I was sooooo addicted to cigs, I would always take a pack with me even on a trip to the local shops.... I decided to quit...picked a date that had significance (in my case the new millenium) smoked up to that point. And stopped. Never had another fag. I found the first day easy (feeling smug cos I lasted 24 hours!) this lasted for a week. Got harder after the first week. Every time I really wanted to smoke I thought "If you have one now, the last _____ days of fighting cravings were wasted....don't stuff up now" By the time I had finished putting my argument to myself, the craving had gone. Good luck mate...persevere...if I can do it, anyone can!!
EXACTLY, just like training, you have to have willpower to push through the threshold and get true results. When you crave for a smoke, go for a run and run your ass off, then when you pull up wheezing your lungs out consider having a smoke. Mate you can do it. Like CarysB said, pick a date, warm yourself up to what you are about to do, that being he best thing you could do for yourself. I chose April Fools Day, because I was going to stop being a fool after too many years.
You could do what I did... cut down and cut down until you only smoke a couple or so a day, convincing yourself that it doesn't really matter, and then develop a cold leading to mycoplasmic pneumonia then acute adult onset asthma and have your lungs collapse and go to emergency a couple of times. Works. Of course, I'm not saying if I hadn't have smoked I wouldn't have got the complications, but I bet my lungs were weaker through smoking. Yohan's right. Plus drink a lot of water.
I used to smoke, but gave up a while back, still have the odd one on a night out. Found out that when I did properly give up, such a difference it made after just a few weeks! Highly recommend giving up, in hind sight, what was the point of even doing it?
I started when I was 18, and smoked pretty much non-stop until age 37. I tried WILLPOWER, cutting down, nicotine replacement therapies, etc., to no avail. Then my doctor recommended a book by Allen Carr, "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking". The book breaks down the mechanics of the addiction (it is important to admit that it is an addiction, not a habit), and presents (it seemed to me, anyway) an extremely logical argument to quit, and how to stay strong during the cravings. An example from the book; "If you can sleep 8 hours without a cigarette, why can't you go 2 hours without one when you're awake?" you have to reprogram your thinking. It was so successful for me, I not only stopped smoking (as of Sept. 12, 2005), but I also lost 30 pounds in the ensuing 5 months because I didn't substitute food for the cigarettes (and of course I upped my training from 2 to 4 days a week!) For some people it's worked the first time, some folks read it multiple times before it clicks-it depends on how long it takes to undo all the bad info you've assimilated over your life about cigarette smoking. I highly recommend it to anyone even remotely considering beating the addiction.
I couldn't go 8 hours without a smoke. I used to wake up, have a drink of water and a smoke, if I didnt have a smoke, I couldnt get back to sleep. I knew it was an addiction, I didnt deny it. I just woke up one morning, April Fools Day, and decided that I was not going to smoke, not going to be a fool. I gained weight, but I have lost it. I feel great. I can train harder, play harder. Give up COLD TURKEY. Think about it. If you rely on a patch to get you throught the day, you still are relying on a crutch, and may as well have a smoke? Focus and be strong.
Started smoking when I was 14. This is day 21 without a smoke. Ill be 20 on October 15th. Goooo cold turkey. To anyone who wants to quit. My best advice would be that you start running daily. Push yourself to feel that horrible pain in your lungs, then any time you feel like a smoke just remember that pain and say to yourself "As soon as I light this up, the past x amount of days running and pain will have been for nothing." If you already run, then find something that really makes you feel like you are suffocating.
I have smoked for years and am currently quitting. I have to admit this is really hard but I am very determined to quit. I havent smoke a cig. in 7 days.
Started somking regularly when I was 14. Can't see what is so hard about giving up, I've done it dozens of times. Got quite sick at 40, packed it in for good. Now 43, feeling much better. Still have low'ish lung function, mild asthma and I struggle getting a decent oxygen flow when doing endurance stuff (running, cycling, intense sparring etc). My sense of smell returned 12 months ago after being absent for 15+ years, that was great. Catching less colds, flu etc, and the ones I do get are quite mild.
I decided to quit 6 months ago for my family and myself. I also decided to quit right after I started sparring. Those young guys were just wearing me out. I have been doing a lot of cardio since I quit and my breathing and stamina are slowly coming back. Hopefully this time it will stick!!!
i smoked for around 8 years. I quite several times, but always relapsed. I took a pill called Chantix for 2 mos. and haven't smoked in well over a year. not a single pang or desire.
When I voted I didn't smoked/never tried. Now I smoke everyday (hell I just had a cigarette). Doesn't affect my training as much as it used to. I still do all my cardio normally. I can still go a few hard rounds without issues. I guess I'm just used to smoking now. I did quit for like a month but then started again. Enjoy it way too much . . . .
at 21 you won't notice much, give you a few years before you regret it though - by that time you will be well and truly hooked
never smoked myslef but i can see myself starting with the amount i hang around with my brother and his fiance and they smoke a fair bit.
i dont want to but i can see myslef doing it as a recreational thing and getting hooked. The only thing stopping me is knowing that i dont want to and that my health and fitness is bad enough without that crap in me. come to think of i they're pretty good arguements against it