intoxicated yoda

@DenaliBluescongrats on 1 month down. you got this!!

@Krisi understand where you are coming from but you have to ask yourself how do you want to go out? sounds morbid, but it is a serious question that needs a serious answer. i asked myself that question and the answer i got was i wanted to go out doing something freaking awesome. then i ran across a video of this 72 year old woman that starts her day off with 200 pushups. when she was 68 she was overweight and depressed, then she changed her diet and her mind and her life is better simply because she feels better. I wish I could find that again. The point is, you have a choice. After I saw that I decided that it doesn't really matter so I'm gonna get myself in a position I can go out doing something awesome. If a 72 year old can do then why can't I? why can't you? it will always be tough, that is life. but never let what you can't do interfere with what you can do.

@Boo i remember changing my boy and my little girl. the girls are definitely easier to deal with in that respect. but all it takes is a little technique and some sleight of hand and you can avoid the retribution to the eyes. but even if you don't it's a memory you will end up cherishing.

think of quitting smoking like going to Bali. you have an incredibly hard and challenging journey through some of the worst places on earth, but once you get there it's paradise and you can stay forever. So when things get really tough, just put a vision in your mind that you are going to a paradise and nothing will stop you from getting there.

@Boomad respect for that quit. Congrats

Nice quit Steve. keep it going

Good work buddy. keep that momentum going. you keep that quit and i'll keep cheering you on.

@DenaliBluesfrom about the 6 week mark to the 4 month mark I went through pure hell. What helped me through it was I started monitoring everything that I was eating and drinking. Turned out I was (am) addicted just as bad to sugar as I am to cigarettes and by "treating" myself to sweets I was only making the cigarette craves 20 times worse. Ditto for coffee but not quite as bad. Once I cut out all the sugar, carbs and caffeine the craves went from off the charts to very manageable. My personal opinion is that taking a very reductionist view of quitting smoking can be counter productive, but if you take a holistic approach of getting as healthy as you can and quitting smoking is a part of that then you might not have those individual craves feeding off each other. I think I termed it once as me giving into one addiction makes all the others throw a tantrum like a spoiled brat in the supermarket when momma says there's already coca puffs at home. At that point there is nothing to do but ride it out, pray you can go to sleep and the morning will reset things to try again. As far as other tools, you can try sleep hypnosis videos. There's tons of them on youtube. you can also try EFT tapping. again, tons of videos of it on youtube, find one you like. it is some goofy ass shit but I swear it got me through some of my worse experiences. And lastly are the Wim Hof guided breathing sessions. also on youtube.

Sounds awesome!!

what is HIIH? I've heard of HIIT but never HIIH.

@KELyou may be on to something there. who knows.

@Krismy heart goes out to you for having that problem. If the doctor doesn't have any ideas and the sleeping pills don't help I seem to be getting relief from changing the diet and just getting outside a few times a day. Praying you find a solution that works for you.

20 years ago these companies probably weren't as efficient at hacking our brains as they are today. keeping us confused and malnourished keeps us buying their products. I found it much easier to quit cigs by quitting coffee, sugar and any food that's processed. I still want all those things but it seems to be much easier to say no to all than just one.

you said it right there. celebrate every win. driving was a huge trigger for me as well so to turn a 3 cigarette trip into a smoke free drive is a gigantic hurdle to clear

@JustinHoot99that's the way to do it. It seems you have a plan and a plan beats a goal every time. I just got back from my second 10 minute walk this morning. I try to do 3 a day. Building or keeping your strength and mobility is so important as well as maintaining body composition. Stay strong, you got this.

present

here's another 3785. add them to the pile

nice.

@JustinHoot99you are correct about the posts. The purpose of posting is to distract from the thing we are avoiding. they don't need to go anywhere or be profound although sometimes they are. You know how to do this...quit for today, then rinse and repeat tomorrow

Congratulations @Sunnyside 2 months is a big hurdle. Keep it going!!

WOW!!! @KEL you really are right behind me. Keep that quit going.

I think the key to quitting smoking (destructive habit) is less doing nothing and more doing something different (constructive habit) and getting so immersed in the something different that you forget about smoking. Have you ever been doing something that you enjoy so much then you realize hours have past and you thought about nothing else?

Welcome back @JustinHoot99I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away. you will make it this time.

word...i was on that one as well. nacho cheese doritos, king size reese's sticks and mt. dew. then the pain of eating it was worse than the pain of not eating it so I had to change. becareful of that reclining sofa tho...it's gravitational field is so so hard to get out of.

Hi Nana. I'm sure most of the people here have had similar experiences. I know I have so there is no shame in having to come back. so take a seat and ride the craves out. It will suck for a while as you know but you can do it.