Hello, just checking in… are you doing alright?  I mean with the no smoking thing.  Me?  Not too bad.  Holding my own and have cut back in the snacking department.  Which is good, but now I really should do some sort of exercise regime!  Well, I do try to take the stairs at work instead of the lift (elevator).  Of course I do some Wii’ing as well, and that can certainly work up a sweat!  They say cardio could be the best bet.  Okay, so perhaps one should start out slow then work up to it.  Then it’s settled, I will start slow… I mean I really don’t get to get too over zealous!

Full Story

So here we are, it’s March and if you have taken the Driven to Quit Challenge then you have said ‘bye bye’ to cigarettes.  Congratulations!  Okay, so if you have just quit, you will find that this week will be the toughest challenge.  But you can do it!  Don’t give in to those pesky little stressors, that need to fill your lungs with polluting smoke, NO!  You have taken this journey for a reason.  Think of your reason why you chose to quit smoking…. now does it all make sense to you?  I thought it might!  I am still here with you, if you need to vent I am an email away.  Believe me, I know how difficult it can be to stay on track.  But YOU CAN DO IT!

Full Story

Alright so now that my hands have all this time on them - you know too much time on my hands…. I have decided to take up knitting.  I know what you are thinking, knitting what?  Well it will keep my hands busy and I won’t likely burn down the house from cooking!  Plus you get to use things like knitting needles that come in various sizes, and crazy colour yarn.  It does sound very exciting!  The only problem is…. I don’t know how to knit!  Perhaps I should crochet?  Make doilies?  Those things that go over your toilet tissue roll…. the possibilities are endless!

Full Story

Are you noticing that you now have time on your hands, and your hands are more free?  But what to do with your hands… you know what they say “idle hands… something, something…”  Anyway, got an email from Caitlin who has taken the Challenge, the Driven to Quit Challenge, and she has been baking and cooking up a storm!  Creating delicious treats from cupcakes to meatballs.  Caitlin I like where you are going with this!  Let’s take our free hands into the kitchen to experiment and create incredible concoctions!!!  I feel like a warrior, battling on grounds that I thought were only useful to make KD.  I will let you know what medley of ingredients and ideas I put together, as soon as something comes to mind.  Until then, if you have any thought on how to keep hands busy let me know!

Full Story

As the days go by, I am finding that I am coughing a lot more. I suppose this is a good sign, but I feel like I have smoked a pack and a half of cigarettes! Yuck and yikes! Is this the way it goes? Anyway, beyond that all is going well. How are you doing?
I have realized that I must do some sort of physical exercise… you know, start taking a healthy approach to this new well being of mine. Okay, haven’t quite gotten there yet, but I will. I figure when the ‘mood’ strikes me I will do something of the exercise nature. Until that time, at least I am not smoking and I am coughing to get my body/world back in-line!

Full Story

There is nothing more inviting than a smile… a smile can make or break that first impression.  But what if you are a smoker?  You know what I am talking about; your smile then becomes an embarrassment.  Those once pearly whites now show a hue of yellow and brown.   Now those sparkly chiclets look like pieces of wood.  Your smile is hindered. 

As I was searching for pictures of smoker’s teeth, I really became quite grossed out.  Seriously, some of these pictures were not pretty!  It got me thinking, how to undo what has been done?  I figured if I was trying to clean up my inside by quitting smoking, I might as well as look good smiling.  An accomplishment in quitting smoking is something to smile about.  So off I went to seek whiter teeth… Celebrity Professional Teeth Whitening was the place to get it done quickly and effectively.  30 minutes was all it took and it brought my teeth 4 shades whiter!  I know!  Woo hoo!  My smile is brighter, and I definitely have something to smile about!   Nothing is more welcoming than a smile.

Full Story

As I was brushing my teeth this morning, I got to thinking about smoking.  Here I was attempting to make my teeth sparkly clean and white, then just the thought of that grey, blue smoke wrapping itself around my teeth kind of grossed me out.  What was the point of brushing your teeth?  I mean if all you are doing is having a smoke after the fact.  It really doesn’t make any sense.  You might as well as take your cigarette butt and use it for your toothbrush!  I know what you are thinking…. you eat, you drink and all that goes by your teeth…. true, but that’s a necessity, smoking is not.  So it goes, with smoking, you get that beautiful yellow tinge to your teeth (note sarcasm) and perhaps you try everything to get your teeth their whitest.  Remember that TV commercial?  What was it?  Something, like “the smoker’s tooth polish?” 

Any-who, as I continue my quest to be a non-smoker, going through the journey, I am now taking a look at the affects that smoking has had on me.  Now let me ask you a question…. what is the first thing you notice about somebody?  Me, it’s their smile…..

Full Story

So I am not the only one who has experienced the moods, the wanting to punch something, the argggggg of quitting smoking….  apparently Mel Gibson has quit smoking, and it has turned him into a dangerous man.  Mel says that for the first three days he was like an ax murderer.  Then on day four, he says he was ready to go after people with a bat and on day five he was dangerous with a lawn mower (not sure what he meant by that).  Mel does add that it is a hellish habit to break, but he thinks he’s doing better now.  Good for you Mel to quit smoking!  I mean this is one battle he should be able to win, he did play William Wallace in Braveheart.  Good for all of us who have given up such a weird, and nasty habit!  Remember you are not alone on this journey.

Full Story

As I go through the day all is good… then BOOM!  A ”stressor” rears it’s ugly head!  ANY NEED!  Just breathe, in with the good air out with the bad…. breathe.  The first initial reaction is to SCREAM as loud as I could - and then go outside for a smokey treat.  Instead, I sit and I breathe…. I will not let those so called ’stressors’ irritate me, they will not make me lose the battle that I am suited up for.  No, no, no, as much as a cigarette would probably feel good right now, later it would feel like crap.

I breathe.

Full Story

I was watching an old movie over the weekend, a real classic, a black and white film.  Lauren Bacall was in it.  Anyway I got  thinking how glamorous smoking looked back in the day.  It’s weird to see any star actually put a cigarette to their lips in any film these day.  But back then, everyone was lighting up.  Ashtrays could be seen as far as the eye could see.  It was portrayed as ‘glamorous.’  Now not so much!

They say you can look at a person and see what sort of life they have lead - well to quote Lauren Bacall “I think your whole life shows in your face and you should be proud of that.”  Yes, one should be proud of all those little lines on their face.  Really?  Come on, are you kidding me?!  There is a difference between laugh lines and smoke lines.  Glamorous?  I don’t think so.  However you can still be glamorous, just do it without a smoke!

Full Story