Life without the patch (Day 393)

Day 393 - I missed my one year mark posting on here, but better late than never.  Life is good when you can breath easier and save money while doing it.  I am very thankful I chose to quit smoking.  I am thankful for all of the support I have received and hope to continue on this path of being a non smoker.  I won't say the days are easier now then they were when I first started quitting, but you take each day at a time and get through each of them.  I see everyday the commercials on the TV about quitting smoking and I want to make sure I continue to not be a statistic of a smoker dying of some awful disease.  Good luck again to anyone trying to quit.  As long as you have people to support you and your are committed, you will quit.

Life without the patch (Day 292)

Day 292-  Anyone who tells you that quitting smoking is not that hard, has never been a smoker.  I will not sugar coat it, quitting the habit of smoking is extremely hard and sometimes frustrating.  What you really need to know to making quitting a little easier is that you really want to quit, you are done, for whatever reason, you just don't want to smoke anymore.  This is the single most important thing to becoming a successful quitter, you really have to want to quit.  I am much happier now that I can breath easier and do more things without running out of breathe.  One of the biggest benefits of not smoking is the fact that I finally had enough money for my wife and I to purchase our first home.

Life without the patch (Day 189)

Day 189 - I have made it past the 6 month mark and I am feeling great.  I have had a lot of congestion lately and I am not sure if I am getting a cold or if this is caused by my lungs clearing.  Either way I still feel great.  I believe once you get to this level, it takes less will power to stay not smoking because you have changed your routine by know and you just don't have the thoughts of cigarettes.  I have more of my smell senses back and I know when someone has smoked because I can smell it and it smells bad.  I can't believe I smelled like that, but I know I did when I was a smoker.  When you are a smoker, it is a way of life, it consumes your time and make you feel less energized.  One thing to keep in mind when you quite smoking is that weight gain is going to be a part of quitting.  Be prepared, but as long as you have a plan to exercise, you will be fine.  My wife and I quite 6 months ago as a part of becoming more healthier and we knew coming into this that we were going to have some weight gain.  Part two of us becoming healthier is to begin exercising and eating healthier.  This will begin in about 3 more months.  I myself would not try to quit smoking and eating healthier at the same time this will make you fail one or the other.  If you already eat healthy, then this will not be an issue for you.  Just realize that your system will want to compensate something in place of not smoking and usually this is food.  Weight gain is acceptable as long as you don't let it get to far and you have it on your personal road map to step two of being healthier like my wife and I and you make a goal to exercise and begin within a time frame.  I will keep recording our progress in this blog so all with know what steps we took to lose the weight and continue to be non-smokers.

Life without the patch (Day 153)

Day 153 - So it has been a bit since my last post but that is how it has to be.  The more you want to quit smoking, the more you need to distance yourself from the thought of smoking.  I have seen lately more and more ads for e-cigarettes and I want to tell everyone wanting to quit smoking, don't use an e-cigarette.  An e-cigarette is just an alternative to smoking a real cigarette.  The only difference is one is lit and one is not.  They both feed your system with nicotine, which is the drug that you are trying to get away from when you quit smoking.  I will tell you that I quit smoking using the patch and it was the best thing ever, the patch for me really worked and now a little over 5 months I still have not touched a cigarette.  I feel so much healthier.  I just got over pneumonia and I could not imagine how bad it would have been if I was still  smoker.  Trust in me, a 25 year smoker, it is never to late or to early to quit smoking, your health will improve, you will smell better, people will enjoy hanging out with you.

I would wish anyone quitting the best of luck, I know how hard it is but you can do it.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 60

Day 60 - It is day 60 and I am getting very close to the end of being on the patch.  I am looking forward to not having to put the patch on everyday, but I am also thankful there is a product out there such as the patch that has really help me to get through the beginning of quitting smoking and pretty soon I will be on my own and zero nicotine being fed into my system.  I am excited and scared at the same time, am I really going to be able to progress without the patch, this is a thought I have often, but then I just remember, I made this choice to quit and I am going to stick with it.  I feel better and I want this feeling to continue.  To all of those out there quitting, this is one time quitting makes you a winner.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 59

Day 59 - I have found that now that I don't smoke I want to do so much more then I am doing.  I have a website that is not so good in getting people to visit, but now I think I know what I could do.  I am going to create my first game for iOS and Android.  This will allow me to do something I enjoy and pass some time during the day.  Everyone enjoys a good game on their phone and I will make sure mine is successful.  Just another way quitting smoking has helped me, I am getting my creative juices flowing.  It is time for me to shine.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 57

Day 57 - Start of Step 3 on the patches and the final Step.  Almost to the point of not worrying about putting the patch on everyday.  This has been a long journey and many more great days to come.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 56

Day 56 - Yes I know, I am a day behind on this post.  Day 56 was the last day of Step 2 of the patch and was looking forward to starting the last step of the patches.  Let the no smoking continue.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 55

Day 55 - Yesterday (day 55) was a great day, my wife and I and some family went on a canoe trip and had a great time.  I always wanted to go canoeing, but as a smoker, I was never really active and I didn't want to spend to much time outside doing things.  Now I want to spend a lot of time outside just enjoying life and doing things.  My wife and I are just happier now that we don't smoke and want to spend time doing things other then just being at home.  In the past month and a half we have gone out more than we have in the past year and it again, just feels great.  When you quit smoking, you just feel better and want to do more.  Nobody should be restricted to activities because of smoking, just quit and see how much better life is.

Not the river we went canoeing on, but just imagine the fun you could have getting outdoors.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 53

Day 53 - I want to tell you what a great choice it is to be a non-smoker.  You just enjoy life more and understand that you will have a full life and that you are not cutting it short.  I just feel great and I wanted everyone to know this.  My Blog has finally reached 1000 views and I am proud that people from all over the world are reading my Blog.  Instead of putting a downer image today, I want to show something a little brighter.

Think of all the adventures you can take with all of the money you are saving from not smoking.  This image is from French Polynesia.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 48

Day 48 - Let's be honest, if you smoke you know your life is shortened.  If this is what you want then it is okay to keep smoking, but if you want to live, there is no time like today to quit.  Everyone and I mean everyone has a reason to want to live as long as possible.  I went to my moms yesterday and I found myself preaching to my sister about quitting, this coming from me who smoked for 25 years.  I feel so strong about helping people to live that I will preach the word of quitting smoking, that is how important it is to me.  Here is another reason you want to quit smoking:

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 44

Day 44 - I have been having some great days lately.  I feel more energized and willing to do more.  I am not sure if it is because I quit smoking or because my wife and I have started eating healthier as of this week.  I just feel good, I want to do more and enjoy life.  I want to head out west and have a great time in the mountains.  My wife and I are planning a vacation soon and I think we will head west and just have a good time.  Another great day of enjoying life and just feeling the freedom of not smoking.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 43

Day 43 - Yesterday was the beginning of Step 2 for the Nicoderm CQ patch.  2 weeks of this and I will be ready for the final step.  Still feeling great with minimal urges if any for the need of a cigarette.  Another day down.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 41

Day 41 - I find that as each day passes, I think a lot less of cigarettes and more about things I want to do in life.  My wife and I, since we both stopped smoking at the same time, want to do so much with each other such as biking, vacationing, and just spending time together.  It feels good not to rely on cigarettes as being a part of our lives anymore.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 40

Day 40 - 2 more days and Step 2 begins on the Patch.  I am looking forward to seeing what happens when the nicotine level is reduced.  I certainly hope the urges don't increase again.  I finally hit a point in my journey that I no longer feel the need for a cigarette and I hope this feelings stays the way it is.  I just remember to keep telling myself I am a non-smoker and that is who I am.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 39

Day 39 - Well, I must admit, it is nice to see people visiting this Blog and I hope that it is helping some.  I have noticed from my stats on this Blog that people from all over the world are viewing it.  I am almost at a 1000 views, a little ways to go but I am sure we will get there.  Quitting smoking has been quite the journey for me.  I have worked through the urges, anxiety, and just the detoxing period and I must admit, it was all worth it.  I feel better and I hope that my journey is helping others in their journey's to quit smoking.  I have 3 more days until I start Step 2 of the patch.  The journey with using the patch is getting closer to ending and the feeling of that is great, because I will now start the journey of being weened of nicotine for good.

The journey continues.  Thanks to everyone for your support.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 38

Day 38 - Just when you thought I may run out of things to talk about for quitting smoking.  I was driving home today and this car was speeding right by me and I thought to myself, smoking is like speeding in a car.  What do I mean by this?  Speeding feels good in the beginning but over time there are consequences that will catch up to you, just like smoking, it feels good when you start, you get that rush or buzz for a while but the consequences catch up to you over time when you have a hard time breathing, you health heads south, and eventually it will end up killing you.  It is so much better to drive in the safe lane then it is taking the chance of dealing with consequences in the fast lane.  Okay, maybe the whole analogy was not the best, but I think you get what I was trying to say.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 37

Day 37 - It was another great day today.  I find myself at work during the day, no longer thinking about cigarettes.  I am starting to have the feeling that I am truly done with smoking, out of site, out of mind.  Each day recently has been very easy to not think about cigarettes or even having any urges to want a cigarette.  I just tell myself, I am a non-smoker, that is who I am.  I feel healthier a little more each day, I am breathing easier and I just feel more healthier.  Being a non-smoker is just the right choice to make.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 36

Day 36 - Yesterday was just another great day of not smoking.  I feel that quitting smoking has made me a little happier.  My wife and I smile more and are just enjoying life.  For anyone who smokes, you don't need them, they are just a thorn in your side, one that needs to be pulled.  Cigarettes do nobody any good unless you enjoy the fact of knowing that every cigarette you smoke is putting you one step closer to that whole in the ground.  I was there, I decided to change and no longer think about when am I going to die, but rather now, how am I going to live.  Life is full of to many adventures and I plan on enjoying as many as I possibly can.  Anyone who wants to quit and just doesn't know where to start, see the links in my Blog, read my Blog, do whatever it takes to get started down the road to becoming a non-smoker.

Quit smoking with Nicoderm CQ - Day 35

Day 35 - I was sitting back and remembering my previous Blog on how much time and money I have spent on cigarettes and it hits me, what the hell was I thinking.  I have probably spent more money on cigarettes then I have anything else in my life.  Anyone who reads this take a long thought of how much you have spent on cigarettes, how much time you have wasted.  Below, I have put together two images, 1 is how many packs of cigarettes you would go through if you smoke 1 pack a cigarettes everyday for a year and the second picture is how many cigarettes you are smoking if you smoke a pack a day for a year.

 365 packs of cigarettes

 

7,300 cigarettes (yeah that is a lot of cigarettes and smoke in your lungs)