As the title says I have a lot to be grateful about. Of course I am especially grateful about not smoking for as long as I have made it without a cigarette. I also believe that be being grateful I don't think that I have this cigarette thing whipped. However I have put together over a half year without a cigarette and I feel good about that. I also just feel good in general.
However the one bad side effect has been that I am now weigh more than I ever have. I am anxiously awaiting summer and or warmer weather. I will then resume riding my bicycle and start to work out and hopefully lose some of the weight that I have gained as a result of not smoking.
Given the choice of once again smelling like cigarettes, coughing, wheezing and spending up to 30 dollars a week on cigarettes. I will take the weight gain and deal with this side effect once the temperatures warm up. Peace all!!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Starting the New Year Right
I am grateful to be going into 2010 with having not smoked for a while. Hopefully the longer I go without smoking the more that my commitment will grow. As this point in time my lungs are cleared out pretty good. However to be frank I am still addicted to nicotine. By that I am saying that I am still doing the lozenges way past the suggested stop time. I have been using the lozenges for about 3 months longer than the recommended time. I can say that I don't feel guilty about this but will have to tackle this issue sometime. I am using the weaker of the 2 types of lozenges, the 2 milligrams.
As is to be expected on days that I don't have work scheduled is the days that I use more lozenges. I also like to pop a lozenge in my mouth when drinking a cup of coffee. Not recommended. I am so much less than perfect as we all are but much better than I was when smoking. I can also say that the lozenges are much less expense than smoking. I am not sure what a pack of cigarettes is at this time. When I quit I was paying about $5.50 per pack and was smoking about 3/4 of a pack a day. I was burning up approximately 28 dollars a week. I know that I spend less than that on lozenges especially since I am working 5 days a week and don't use many lozenges on a weekday.
Either way life is definitely much better without cigarettes. Peace all!!
As is to be expected on days that I don't have work scheduled is the days that I use more lozenges. I also like to pop a lozenge in my mouth when drinking a cup of coffee. Not recommended. I am so much less than perfect as we all are but much better than I was when smoking. I can also say that the lozenges are much less expense than smoking. I am not sure what a pack of cigarettes is at this time. When I quit I was paying about $5.50 per pack and was smoking about 3/4 of a pack a day. I was burning up approximately 28 dollars a week. I know that I spend less than that on lozenges especially since I am working 5 days a week and don't use many lozenges on a weekday.
Either way life is definitely much better without cigarettes. Peace all!!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
6 months
Well it's a New Year and I did not have to make quitting smoking a "New Year's Resolution". I am grateful for that. However to be frank I of course have to make a re commitment to not smoking as I sometimes have to do on a daily basis. I still don't want to take not smoking for granted.
6 months is now my second longest time that I have quite smoking in my many attempts at stopping smoking. As I read about the process of not smoking. I am quite aware that for most people that stop smoking that it's not unusual to have stop several times before finally one becomes a non-smoker.
Several years back after I had stopped smoking for about 8 months I went and took some cardiovascular tests. Namely the stress test performed on the treadmill. Prior to taking the test I had paper work filled out for the test. One of the questions of course is "Are you a smoker"? I answered that I used to smoke, but had stopped 8 months ago. The woman administering the test informed me that I would still be considered a smoker until I had stopped for 1 year. A little FYI.
Well I had not yet posted in the New Year and wanted to post and wish everyone a Healthy, Happy New Year! Peace!
6 months is now my second longest time that I have quite smoking in my many attempts at stopping smoking. As I read about the process of not smoking. I am quite aware that for most people that stop smoking that it's not unusual to have stop several times before finally one becomes a non-smoker.
Several years back after I had stopped smoking for about 8 months I went and took some cardiovascular tests. Namely the stress test performed on the treadmill. Prior to taking the test I had paper work filled out for the test. One of the questions of course is "Are you a smoker"? I answered that I used to smoke, but had stopped 8 months ago. The woman administering the test informed me that I would still be considered a smoker until I had stopped for 1 year. A little FYI.
Well I had not yet posted in the New Year and wanted to post and wish everyone a Healthy, Happy New Year! Peace!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Da Weekly Post
First of all Happy Holidays to all! I kind of have a rant this evening though. I am doing the blog on Google and I thank them for giving me place post about not smoking. It has helped a lot in my latest and second best effort at not smoking. However I see that all the ads always for the most part continue to be about different ways to be assisted in quitting smoking. I wish that the ads were varied and might perk someone's interest that maybe reading the blog but not necessarily trying to quit smoking.
People in general I think are interested individuals dilemmas whether it is addiction to food, alcohol, sex, drugs, and cigarettes. So essentially I wish that if indeed Google representatives read the content of this blog that take notice of what I have said and vary the ads on here so as to possibly only include one area that includes remedies for not smoking and other content that may appeal to a broader audience.
On to the main topic of this blog which is about not smoking. My neighbor of whom is a friend of mine and fellow smoker yesterday has taken the plunge into the non-smoking world. He seems to be quite sick. I can't be sure if it is directly related to his smoking or a something else or as I suspect a combination of all the prior. I will continue to encourage him though. Pretty much since I stopped he has said that he would also and as of Christmas that was his last day. He is expecting his girlfriend to quit also. I let him know that is her business. We all know that we can't wait for others to do what we should be doing for ourselves.
Seeing him so sick and just the fact that he has stopped helps me to try to not entertain and thoughts of a cigarette. I know that I will be off and smoking and making myself sick again. Whatever helps has got to my motto. Peace all and Happy New Year!
People in general I think are interested individuals dilemmas whether it is addiction to food, alcohol, sex, drugs, and cigarettes. So essentially I wish that if indeed Google representatives read the content of this blog that take notice of what I have said and vary the ads on here so as to possibly only include one area that includes remedies for not smoking and other content that may appeal to a broader audience.
On to the main topic of this blog which is about not smoking. My neighbor of whom is a friend of mine and fellow smoker yesterday has taken the plunge into the non-smoking world. He seems to be quite sick. I can't be sure if it is directly related to his smoking or a something else or as I suspect a combination of all the prior. I will continue to encourage him though. Pretty much since I stopped he has said that he would also and as of Christmas that was his last day. He is expecting his girlfriend to quit also. I let him know that is her business. We all know that we can't wait for others to do what we should be doing for ourselves.
Seeing him so sick and just the fact that he has stopped helps me to try to not entertain and thoughts of a cigarette. I know that I will be off and smoking and making myself sick again. Whatever helps has got to my motto. Peace all and Happy New Year!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
My Weekly posting
Did not want to forget about posting on the blog this week. Still not smoking. Thank God! My mind kind of reeled backwards and I gave some deep thoughts about having a cigarette. I did not have any of course and was too lazy to ask for one. I also realized that I have a little bit of time behind me without smoking and I don't want to give that up and "be for not".
As I think out the process of having a cigarette I am re calling that there is a lot of effort that goes into to smoking a cigarette. Especially now days. One is definitely ostracized by having to stand out in front of a place of business and or retreat back to their vehicle. Although even people that smoke, will not smoke in their vehicle. I know that I always opened the window. I would end up with some kind of ear blockage from the air blowing around inside the vehicle, while driving. Ahh the little reminders of the hassles is another good deterrent. Peace!!
As I think out the process of having a cigarette I am re calling that there is a lot of effort that goes into to smoking a cigarette. Especially now days. One is definitely ostracized by having to stand out in front of a place of business and or retreat back to their vehicle. Although even people that smoke, will not smoke in their vehicle. I know that I always opened the window. I would end up with some kind of ear blockage from the air blowing around inside the vehicle, while driving. Ahh the little reminders of the hassles is another good deterrent. Peace!!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Winter Smoking
Living in the midwest and being a smoker is a tough go. I see the folks where I work at having to dress to the hilt before they head outside to smoke. With the weather being so cold lately it makes it doubly tough to do this. A few years ago that was I. This time last year I was not working, but still smoking and had to endure this weather while trying to get some smoke in me. Wow what a hassle!
I am grateful that is not I this year. Looking back it seems like a prime way to get a cold. Of course it is sure hard to enjoy anything when one is cold. Breathing in the cold air and the smoke probably makes the health consequences that much worse. As I have said before "but for the grace of God there go I". Blogging this evening reminds me to not take newly found freedom from cigarettes for granted. Peace!
I am grateful that is not I this year. Looking back it seems like a prime way to get a cold. Of course it is sure hard to enjoy anything when one is cold. Breathing in the cold air and the smoke probably makes the health consequences that much worse. As I have said before "but for the grace of God there go I". Blogging this evening reminds me to not take newly found freedom from cigarettes for granted. Peace!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
5 months
For lack of a better title I used the words “5 months”. It has been 5 months since I last smoked. I feel good about that. Today being a Saturday and somewhat of a lazier day, I had the urge to smoke, but did not give in. This too shall pass! I do know that a part of me will probably always want to smoke. Hopefully I will always think it out before I go puffing on a cigarette. I think when the urge comes on strongest is when I am spending time with people that I used to smoke with as I did today.
As I am writing this I am thinking of the damage that my friend is doing to himself through his insistence on not quitting cigarettes. I know that his doctor has told him to quit and he has access to be able to get a prescription for Chantix, which I think, is the best way to quit. However but for the grace of god there go I. So in essence I need consider myself lucky that I have quit for a while and that I have this tool called blogging. I probably won't be around smokers for a while now so I should be able to more at ease about continuing to not smoke.
I now understand why reformed smokers such as myself are sometimes very reluctant to spend anytime around a smoker. It is just to easy to say "let me borrow a cigarette". However that is an odd thing to say. What are you going to do, give the butt back to them? Well anyways peace.
As I am writing this I am thinking of the damage that my friend is doing to himself through his insistence on not quitting cigarettes. I know that his doctor has told him to quit and he has access to be able to get a prescription for Chantix, which I think, is the best way to quit. However but for the grace of god there go I. So in essence I need consider myself lucky that I have quit for a while and that I have this tool called blogging. I probably won't be around smokers for a while now so I should be able to more at ease about continuing to not smoke.
I now understand why reformed smokers such as myself are sometimes very reluctant to spend anytime around a smoker. It is just to easy to say "let me borrow a cigarette". However that is an odd thing to say. What are you going to do, give the butt back to them? Well anyways peace.
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