Giving up smoking

[Shotokan-kez]

Hi everyone. Has any of you managed to kick the habbit? Or do any of you smoke and still train? If you do how do you find your stamina when training.

I am a smoker and train three nights a week, as well as three hours worth of cycling each week and lots of walking. I have been told i am quite fit and have a low cholesteral level.

Having said that i don't want to use this as an excuse not to quit. I am constantly trying and it always gets the better of me.

Kez

[Shokei Marcsui]

Well, I am an ex-smoker of 16 years now. I've quit for a total of 2 years.

Do any of you smoke and still train?

My sensei is 60. In TOP shape and smokes. Does it hamper him? Not really, he doesn't smoke while he practicing.

If you do how do you find your stamina when training?

Well martial arts stamina should be like boxing stamina, in spurts. Your aerobic level shoud go one round peak and then come back down, go another round peak and then come back down. As opposed to a marathon runner that is constantly at a high aerobic level. Karate is about explosive power. An explosion and then retraction. Not a constant stream of power.

Having said that i don't want to use this as an excuse not to quit. I am constantly trying and it always gets the better of me

The best and ONLY way I found to quit was the "out of sight, out of mind" philosphy. I've tried just about everything: Gum, Patches, etc etc. nothing worked.

What I found was that I could break down my smoking cravings with certain events or emotions. For instance,

- I wake up in the morning, I want a cigarette

- After finishing a meal, I crave a cigarette

- When I start my car, I want a cigarette

- I'm at a club having a drink, I need a cigarette

- When I play poker, I want a cigarette

Well you get the gist of that. Any situation I found myself craving a cigarette I just wouldn't do anymore. So I stopped playing poker, stopped drinking, stopped going out to clubs... sounds pretty boring aye? Well obviously I couldn't stop eating food, driving my car, or waking up so those were the hardest to overcome. BUT At least you have cut down more than HALF of your cigarette consumption JUST by avoiding other places you've associated smoking with.

Now i'm not saying to stop doing that stuff forever, but you need to give yourself mental strength to be able to go to a club and not want a cigarette.

[freebird534]

im not a smoker, but when ever you finish a pack, just dont buy more.......sounds simple, but im sure it can be hard. just dont let yourself buy them

[Shokei Marcsui]

im not a smoker, but when ever you finish a pack, just dont buy more.......sounds simple, but im sure it can be hard. just dont let yourself buy them

It's not that simple. I remember in highschool i'd be down to my last 5 bucks and it would be a choice between eating and cigarettes... well you know how one that one. Cigarettes.

[Kajukenbopr]

imagine how good you'd be without the smoke messing up with your lungs...

[glockmeister]

As Yoda would say: "Do or do not, there is no try."

I gave those nasty things up a long time ago. It is one habit i do not miss. You haven't quit because you don't want to quit bad enough. When you reach that point, if you reach it, then u will quit.

[Jacob]

I quit smoking 15 years ago, and did it cold turkey after smoking for 17 years. It's really hard, and it took five years for me to really get over it, but when the rewards of not smoking overshadow the rewards of smoking, you will do it. And cold turkey is the only method I can recommend. Good luck to you.

[patusai]

I know people who have died from smoking. I know people in their 80's who have smoked all of their life. I have known people who never smoked and came down with lung cancer. I suppose it depends on your body. Why chance it?

[Shotokan-kez]

Yeah all good points! Maybe i should take up a new hobby to keep my hands busy lol

[Medici]

Haha, believe me, your sensei IS hampered by his smoking. Maybe he can go on with it, but he'd be better without it. It lessens circulation and lung power if nothing else.