back to the land of the living

[Matt28]

Hi all,

What a mad but enjoyable few weeks I have had. I have been back over visiting my friends and family in Belfast (I live in Edinburgh) a couple of times, 2 weekends away, 2 weddings and a bad bout of food poisoning!

I have fallen of the wagon a couple of times and seem to beat myself up. Do any of you guys ever feel or felt trapped? like quitting consumes your life and you feel like youll never be free? I HATE smoking, I don't enjoy it. but i am determined to beat this and keep going.

Thank god for the support group and the support of my friends and family who has listened to me moan and be upset about the bully which is smoking. i WILL win this battle....

I have hired a personal trainer to help with my weight gain and i have started walking to and from work which is 3.5 miles to work and 3.5 miles back. Thanks to Roisin i have also downloaded the app where i can record my food intake (cals) and log my exercise.

This is a road which is way longer than i thought but guys i am going to kick this....i am only 29!!! and i want to live as long and as healthy as possible. The issue is ME now...not nicotine!

How is everyone else getting on?

Matt

x

[Hercu Valued Contributor]

Matt...Good going buddy...Keep fighting and you will win...Smoking certainly is the best lawfull killer of good health... Training to gain weight is surely a certain way to get fit and gain weight...I have started to use Whey protein shakes and with the kettle bells excersize I gained almost one kilo and very excited...!!

Keep going !!

[mushen Valued Contributor]

Good to hear from you Matt.

Never give up quitting - you will do it.

I found that quitting just sucked the life out of me. It just took so much energy and motivation that at times, it seemed as if that was all there was. Part of my reason for not going back to smoking is that I just don't think I would have the energy to quit again - I just really couldn't be bothered. The good news is that this feeling does not last forever, it just kind of hangs around for a while early on.

Keep going at it. Keep going with the exercise as well because it will change how you feel completely!

😃

[Matt28 6 Months Smoke Free in reply to mushen]

You have hit the nail on the head...its exhausting and dominates your life...but ive got this!!!! xxx

[mushen Valued Contributor in reply to Matt28]

Just hang in there!

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free]

Hey Matt28 , yep I hear with quitting taking over your life but we have to get the mindset very early on that you will never ever regret quitting but will regret not quitting, it IS easier said than done but try to embrace it that you going to be a non smoker statistic which there is so many more nowadays......

My best advice for you is let us know when you are back on track and stay very close to us, we have all been there and will get you through it no matter what the struggle is.....I can see how you desperately want this and you will get there, I promise, with embracing and full focus and determination it is so achievable and so worth it

[Matt28 6 Months Smoke Free in reply to RoisinO1]

i really rely on you Roisin with this journey and I cannot thank you enough! you support everyone on this and its great having the support from someone who has a success story!! We all really appreciate you on this support group!

Im so sorry to hear about your friend...im sure it must have come as such a shock! If you need anything let me know!!

Did you find it hard on holiday with no smoking? would you still get cravings or notions for one even now?

[RoisinO1 Administrator 3 Years Smoke Free in reply to Matt28]

Ah thank you Matt28

It was much easier this year on holiday but whenever we were sitting outside in the sun having a few drinks as soon as someone lit up beside us, the smell of smoke would make me feel sick but strangely after a while, if I found myself watching someone smoke I got the thought while watching them inhale and exhale, one would be nice, but quickly thought back to the night I quit and couldn't get my breath that there is no way I could go back to that, even felt a bit chesty for the last few days, must have been from the passive smoke as it happens me if around smokers now on a night out - these thoughts only last a minute at the most and I always think how silly it looks smoking now!

I will be 2 years quit on 17 September and still get an out of the blue craving or notion, in fact had one this afternoon after mopping the floor (weird!!) but it quickly passes and is easy to shrug off, as each day passes, it really is true the stronger you become....