Sunday night here we f***ing go again 🙈

[ItWasJustifiedHeWasACunt]

Need a bit of pushing from you lot. It's Sunday night and here I am yet again disgusted with myself and determined to do better next week. I've smoked way too much, downed too much booze, ate crap and have just generally been a twat all weekend. I was doing well earlier this year but let some stress get to me over the past couple of months.

I want to stay OFF the fags next week, drink water, eat healthier and do loads of walking. Active, healthy and positive.

Tell me to put down the dirty fire, be good to myself and convince me I can do this!! 🚭

Think of all the money you'll save on cigarettes! Have a jar to put the money in that you would've spent. I amazed at how much they cost tbh. Imagine how much better you'll be able to breathe too. Your skin will look better too.

Same here, read the book (it's so boring) panicked and hid the book for three days before reading the last chapter, smoked my last cigarette and have never touched one since, the first week was so hard, but also I stopped drinking coffee and booze as it all tasted horrible off the fags, good luck @ItWasJustifiedHeWasACunt

Start with the smoking, don't worry about the rest until you've completely given up fags. The main thing is not to replace fags with food - I gained 3st, but I am now a non-smoker, and have dieted it back off again. Now for the rest of the flab!

Remind yourself that the ONLY reason you want a cigarette is because you smoked the last one. They don't really calm you down or help you deal with stress - they CAUSE it, so that smoking the next one will make that feeling go away. Keep lots of low cal nibbles like grapes/chopped carrot etc in the fridge and tell yourself the greedy bastards aren't getting another penny of your hard-earned cash for their evil cancer sticks. I wish you, not good luck, because getting rid of the habit isn't a matter of luck, but strong determination.

Throw the fags away. Now.

I quit the smokes and started vaping, then I reduced my nicotine strength over a year and then quit the vape. 4 years since I last vaped and 5 since my last smoke. Took probably 6 months to truly get over the nicotine. Swapping from smoking to vaping wasn't too bad, but quitting the vape afterwards was quite difficult. I ate a hell of a lot of chuppa chups (full sugar)

You can do it OP x

Your goals are not achievable, or at least they are but when you look at them they dont feel that way. So you get overwhelmed and go "ah fuck it" and buy another packet of fags. Smoked for years myself until vaping saved me.

You are saying "I NEED TO CLIMB EVEREST!!!" but when you look up at it you think "I cant do that" so you dont.

Start with "I want to get to Base Camp". That is lunchtime tomorrow. Focus on getting to lunchtime tomorrow by taking one hour at a time. 8 am until 9 am. Then 9 am until 10 am and so on. Big happies at lunchtime! Then again in the afternoon and so on. That doesnt mean no cigarettes it just means less, so if you get the urge...vape and when you REALLY get the urge, have a cigarette. A lot of us "dual fuelled" in the first weeks but gradually you vape more, smoke less and then realise that you havent smoked for two days and hadnt noticed!

A journey of a thousand miles may start with one step but it finishes via every single tiny step after that.

Giving up smoking is the best thing you can do for your health, and'll give you some extra money.

Years ago I gave up a 50-a-day habit (after several previous tries at giving up.) I did it by using patches and gum. This was about 18 years ago, so there weren't as many methods/treatments then. There are more things people can use or try nowadays. You could try seeing your doctor and see what they recommend. As well as treatments, some of them have support groups to help give up.

Ciggies have never tempted me although I used to like a good Havana cigar. Haven't even had one of them for about 20 years because they made my throat horrible for a week after.

Wine I would struggle to give up - but I almost never drink spirits or even like most of them other than Scotch

A friend of mined coined the term, "sky diving" for this kind of thing, you are heading for a spot on the ground, but you don't have to go in a straight line to get there, keep the target in sight but don't worry if you drift slightly on the way down.

You need to switch the kick from nicotine to something else. Excersise endorphins is a good one to switch too.

How I did it was I had my last one at the end of the day, as it's easier to quit on a morning after a fast. At work, I stopped going outside at breaks, and instead had a treat in the lunchbox, at home, each time I had a craving I got on with a 5 minute excersise video on YouTube. As time went on, I made the lunchbox treat gradually healthier, and the workouts longer. Been quit 8 years. Vaped a bit in between then and now which helped on bad days too.

Occasionally I still cave and have one with a friend, but I don't buy them, so it doesn't become a habit.

Well thank you O Wise One, I am sure that has sorted the OP's problem right out!

Give me strength...🙄

I've just written a huge message to you and lost it. Come and join us on the day one thread, I'm not sure how to link.I think it's in the alcohol support section.
A lot of us have had 100 day ones, and there are posters that are ten years sober! It's all encouragement and chit chat about events etc. I've found two very good friends on there. and everyone's honest if they slip up.
P.s i.smoke 30 rollies a day at the minute and need to loose a couple of stones, but for my mental health, sorting the alcohol out first is my priority

Also what do you mean you've been a twat?

I'll add that my father technically is still a smoker, he's 'just seeing how long I can go without a cigarette', 45 years and counting.

But it's a good way to think about it. See how long you can go, it might be 5 mins, it might be 10, if it's 10 then make it 11 mins before the next one.

Stop being so hard on yourself! You can't change what you did this weekend, but sitting around feeling guilt and regret only makes things worse. It happened. It's not a big deal. Onwards and upwards to next week! Don't carry any guilt over with you. You're going to have a great week!

Secondly - baby steps. You don't need to quit smoking and drinking and start a new exercise regime and change your diet all at once. That's a lot of big changes and it's probably too much for most people. Take it in manageable chunks. Maybe this week you kick the smoking? Get that under your belt before you start worrying about everything else that you want to change. Gradually add the other stuff in, bit by bit.

Good luck!

If you can, try reading Atomic Habits by James Clear. It’s not specific to stopping smoking but talks about small changes to build good habits and break bad ones.

As a pp said, you have to identify as a non-smoker. It’s a mindset thing. Very different to say “I’m not a smoker” to saying “I’m giving up smoking”.

it also talked about the process, rather than the goal. The goal can often feel overwhelming or too distant, so instead concentrate on the process and the results will come.

good luck!

I only gave up smoking when I got pregnant and then never really went back. I had smoked from 16-33…. And nothing else stopped me but being pregnant stopped me in my tracks…… obviously getting pregnant to give up smoking isn’t a realistic solution… But I have found that a tactical break from alcohol gives you strength for other things that you have always wanted to achieve but haven’t been able to. Alcohol plays a huge part in robbing you from the ability to achieve your goals. Look up challenges like OYNB (one year no beer). They might be a good way to start.

www.nhs.uk/live-well/quit-smoking/nhs-stop-smoking-services-help-you-quit/

£420 monthly over paying your mortgage would set you free quicker. Or saving it for retirement or a holiday etc, think of it like that to help you quit.

www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/running-and-aerobic-exercises/get-running-with-couch-to-5k/

I agree try vaping I was a heavy smoker for many years and for last few years have vaoed and now nicotine free for 3 years.

Oh my - just the thought of that makes me want to puke!!

I want from fully committed smoker who was never giving up to non smoker 20 years ago by reading Alan Carrs east way to stop smoking book. I can’t recommend it highly enough - it’s a life changer!

Well it's just irresponsible isn't it x

Agree with the vape. I never ever thought id fully quit smoking. In January I bought an innokin jem on a whim and alternated with real cigarettes, so halved what I was smoking.

It coincided with prices of tobacco rising, one day I bought Amber leaf for £12.50 and the next week it was £15. Then I went to stay somewhere rural, ran out of baccy, don't drive but could get some delivered for almost £22...

No thanks, so I stuck with vaping and thought "I'll cope". It wasn't a case of coping, the transition was so easy. Cigarettes are grim to me now and I never ever thought I'd say that!

Just be naughty at the weekend. Try to be good Monday to Fri. Go for a hill or forest walk at the weekend to balance it all out.