cigarettes + bicycles
04-25-10 | 11:17 AM
#53
Comanche Racing
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,820
Likes: 0
From: Deep in the heart of Texas
Bikes: Presto NJS build, Specialized Allez Pro w/ full Dura Ace and Ksyrium SLs, 1990something Specialized Sirrus
Physiologically, smoking does give you a higher hematocrit, but lots of good that does with small black lungs. I am a recovering smoker, and I can tell you for sure that I was way faster on the bike before I started to smoke. For me quitting had an effect on every single part of my life. It is a big deal. I would advise giving up a few other "triggering habits" for the first couple weeks-coffee and alcohol mostly. Start drinking tea in the mornings. I truly hope you can succeed. Check out whyquit.com if you need some inspiration/data. As a parting thought, my pops became addicted to heroin while in vietnam, he says quitting cigs was harder than quitting the smack- but it is possible, and you CAN do it.
04-25-10 | 09:50 PM
#57
what? NO!
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 253
Likes: 0
From: Hollywood, CA
Bikes: 1988 Bridgestone RB-2 converted to ss
I am on a week and a half visit home and have not been smoking. I have quit on and off again and again like so many. I quit when i met my ex wife, and even though it got easier with time there were hell days. One time after like 9 months i woke up in the middle of the night and actually went outside and looked for other smokers (i was living on campus at the time). Finally i realized how ridiculous i was being as i used my cell phone to look for a halfsy lying around the but can (low!) I went iniside and went back to bed. I only picked it up again near my divorce, years later. Oh well, its time to get over it again.
04-26-10 | 09:00 AM
#60
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 1
From: Dallas, TX
Bikes: Panasonic NJS Keirin x2, Level Professional, Bianchi CUSS, GT Pulse
Man I always looked at nicotine as a virus; once you got that bug man, it will always stay in remission. You have to work at quitting everyday, even 15 years after you quit.
I still have dreams where I'd have a dip in; I'd be spitting on my damn pillow in a dead sleep. I quit dipping 7 years ago.
I still have dreams where I'd have a dip in; I'd be spitting on my damn pillow in a dead sleep. I quit dipping 7 years ago.
04-26-10 | 09:25 AM
#61
weights are heavy
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 216
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, Ontario
Bikes: CAAD9 5 (09)
Nice one Sharps. I'm 4 months in right now. Smoked for 10 years. The first little while is the hardest. The thing that helped me most was thinking about the positive aspects of smoking.......oh right, there aren't any. You waste money, smell like sh*t, can't exercise, and will die early.
Just remember when you started, you had to learn that they tasted 'good'. Now you just have to unlearn that.
In one of my previous attempts I read Allen Carr's 'The Easy way to Quit Smoking'. Definitely worth a shot. It has helped a lot.
Don't stress out about it either. Believe that it's easy and embrace the happiness of being a non-smoker. It's a much better world this way
When you want to smoke, take a deep breath. Feel your lungs, think about the pink flesh in there. How nice it will be when that's not black anymore. How good it feels to be able to breathe normally....
Quitting is easy, the only thing that makes you want to smoke is addiction to nicotine.
Just remember when you started, you had to learn that they tasted 'good'. Now you just have to unlearn that.
In one of my previous attempts I read Allen Carr's 'The Easy way to Quit Smoking'. Definitely worth a shot. It has helped a lot.
Don't stress out about it either. Believe that it's easy and embrace the happiness of being a non-smoker. It's a much better world this way
When you want to smoke, take a deep breath. Feel your lungs, think about the pink flesh in there. How nice it will be when that's not black anymore. How good it feels to be able to breathe normally....
Quitting is easy, the only thing that makes you want to smoke is addiction to nicotine.
04-28-10 | 08:04 AM
#62
mechanically sound
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,610
Likes: 87
From: Dover, NH
Bikes: Indy Fab steel deluxe, Aventon cordoba, S-works stumpy fsr, Masi vincere, Dahon mu uno, Outcast 29 commuter
I trust that you are being true as far as your experience. I personally have never tried heroin. I also trust my father. BTW there are countless studies comparing the two addictions that indicate tobacco as being harder to quit over the long term. Google it. OP- how's it going with your quit? Hang in there. Life after quitting gets better with time. Life as a smoker gets worse with time.
04-28-10 | 02:46 PM
#63
Comanche Racing
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,820
Likes: 0
From: Deep in the heart of Texas
Bikes: Presto NJS build, Specialized Allez Pro w/ full Dura Ace and Ksyrium SLs, 1990something Specialized Sirrus
I trust that you are being true as far as your experience. I personally have never tried heroin. I also trust my father. BTW there are countless studies comparing the two addictions that indicate tobacco as being harder to quit over the long term. Google it. OP- how's it going with your quit? Hang in there. Life after quitting gets better with time. Life as a smoker gets worse with time.
Anyways, keep up the good work OP. Try not to worry about other addictions for now...give yourself some freedom to eat a little bit of junk food or w/e if it helps you stay off the cigs. You can worry about that other stuff later, but right now quitting smoking should be your top priority.
04-29-10 | 01:39 AM
#64
Elitist
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 15,966
Likes: 94
From: Atlanta, GA
On a related note:
https://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100429...20100429065042
SYDNEY (AFP) – Australia on Thursday said it would become the world's first country to ban logos and branding on cigarette packets, sparking a furious response from the tobacco industry.
Cigarettes will be sold in plain, standardised packages carrying large, graphic warnings against smoking -- and the brand name in small print -- from 2012, under proposed new legislation.
The government also sharply raised taxes on cigarettes by 25 percent from midnight on Thursday, adding about two dollars (1.85 US) to a packet of 30, with the proceeds ploughed in to healthcare.
"Cigarettes are not cool, cigarettes kill people," said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
"This will be the most hardline regime for cigarette packaging anywhere in the world," he added.
Cigarettes will be sold in plain, standardised packages carrying large, graphic warnings against smoking -- and the brand name in small print -- from 2012, under proposed new legislation.
The government also sharply raised taxes on cigarettes by 25 percent from midnight on Thursday, adding about two dollars (1.85 US) to a packet of 30, with the proceeds ploughed in to healthcare.
"Cigarettes are not cool, cigarettes kill people," said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
"This will be the most hardline regime for cigarette packaging anywhere in the world," he added.
04-29-10 | 05:20 AM
#65
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 741
Likes: 0
I smoked an embarrassing amount per day for an embarrassingly long time. Let me clear up a few things for you:
1. There is absolutely no negative physical side effects to quitting. None. Nada. Zilch. You won't shake, your stomach will not get upset or anything else. Again, absolutely no physical repercussions to stopping.
2. You do not need the patch. No one does. Why? See #1. While the patch indeed keeps nicotine coursing through your body the entire effect is psychosomatic (because once you ignore the pang your body immediately begins to compensate. The deal is mental not physical). There is a reason why you feel the need to light up about every hour. You are indeed addicted but "withdrawal" as it were passes very, very quickly. It actually takes about 5 weeks for all the nicotine to leave your body but don't sweat it. You'll not notice.
3. What you need to be aware of is the habit part of the habit. You see, you'll find yourself lost the next time you want to take a break at work or you are sitting in traffic or it's after a meal or the phone rings - whatever it is that you normally light up during. Here's what you do - follow the lead of those around you. When you take a break at work look for others taking an in-place break and join them. After a meal, immediately take a little walk. On the phone doodle or put one of those small, 100 piece puzzles near the phone and put it together while you are yakking. On and on. In other words, change your habits and your habit will disappear.
It takes some time. What doesn't? I promise you, you'll be fine. You'll need a little stickum at first but again, not for long. Again, don't buy into the bull****. It's not Chinese torture. Set them down and walk away. You'll need to be resolute and be willing to change. You'll wake up one day and laugh at how easy you got through it. Then, NEVER get cocky. You abused a product to the point you became addicted. You can't "enjoy it" anymore. You are done with smoking. That's it. You'll be done.
1. There is absolutely no negative physical side effects to quitting. None. Nada. Zilch. You won't shake, your stomach will not get upset or anything else. Again, absolutely no physical repercussions to stopping.
2. You do not need the patch. No one does. Why? See #1. While the patch indeed keeps nicotine coursing through your body the entire effect is psychosomatic (because once you ignore the pang your body immediately begins to compensate. The deal is mental not physical). There is a reason why you feel the need to light up about every hour. You are indeed addicted but "withdrawal" as it were passes very, very quickly. It actually takes about 5 weeks for all the nicotine to leave your body but don't sweat it. You'll not notice.
3. What you need to be aware of is the habit part of the habit. You see, you'll find yourself lost the next time you want to take a break at work or you are sitting in traffic or it's after a meal or the phone rings - whatever it is that you normally light up during. Here's what you do - follow the lead of those around you. When you take a break at work look for others taking an in-place break and join them. After a meal, immediately take a little walk. On the phone doodle or put one of those small, 100 piece puzzles near the phone and put it together while you are yakking. On and on. In other words, change your habits and your habit will disappear.
It takes some time. What doesn't? I promise you, you'll be fine. You'll need a little stickum at first but again, not for long. Again, don't buy into the bull****. It's not Chinese torture. Set them down and walk away. You'll need to be resolute and be willing to change. You'll wake up one day and laugh at how easy you got through it. Then, NEVER get cocky. You abused a product to the point you became addicted. You can't "enjoy it" anymore. You are done with smoking. That's it. You'll be done.
Last edited by oldfixguy; 04-29-10 at 05:31 AM.
04-30-10 | 12:11 PM
#66
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Ventura
Bikes: Converted single speed mid 60's Schwinn Varsity, Bianchi Fremont, converted to fixed steel frame Raleigh, and a single speed DiamondBack Outlook
so i have been smoking for the past 5 years or so and riding a bike for the past 3. about a month ago, due to financial constraints, i switched to hand-rolled, unfiltered cigarettes. since then i feel like riding a bike has gotten significantly harder. my lungs feel like they're going to explode when i'm mashing up those big hills.
so i'm thinking about quitting and wondering what other people's experience are. did you feel like smoking was holding you back on the bike? did you notice a difference when you quit? any quitting strategies?
so i'm thinking about quitting and wondering what other people's experience are. did you feel like smoking was holding you back on the bike? did you notice a difference when you quit? any quitting strategies?
i'm addicted to cigarettes too. and i won't be as naive as to say i'm going to quit smoking. the way i've been told to see it is this: You'll always be addicted so why not put it on pause for a while and go back to it later when it comes back to you. because if you put it on pause then you'll be able to smoke longer with refreshed lungs and body, instead of wasting your body away and only smoking for a shorter time.
04-30-10 | 01:56 PM
#67
Comanche Racing
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,820
Likes: 0
From: Deep in the heart of Texas
Bikes: Presto NJS build, Specialized Allez Pro w/ full Dura Ace and Ksyrium SLs, 1990something Specialized Sirrus
I smoked an embarrassing amount per day for an embarrassingly long time. Let me clear up a few things for you:
1. There is absolutely no negative physical side effects to quitting. None. Nada. Zilch. You won't shake, your stomach will not get upset or anything else. Again, absolutely no physical repercussions to stopping.
2. You do not need the patch. No one does. Why? See #1. While the patch indeed keeps nicotine coursing through your body the entire effect is psychosomatic (because once you ignore the pang your body immediately begins to compensate. The deal is mental not physical). There is a reason why you feel the need to light up about every hour. You are indeed addicted but "withdrawal" as it were passes very, very quickly. It actually takes about 5 weeks for all the nicotine to leave your body but don't sweat it. You'll not notice.
3. What you need to be aware of is the habit part of the habit. You see, you'll find yourself lost the next time you want to take a break at work or you are sitting in traffic or it's after a meal or the phone rings - whatever it is that you normally light up during. Here's what you do - follow the lead of those around you. When you take a break at work look for others taking an in-place break and join them. After a meal, immediately take a little walk. On the phone doodle or put one of those small, 100 piece puzzles near the phone and put it together while you are yakking. On and on. In other words, change your habits and your habit will disappear.
It takes some time. What doesn't? I promise you, you'll be fine. You'll need a little stickum at first but again, not for long. Again, don't buy into the bull****. It's not Chinese torture. Set them down and walk away. You'll need to be resolute and be willing to change. You'll wake up one day and laugh at how easy you got through it. Then, NEVER get cocky. You abused a product to the point you became addicted. You can't "enjoy it" anymore. You are done with smoking. That's it. You'll be done.
1. There is absolutely no negative physical side effects to quitting. None. Nada. Zilch. You won't shake, your stomach will not get upset or anything else. Again, absolutely no physical repercussions to stopping.
2. You do not need the patch. No one does. Why? See #1. While the patch indeed keeps nicotine coursing through your body the entire effect is psychosomatic (because once you ignore the pang your body immediately begins to compensate. The deal is mental not physical). There is a reason why you feel the need to light up about every hour. You are indeed addicted but "withdrawal" as it were passes very, very quickly. It actually takes about 5 weeks for all the nicotine to leave your body but don't sweat it. You'll not notice.
3. What you need to be aware of is the habit part of the habit. You see, you'll find yourself lost the next time you want to take a break at work or you are sitting in traffic or it's after a meal or the phone rings - whatever it is that you normally light up during. Here's what you do - follow the lead of those around you. When you take a break at work look for others taking an in-place break and join them. After a meal, immediately take a little walk. On the phone doodle or put one of those small, 100 piece puzzles near the phone and put it together while you are yakking. On and on. In other words, change your habits and your habit will disappear.
It takes some time. What doesn't? I promise you, you'll be fine. You'll need a little stickum at first but again, not for long. Again, don't buy into the bull****. It's not Chinese torture. Set them down and walk away. You'll need to be resolute and be willing to change. You'll wake up one day and laugh at how easy you got through it. Then, NEVER get cocky. You abused a product to the point you became addicted. You can't "enjoy it" anymore. You are done with smoking. That's it. You'll be done.
This is great advice
