Hi Colleen,
I'm new here and live in upstate SC and am over 55. I started smoking "to be cool" when I was 16 and have tried quitting several times. The longest was for a year. Stressors for me are "stress" - LOL. As long as you have your "first aid" kit prepared ahead of time, you will be OK and can do it. I am originally from FL where salt water helped my allergies. Pollen up here is horrible -- I can't breathe, I choke when I'm trying to sleep, and of course, smoke make it worse. As I write this, this is my 3rd full day without smoking. I am on Zyban and Chantix which I started about 2-3 weeks ago. Then I started tapering off to 3 cigarettes a day or 1 pack a wk. I started chewing Nicroette mint gum about 2 weeks ago when I was tapering off. I guess I have some benefit knowing what to expect. Drink alot of water and sugarless tea . I'm on a GI diet because of IBS so I have been eating greens, protein, and my fruit of choice is apples and pineapple chunks at night. Even my endocrinologist says I'm doing everything right. I have lower back issues and can't handle more weight. I live in an unsafe neighborhood with all these allergies and don't walk like I used to. But it is essential to get the body moving - I do yoga for stress release and isometric exercises because of my back. I bought a smokeless cigarette ,but found it was so heavy that I really don't use it for the hand to mouth habit. That part is tea and/or water that solvest that problem. I live by mself so luckily I'm not a drinker or around smokers.
Just stay busy -- wash the car, cut or prune the yard, redecorate if that helps you, but have gum or your bottle of tea or water right there whatever you do. REMEMBER no bumming or buying cigarettes - that smoke will make breathing harder and create more mucus for choking.
TO THE GROUP: I'm looking for some Commit nicotine replacement lozenzes. There used to be a site where you can get them for free. Any ideas on that?
When one is over 55, the metabolism is none existent, so weight loss is hard enough. Any ideas of weight loss when the metabolism has just about shut down. Again, my back is a problem area so I can't run anymore -- I just jokingly say" I am having a little girl" (bloated stomach) which has been caused by cigarette smoking. I eat between 900-1200 calories a day with lots of unsweetened peach tea or water.
Any ideas from the older crowd?
