Quit Log - The Day I Quit

[Corrie86]

Day 1

I am keeping busy today, to keep my mind off of smoking. The kids are home because of March Break, plus babysitting a little girl. It was tough taking the garbage out, since I usually smoke while sorting out the recycling. I made it through! 

I picked a great day, because everything that I had that related to smoking is at the end of my driveway, to be taken away forever!

I don't feel much desire to smoke, I haven't for a week now. I only lit up out of routine. I am on medication (Champix), so I have to eat and drink water almost constantly to keep nausea at bay. (Feels like mild morning sickness) I am ravenously hungry today, can't stop eating! Good thing I only have healthy options!

[TW517]

Congrats on your first day!  Welcome to EX!

[Barbscloud]

Congrats Corrie.  Keep it up!

Barb

[YoungAtHeart]

Welcome to our community!

Congratulations on your decision to quit smoking and your first day.  I hope you will take a few minutes to do the reading I will recommend.  The first on your list should be the book by Allen Carr.  Knowing your enemy (the addiction) is important to defeating it!

The important thing you can do right now is to educate yourself on what nicotine does to your body and mind. To that end, I highly recommend Allen Carr's “The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.” This is an easy and entertaining read. You can search for it online or at your local library. Here's a link to a video here on the site which describes nicotine addiction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpWMgPHn0Lo&feature=youtu.be.
 
 You should also read the posts here and perhaps go to the pages of folks who you think might be helpful. You might visit whyquit.com, quitsmoking.com and livewell.com for the good information contained there. @https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/groups/best-of-ex has lots of blogs written by members of this site with their experiences and guidance.
 
The idea is to change up your routines so the smoking associations are reduced.    Drink your coffee with your OTHER hand in a place different from when you smoked. Maybe switch to tea for a bit.  If you always had that first smoke with your coffee, try putting your tennies on right out of bed, going for a quick walk, then taking your shower and THEN your coffee! Rearrange the furniture in the areas you used to smoke so the view is different. Buy your gas at a different station. Take a different route to work. Take a quick walk at break time where the smokers AREN'T.
 
You need to distract yourself through any craves.  You can take a bite out of a lemon (yup - rind and all), put your head in the freezer and take a deep breath of cold air, do a few jumping jacks, go for a brisk walk or march in place, play a computer game.  Keep a cold bottle of water with you from which to sip. Don't let that smoking thought rattle around in your brain unchallenged. Sometimes you need to quit a minute or an hour at a time.  You will need to be disciplined in the early days to distract yourself when a crave hits.    Get busy!  Here is a link to a list of things to do instead of smoke if you need some fresh ideas:

 https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Youngatheart.7.4.12-blog/2013/02/25/100-things-to-do-instea...

The conversation in your head in response to the "I want a cigarette" thought needs to be, "Well, since I have decided not to do that anymore, what shall I do instead for the three minutes this crave will last?"  Then DO it.  You will need to put some effort into this in the early days, but it gets easier and easier to do.
 
Stay close to us here and ask questions when you have them and for support when you need it. We will be with you every step of the way!

 Nancy

[Corrie86]

Thank you for those helpful tips! This is not the first time I tried to quit, but it will be the last. I am doing different things. Medication to contril cravings, I read the Carr book, and my husband is my #1 support, along with this community! Happy to be here

[sweetplt]

Congratulations to Day 1 and keeping busy.  It is wonderful that you are keeping it positive.  Sending good quit vibes out to you...Colleen ~ 100 DOF

[YoungAtHeart]

[maryfreecig]

Great work!  Welcome to Ex.

[elvan]

Welcome to EX, please do the reading that was recommended by YoungAtHeart‌, stay close to the site, I came here every morning and every evening and what a difference it made.  Education about the addiction, support from others, and your own commitment will get you a solid quit.  We have all been where you are, I am so glad that your husband is supportive, that is a great help. I suggest reading a blog that was written by JonesCarpeDiem‌, I read it over and over again at the beginning of my quit...

/blogs/jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007-blog/2011/06/26/what-to-expect-in-the-first-four-months   Every person on this site wants you to be successful...reach out if you need help.  Great blog and welcome.

Ellen

[amiray39]

Yay! You got this! 

[indingrl]

WAY TO GO! CONGRATS AND GOOD JOB!

[bjh_68]

Hi, I am new here and I am 28 days away from my set quit date. I am already trying to prepare by tapering off how many I smoke, but I just wanted to say congrats, since I run across your post!

[TW517]

Welcome to Ex bjh_68‌!

[bjh_68]

Thank you.

[Corrie86]

You can do it! Mind over matter. Use the 28 days to untrick your brain. The tools on this site are very helpful in preparing yourself.

[elvan]

Welcome to EX, take your preparation time to get educated about this addiction.  Education, support, and commitment are the keys to a successful quit.  I think that tracking cigarettes can really be eye opening...just figuring out your triggers is helpful.  Read, read, read...I came here every morning and every evening when I quit and after more than five years, I am still here most days.  We learn from each other.  I suggest reading a couple of really good blogs, one by YoungAtHeart‌ For Our New Years' Quitters (and community members, too)  and another by JonesCarpeDiem‌ /blogs/jonescarp.aka.dale.Jan_2007-blog/2011/06/26/what-to-expect-in-the-first-four-months  You can read blogs in 

Best of EX  and you can start working on a plan from the site...My EX Plan | BecomeAnEX   Stay close to the site, you will get all kinds of help here.

Ellen