Smoker who is scared

[CraigScott]

Hi all I so want to start doing this but ive been a smoker for years. Im 37 years old, Before I started smoking I was a very fit young man. Any advice please? Very nervous.

[AnneDroid Graduate]

You have youth on your side, compared to some of us on here, so that's something!

I've never smoked so can't advise you about that but I'm sure others will. I'm sure it will be doable though.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Well.. firstly, welcome and well done you.

You just made the first step towards a healthier you by saying... on here..you want to do this!

I assume you have either stopped smoking or are going to try to?

There is loads of advice about this on the net, and I am sure there will be folk on here who will give you great advice too!

Lots on the Health Unlocked NHS site about the benefits of exercise if you are a smoker... e.g.

Get moving

A review of scientific studies has proved exercise – even a five-minute walk or stretch – cuts cravings and may help your brain produce anti-craving chemicals.

This is an old link but has some good tips maybe..

pickmytreadmill.com/running...

My advice would be to get a well-man check up with the GP, if all is well, then you are on your way!

We will support. encourage, sympathise, cheer you on and even give you a gentle push if needed.

What are you waiting for ?

[Runon Graduate]

I smoked for years and took up running just after I quit to reclaim my lungs and take my mind off smoking. If you are still smoking I wouldn't worry - a number of people on the forum haven't quite kicked the habit - but once you get back into running and the idea of being fit again the more you will question why you keep smoking. The important thing its to get running - don't be nervous - the rest will follow and the c25k programme is designed to take it gently.

[Irish-John Graduate]

I tried everything to quit. Started smoking when I was sixteen. Tried cold turkey, aversion therapy, hypnosis, acupuncture, nicotine gum, nicotine patches, those nrew-fangled Vape things....And even in the nineties what turned out, Thank God, to be an erroneous diagnosis of Lung cancer didn't stop the craving....

Then, over three years ago now, I got hit with a very unfair and very painful bill out of the blue for a little over a thousand quid. That had to come out of the Family budget and I felt terrible about it. The only way I could figure to pay it back was to quit my twenty plus a day habit.

I'd read somewhere the physical craving only lasts three minutes, so I bought a small kitchen timer and set it for four minutes.

EVERY TIME I WANTED TO LIGHT UP I STARTED THE COUNTDOWN - and believe me that if I had wanted, really wanted, to light up when it would beep I would have.

But - after waiting four minutes I always felt I could hang on for at least another four and I would start the thing again.

That beeper sounded constantly the first five days or so - but gradually I started doing without it and I've never gone back nor do I feel any longing or craving to do so.

I started C25K last June and believe me, it has changed my life and no way would that be done if I'd still smoked.

I wish you every success, nicotine is a bastard to tussle with - but you can manage four minutes at a time just like I did. I smoked for almost forty years so you have that edge to begin with

[McFitty Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

Wow John, your trusty kitchen timer has a million and one health associated benefits! That is the most straightforward quitting method I've heard (mind you that is coupled with your iron resolve)😊

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to McFitty]

The only resolve though was for four minutes at a time : ) That was the trick I can do anything for four minutes

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

John.. you are amazing!

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Desperately so!! LOL

[Sandraj39 Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

Oh, John! You and your crazy kitchen timer! The good times, the bad times - you've been through it all together!!

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Sandraj39]

My FKT and me - been ticking down a lot of minutes alright

[Nobbywatts Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

Sorry - being new to this forum, I have to ask: what on earth else have you been using it for John? Apart from to time cooking, obv!

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Nobbywatts]

Cooking? What is this "cooking" you speak of?

Lol - to motivate myself in the programme I would set that days time and as it ticked down I could tell myself "You've done - amount of minutes, all you have left is - amount to have a success day"

I found it more positive to think I had "less" time to finish the stages than feeling I had to run "up" to a certain number of minutes.

Also, because I mostly run circular routes it now helps me keep track of time - sometimes when I am running really well I can lose track of how many laps I've done

Someone here started referring to my "Famous" kitchen timer and thus it became known as FKT

[wizzbang Graduate]

Hi Craig

Welcome, first of all lets not talk about the smoking, nothing to do with this! remember what everyone else says on here slow and then slower still, just give it a go and see if it is for you. BTW I smoke, no intention of giving up and I will be doing week 4 tomorrow and I am 15 years older than you.

[CraigScott]

Thank you all for your replies, My mind has eased a little. I plan to start tonight, so Ill let you all know how i get on! Fingers crossed!

[MarkyD Graduate in reply to CraigScott]

How did you get on?

[George56 in reply to CraigScott]

Hi how is your day going. Good luck. G

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

PS

Told you there would be lots of support and advice..

[Now-runner_NeedsAttn Graduate]

I gave up smoking 30+ years ago. It was a lot harder than C25K. You'll be fine.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Now-runner_NeedsAttn]

Go you! Well done

[George56]

Hi I'm a newbie . I stopped smoking in my early thirties. Started smoking at school & continued. I tried to stop from the age 18yrs. I found this very difficult & always went back on them. I finally did it early nineties. Must have been thirty something!! I just stopped & as the weeks went by things got easier. Now I know that I will never smoke again. Get help NHS do smoking advice. It's tough but I bet you are tougher. Good luck with your journey. Day at a time. With you success.🍀G56

[JoolieB1 Graduate]

First of all, great decision to start the Couch to 5k programme, it will improve fitness, lung capacity, heart fitness, confidence and raise mood too as I discovered. It is a challenge worth going for. Just approach each run and keep it nice and slow - no extra points for charging about - and it will make each run achievable

[runswithdogs Graduate]

Don't worry about it, just get out the door and start W1R1. It'll bring health benefits whether you smoke or not. Just go slow, and believe in yourself. You've got this.

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

If you are a heavy smoker as well as generally inactive, your lung function will be badly impaired and you will likely find that you get out of breath very readily.

There is no need to be scared though - give W1R1 a try, take the running intervals nice and slowly and I am sure you will be fine. One thing worth considering is to go for a few longish fast walks before starting c25k. This would help in developing some base of aerobic fitness.

[ANewMe2022 Graduate]

I read somewhere that you need to pick an event to give up on. I chose my son's birthday as the day I would stop. Haven't smoked for 17 years now. But oddly, the feeling that I could just have a smoke, sneaks up on me at the weirdest times. I won't ever partake again. It's my responsibility to look after myself as best as I can in order to be around with my loved ones for as long as possible - that's the way I'm looking at it now! Good luck...xx

[Raymond16460]

Probably best not to smoke when you are running - mind you you could try and light up in between the runs..........

[Tractorman Graduate]

Brilliant that you've taken up the course but I'd have to agree with Oldfloss that you should check with the doc before you go for it. When I gave up smoking I had a big issue with all the muck coming off my lungs. I still have trouble with catarragh while I run and I gave up smoking over 25 years ago!

Take it easy my friend!

[Mini101]

Hi, I'm in the process of giving up smoking, I'm 52 & just completed W7R1 which is 25min run. Just take it steady & you'll be surprised how much you can do. I'm not exactly speedy run at 3.7 on the treadmill but if I can do it so can you 😀

[Gump73 Graduate]

Hi Craig, have you tried Allen Carr book - How to stop smoking the easyway? I'm coming up to 4 years as a non-smoker thanks to that book and I was very sceptical! Started running last September with c25k, graduating in December and although on IC at the minute I can't believe the change in me particularly mood and motivation (as well as fitness obviously). This forum has also been a godsend. Best of luck on your journey, you won't look back. 👍