To boast but also to let smokers know how EASY it was to give up!

[pippala]

Please Please Please read Alan Carrs easy Way to stop smoking!
I had smoked for 35 years! off and on.
My mother in law and mother have both died from lung cancer but the ONLY time I have ever not smoked was when I was pregnant or breastfeeding.
I didnt EVEN like the taste of cigarettes and used to smoke with an extra strong mint in my mouth! I thought I enjoyed smoking but how could I when I didn't like the taste and only smoked half a fag before putting it out only to smoke the other half later?
In November last year I developed a cough that lasted three months. I had an xray in Febuary and was told I may have COPD!!!
Isn't that what horses have?
I was told in no uncertain terms that if I carried on I would probably die in five years. My daughter is a doctor. She confirmed this to me by showing me graphes/statistics of other sufferers!
Well I was P...ed of!
I didn't want to give up did I? I enjoyed smoking didn't I? etc etc etc
So I bought THE book off Amazon for about 4 quid.
4 quid? Well thats nearly a packet of fags
4 quid? That has probably saved my life!
So it took me a week to read this book when I can actually read a book in a day if I get stuck in to it.
50 shades og grey was read in just over 17 hours!

Truth be told I read the first two chapters and throught what a load of tosh! Whilst sipping my wine and enjoying a fag!
It was the same old crap over and over again- you smell! smoking is disgusting! blah blah blah!
I thought something very profound must be read in the final chapter for so many thousands of smokers to finish the book and close the book as a non- smoker!
It won't work for me - I don't want to give up - do I?
I even thought let's skip all this same old, same old crap and read the final chapter.
But I didn't. I read all through the book hating it, smoking and sipping that wine thinking what a load of tosh!
FINAL CHAPTER- so here it is.
SMOKE YOUR LAST CIGERETTE AND REJOICE!
So I did what the book told me to do and enjoyed my last cigerette EVER, on my patio sipping a glass of wine, watching the sun set over my horses paddock.
My husband who is my ever supporting rod took a photograph of me with my last ever fag!
I savoured that last cigerette even burning my finger tips because I was so reluctant to stub it out.

And GUESS WHAT?
I felt so euphoric!!!

The next morning when it would have been the that first fag of the day moment came and went. No pangs, no cravings! What the hell?
This is so easy!
Well I NEVER had cravings.
All I ever have, even now six months on is the realisation that at certain times of the day or after certain acts or things that coincided with a cigerette such as mid morning coffee, after mucking out the stables, driving the car, after an arguement or after enjoyable dinner my brain TELLS me it's time for a fag.
NOT that I fancy or need one - just that it's fag time.

That book did something to my brain- hypnotised me or something! I don't know what but I am a non-smoker. A non- smoker who is shocked to be a non- smoker but hey I may not develope full blown COPD now thanks to spending 4 quid on a BOOK!

[tinierclanger]

Agree. Worked for me!

[OldGreyWiffleTest]

Well I read it and, instead of stopping smoking, I threw the book away. Did NOTHING for me.

[Proudnscary]

Are you Alan Carr's PR?

Your post reads like one of those mentalist infomercials.

[GobblersKnob]

Well done, massive congratulations to you

Totally agree with how easy it is. I read it in a day when I had a horrible stomache bug and my house mate had left it on the table. It was that or day time telly.

I have not smoked since and I was initially quite disapointed as I hadn't wanted to give up, was just interested in his methods and bored

So I can concur that it takes absolutely no will power whatsoever.

[Mintyy]

Its a great book and it works for an awful lot of people. I think its just about the most successful stop smoking method currently available.

[AViewfromtheFridge]

Proudnscary, that's exactly what I thought!

[germyrabbit]

didn't work for me alone but it did help but i needed patches too and inhalator

each to their own

[pippala]

Thanks PROUDNSCARY
mentalist? nice!

[lubeybooby]

I find it reasonably easy to give up smoking even as a 40 a day total addict. However the weight gain even when I'm careful (keeping mouth occupied with sugar free gum, doing more exercise etc) is a bloody nightmare.

Pleased it's worked well for you though - if you haven't gained any weight please tell me how?

[corlan]

Are you on crack now?

[LBsBongers]

Worked for me too, that said the most important thing is that you really want to stop

[OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos]

Well done you.

When I want to give up smoking, I shall bear your advice in mind.

[KellyMarieTunstall]

The op does read like an infomercial -but it is only saying what I have heard from several others who have also tried Alan Carrs methods. To be fair though they have all attended the meetings ( or whatever they are called--surgeries?) and have all stopped smoking immediately.

And they also report no will power is required. I believe that it doesnt work for everyone( the meeting type that is ) but they offer more attempts for free when you are ready to try again.

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Well done you.
I love how some posters can turn a massive personal achievement like this and put a negative slant on it.

I've smoked since I was 11' I know I should stop, but I really don't want to yet.
I'll get there though.

[Petsinmypudenda]

Didn't work for me.

I got pregnant again to quit..Not on purpose though, thats just what it took

[hattifattner]

it works for some, not for others. Ultimately you wanted to quit, because you bought the book. You already had the mindset, this was the final push.

But well done for quitting.

[pippala]

Hey I'm so sorry that you don't like my style of writing BUT;-
It was my way of expressing how shocked and surprised I was to find that this book actually MADE me give up smoking.
For someone who has smoked in excess of 35years and NEVER wanted or tried to give. I can't believe even now that I don't smoke!
Yes I have put on a stone in weight I guess but I can work on getting that off.
And NO I am not on crack - you cheeky bint!
So much for trying to encourage others to read the book!
I do believe the author died of lung cancer some years ago!!!

[RikersBeard]

Well done. I read 2 of his books, didn't work for me at the time, but I then later stopped cold turkey and actually it was fine.

lubeybooby re weight gain I have a personal theory... The last thing you want to be feeling when stopping smoking is hungry, as nicotine craving and hunger pangs are actually quite similar. So you turn to food to try to quash the fag urge. I have been low carbing, which works for me for losing/maintaining weight, and is a way of eating which stops you feeling hungry. And there are lots of yummy, satisfying foods like cream, eggs you can go for. So if you think stopping smoking is likely to make you turn to doughnuts, have a look at low carbing to stabilise your blood sugar and control your hunger. (NB I do a Dr Briffa-type way of eating, it's not radical or faddy, not really restrictive like Atkins, more of a balance-shift)

[AViewfromtheFridge]

(By the way - well done for quitting.)

[fatlazymummy]

Well done on quitting op. I'm not surprised you feel so happy. I quit 7 years ago and I still get a buzz out of being a non smoker.
I've never read Allen Carr but I know a lot of people have found it a great help, so carry on spreading the word. If it helps even one person to quit then it's been worth it.
That's why I always take a minute to post on 'quitting smoking' threads. Every little bit of encouragement and support may help someone.

[Shellywelly1973]

Op,

Well done but Im struggling to believe you didn't experience any cravings /withdrawl...

Im sick of smoking but the fear of the intense irritation & weight gain seem worse then smoking!

[janey68]

Well done you!
Isn't it strange how there's always someone jumping in with a negative slant on someone else's achievement! Never mind- maybe they're envious that you have achieved something they can't?

I'm not a smoker- I think it's an expensive, smelly and Unattractive habit quite apart from the health risks- but hats off to anyone who has got themselves addicted and manages to free themself from it. I imagine it to be an exact parallel to overweight people losing weight- ie there isnt one method that works for all, there are different ways to achieve your goal and it's what works for you.

I'm sure as you had the will power to quit smoking, you will be well capable of losing the extra stone you've put on. It's certainly not inevitable that quitting smoking makes you gain weight (and tbh when I do see smokers hanging outside pubs or out on their lunch breaks , smoking and slimness rarely seem to go hand in hand so not convinced about the whole weight thing anyway!!)

The important thing is- you've done the singe biggest thing you can to improve your health, you have also reduced the chance of any children you have taking up smoking and you'll smell fresher- that's great, and like I said, you have to ask why anyone would knock that, unless they are jealous.

[PicklesThePottyMouthedParrot]

I gave up reading Allen Carr and I remember feeling the same way there op!

[LaVitaBellissima]

I have an Italian friend who smoked a lot, she even secretly smoked throughout her pregnancy as she just couldn't give up.
Her husband bought the book for himself, she read it first and has never smoked since. She also is in amazement by this book and recommends it to everyone.

Well done Op

[hackmum]

Allen Carr is dead, so I don't suppose he has much call for a PR person:-)

Well done, OP. I had a friend who was a 50-a-day smoker and he gave up using the Allen Carr method. I think for him the lightbulb revelation was realising that smokers make excuses for their addiction (I'm stressed, I'm nervous, it calms me down, etc) when actually they just need to realise that they're addicted, and if you can go for a few days without a fag, you break the addiction and need never smoke again. (Caveat: I'm not a smoker so I'm sure someone will be along soon to tell me it's not true!)