Let the games begin...

I chose today as my first day to start smoking. I've been reading information on the internet to help me get started. Here are two good ones:

• Quit Assist
• Smoke Free

I gleaned the following information from Quit Assist:

Rewards of Quitting

• I will reduce my chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
• I will reduce my chances of getting lung cancer, emphysema, and other lung diseases.
• I will have better smelling clothes, hair, breath, home, and car.
• I will climb stairs and walk without getting out of breath.
• I will have fewer wrinkles.
• I will be free of my morning cough.
• I will reduce the number of coughs, colds, and earaches my child will have.
• I will have more energy to pursue physical activities I enjoy.
• I will treat myself to new books or music with the money I save from not buying cigarettes.
• I will have more control over my life.

Skills for Quitting

• Learn and practice new routines and behaviors
• Plan ways to distract yourself when the urge to smoke strikes: Take a 2-minute walk, call a friend. Use nicotine gum or lozenges.
• Have other things nearby that you can hold in your hands (or put in your mouth), like a pen, carrot sticks, or fat-free popcorn.
• Look for fun activities that don't include smoking to reward yourself and reduce stress: a hot bath, a walk with a friend.
• Be prepared to manage withdrawal symptoms
• The first few days after quitting, your throat may feel dry and your cough may get worse. This is actually a good sign; your body is clearing mucous from your airways. You may even feel dizzy from the extra oxygen!
• Keep a glass of ice water or juice handy, and stock up on sugarless hard candy or gum to handle cravings for something in your mouth.
• In the first week or two, you may have trouble sleeping or be bothered by constipation or gas. Cut out caffeine in the afternoon and evening, and eat more raw fruits and vegetables or high-fiber cereal.
• Irritability and tiredness can last for two to four weeks. Don't push yourself too hard at this stage. Take naps if you can. You'll feel better as soon as the nicotine clears from your system and your body adjusts.
• Cravings for cigarettes are usually the worst during the first two or three days. You can wait out the urge by distracting yourself with something else. You might picture the urge as a big wave; if you can surf along with it and keep your balance, it will ebb away in a few minutes.
• Consider taking a class or reading a book about relaxation techniques or meditation. Or just take a ten-minute break: Close your eyes. Check for tense spots from head to toe, and relax those muscles. Now, breathe in and out naturally, and mentally repeat some calming words such as "relax, relax."

Staying Smoke Free

For most people, quitting is not the biggest challenge; it's staying quit. The final key to successful quitting is being prepared to handle difficult situations and to recover if you slip.

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you are at greatest risk for relapse in the first three months after quitting. Plan ways you can cope when you are around other smokers or in difficult situations where you're tempted to take a puff.
• If you used to smoke to handle stress or calm your nerves, it's important to find other ways to do that—because stressful things will always happen sooner or later. Try to integrate stress reduction into your daily life. Some people find it helpful to meditate, to do yoga or tai chi, or to go for a run.
• If you do slip and have a smoke, don't beat yourself up, and don't give up. Instead, think of what you can learn from this. Review what led you to smoke. Were you alone, or with others? How were you feeling before and after that cigarette? Did something happen that triggered the slip, such as a stressful time at work or a family fight? Was the trigger a time or place you used to smoke: drinking in a bar, driving in the car, talking on the phone? Plan how you'll avoid or cope with that the next time. Ask for help from friends or experts.
• Limit or monitor your use of coffee and alcohol; these trigger the urge to smoke for many people.
• Eat healthy foods and get some exercise to manage your weight and moods. Just walking for ten minutes three times a day can do it. While some people do gain weight when they quit smoking, research shows that large weight changes are unusual. Using medication also helps limit weight gain.
• Remind yourself of the benefits of not smoking. Think about smoother skin and healthy lungs. Picture yourself not smoking at important events—your friend's wedding, your family reunion.

Well, here I go. I even bought Commit to help me through this. I already had a craving while creating this blog! Fortunately, it passed...