Weekend Weakness

I'm guessing I smoked about ten cigarettes over the weekend. Most of them were on Saturday, because I had a particularly worse day. I picked up an electronic cigarette, which my boyfriend advocated. It definitely helped, especially while at work. I tend to smoke more at the bar than I do when I'm working for my mom, going to school, or on my days off.

What is an Electronic Cigarette? How Does it Work?

Wikipedia has some information on e-cigs here. They're basically a vaporizer that simulates smoking; there are two parts: the cartridge and the battery. Some are single-use (once the battery dies, it's done), and some are rechargeable. Solid information on whether they actually help smokers quit is hard to find. I think they're more helpful to the psychological addiction rather than the nicotine addiction; some e-cigs have nicotine, some don't. It seems to satisfy the oral fixation just as chewing gum or a toothpick. I have a few friends who have tried them, and the reviews are mixed about how well they work. I think since I haven't been smoking for as long as some, an e-cig might work better for me than for someone who has smoked for 10+ years.
I have a Logic brand, which come in regular and menthol. I think it's a much better alternative to chewing gum, even sugar free, or eating. My main concern with quitting smoking is weight gain, so I'm gonna try to avoid that as much as possible.

WebMd has a short article on smoking and weight gain here. Next step is to find some good recipes for smoking-alternative snacks.

How to Win at Quitting (a smoker's guide)

How to quit smoking, no matter why you started...

I don't do New Year's resolutions. I don't heed advice about what's good and bad for me. I might do exactly what I'm told not to, if only for the experience of doing it myself. Despite what I was told, I started smoking cigarettes. I've been smoking for almost three years now, and fast approaching is the point of no return. Or at least the point where quitting's level of difficulty multiplies by a thousand fold each year.
In the last three years, I've ceased all exercise, but have maintained, even improved on, decent eating habits. Being a statistic is my last choice. I don't want to get cancer. I don't want to gain two hundred pounds and become diabetic or have hypertension or anything else. And I don't want to be featured in a diet plan when I lose that two hundred pounds, turning a new leaf, and adopting a health-conscious lifestyle. I want to beat the odds and live forever, most importantly, in a healthy body.

HPV, Cancer, and Me

Most personal to me, I don't want to develop cancer. I was diagnosed with HPV in 2010, and my doctor told me the only thing that I could do to not aggravate it was to stop smoking. I've recently met a woman diagnosed with cervical cancer, from having HPV, who still smokes. Meeting a statistic gave me quite a reality check. If I do develop cervical cancer, I don't want it to be because of my idiocy. I want to do what I can to prevent it, and if not smoking is the only thing I can do, there's no reason not to.

Failure is not an option

I don't have a solid plan of attack, but I know how to make goals and make shit happen. I'm a former US Marine, I'm a gogo dancer, a full-time student and a Burner. I've conquered things other people couldn't dream of battling. I know I can win this. I'm just not sure what the best strategy is...

This is the documentation of my first real effort to quit smoking. I'll do research, try alternatives, and I hope to replace smoking with the good stuff I used to do and the better stuff I find in the next four weeks.

Today is Day One, and I've smoked four cigarettes. I usually smoke five to eight a day. My first goal is to smoke only three a day for the first week. I'll make a new goal every day. My midterm goal is to not smoke any cigarettes the entirety of week four. Ready? Go.

Some great inspiration to start with