Jerry Timms

June 8th actually passed without me even realizing that it has been 6 months since I quit smoking. All without a single cheat the entire time. This time I think it’s really permanent so I’m pretty happy about that.

The first month was a little rough, but after that every day pretty much got incrementally better. I feel healthier, smell better, and my “clearing” cough has finally stopped. If there’s anyone reading this who wants advice, this is how I did it. Please post a comment, or email me using the profile link at the right if you have any questions.

How I quit smoking:

1. Get out of town. Starting with my first quit day, I went on a weekend trip with friends who do not smoke, nor do they approve of smoking. The trip was actually planned first, and then I set my quit day to coincide with it. Peer pressure and change of scenery got this off to a good start.

2. I used the Nicoderm patch. You must keep it on at all times - you even shower with it, and then put on a fresh one after you dry yourself off. By the time you go to bed, it is weak enough that you can usually still fall sleep - but no matter how bad the nightmares are (and they can be very vivid and terrifying) you must sleep with it on. I believe that the #1 mistake people make (and I have made) when trying to quit with the patch is to go nights or short periods without one on. I used this for about 6 weeks.

3. I used the Commit lozenge as needed. You aren’t supposed to use 2 nicotine replacement things at once, but sometimes I really needed an extra kick - like when drinking, or when emotional (mad, happy, etc.). Yes it makes you nauseous, but the extra jolt would get me through the unexpected cravings. I always had some in my pocket for about the first 2 months.

4. Stay calm. I took Valerian before going to bed so I could sleep a little better. It’s an herb that you can get in the vitamin section of any health store or grocery store. Get the standardized extract and maybe take a little more than it says to on the bottle (I doubled the dose, but try the regular dose first). I blogged often to get all the crap out of my head.

5. Make other changes. Quitting smoking wasn’t the only thing I wanted to change in my life, so I immediately went to work changing the other things, too. These things are different for everyone, but I think the key is to distract yourself with some additional projects so you’re not sitting there dwelling on cigarettes.

That’s it. I guess it may or may not work for you, but why not try it? I’m enjoying my new freedom and health, and really glad that I decided to do this.

Likely a testament to how hard I’ve been working out lately, tonight I simply craved the thickest and rarest steak I could get my hands on. I interpreted this as a sign that my body needed protein for some serious muscle building, so I gave in and headed to Safeway where I bought a couple choice top sirloins. I threw one on the grill, but only for long enough to get it warm and juicy.

Exquisite…lemon flakes performed admirably (as they always do) as I sliced and stabbed my way to heaven. Rare, soft and juicy, and just perfect. A perfect finish to my evening of running a mile and working out in the gym.

I’ve been working out fairly regularly for about 6 weeks now. I’m starting to see some real results, and it has me excited since I think I may be in the best shape I’ve been in for a few years. That’s both physically and mentally. Funny how both efforts have been actually very closely tied together.

Working out with Jerry and Daren has been really fun…and there’s actually a lot more involved to our evenings than just the workouts. We’ll also often go out to a bar or two afterward (or hang out at Jerry’s loft), drink some beer, and hang out and bs with one another. Steve also started hanging out with us, and we always have a good time. Talk about dates, significant others, work, etc. Jerry describes this as his new fraternity, and that’s a fairly accurate description of how it feels.

Hanging out with Rich, Justin, Philip and Bernard is a very similar fraternal part of my life lately. I am impressed, and humbled, by what strong bonds exist within this circle. And deciding to do some of the party curcuit with them this year is what’s motivating me to stick with those workouts, stick to my diet, and what had motivated me last year to finally give up smoking.

I’m not quite where I want to be yet, but I know my goals are achievable and right around the corner. So, cheers to all of you that help. My shoulders are looking better, but what’s on top of them is feeling pretty good, too.

On to another topic, it’s been over 4 days now without smoking. Some days I’ve used a patch and gum, some not. Today was a patch day. I figure if I could get through today without totally breaking down, I can probably go a lot longer. Last week was the perfect time to quit, as I was with a group of people who aren’t smokers. Of course I still smelled like smoke from being in the casinos, but at least the smell didn’t originate from me! Seriously, I don’t know how you non-smokers can put up with that smell. When I quit (and I have done it several times before) I am constantly surprised by how many places, people and things smell like smoke. Smokers of course are completely unable to detect this, but we know it’s there.

In Vegas, this girl actually got into the elevator at the hotel with a cigarette in her hand! We went up 15 floors with this smoldering cigarette filling the tiny elevator with smoke. I looked around, my eyes watering, wondering if anyone was going to say anything…but they didn’t. You people sure are tolerant! Of course I’d be lying if I said I didn’t take a couple deep breaths…