I look forward to being able to breathe and run more relaxed.
-Steph
Have several friends who found The Alan Carr books really helpful.
Yeah as others have said and you seem aware yourself its the triggers/habits you need to keep an eye on -the physical addiction is over after about a week.
Personally, quit cold turkey and let myself eat any crap I felt like for a couple of weeks as compensation (while training hard and bit of extra conditioning)
I quit almost 10 years ago. The year previous Iād felt like shit all winter long; cold and tired. I knew I had to make a change. I quit around the same time I joined a gym for the first time ever to ātone upā.
For the most part I wasnāt a super heavy smoker and donāt think I had much of a physical addition. It was more routine and habit. When you do x, you smoke. At this time of day, you smoke. I did what I could to replace smoking during those activities or changed the activities. I also drank a shit ton of tea.
Iād like to know where all the money went that I saved when I quit 
I had some stomach issues and was hospitalized overflow put me in oncology unit, i have job where i am exposed to fumes from chemicals, nurse told me with that and smoking i would have copd by early 50s. Watching all those people on oxygen who could barely walk 50 ft, helped put on some weigh, and saved almost 300 bucks a month. Just got three years in ,good luck.
Hi Stephā¦
It isnāt easy, this from a serious nicotine addict.
Iām always a drink or an argument away from a relapse. Thatās just the truth. There are lots of people who smoke and quit; but true addicts simply manage. Iāll be a lifelong smoker; but have been managing for 5 years with a handful of accidents here and there.
I donāt want the government meddling in my business; but this is one drug that should be illegal. The health consequences are devastating and undeniable. If you donāt quit, you will die! and it will be a slow painful miserable death, one that you wouldnāt wish on your worst enemy.
Take it day by day, accept that you will have accidents; but avoid all those things that trigger them. If you do have an accident forgive your self and get back on track. Have compassion for your self, there is nothing to be gained from punishing your self.
It isnāt a coincidence that most people who stop smoking also stop drinking. I gave up hard liquor and only drink beer and wine in moderation. I also meditate, with the hope that it will buy me that minute or two it takes to relapse.
I used a website called quitnet.com and that helps too.
Itās weird when you see how many cigarettes youāve NOT smoked in the time that youāve quit. For example, since i quit 13 years ago and i smoked about 15 a day Iāve since then not smoked over 50,000 cigarettes!
So, the first day with the gum was brutal. I did NOT like the gum. I did not care for the tingle bit all in my mouth and throat. I felt like crap, but I made it that day with only having the last two from the final pack. When I woke up the next morning I decided to screw the gum and ween like I did when I knew we were going to try to get pregnant. I went and bought a pack that I really do not care for the taste. I pulled out 3 put them in a ziplock and set them outside where I would normally put my entire pack. I stuck the rest of the pack in a bucket in the freezer under EVERYTHING. I only smoked 3 yesterday.
I am doing the same today but with 2.
I find my body is registering better to this and I do not feel so shitty. I should not want one today anyway. Because it is leg day. ha.
-Steph
I read this yesterday but did not have time to respond. I needed it right at that moment! I was so angry at myself for going to buy a pack and needing to do it this way. But everyone is different and I have to do what works for me. So, thank you for responding!
-Steph
Iām sorry but Iāll have to say that that does not bode well.
I did that weaning thing one time when I tried to quit and I donāt think it will work because as we all know smoking is a ānegativeā thing and once you start having 3 a day you may just say āScrew it, Iām quitting soon anywayā so you may have anotherā¦and another.
Hello Mrs. steph. I too used to smoke. Itās been almost a year since I was smoking a pack a day. As some have stated in most cases itās better to just stop cold turkey you know? I know thatās easier said than done believe me. But whatever spark it takes in you to quit let that be the strength you find to do so. Whatever it may be. For me when I was struggling on my lifts, I realized it was because I wasnāt getting enough oxygen to thoroughly breathe in and out to catch my breath, and at that point I said what good is it become a powerlifter yet Iām damaging my body by smoking? So I decided to not only talk the talk but walk the walk as well. Now along the road I have been at social gatherings, and have a beer or two and would like a drag from someone, and Iām still working on cutting that notion out completely but Iām hella farther than I once was. So just keep on keeping on. One day at a time okay? And if patches, gum, or vapes help then use any tools you think would help.