Comments on: Stopping Smoking: Mountains and Molehills http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/ For anyone stuck behind a desk who wants to be more active, lose weight or just improve their health Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:49:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Dave http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-19 Dave Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:14:58 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-19 I thought I'd add this as a comment as it's related but doesn't warrant its own post. In England, smoking has just been banned in public places, including pubs. Almost every friend of mine who smokes said they were going to quit on the 1st July, when the ban came into effect. As far as I have heard so far (with only one or two to hear from), not a single one actually attempted to quit when the day finally came around. I find that interesting - most smokers' attempts at quitting are usually, it seems, based in the knowledge that they should quit or a reflection of the desires of others for them to quit, rather than an actual desire to quit for themselves. I thought I’d add this as a comment as it’s related but doesn’t warrant its own post. In England, smoking has just been banned in public places, including pubs.

Almost every friend of mine who smokes said they were going to quit on the 1st July, when the ban came into effect.

As far as I have heard so far (with only one or two to hear from), not a single one actually attempted to quit when the day finally came around.

I find that interesting - most smokers’ attempts at quitting are usually, it seems, based in the knowledge that they should quit or a reflection of the desires of others for them to quit, rather than an actual desire to quit for themselves.

]]> By: Renee http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-31 Renee Tue, 17 Jul 2007 15:39:06 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-31 Congrats, Dave! You are so right, this is something you must want do for yourself. As someone who had quit for 16 years (cold turkey) and went back (now 4 years) and wanting to quit again, I'm only saying this based on my personal experience: you're always a smoker, but one who chooses not to smoke. Why did I go back? In a nutshell: stupidity. I allowed a high stress situation to decimate my self-esteem and push me over the edge into total negativity. Continuing to smoke, for me, is somehow saying I'm not worth the effort on some level. What you said, "Trying to beat it without understanding what it is you’re trying to beat is like climbing a mountain" is right on the money. Yep, without a full comprehension of your situation, you won't make it. I know that's why I haven't. But I will, I can't stand myself as a smoker. A resource I found helpful is http://www.quitnet.com/ which helps you ascertain your type of smoking behavior. The best to you and much continued good health! Congrats, Dave! You are so right, this is something you must want do for yourself.

As someone who had quit for 16 years (cold turkey) and went back (now 4 years) and wanting to quit again, I’m only saying this based on my personal experience: you’re always a smoker, but one who chooses not to smoke. Why did I go back? In a nutshell: stupidity. I allowed a high stress situation to decimate my self-esteem and push me over the edge into total negativity. Continuing to smoke, for me, is somehow saying I’m not worth the effort on some level.

What you said, “Trying to beat it without understanding what it is you’re trying to beat is like climbing a mountain” is right on the money. Yep, without a full comprehension of your situation, you won’t make it. I know that’s why I haven’t. But I will, I can’t stand myself as a smoker. A resource I found helpful is http://www.quitnet.com/ which helps you ascertain your type of smoking behavior.

The best to you and much continued good health!

]]> By: Dave http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-32 Dave Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:08:34 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-32 "I can’t stand myself as a smoker" That's a good point to start from. Actively really wanting to quit, rather than just feeling like you should quit, is key. I think QuitNet is a better idea than quitting with a single real-life friend. If the single real-life friend starts again, you have an "out" - an excuse to start again. If you have the support of hundreds, then one person failing makes no difference. “I can’t stand myself as a smoker”

That’s a good point to start from. Actively really wanting to quit, rather than just feeling like you should quit, is key.

I think QuitNet is a better idea than quitting with a single real-life friend. If the single real-life friend starts again, you have an “out” - an excuse to start again. If you have the support of hundreds, then one person failing makes no difference.

]]> By: Identifying Bad Habits » Geek Fitness http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-136 Identifying Bad Habits » Geek Fitness Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:49:37 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-136 [...] in the pub. I stopped going to the pub as much and started watching more TV. There were some (like smoking and soft drinks) that I’ve just stopped without replacing them with something as bad. [...] […] in the pub. I stopped going to the pub as much and started watching more TV. There were some (like smoking and soft drinks) that I’ve just stopped without replacing them with something as bad. […]

]]> By: I Used to Have Legs » Geek Fitness http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-200 I Used to Have Legs » Geek Fitness Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:41:40 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-200 [...] put off going to the gym for a while, preferring to start my road to fitness by stopping smoking, drinking smarter, sleeping better, improving my diet, playing more squash and racketball and [...] […] put off going to the gym for a while, preferring to start my road to fitness by stopping smoking, drinking smarter, sleeping better, improving my diet, playing more squash and racketball and […]

]]> By: Sharad http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-1252 Sharad Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:55:19 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-1252 Hey dave, i have been reading your blogs for quite sometime now. kept coming back to ILoveJackDaniels for the cheatsheets and other articles. I am 28 and have been smoking for over 11 years now. Have thought many times to stop but eventually gave up on the idea... the reason behind that has been the geek in me. I dont know but u set an example here and hopefully i shall join a smoke free and healthy world sooner than later now.... i am gonna give it a whirl wholeheartedly this time Hey dave,

i have been reading your blogs for quite sometime now. kept coming back to ILoveJackDaniels for the cheatsheets and other articles. I am 28 and have been smoking for over 11 years now. Have thought many times to stop but eventually gave up on the idea… the reason behind that has been the geek in me. I dont know but u set an example here and hopefully i shall join a smoke free and healthy world sooner than later now…. i am gonna give it a whirl wholeheartedly this time

]]> By: Dave http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-1253 Dave Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:12:54 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2007/07/03/stopping-smoking/#comment-1253 Hi Sharad, The best of luck to you! Dave Hi Sharad,

The best of luck to you!

Dave

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