A month!!!! Celebration !!!!

A month off cigs and I feel great! Haven't had too many episodes where I have felt the want to smoke and when they have arrived I have battled them off with my e-cig. I am so very proud of myself. Socially I have been able to go out with friends and not feel the need.
Mum is down for a few days and still smoking which annoys me after her episode of dying and needing CPR with my own hands! She reeks when she comes in and leans over me, it is actually really nauseating and yet when I am with friends it is never that noticeable. Did I smell that bad? But is does reinforce my decisions to quit rather than make me want one.
One thing I don't want to be is an annoying ex smoker, that is frustrating ! I am blowing my own trumpet at my achievements but I understand the pleasure of smoking and would never lecture others.

I also took the bull by the horns and decided to tackle my weight gain, most of it is due to being comfortable in my own skin and my life . But if I am already tackling one health issue , I may as well tackle the other. I don't do things in half measures do I?
49.5lb to lose...if I lost 2lb a week I could shift it in just over 6 months but I know from previous weigh loss it doesn't actually work as simple as that. So one week at a time!
Been sticking to a very sensible nutritionally balanced diet, not sure I have lost anything, tomorrow will tell however I feel better, more energy etc! Wish me luck tomorrow!

30 days, 18 hours, 27 minutes and 32 seconds smoke free and £210 saved !

Week 3!

No one told me you could feel so bad after quitting, I am still struggling with this cold, can't quite seem to shift it. Every time I think it has gone it comes back to slap me up the face but when it finally goes it will have been worth it!
The past week has been reasonable not too many cravings. We had a few bbq's and strangely enough it was then that I missed smoking the most. I am putting it down to the fact that I was relaxed and with a glass ( or two!) of wine in me I noticed I missed them. But just reminding myself how much I have saved has kept me on the straight and narrow.
The fact my assignment is in has taken a lot off my mind and Jim and I were able to go away for the day on Sunday. A very chilled relaxing day taking in some breath taking scenery and topped off with a meal out.
Today however has been a sad one. Paul  ( my husband who died 7 years ago) would have been 54 and he loved birthdays and so it was a day for reminiscing and needing my family about me. My eldest rang first thing this morning to see how I was doing and to remind me she loved me. On arriving at the grave to leave a dozen red roses I smiled on seeing a gorgeous mug with Granddad on it and some lovely flowers in it from my youngest daughter and her son. A few tears shed but a lot of nice memories also came to the forefront. Some time spent with my youngest later in the day and the kind words from friends helped make the day a bit more bearable.
I really wanted a cuddle from my grandson ( who carries his grandad's name)  but he had other plans and slept right through my visit. thankfully I saw him later and he was full of his usual smiles and giggles which never fails to warm my heart.
The next thing to tackle is some weight loss and my daughter and I are joining Weight Watchers on Monday . Some would say don't do two major things at once...but in for a penny......

21 days, 2 hours, 55 minutes, and 50 seconds smoke free with a saving of  £147!!!!

2 weeks!!!

And I am very proud of myself, this is the longest I have lasted, (apart from when I found out I was pregnant with my eldest, then I quit for 7 years!) without having a sneaky cig and never letting on!
There are times when I have forgotten I ever smoked and times when I would almost kill for one. Habit is an amazing thing, finishing off my assignment I wondered what I was missing and realised it was a congratulatory smoke! That was hard to overcome but I got there in the end. I have a sneaky suspicion I will always have a niggly notion for one the rest of my days.
I have noticed I have put weight on, I have a voracious appetite and apparently this is because food tastes so much better. I can't honestly say it does but I do know I seem to be hungry all the time. Hubby reckons that is better than smoking but it will need to be knocked on the head at some point, after all I am going to be Mother of the Bride next year !
It really is all about keeping busy and so I have been finding plenty of things to do, the garden has had a go over, new planters seeded and a new bbq bought ( back to food again...sigh). I have devoured books like they are going out of fashion ( better than food I guess) and my present read is 880 pages long.
On the downside I have had a rotten cold that I think my grandson kindly gave me last Friday when I was babysitting. Sunday night I felt under the weather and at Uni on Monday I struggled, felt miserable and had a hard job staying awake on the train home. No sleep at all that night as I was feeling more miserable by the minute. Work was not an option so I lay sick for a few days in bed , it must have been a deadly strain of man flu as anyone who knows me knows I do not do the lying in bed bit! Today thankfully I feel much better but still have a chesty cough which again I am led to believe is all the gunge coming up from my lungs after quitting...charming!
I am loving the fact the house and myself no longer smells of stale smoke, it was the one thing I positively hated about smoking even if I loved all the rest!

14 days, 3 hours, 38 minutes, 58 seconds smoke free and £98 saved ( well spent on other things!)

The Escape Artist ~ Diane Chamberlain

Linc and Susanna have been friends a lifetime. He has  helped more than anyone should have to in her troubled past but even he can't help when Susanna's ex husband and his wife decide that they want her little boy, Tyler. They gain custody of Tyler and Susanna knows her heart will break and decides to run taking her baby with her. She sets up home in Annapolis and despite trying to remain unnoticed she makes friends with a troubled artist and his sister.
Jim and his wife meanwhile brand Susanna as a felon for abducting the child and the hunt is on to get him back. As if Susanna doesn't have enough on her plate she discovers a list on a nearly new computer she has bought and unknowing puts both her and her son's life in danger.
Another fantastic read from Diane Chamberlain, the style of writing catches you up in a wave of emotions that any mother would hate to experience. Fast paced this is a book you will not put down until you are done.

Oh and 8 days, 21 hours, 46 minutes and 55 seconds smoke free with a saving of £56!

Smoke free for one week!

Well I have done what I thought may prove to be impossible and been a week off cigarettes. I am really proud of myself but even more proud of my daughter and her partner. Today was tough. I am tired and didn't feel so good, having episodes of dizzy spells and thinking I was going to faint several times in work.At one point I was really craving very badly and would have given in if the opportunity had given me the chance to, thankfully it passed as a good friend told me it would. Later on my e cig battery gave out and there were a few hairy moments while it was on charge too! But I remained a non smoker so all is good!
A well deserved glass of wine tonight before I go catch up on some much needed sleep!
Isn't it nice to see the better weather though? It really makes you feel so much healthier too.

Proud to say 1 week, 4 hours, 11 minutes and 8 seconds smoke free and £49 better off!

Day 6...almost reached a week!

Is it getting easier, why yes it is! I have no doubt that there will be days that will be much tougher than today but I guess I will just have to deal with them as they come!
Another work day done and today I chose not to go out at lunch time rather stay in and read for a bit after my lunch.
Absolutely shattered and have to nip out to another night volunteering at a local charity but tomorrow is my last day at work for the week and I look forward to coming home and having some me time ( and perhaps a glass or two of wine !)
Just finished The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult, review to follow later but that kept my hands busy flicking the pages at the speed of light! I knew my reading addiction would come in handy!!!
Seen an article in the Guardian today about New York introducing a ban on cigarette sales to under 21's. Anyone an opinion on this? My thoughts are those that start young will find away to get them anyway!
6 days, 57 minutes , 23 seconds smoke free and £42 saved...go me!!!!

Day 5

Today was my first day coping with not smoking at work and it went really well. I did go out at break and lunch to keep a friend company and honestly didn't struggle one bit, very proud of my achievement to date!
Just a quick update today as I volunteer at a local charity on a Tuesday so it is a quick turnaround for me to get in, changed and out again. Last Tuesday night I was aware of how smoky I smelt in a small enclosed room with no other noticeable smokers, tonight I won't smell ( no smart comments!!!)
On that note, I am off, no idea where I fitted in the time to smoke!!!
5 days, 14 minutes, 30 seconds smoke free and £35 saved!!!