Not had one for 24 hours!

[haplesshacker]

In a bid to save some money and not 'smell', I've not had a fag for 24 hours. God I need one right now, but I'm scoffing fizzy cola bottles to forget about it.

Trying cold turkey for now. I've been here before. But what I save in money will cover next years subs. At least that's the idea.

 

[CarpeDiem]

Good luck to you man, I really hope you can quit for your health sake and so that those subs get paid and you can keep on hacking around

 

[Yerman]

Best of luck, just keep reminding yourself how much tax is on price of 20 fags- most of it

 

[USER1999]

Been there, done it, been fag free for 22 years. It is well worth it. Keep it going, the first 20 years is the worst.

 

[CliveW]

Well done! that's the first day gone! Just take it a minute, hour, day at a time. I stopped three years ago when I was smoking 40 a day. The cost then was £10 per day = £3,650 a year, more than enough to pay my fees. I used patches for the first week and it certainly helped.
Keep up the good work. It's amazing how much better you will feel, not to mention how smug you'll be too.

 

[KeefG]

Well done fella....I kind of packed in in January, i say kind of as I only smoke 2 or 3 little cigars when I play golf now which is maybe once a week, twice a week maximum and i'm happy with.

For the record I used Champix tablets prescribed by the doctors which, I have to say, were fantastic!!

I went from 25 fags a day to 0 in 14 days and i'm at a happy stage now, although I think i'll pack the little cigars in too as its only a matter of time before it escaltes if I dont.

 

[mono217]

well done on giving up to everyone and keep it up hapless.

 

[rob2]

Keep it up Hapless, it will be worth it in the end.

Giving up smoking is one of the things I am most pleased with achieving.

Well done mate.

Rob2

 

[USER1999]

Mind you, haing given up the fags, I have swapped my habit to Stella, so not sure it has benefitted my health, or wallet. I just don't smell of smoke. In fact, please don't smoke near me, or we will all go up in flames.

 

[haplesshacker]

Thanks for the support guys. It ain't easy. I admire anyone that's done it.

Might treat myself to a little something at the end of the week for getting through without. A Hamlet perhaps!!

I'm afraid it has to be all or nothing with me. I tried not smoking at home and work, and only smoked on the course or out the pub. Problem was the quantity just kept creeping back up. So I have to quit completely. None of this occasional stuff!

Oh and kids. Don't start the stuff. I must have spent thousands over the last 20 years. Especially as I used to smoke 20 to 40 a day 15 years ago.

Don't think the Mrs is looking forward to the mood swings though. Also am I going to have to get some larger trousers?

 

[MVP]

i quit smoking 8 years ago smoking is a load of crap.

 

[CliveW]

Oh and kids. Don't start the stuff. I must have spent thousands over the last 20 years. Especially as I used to smoke 20 to 40 a day 15 years ago.

I wholeheartedly agree. Starting was the biggest mistake I've ever made. It certainly doesn't look cool.

 

[haplesshacker]

Average price over the last 20 years £4 a pack of 20. Average consumption half a pack a day. That's £730 a year, by 20 years, £14,600. And it's probably a lot more in reality. At a guess probably nearer £20k.

That's some nice toys over the years. Though a few quid here and there everyday, you don't really miss. Until you add it up.

In case you're wondering. Yes I am still trying to justify the quitting to myself!

 

[backwoodsman]

Keep at it HH - it is possible as plenty of folk on here have said. Took me ages to get round to it as the thought of never having another was too daunting. Regard yourself not as someone who has given up, but as a smoker who is between fags. "I shall not have a smoke today - tomorrow can take care of itself". It helped me anyway.... I've been between fags for 18 months now.

 

[Golfmmad]

Haplesshacker, good to hear you're joining the fresh air brigade.
Everybody has their own way of giving up, what works for some won't work for others.
Judging by your posts,(often amusing and original), I'm sure you'll find an inventive way to keep going!

I'll leave you with a thought, that might help, every time you get a craving, it only lasts for seconds, and these seconds gradually become further and further apart until you no longer have the craving. Master that and you've cracked it.
And lastly, to appeal to your competitive edge, it's much more of an achievement if you can do it cold turkey.

Good luck,

Golfmmad.

 

[CrapHacker]

Fantastic work so far.

But try to avoid the sweetie swap. Crunch a carrot instead. You don't actually want the sweets anyway, they're just a replacement urge, so try to swap them for something healthy - it'll save you a fortune in new trousers and keep you trim and sexy for the ladies.

Also, something I could never get on with, but I honestly think should be workable with a bit of commitment, is the tapping routine that McKenna recommends in his books. I've never smoked, but I eat and drink too much comfort foods at stressy times ( like all the time atm ). This is descibed for food urges, but it's meant to work for ciggies too.

1. I want you get the biggest desire for a food that you can right now. If you don't have a big enough craving, put this technique to one side and come back to it when you're really feeling it.

2. Focus on this craving for a moment, and when you've thought of that I'd like you to rate your desire for a food on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the lowest and 10 the highest. This is important, because in a moment we want to know how much you've reduced it.

3. On a scale of 1- 10, how strong is your craving? Remember, if you're not really craving a bite (i.e. your craving is not at least a 7), come back to this technique later.

4. Now take two fingers of either hand and tap about ten times under your collarbone while you continue to think about eating.

5. Now tap under your eye ten times.

6. Now tap under your collarbone again.

7. Place your other hand in front of you and tap on the back of it between your ring finger and your little finger. Continue to think about your desire for food as you do this and each of the steps which follow:

Close your eyes and open them.
Keep your head still, keep tapping and look down to the right then down to the left.
Keep tapping and rotate your eyes round 360 degrees clockwise, and now 360 degrees anti-clockwise.

Remember to keep thinking about the food you were craving as you do this!

Now hum the first few lines of ‘Happy Birthday' out loud.
Count out loud from 1 to 5.
Once again hum the first few lines of ‘Happy Birthday' out loud.

8. Stop and check - on a scale from 1 to 10, what number is your craving at now?

If it hasn't completely gone yet, just repeat this sequence again until it does.



Gl and keep on giving up.

 

[USER1999]

You are going to look pretty weird doing that in a business meeting when there are choccy biccys on the table.

 

[SS2]

Go to your doc and get Champix. It works. gl.

 

[Twire]

Well done and keep it up Hapless. I went cold turkey 2 1/2 years ago from 30 a day. The first couple of weeks is tough, but it does get easier, just be carefull with the your weight. One thing I didn't do, which I wish I had, is to put away the money that I would have spent on fags. Be good if you could do this, and call it your golf fund.

Keep it up.

 

[haplesshacker]

Once again, thanks chaps.

I have to go to the corner shop and get some milk and bread shortly. That will be a test and a half. Nice shiny boxes behind the counter, calling to me!!

Have to admit that the positive support on here is helping and although I so deseratetly want one now, reading through this thread does help.