quote:<HR>Originally posted by jennicap05:
so I was reading xsmoker07 post wondering if he can run a marathon in 5 months. Someone else, an ex-smoker, suggested that we get a support thread going for us ex-smokers turned runners! I think this is a great idea and maybe someone who is just lurking will see this and read our quit stories and maybe we'll help someone quit or just support each other to not go back!

So to start off the thread....
When did you quit?
How did you quit?
How are things going?

I quit January 14, 2007.
My husband & I went on wellbutrin in July 06, it worked for a few days. We went to this smoking sessions where we sat and talked with this guy, he gave us tips and tricks. That worked for my husband but not for me, it did get me to cut down my smokes but not all together. then finally in January, my husband had been smoke free for about 3 months I went out and got the patch... wore it for about 3 weeks and that's it never smoked again.
Things are going really well.... I gained about 20lbs after I quit and knew I needed to do something so I got me a pair of running shoes and got out of the door one day.. now I can't believe I waited so long!

<HR>

Congrats to you and your hubby!!! I have a question: what is your opinion of why a person gains weight after quiting smoking? Is it slowed Metabolism, a person eats more, etc....just curious because I know a lot of people that won't quit because of the wieght gain issue.

Keep up the good work,

Tim

I quit smoking about 4 months ago but can't remember the exact date. I'd tried quitting so many times before that it didn't seem like this would be the one time that worked, so I didn't even keep track.

I think not making a big deal out of it also eased some of the pressure on me too. I smoked for 20 years (I'm 32 now so do the math), grew up in Japan where 99% of all Japanese men smoke and it was just a natural progression, even at such a young age.

I think the weight gain comes from the habit of putting something in your mouth so many times a day and then it's just gone. That, or not having the appetite suppression that smoking gave me.

By replacing my smoking with running (I finally called it quits on week 3 of C25K) I haven't gained weight and have run 3 5K races within the past 30 days. I feel stronger than ever, too.

I knew the real test would come when I faced something stressful. Unfortunately that test came last weekend when I found out my 35 year old friend was hospitalized for an aneurysm and given a 30% chance of recovery.

I'm so extremely proud to say that (first and foremost) he is defying all the odds and even the docs and nurses call him a 'miracle' because he's doing so well...and I haven't even been tempted to smoke, let alone craved one. I've replaced those needs with working out to release my tension and don't plan on ever going back.

Thanks, Jenn for starting this thread. I hope we can be positive influences on others wanting to take that first step!

Rachel in Atlanta

I am a habitual quitter myself. I go about 3 months without then start again...stress, boredom... who knows!
I haven't had a cigarette since Monday and ran Tuesday and Wednesday. Runnign does seem to keep me away from them.
Good luck to everyone!

I think this is a wonderful idea! Ex-smokers have different obstacles to 'ramping up' the running & w.o. training, etc....especially if it was at all long term!

I quit for good Nov '06 ~ after my oral surgeon told me that he would refuse to finish my procedure if I was smoking anything at all!! (@ that time, I was only smoking 2-4/day ultra-lights as I was already working towards quiting - again!!) I got some patches & havent' bought any more. Had to make a focus of staying away from all of my 'triggers' - people, places & things that revolved around smoking....Took a few days even @ that low number. More mental than anything.

I came from a smoking household (upper middle income for all you that buy into the stats propoganda!) & in a generation that basically -(initially) advocated or at least approved of smoking....everything from the media to GNP encouraged/supported smoking (that's changed a little bit, now hasn't it!?!?)....My whole life has been interspersed periods of: smoking regularly - up to a pack a day during times of stress &/or partying; social smoking only - only when drinking -or with other smokers, & 'bumming' smokes from the smokers; quit, am quitting, gearing up to quit, awww screw it! give me the dammed cigarette!!!.......you know! Addiction!! @ the same time, I've always been intermittent active (some of my friends think that I'm pretty intensely active, but I beg to differ! ) Back in the day.....H.S....I was in XC, etc....& as a self-absorbed, know everything teenager, I didn't take it all that seriously...never really worked it, etc. sooo, when in a moment of stupidity, I injured my knees.... (I have absolutely NO scars that are NOT a direct result of my own stupidity! )... & my PT at the time told me I was "done running." weeelllll, needless to say, it didn't matter that much to me! Then!.......
So.... I quit in Nov. & promptly put on 18lbs through the Holidays......my weight was already up 25lbs before that!! {{{{{{my inner voice}}}}}} PUT THE FORK DOWN!!!
I started counting calories & I took up power walking....relatively speaking..... one day, (about March 07) when I was mad, upset, irritated, etc. I broke into a "shuffle-jog" of sorts (not supposed to be able to do that!) made it about 50 feet before I was completely outta breath!! OMG!!! THIS CANNOT BE!?!? dammed cigarettes!!! ****grumble, grumble, grumble**** (we won't go into the rest of that conversation w/me!) I walked my HR down, & did it again! I continued this sort of 'interval' for a couple of miles!! HMMMM!!! i might can do this...I think I HAVE to do this!!! Went back out the next day with the same intent ~ & again & again ~ building my mileage walk/run interval...... I have no idea when exactly I first ran (very slowly) the first mile all together - but at that time, I thought it was an awfully long ways! lol! yeah, I did the "Rocky Dance" the first time I ran 3.1 w/o walking!! & 6.2.... THEN I found CR & the C25K program!
~~~ fast fwd 7 mos.....11 mos. smoke free! & sticking!!. I've lost 40lbs. I currently run about 30 miles per/wk. w/8 being my longest to date (unless you count run/walk combos, which would be 13.8) trying to work through a 10K training program (I'm still very slow for a race I think!) Oh yeah, I had some down time in the middle of the summer for oral surgery (dental implants) & complications which, is healing nicely - probably largely due to me now being a non-smoker! (Doc told me that smoking reduced my chances of success by about 80%!) but it took a bite out of my running for a bit....
It's been a challenging road to better cardio/pulmonary health. I'm sure it's taken me much longer than a non-smoker would have. Sometimes, my self-talk is about patience & persistence w/myself.....sometimes I still have a bit of a dry cough...but, the more I run, the more I KNOW I can never smoke again! & I'm okay with that. yeah, I still have moments when I think about smoking.....it passes....& gets less frequent as time goes by. & Running has moved beyond just excercising to lose weight & clean out my lungs!!! I guess if you're going to 'switch addictions,' this is a good way to go!

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We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started, and know the place for the first time. - T.S. Eliot

I quit smoking Jan 1 ( I Beleive ) 2003, I was so proud of myself, The first goal I ever set and made it, I was completly smoke free till this spring, U all know the "I feel off the wagon reasons,"
I gained 40lbs when I guit in 2003, this spring I set out to walk off some of these lbs. lost 20
on and off smoking, that would bringg me down I couldnt walk as well smoking Well Duhhhh, I have been smoke free this time the longest and don't really know how long it has been, I tied into those calvers cheese burgers and bud lite, back came 10 of the 20 I lost, looking for some way to comfort the stress. finialy I Joined weight watchers to control my eating, ( No Burgers in 2

Nice thread. I quit after fifteen years of smoking on October 2, 1995. I did it cold turkey. I found the biggest obstacle was the psychological addiction. When I smoked, I would think "I can't imagine never having another cigarette for the rest of my life." I watched a video by the American Heart Association that interviewed ex-smokers. I realized that if they could do it, I could too. I adopted the AA mentality: Take it one day (sometimes one minute) at a time; don't take that first puff. I wrote down all the reasons I wanted to quit. Every time I had the urge to smoke, I would take it out and read it. It worked for me. I admire anyone who quits the nasty habit.

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