This is it folks!

Okay, so I did decide that I would start my quit tomorrow, though it officially begins tonight after I smoke my last cigarette. After I smoke, I'll be bagging up all smoking paraphernalia, taking a shower and going to sleep. Tomorrow morning I'll dump everything in the dumpster. My plan for tomorrow is to just chill for the day. I've got my cranberry juice and green tea; I have my yoga dvd, breathing cd, and mediation cd. I also got my Playstation2 hooked back up so I'll probably be playing lots of Final Fantasy XII tomorrow. I'll also pamper myself tomorrow with a pedicure and manicure. I'll have the day to myself until the evening and then on Sunday my sister will be coming over to spend the day with me and take me shopping.
I'm very excited and a little nervous. I'll check in tomorrow with an update on how I'm feeling. You can also follow me on Twitter. I'll update there more frequently.

Almost There

Just a quick update. I am noticing that as I get closer to my quit date that cigarettes are less and less appealing. The taste is beginning to be horrible and I am smoking a little less. I've also been suffering from the longest migraine ever; all week so far. I feel better today, but I am taking some pain med before I go to work, just in case. Yesterday was so horrible that 7 hours into my shift I started crying. I held on for so long and then just let go. I did go home a little early. This could be from having cut down on the caffeine.
I am also considering quitting on the 7th, Saturday, instead of the 8th. I have the whole day to myself Saturday, and then on Sunday my sister is coming down to spend the day with me; she'll take me out shopping to buy new smoke free clothes. That will give me two days to detox before I am at home alone with a toddler.

One Week to Go

Photo by D.A.K. Photography


This is the last week I have to prep for my quit smoking day, which is next Sunday, June 8th. Progress? Still having some problems making time for things. One issue I have is finding the right time of day to practice yoga. In the morning before my son gets up would be perfect except for the fact that Aaron sleeps in the living room (we are in the process of finding a futon we can both sleep on, and giving our room to our son)so early morning yoga would probably disturb him. The only thing I can come up with is playing a yoga dvd on my laptop and doing the yoga in the kitchen, which would be less disturbing, but there may not be enough room. I will find a fix, I will. Everything else is going okay. I am very motivated and getting excited, also a little scared. I spend everyday now focusing on my reasons for quitting and what the benefits will be for me.
This week I'll be continuing to cut down on caffeine, continuing to put off smoking after meals, and to wait for my first cigarette in the morning.
I'm not cutting down on cigarettes for one very important reason:
The longer you go between cigarettes, the better the cigarette feels when you finally smoke one which programs your brain to enjoy smoking more; smoking is more pleasurable. This goes completely counter to what I am trying to achieve; making smoking less pleasurable.
That's all I've got for today. I'll try to update again before my quit date.

My Reasons For Quitting Smoking

Photo by justj0000lie

My Reason for Quitting:

• I've been smoking long enough (22 years) that it is starting to affect my health.
• Tired of getting bronchitis every winter.
• Don't want to get chronic bronchitis.
• Want to be healthier.
• Would like to be healthy and able to keep up with my growing son.
  
• Want to be a good example for my kids.
• Being a smoker in California means ridicule every time you go outside to light up. I don't want to be one of those people anymore, I'm already self-conscious enough.
  
• The biggest reason is that I am just tired of being a slave to the addiction; always wondering when and where I can have my next smoke in a world where no one can can smoke comfortably. It is on my mind at all times, when will I have my next cigarette? Will I get to work on time to have a cigarette before I start? Will I have time to smoke before we go to the store? Will there be anywhere to smoke at the event? How long will I be gone, and can I go that many hours without smoking? I've had enough of that, thank you.
  

That pretty much sums it up for me. I'm done being a smoker. I would like another label, thank you.
I'll add to this list as I think of more reasons.

Progress Update

Photo by Saudi...


Just before writing this post, I reviewed where I am supposed to be at in my baby steps toward my quit date. I realized that last week I was supposed to start my exercise routine. Geez. Well, onward and forward... How did I do with the other steps this past week? Not bad. Lets review what I was supposed to do this past week (other than the exercise):

1. Not smoke while chatting on the phone: I did better this week, but still need improvement here. I found myself grabbing the phone a few times on my way outside to smoke.
   
2. Write out my reasons for quitting: Still haven't done this yet (I'll be posting here shortly my list of reasons.)
   
3. Keep track of the times I light up and how I feel at that moment: I did better this week. For a few days I managed to write down the times and feelings when I lit up. My biggest discovery is that I smoke to relax. All other times I smoked where from intense craving, and when I felt I had to smoke because I wasn't going to be able to for some time.
   
4. Not smoke after meals: Made good progress here. I found this the easiest. The only time I had a problem was during work breaks because it's the only time I can smoke.
   

So this week I need to:

1. Write up my list of reasons for quitting
2. Start my exercise routine
3. Start cutting back on caffeine

I also picked up a couple of audio books:

Mindfulness for Beginners by Jon Kabat-Zinn

You: Breathing Easy by Roizen and Oz

These audio books will help me to practice healthy breathing techniques that will help with relaxation (my biggest reason for smoking) and mindfulness, which will help me to get through the cigarette cravings.

Two weeks to go!

Progress

So, how am I doing in my baby steps? Just call me Ms. Scatter Brain. Up until yesterday I didn't know what week I was in and was being rather hard on myself for not doing better. All I had to do last week was to not smoke while I was on the phone, but I kept thinking that I was already supposed to be not smoking after meals and I thought I was supposed to start my exercise program this week, ugh. I had entered everything into my Google Calendar, but haven't been able to keep track because I've been so crazy busy with school work.

So how did I do this past week with not smoking on the phone? So so. There were times when I called my BFF to chat and would hold off going outside to smoke while I was chatting, but other times I would bring the phone out with me on my smoke breaks. Over-all, not great, so I need to recommit this week to not smoking at all while on the phone. What was the other thing I was supposed to do this past week? *Cue Jeopardy theme* Oh, what is list making and journaling? Oh yeah.... I did not mark down one cigarette this past week, nor have I written out my list of reasons for quitting.

So, this week in addition to not smoking after meals, I need to:

1. Not smoke while chatting on the phone
2. Write out my reasons for quitting
3. Keep track of the times I light up and how I feel at that moment

I have had all of these things on my mind while smoking; mulling over my reasons for quitting and being aware of how many drags I am taking (which by the way really kills the joy in smoking, just so you know.)

One good thing I did this past week was to think about healthy habits to take up. I bought a yoga dvd yesterday and decided that that will be my exercise, along with more frequents walks with my son. I just need to set up times to commit to it. Another thing I decided on is that I won't try to drastically change my diet when I quit. I think that may be too much change for me right now, but I will add more healthier options to my current diet. I picked up a copy of Super Foods RX as well yesterday and will incorporate these better food choices in to my diet. I noticed that after looking through the book they seem to be very similar to the low G.I. foods that I had incorporated years ago into my diet, but got lazy about continuing with. Most of them are still in my diet. I only eat real whole grain bread and lots of nuts. Fruit is a problem for me, but veggies are great and I eat lots of broccoli already.
So there you have it, my progress for week one of baby steps.

5 Weeks to Go

My Quit Day is now officially scheduled for June 8th. That means I have 5 weeks. Last night I began planning and taking notes. I'll be taking baby steps to begin to undo some habits I've developed around smoking and starting things I know that will help me. Here is my agenda so far:

• 5 weeks to Quit Day: This week begin to keep journal of smoking times and reason for smoking each time I light up. Make a list of reasons for quitting. Look for online resources I can turn to when I need reassurance.
  
• 4 weeks to Quit Day: Stop smoking while on the phone.
• 3 weeks to Quit Day: Stop smoking after meals. Begin exercise routine.
  
• 2 weeks to Quit Day: Stop smoking during breaks at home, e.g. after cleaning or finishing a project. Begin to cut out caffeine.
  
• 1 week to Quit Day: Stop smoking first thing in the morning. Begin to change eating habits, e.g. lighter, healthier food options.

This should get me going in the right direction. I have a lot of experience in quitting smoking (I've quit more than 20 times and at least twice for more than 9 months). I know what issues I need to work on and that the nicotine withdrawal is not an issue for me; it's the habits and emotions I need to work on.
Sometime later this week I'll post my reasons for quitting.