The nicotine patch can work well.  You just have to do it right.  For 2 weeks before your set quitting date keep a diary marking down each time you had a cigarette, the time and whether you craved the smoke or not.  You will notice a pattern of smokes you craved and habit or just boredom smokes. One week before your quitting date cut out your boredom and habit smokes. The last 3 days of this period mark a stripe half way down your smoke and only smoke to the mark. By the time your quit day arrives you will already have cut down drastically. Drinking lots of water helps to flush the nicotine out of your system as well. Hope this helps!

When that day finally arrives, try to keep yourself busy and active so you’re not tempted to smoke.  Drink lots of water and chew gum, or even get some suckers or small sugarless candies.

Good luck!

Offend her. The most disgusting thing about smoking cigarettes is the smell. I cannot stand how smokers smell and it’s the easiest way to tell if somebody smokes-THEY’LL STINK TO HIGH HEAVEN! When I’m around somebody who smokes, I literally hold my breath and start gagging.  So, easiest way, tell her she smells horrible and pretty soon she might smell self-conscious and stop.  I don’t know. It worked with one of my friends.  I stopped letting her ride in my car, too, and boy did that do the trick.

This sounds a little harsh, but that girl does have her whole life ahead of her!  Best to stop addiction before it’s too late!

I’m a smoker myself.  I tried to quit many times. It’s the withdrawal symptoms that suck.  I get headaches, tremors, mood swings, upset stomachs, anxiety, high stress, and depression.

It’s really hard to quit, especially when you smoke over a pack and a half a day. I’ve tried quitting cold turkey and weaning myself off but it never worked. Three months later I start back up. I think it is also a mental thing too. When I’m really stressed out or tired I tend to smoke more.

I want to quit.  I really do, but I haven’t found anything that really helps. My girlfriend has asthma, and of course the cost of buying cigarettes are just unreal.  I quit once for three months when my then wife was pregnant with our first child, but started back up after she was born.

It’s not a hobby.  It’s not a habit.  It’s an addiction.  Those that say, “just quit smoking” never lit a cigarette before. It’s not that easy.  If you were a smoker, you’d understand.

Has anyone else had such a good experience with this technique to stop smoking cigarettes?

I wake up in the morning and my chest hurts, not only that but when I climb stairs or do anything physical my heart races and I feel like I can’t breathe. I am scared of smoking related diseases and feel like I want to quit but every time I try to I go back to smoking more. Ex-smokers:  What did you do to quit, what made you want to quit and how do you stay smoke free?  Please help me I feel so weak!

Come on, ex-smokers!  Let’s send this poor woman some motivating information and some tips.  Leave some comments if you have any advice.

It will almost be a year since I stopped smoking cigarettes.  I quit cold turkey when I became pregnant.  Obviously, I gained weight because of the pregnancy, but could it also be because I quit smoking? I don’t substitute food for nicotine.   Is there a physiological reason as to why one gains weight or is it completely psychological?
Note: I eat 1100 cals a day so it’s not junk food.  I’m losing weight – just wondering why it’s taking a bit longer than I expected.

Well, the majority of the time, post-smoking weight gain is caused by an increased food intake, as nicotine is an appetite suppressant.  Also, people tend to eat more as means of keeping their mouth busy.

However, there have been studies that show that nicotine may speed up the metabolism *a little*.  This is a temporary effect, though, and if you’re moderately exercising, even just dragging a baby around or walking a bit, the effects wouldn’t be noticeable.  Remember also that your body is going through a great deal of changes, and losing baby weight can take up to a year.  It’s best to not restrict your diet too much; lose the weight slowly and in a healthy way and you’re much more likely to keep it off.  Good luck!