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Posts created by Apikoros

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 37

quitting smoking / losing weight !!!!!!

I am with Mike here... The only failure is not to pick yourself up and try again. This is my 4th or 5th quit, and my 2nd or 3rd "Major" diet.... Like Mike's sig says, "Adrienne I did it" Rocky wasn't talking about beating Apollo Creed, he was talking about the fact that he made it into the ring... We are all in the Ring now, and if we have to wait for Rocky 2 to win, or even Rocky IV when he beats Drago (who, is much scarier the Apollo Creed, but I digress), then thats what it takes. Just hope it doesn't call the way to the last one, 'cause that was a LOUSY movie.

I think I have stretched that reference as far as it will go.

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 12/6/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 39
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 1,560
Amount Saved: $702.00
Life Gained:
Days: 5 Hrs: 3 Mins: 54 Seconds: 20

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 37

question....

Gratz Sassy! I wanted you to put up that picture I heard about of Flower Child Sassy.... Henry James works though...
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 12/6/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 40
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 1,600
Amount Saved: $720.00
Life Gained:
Days: 5 Hrs: 7 Mins: 8 Seconds: 5

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 37

Failure--- But getting back on the horse

Well, I had a tough day at work, Business wise, this has been my worst year in 10 years of being in the work force. Had some pretty tough news yesterday, and yes, I smoked one cigarette. Just one. (I didn't buy a pack, in NY you can buy what are called "loosies", just one cig from a street vendor) I went home, admitted the multiple levels of failures both to myself and to my wife, hid in the closet for about 30 mins (literally--I can be very odd). I wasn't able to admit my shame to you all until today. In fact, I almost didn't....

I have only had one cig, I got some nico gum to, shall we say, compliment the patch. Hopefully, that will get me through.

My comfort food is McDonald's and I resisted that. I think if it hadn't been so cold, I probably wouldn't have resisted that, either. I would have walked the 6 blocks and gotten 2 big macs, a large fries and a chocolate shake.

When I was a kid, my grandpa, a heavy smoker, would come every Saturday with Micky D's for lunch. The smell of cigarettes and McDonalds together is the most comforting, warming, happy smell that I know.

I THINK I am in control again, as much control as an addict can ever be. I want to be a Non-Smoker. I want to be thin. I also want to be happy. If I can't be happy, why can't I have short term happiness with fried food and cigarettes... I know why, but that part of me, that part that will always be there, is saying Screw it Api, what difference does it make anyways? Eff-it, have the effing smoke. I am fighting, but..... Only a minute by minute, second by second push forward will do it.

Anyways, I am not going to re-set my quit meter. I still feel QUIT, with a small re-lapse....Should I have another, I know it won't be just one, and I'll have to start over but for now, I still feel quit.

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 12/6/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 40
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 1,600
Amount Saved: $720.00
Life Gained:
Days: 5 Hrs: 7 Mins: 10 Seconds: 0

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 37

Api Update--

Hey All! I know I have been missing for a bit, but, with that ONE exception, I haven't had a relapse at all. What happened was, I got a real bad infection and real sick. Cellulitis of the face, which I thought was something fat people get but turns out to be a bad infection. I will spare you the truly horrific details, but I am feeling better now. Bless you, hard core Anti-Biotics. I don't know if I ever mentioned here, but I have Multiple Sclerosis, so my immune system tends to be weak. I started a new injection therapy, and I think that, combined with the stress etc etc caused the infection... So, just to bring it back on track, boys and girls, I am still smoke free, though I haven't downgraded my patch yet from 14mg... I am at a weight, this AM, of 180.6 pounds with a starting weight of 200.8, so I have lost over 10% of my body weight! 40-50 more to go!

To end, with a musical quote, as is my wont, a little John Lennon:

People asking questions lost in confusion,
Well I tell them there's no problem,
Only solutions,
Well they shake their heads and they look at me as if I've lost my mind,
I tell them there's no hurry...
I'm just sitting here doing time,

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 12/6/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 48
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 1,920
Amount Saved: $864.00
Life Gained:
Days: 6 Hrs: 8 Mins: 16 Seconds: 53

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 37

Quitters can be losers too.

Angie,

Sounds good to me! I kind of have been "Mentally Journaling" but I hope an online journal helps you. Drink the water and make good choices and you will lose. Ahh, McDonald's. My Achilles Heel as well.

Api

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 12/6/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 52
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 2,080
Amount Saved: $936.00
Life Gained:
Days: 6 Hrs: 20 Mins: 47 Seconds: 25

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 37

I hate this!!!

First, There is no such thing as a butt that is to big. Second, all this started me thinking about the short story Quitters Inc by Stephen King. I won't link the wikipedia article (I tried to find a TXT of the story, no luck) but here is Wiki's Synopsis of the end: "His counselor gives him a prescription for some diet pills, and said that if he does not lose the weight he has gained as consequence of quitting smoking, then his wife's finger will be cut off. Morrison loses the weight, but later learns that the friend who sent him to Quitters, Inc. had not been so lucky, as seen from the fact that his wife is missing a finger."

So, it could always be worse, right? ;-)

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 12/6/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 52
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 2,080
Amount Saved: $936.00
Life Gained:
Days: 6 Hrs: 20 Mins: 48 Seconds: 30

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 37

Pulling myself out of the FUNK

Well, it's been a tough few weeks. As I mentioned, I got real sick with Cellulitis. Plus, I am about 10 weeks into my 30 days of Generate Revenue or be fired, and I had 2 turn downs yesterday so not looking good. There is NOTHING in my field hiring at all so I am up the proverbial creek without the paddle, eh? So, how do I keep the smile? How do I keep the weight loss and the QUIT. First, I am, shall we say, supplementing my patch with gum as needed. Second, trying to work hard until the sword falls. What else can you do? Finally, keeping the Lyrics to the Kink's "Better Things" in my head. I posted them below, hopefully, you'll find inspiration in them as well.

Api

Heres wishing you the bluest sky,
And hoping something better comes tomorrow.
Hoping all the verses rhyme,
And the very best of choruses to
Follow all the doubt and sadness.
I know that better things are on the way.

Heres hoping all the days ahead
Wont be as bitter as the ones behind you.
Be an optimist instead,
And somehow happiness will find you.
Forget what happened yesterday,
I know that better things are on the way.

Its really good to see you rocking out
And having fun,
Living like you just begun.
Accept your life and what it brings.
I hope tomorrow youll find better things.
I know tomorrow youll find better things.

Heres wishing you the bluest sky,
And hoping something better comes tomorrow.
Hoping all the verses rhyme,
And the very best of choruses to
Follow all the drudge and sadness.
I know that better things are on the way.

I know youve got a lot of good things happening up ahead.
The past is gone its all been said.
So heres to what the future brings,
I know tomorrow youll find better things.
I know tomorrow youll find better things.

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 12/6/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 52
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 2,080
Amount Saved: $936.00
Life Gained:
Days: 6 Hrs: 20 Mins: 49 Seconds: 40

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 37

Facebook Group

Well--- I started a Facebook Group for Fans of the Stop Smoking Center... It is called, with an original twist, "Stop Smoking Center Facebook Group"--- I am the only member.... so FAR...
My Milage:

My Quit Date: 12/6/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 52
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 2,080
Amount Saved: $936.00
Life Gained:
Days: 6 Hrs: 21 Mins: 19 Seconds: 1

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 37

Facebook Group

D'oh. My research SUCKS!!!! Ahhh, the truest test of a man's intelligence is how much he agrees with you!

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 12/6/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 52
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 2,080
Amount Saved: $936.00
Life Gained:
Days: 6 Hrs: 21 Mins: 44 Seconds: 36

15 years ago 0 +0 / -0 37

Pulling myself out of the FUNK

Hey All. Thanks for the awesome responses, as always. I was thinking about Pupikat's comments... As I am looking at it as a health push, not a"Quit Smoking/Lose Weight/Go to Gym" thing, it does make it easier for me. Also, I am flexible. That is key to survival. I wrote about my one cigarette lapse, about my cravings, about the need for it in tough times. I feel like Rocky when Drago looks at him, and says, "I will Break YOU". Well, I'm in that Rocky Training/Music Montage--- You know, the one where he's dragging the logs and running up the mountains and they keep cutting to Drago getting pumped with the steroids. Sense of humor, positive attitude and never let anything get to serious.

Which, means, of course, that my next comment will be serious.

I recommend a book called "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell. It is a great book for a number of reasons and has much that might help with your quit. Towards the end of the book, Dr. Gladwell talks about the links between Cigarettes, Nicotine and Depression. That people who smoke might be self medicating for depression. I know that was one of the many reasons I was a SMOKER. I mentioned in early posts that I have Multiple Sclerosis, that a symptom of that is depression, and that the medicine I was on, BetaSeron, has a side effect of Depression/Suicide. I am on Lexapro, an anti-depressent but I always felt the cigarettes were helping more then they were hurting.

So, getting to the point, (maybe) of this rambling post. There are as many reasons not to quit, to make a lifestyle change as there are not to. You just have to make the choice.

I have also talked about how I am a follower of the Discordian Movement and subscribe a lot of my beliefs to that philosphy. One of the most important tenents is that the Imposition of ORDER=Escalation of CHAOS.... We must find balance, we must keep to our quits, but we musn't become our quits. We must keep a perspective. We must keep humor involved.

I think this is more of a free thought post, but hey, I bumped from 14mg patches to 7mg today, so role with me please!

My Milage:

My Quit Date: 12/6/2008
Smoke-Free Days: 53
Cigarettes Not Smoked: 2,120
Amount Saved: $954.00
Life Gained:
Days: 7 Hrs: 0 Mins: 4 Seconds: 7

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