Still winning

Aw buddy, so sorry. x

2 days, how amazing, good for you!! Your body will be regulating itself and start telling you when you're thirsty and hungry etc. Smoking masked a lot of our basic needs! The great news with that is that you are already healing and fixing yourself. Fruit juice will dispose of the nicotine quicker, quench the thirst and help the dips you might feel with tiredness too. It calms after 3 days. x

nope. x

Well that's one job down today then :) As always, you've said it well...hey, you should consider writing :) Your quit has been a tremendous one, it has taken down all and any excuses and dragged others along in it's wake. I would suggest you are as supremely powerful as you want to be with words as your weapon of choice. I want to be witty or something but that's your area. My side of this equation always seemed to be the emotive crazy so let's all stick to our remit .... It's good to have a buddy, everyone likes to feel worthwhile and befriended. This was different though, a quit buddy is a special bond and I often wondered how two very different people could support each other when they are worlds apart but I feel like we did that, each for the other and I'm so very glad and honoured to have travelled the journey with you. You inspire me and others every single day. So thank you for this friendship because it has meant that we both followed the path to understanding and supporting. It's meant that "will" you talk of had some back up. I can't write more, I'm already 3 tissues into this write up :) Hoping there is a treat in store for you today! Congrats on the most excellent adventure for 2 years!! x

Hi and welcome. How's day 3 shaping up? x

nope. x

Brilliant to read. Thank you for sharing. x

Massive congrats to you Comrade. 2 years is fabulous and I saw Julie had made it on facebook. Love to you and Aine and pleased to hear all is well in the comrade world. x

Yay Laura, you're back on here. Massive congrats on the week my friend!! Told you the planning was worse then the doing :) x

Poor chap but finding the balance is always so tricky and constant pain wouldn't be any fun either. Cancer does indeed suck my friend. Thinking of you all. x

Hoping for the better news on the rest of the result buddy. It just plain sucks what this can do to us. Thinking of you my friend. xx

Hiya, I had to deal with smokers in the house when I first quit and thanks to some solid advice, I used it to my advantage and you can too. Manage your booze, it lowers inhibitions when you drink so no getting drunk as a skunk. Then just watch them! What you imagine changes incredibly quickly when you watch. They breath it in and just wait for the catch, when they sound like they are about to lose a lung. Or when they laugh and end up in a coughing fit! Quite apart from most being envious of you in a way but still rooted in the denial that you were strong enough to see. You will know if you're paying attention Nat because you will feel sorry for them. Also trust yourself. You don't want to smoke - you always have the choice, really believe in yourself and know that "this too will pass" if yu do have a moment. x

Really sorry to read this Chrispy. Please keep me updated and I'm sending healing for all of you. Hope it touches a nerve with someone who reads. It's harder to be a smoker then it is to not be. x

Hi and welcome. x

Hey Ria, pleased you're back in the saddle :) x

congrats Scott. x

nope

Very sensible to build up and have rest days. Incredibly easy to think you should stick to it and it results in injury very often. At worst every other day to start maybe and start to build muscle and reserves up. x

I saw 45 minutes before the lamp exploded at my local cinema and we all had to go home lol. Can you adam and eve it! (Believe it as the translation). A bulb in 2015 - hoping to go soon!

A new year means a number of friends and family attempt the quit. I am delighted for them, acknowledgement that you want to break free is a really powerful moment and I wholly support that! My mother has gone on the champix today, after quitting/relapsing for 3 years and actually, the story finally sounds familiar to mine where she is sick of being sick and trying to quit, a real "last chance saloon quit". Two others have gone for patches which didn't work for me but have worked for others. I keep everything crossed for them all but I know that they get to choose! This is the bit they don't wholly understand yet and it's tricky to explain to someone who is committed to believing they are "more addicted" or "smoked too long for it too matter" or "is too stressed". All nonsense that we tell ourselves so we can make the choice to continue to smoke. Because believe it or not, if you make the choice NOT to smoke, no matter what, then that is exactly what happens. You get to reinforce that choice a few times but it's thoughts, not physical, smoking is literally damaging you physically - quitting is the opposite! But it's the questions of when will I feel better and how long do you crave for or my personal favourite of so and so quit 5 years ago and still says she could smoke in a heartbeat...... (I would suggest "so and so" is abstaining, not quitting, very different!) Everyone is different is not the answer they look for. Although you may have triggers after 72 hours it is just a thought and you can fight that with an informed and healthier thought. Are you ready for massive excitement at your impending feeling of freedom - meets with derisive snorts. Understand you are a nicotine addict because knowledge is power, I see their eyes glaze over! The other one that just confuses them despite the truth of it - you will feel better straight away because you take your power back! When will you feel better.... You are a non smoker from the moment you choose not to smoke another. THAT will make you feel better! The rest is a journey of self discovery that will set you up for a myriad of life situations where you will feel more empowered because hey - you kicked smokings a*s! In the meantime, find support! For all those newly quit and thinking of quitting...it really is the best thing I ever did, straight up, hands down. Healthwise and financially of course. More than that though is the self belief and inner strength that having the "strength of character" to face the quit head on gives you. I wish everyone better health and happiness on their journey :)

Where we at with the numbers to spring...losing the will and aquired the damp...and not in a good way either :( Never stops raining!

I worry sometimes.... I have no clue? At least you're a happy chappy? x

Despite the people in my line of work telling me not too I quite like a painkiller for the kids or I if there's any pain. I obviously try natural and reiki healing first. However a women I met recently has bundles of success with poultices and I do like the sound of it so found a page on line (shared below) that gave me the basics. Going to prepare some bits and pieces to have handy now the Christmas food is out of the fridge and freezer! I swear by herbal elderberry remedies for colds and flus so no harm trying is there. http://whisperingearth.co.uk/2011/08/23/how-to-make-poultices-and-compresses/

Great job my lovely! be careful of that alcohol and parties for now chick, it's not forever as "this too shall pass" was a helpful motto - just lowers your inhibitions and therefore the rational side of your brain. xx

I do a lot of HIIT training and that looks like a good little workout, tough moves but short term so you kinda make it. One note though, I don't think he stretches enough at the end. For your own lack of pains, I would add a chest and back stretch and a tricep and bicep stretch at the end. Women are weaker up top by nature so often guy trainers don't think of it. Good on you! Good luck :) x