I'm Quitting Smoking on January 1 - Anybody Wanna Join Me?

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I was a bit groggy last time, and I don't think I was too coherent. Before bed on the 31st, I took pictures and video of me throwing out/flushing all cigarettes and accoutrements, posting them to Instagram and Facebook for friends and family to witness.

Went to bed, hated life for two and a half days. Mostly went to work, struggled through it, and went to bed very, very early to get through the rough part.

Progress report: Much news!

Got past the part where I can't understand how anyone can get through a day in life without smoking, to the part where I'm just a bit snappy and would kind of like a cigarette, but can pass by the store without looking at it. It happened some time yesterday, where my mind sort of came out from under a cloud, and I felt less heavy and confused, and felt a little more awake and able to cope on my own with the workday.

One thing I didn't mention is that I usually bought Pepsi with cigarettes. Much as I loved smoking, I was also disgusted by it, so I frequently had soda with it to make it more palatable. That added lots of sugar to my diet, and about $3 to each pack (two 20 oz. bottles purchased at a time, consumed over the course of the day).

Also, though I like beer a lot, I decided I was having it too frequently, and should only have a little on Friday nights. I might even go all January without a drink, just to clean out the system, but at the very least, it's going to be a weekend night treat.

Cutting out the Pepsi and the beer have not been a problem at all, and while I would not consider this "dieting" (someone suggested I not try to go on a diet while quitting smoking - not sure why, I never said anything about my waistline), it has cut a lot of junk calories from my diet, and the deletion of beer from my regular diet has also cut a further $5 a day from my spending. Since I knew I would also be doing this, just out of curiosity, I weighed in on Sunday morning.

So, while the app I'm using says I've saved about $36 so far since quitting smoking on Sunday, you can add about $24 to that for Pepsi and beer, making a total savings of $60 this week.

Also, I've lost four pounds in three days.

Wow! That's great!
 
Make sure you stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water. Since you quite beer and Pepsi you need more water.
 
That's pretty awesome!

Some your grogginess and irritability may actually be partly from giving up the soda too. That's a lot of carbs to cut out. I've changed my diet as of the January Second (couldn't start on the First of the year), and I'm feeling the lack of carbs --- I've done it before, and it takes some getting used to. It's not surprising you are losing weight. All the extra sugar, plus the sugar your body makes from alcohol causes your body to store water --- every gram of glycogen is "attached" to a couple grams of water. Decrease the carbs, and your body will pee out a lot of water weight really fast. I'm several pounds down too.

Cutting out sugary drinks and frequent beers will definitely be good for your health. Both take a toll, and not always in ways you might suspect. I got some unexpected medical results at the very end of this year, and decided to make a change as a result.

Probably what your friend was referring too was not to try to make too many changes at once. Sometimes people decide to change one aspect of their life and then get carried away trying to do too much at once. Each little change is stressful, and if you pile on too many changes at once, it makes it that much harder. But in your case it sounds like the soda and the smoking were linked, so it makes sense to me to quit both together.
 
WELLLLLLLL I spoke too soon. This is the first night I'm not going to bed super early and I'M GOING OUT OF MY EFFING MIND.

Still lost those four pounds though HA AH HA HA!!

All I have to do is hold out until everything closes and I'll be good.

End report.
 
I"m going to treat myself to a couple beers tonight.

Of course, I thought I had a couple in the fridge from last weekend. Guess I'll make a trip out to get a couple. Better two beers than twenty cigarettes.
 
Hang in there! So far, I'm still okay. I've been communicating about it this time (which is actually entirely new, never quit while discussing it with my wife). Worst moment was at the gas station this morning. But made it through the first gas station stop without a pack in my pocket...
 
Quite back in 90' cold turkey and don't miss the damn things. Quit drugs in 89' cold turkey and quit drinking back in the summer of 90' cold turkey too. It's the only way to go. Turned them into the money sucking enemy they were and feel so much better.
 
I want to add my support to all of you who are quitting smoking, or someday may finally be able to quit.

I have not been a smoker, but my mother was. I sort of know how hard it was for her quit. But after she died of lung cancer, her best friend at work told me she had resumed smoking again secretly at work (after stopping for at least 10 years), hiding it from me at home.

I am not without my vices, way too much Coca-Cola and over eating, which was part of my road to developing type II diabetes. My "scared straight" moment was when my left big toe got infected, and I almost lost it (had to have 1/8 inch of infected bone shaved off but it looks and works fine). And that is when I found out I had type II diabetes, which had helped to cause the infection from an unhealed toe injury months before.

So I began eating healthier and losing weight, to the point I am "prediabetic" (no medication in 1.5 years). But I have to keep on top of things, or my blood sugar will zoom up and I'll be at all kind of risks.

So this is not the same thing for me is for some of you regarding smoking. But we do have shared issues and things to overcome.

Also lung cancer is a VERY bad way to go. Very sad to say, it was actually a relief when she died. She had been unaware of anything for a couple of weeks before the end. :(

- George Gassaway
 
Last edited:
I chewed tobacco for 35 years. I'd have a chew in for most of my waking hours and some times even while I was asleep! I was addicted big time! My wife and family have always wanted me to quit. I tired several times but always had an excuse to start back up. In April I wanted to quit! I went and bought some Nicorette gum...2 mg. I was in a foggy haze for about 4 days...it sucked. I've not had a chew since April! Yes at times I could sure go for a chew..Fishing, retrieving rockets, after eating sweets etc.

Chewing for 35 years has taken it's toll on my body. Tomorrow afternoon I'm going in for my second Upper Endoscopy to see how much scar tissue there is and if they can eliminate some of it.

I'm only posting in hopes that it might keep one of you guys stay on track. It's your body and you are in charge!

Tony
 
I chewed tobacco for 35 years. I'd have a chew in for most of my waking hours and some times even while I was asleep! I was addicted big time! My wife and family have always wanted me to quit. I tired several times but always had an excuse to start back up. In April I wanted to quit! I went and bought some Nicorette gum...2 mg. I was in a foggy haze for about 4 days...it sucked. I've not had a chew since April! Yes at times I could sure go for a chew..Fishing, retrieving rockets, after eating sweets etc.

Chewing for 35 years has taken it's toll on my body. Tomorrow afternoon I'm going in for my second Upper Endoscopy to see how much scar tissue there is and if they can eliminate some of it.

I'm only posting in hopes that it might keep one of you guys stay on track. It's your body and you are in charge!

Tony

Good job, Tony. April would have been when I met you in Huntsville. Good luck with the endoscopy.


Steve Shannon
 
Hang in there! So far, I'm still okay. I've been communicating about it this time (which is actually entirely new, never quit while discussing it with my wife). Worst moment was at the gas station this morning. But made it through the first gas station stop without a pack in my pocket...

Yikes, never a good idea to light up at a gas station, but I have seen people do it.
 
Quite back in 90' cold turkey and don't miss the damn things. Quit drugs in 89' cold turkey and quit drinking back in the summer of 90' cold turkey too. It's the only way to go. Turned them into the money sucking enemy they were and feel so much better.

After I read this post I thought of this. I hope people don't mind me interjecting a little humor into a very serious thread. I really hope everyone who has decided to quit smoking, drinking, taking amphetamines and sniffing glue all the success.

[video=youtube;VmW-ScmGRMA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmW-ScmGRMA[/video]
 
I smoked for 21 years. I started when I was 17 working at a Micky-D's in High School. At the time I could easily stop whenever Cross Country or Wrestling season started. After High School I enlisted in the USAF, where it became more habitual, which in turn became addiction. As years went by, I tried a few different times to quit using the nicotine patches. Seemed every time I was about to step down my dosage, some catastrophic event would happen where cigarettes were easier to come by than patches. Finally, at age 39 in 2010, I'd had enough of it! I was tired of having a hacking cough all the time; I was tired of wasting so much money; I was tired of the looks I was getting from non-smokers; I was tired of being out of breath after climbing the stairs; I was tired of smoke blowing into my office from the smoking patio outside my door at work. I was ready to quit - Cold Turkey!

And I did! I think the real key to quitting is that you really have to want to quit! We all know the benefits of not smoking; of eating right; of exercise. But no one telling us what we should be doing does any good unless we want to do those things for ourselves!

That said, I sincerely offer my support and encouragement to any and all of you who have decided to quit smoking. You can do it if you want to do it!

Something that might help actually is to start a workout regimen to boost the healthy living mentality. Two years ago I joined a kickboxing class with ATA Martial Arts in Mobile, AL, where I live. While quitting smoking was a great health benefit overall, I felt like I was aging too quickly and was getting soft and less limber. Now I'm toned again, have greater stamina, and am somewhat more flexible - though I've got lower back issues that may never get better.
 
In relation to getting the munchies, I highly recommend popcorn as a snack. I use a hot air popper.

I have always liked ice tea, but used to drink Coke a lot more. After my big change, I've mostly had iced tea as my primary beverage, sweetened by Splenda (Sucralose) which tastes very much like sugar to me. I got a 3 quart iced tea Brewer, ironically made by Mr. Coffee. It works nicely.

Thought I'd mention them, as options to consider.
 
I quit, and used ALL resources available patch, wellbutrin, and counseling .

George made me think of the big licorice pkg i bought from Costco. . I ate it all in 4 days ..

But it helped and i did stay acquitted.

Kenny
 
I had quit drinking pop and have substituted in it's place a drink called "Cascade Ice" or "Sparkling Ice" which has 0 calories, 0 fat, 0 sodium, 0 carbs, 0 sugars, is gluten free and caffeine free. Good stuff as it's carbonated so you still get that 'pop' thing going.
 
I also used to drink 3-5 cans/bottles of Coca-Cola a day. One year I decided to stop drinking any and all soda. I remained faithful for an entire year, only drinking water, lemonade, milk, or fruit juice. I've since started drinking Coke's again, but far, far less of it.
 
3 weeks today. Been tough.

Grapes, chocolate & pineapple craving...mmmm..didn't know any better, would think I was pregnant.LOL

Funny thing, I don't really have any "gotta, gotta have one" moments. It's more like a habit thing....done eating a meal, instinctively start to look for one to light.

Phone rings answer........ and look to light a smoke.

Other wise, I really don't miss it after all these years.
 
3 weeks today. Been tough.

Grapes, chocolate & pineapple craving...mmmm..didn't know any better, would think I was pregnant.LOL

Funny thing, I don't really have any "gotta, gotta have one" moments. It's more like a habit thing....done eating a meal, instinctively start to look for one to light.

Phone rings answer........ and look to light a smoke.

Other wise, I really don't miss it after all these years.

When I would get stoned I'd eat Oreo cookies with A-1 sauce and smoked baby oysters on strawberry ice cream. No kidding.
 
I also used to drink 3-5 cans/bottles of Coca-Cola a day. One year I decided to stop drinking any and all soda. I remained faithful for an entire year, only drinking water, lemonade, milk, or fruit juice. I've since started drinking Coke's again, but far, far less of it.

When I was in high school one of my teachers told the class she drank a lot of Pepsi in college. She got up to 17 bottles (16 ounces) at one point. You would think your pee would be fizzy with that much carbonation in ya.
 
She got up to 17 bottles (16 ounces) at one point.

diabeetus.jpg
 
I chewed tobacco for 35 years. I'd have a chew in for most of my waking hours and some times even while I was asleep! I was addicted big time! My wife and family have always wanted me to quit. I tired several times but always had an excuse to start back up. In April I wanted to quit! I went and bought some Nicorette gum...2 mg. I was in a foggy haze for about 4 days...it sucked. I've not had a chew since April! Yes at times I could sure go for a chew..Fishing, retrieving rockets, after eating sweets etc.

Chewing for 35 years has taken it's toll on my body. Tomorrow afternoon I'm going in for my second Upper Endoscopy to see how much scar tissue there is and if they can eliminate some of it.

I'm only posting in hopes that it might keep one of you guys stay on track. It's your body and you are in charge!

Tony

Dang Tony. I didn't know that. I hope the endoscopy turns out well.

I used to smoke 4 packs of Marlboro per day. I quit cold turkey ~32 years ago, it was the hardest thing I ever did. I was a royal @ss for about a year, some say I still am :)

I do have an occasional stogie nowadays but that's a very different activity.

Good luck to you djs.
 
Back
Top