Day 31 - Weight under control

Weight 82.8 Kilos

I have been making it to the gym and eating healthy and even though I did some parties over the weekend my weight is under control. The bank gives out loli pops here. The coconut ones are real good.

I found my wallet (lost the cash) but that is the least of my worries. I have all my ID.

DAY 30 Stress- What Stress?

83.6 Kilos

Not such a great day. I lost my wallet in a shopping centre. I dinged a car in the parking lot and spent the afternoon on the phone canceling credit cards and collecting information for replacing ID. Fortunately my passport was not lost so it will only be a lot of time and expense lost. I was really too stressed out to have time to think about smoking.

I'm off to a fun fundraiser and tomorrow will be 1 month as an ex smoker. Much easire to do in a place like Boulder where there seem to be very few smokers.

Day 29 - Ameican Chewing Gum

83.1 Kilos

I visited the big wholesale store called Costco. They had some sugarless US chewing gum which I am trying. Orbit is very tasty. I also con some tropical friut gum I did not like as much and one of my favoritis Atoid mints.

DAY 28 - My Tongue is getting Pink

My Tongue is getting pink.

I have arrived in smokeless Colorado. Well not 100% smokeless but since I have arrived in Boulder I have not seen anyone smoking. In the ash tray outside the restaurant, one cigarette butt and 5 wads of chewing gum. Tells you somethingh about this town. I had a great Mexican dinner with my sister and friends, and was caught in foto above showing them my tongue.

I got to work out at the Flatirons gum ... very nice.

Day 27 - Crazy Cravings

83 Kilos

Last night I took a break from preparing my bags and details for my trip and took a walk in the Piazza. It was after midnight and there were smokers everywhere. I got a real good attack of the cravings but they passed with some deep breathing and this only reminded me that the journey is not yet over.

It takes time to "re-program" oneself after being addicted for so many years. I continue a day at a time to free myself. I am beginning to intentionally expose myself to triggers knowing that I will have to resist. It is easier to prepare oneself, successfully resist the desire to smoke when facing a trigger, and then move on. My hope is that these exercises will help in speeding up the

re-programming of my behavior.

I was in the HON lounge at Frankfurt (see photo) where they have a very fancy comfortable cigar lounge for the smokers. I went into the cigar lounge, looked at the assortment of liquors and the people smoking, took a deep smell and thought to myself, I am free of the addiction now. What a lucky guy I am.

Day 26 - Preparing for a Trip

82.9 Kilos

I am going to the US to visit family.

It'd hard to believe, but in the past, instead of enjoying the amenities at the airport before departure I was huddled in a smoking cabin as illustrated here together with other addicts getting my fix.

Before getting on an intercontinental flight I would puff until I was almost ill smelling like an ashtray with my clothes completely contaminated after 15 minutes in a smoking cabin. Then during the flight I would take nicotine substitutes (gum and patch) and tranquilizers to get me through the 9 hour flight. All this is behind me.

Day 25 - Why Quit?

83.5 Kilos

A good FREE web site called Why Quit. Full of good information and quit smoking manuals

CLICK HERE

Day 24 - A friend wants to quit

82.9 Kilos

Weight is under control

Last night Carmen in the Arena. Today I go to the doctor for a check up.

I got a note from a good friend in Moscow:

"How did you manage to give up smoking?! I've tried but failed. Could you share your methods? I'm willing to try again. Our new office is non smoking and in winter smoking out of doors here is no fun at all."

I wrote her back:

Dear xxxx,

Most people need to try a few times before they kick the habit. Its great to hear you are deciding to go for it again.

The big thing in quitting smoking was you deciding it is time for you to quit. I know you can do it because when you decide that something must be done it always gets done!

Smoking outside in the cold in wintertime is one of many reasons I bet you can list for wanting to quit.

make a list of all the reasons you want to quit.

also make a list of all the things that trigger your desire to smoke. some may be: first coffee or tea in the morning, aperitif before dinner. After dinner tea or coffee. Playing cards with friends, Gardening, Listening to the news or TV programs.

There are many smoke cessation programs but most of them all center around 3 phases:

1. preparation and setting a quit date (Mondays tend to be good quit days, how about going for Monday 31 August? It is a good date, and It will be easy to remember your anniversaries as a non smoker as well!

2. coping with nicotine withdrawal during the first 5 days - healthy diet, drinking lots of water and exercise helps

3. learning to break the psychological dependance and cope with things that trigger a desire to smoke. - Know what triggers your cravings and try to change environments and habits to avoid triggers.

I had nicotine substitutes (gum and patches at hand but I used them only the first 2 days) I did not like the side effects and decided to continue cold turkey.

Some people take anti depression medication when they quit you can find out more about this on about.com

There is also ago-puncture and hypnosis. I did some self hypnosis I found on the internet.

I think it is very important to have a support network and friends you can talk to as you take off on the journey to quit. Ex smokers are the best because they understand what you are going through.

Many people swear by the Allan Carr method

They have smoke cessation centers around the world

http://allencarr.com/central/

You might want to read his best selling book this week as you prepare for your next quit.

As you know from experience, It will be tough for the first days but it gets easier as each day passes.

I got lots of good quitting information on the internet.

I suggest you visit

http://www.about.com

and go to smoke cessation section

You can visit my blog where I have lots of links and I have made a day by day diary of my quitting smoking journey.

scroll down to the beginning of the Blog in July and then read it forward.

http://quittingcigs.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

here is another link on how to prepare to quit by fireman Joe

http://quittingcigs.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html

Let me know how your quitting goes. Feel free to write me or ring me when you need support.

You can do it!

A big hug

Daniel

Day 23 - Sunny Sunday

83.5 Kilos

I had salad and trout for dinner last night. Yummy. A nice walk after dinner and an ice cream.

I passed lots of smokers in the square it triggers some cravings but a sense of repulsion and pity at the same time. It is impressive how many young people under 25 year smoke.

Another hot and sunny pool day for me and Carmen in the Arena tonight.

I have an irritating canker sore. I will go to the doctor Monday to be sure it isn't leukoplakia.

Day 22 - 4th week begins

82.5 Kilos

3 weeks cigarette Free

Now onto week 4!

biking and swimming today and lunch with Giulio.

Day 21 - Young Smokers

82.6 Kilos

I had a good day pool and gym a nice dinner out. I had Cravings as usual after dinner but it is getting easier to control.

Lots of people out in the piazza Friday night. It hurts to see so many young smokers with their sense of immortality puffing away. Discouraging young people from picking up the habit and encouraging them to quit is a challenge. Like all countries in the EEC the ministry of health continues to chip away at the problem.

It may be an overused catch phrase but true never the less:

IF YOU DON'T SMOKE DONT START, IF YOU DO QUIT!

Day 20 - Think Positive

82.6 Kilos

Wow - It's really getting better day by day. I think I have passed the physical phase it all has to do with thinking right now. Keep your mind on your objective and don't let urges take control.

"You are a puff away from a pack a day"

I found a good blog:

Link to 10 Tips to Successfully Quit Smoking

Day 19 - Get the Urge? Sing a Song!

82.6 Kilos

With so much swimming and exercise I am eating more than usual and even indulging in an evening gelato without putting on weight. It was stracatella and cocconut last night.

One of my techniques to fight the urge of the wanna smokies is to put on some music and sing along.

It is another hot day, forecast to be over 35 degrees, and I have tickets for Tosca in the Arena this evening... It was a good performance with innovative staging.

I'm really feeling improved breathing.

Link to Article

There is No Substitute for Time

Day 18 - Keep it Under Your Hat

82.6 Kilos

A Dark Chocolate and Hazelnut Gelato from Venchi. it will cost 30 minutes in the pool but it's worth it!

People don't want to hear about your new found freedom so it is best to set an example but keep your secret under your hat. I am going to try to limit my vaunting about not smoking on this blog.

It's great to not have to work during the hot days of summer and we are having an african scorcher this week. I am going to the pool this morning.

Day 17 - The Game Isn't Over until the Fat Lady Sings

82.6 Kilos

I went to the Opera last night in the Arena. Aida is the most popular of all the Operas in the Arena. There is a popular saying in America attributed to Dan Cook a sports reporter from Saint Antonio, "the Game isn't over till the fat lady sings" it might have been inspired by the operas like Aida.

With smoking cessation in one sense the game is never over, it just get easier to play as each day goes by.

Day 16 - Your Success Threatens Some

82.9 Kilos

I have taken note that some of my smoking friends feel a little uneasy witnessing my success. It is important to set a good example without rubbing in the fact that you are a non smoker. I am concisely not mentioning my status as an ex smoker to friends who are still puffing.

Yesterday I had dinner with 2 non smoking friends. There is no question that non smokers are different than ex smokers in that they don't share the experience of beating an addiction.

It is going to be a scorcher today so its a pool day, then off to the Arena to see Aida.

Day 15 - My Third Week Begins

83.3 Kilos

I begin week 3 as a non smoker and I really feel good about myself.

I remember when friends who are smokers would tell me they had quit smoking but began again after 3 weeks or more I was always baffled. "After going through the struggle how could you start up again?" I would think to myself.

Despite the sense of accomplishment that I have passed the first step I don't allude myself on the temptations I will face ahead.

A wonderful sunny Fieraugusto holiday. I will meet up with a friend to go swimming this afternoon.

Day 14 - After dinner desires

83.8 Kilos

I am still a bit edgy and irritable.

Recovery from smoking takes time but I am feeling better every day. Here is a link to an article on recovery from smoking (LINK).

It seems that the worse time for me now is after meals, particularly dinner but the intensity of the cravings is less. I have eliminated caffine in the evening and try to take a walk after dinner to help. I have the feeling that I need to be sleeping more.

Watch this

Tomorrow will mark the beginning of week 3.

Day 13 - My hands aren't Peeling

84.1 Kilos

Today I am going to the Lake.

I have had a chronic skin problem of the skin on my hands peeling. It has gone away. I have been putting lemon juice on my hands to get rid of tobacco stains.

It is hot and humid summer weather with an African heat wave in arrival. This means lots of water and sweating. I imagine along with the exercise this is helping me speed up the detoxification.

I have taken no nicotine supplements this week. I'm just using deep breathing when I get the urge. I have come too far to go back.

Day 12 - Sun and Vitimins

83.6 Kilos

My weight has been exactly the same each morning this week. Very unusual, normally there are small fluctuations between one day and the next.

It's sunny weather today and will be in the 30's (90's F). I have a full day but I am getting a few hours of pool time in this morning. I read that when one quits smoking one absorbs antioxidants better so a healthy diet is even healthier.

The benefits of not smoking are becoming more evident as each day passes.

The desire to have a smoke is becoming weaker but still there, nagging like the noise of street traffic generally one does not notice it after time. Now I can say that the benefits and the desires are coming into balance. It makes it much easier to find the power to resist temptation.

I am really noticing improvement in my breathing and breath capacity.

I am sure that as time goes by I will forget how bad smoking was making me feel and not realize how much better I actually feel as a non smoker. For the moment my improved health makes it easier for me to keep away from the cigarettes.

I found an "Effects of Smoking Chart". It is very good to help one see many of the medical effects.

I had an hours swim at lunch time and a good work out in the gym this afternoon. I treated myself to a nice steak dinner and a cinnamon and ginger ice cream cone. I got some opera tickets for next week. Tomorrow: pool time at lake Garda.