Quitting smoking take 326.. Life Changes

[ElAzul]

Has Stacy told you that you are way prettier and more bangable when you don't smoke? It may be time for desparate measures just sayin.... what's the one thing we can't go to long without?? She knows

 

[wash11]

This thread is like a bad case of deja vu. Lots of good info/advice here.
My cholesterol was in the 500's, blood sugar bounced in the 200's, blood pressure was high- the list is long and closely mirrors some of what you are dealing with now. My journey to health is pretty well documented in the "Off Grid" thread and you and I have had many discussions as well.
As of 12/13/2018 blood work:
Cholesterol total 164
LDL 80
Triglycerides 78
Glucose 72
These numbers have been pretty consistent the last couple years. I still enjoy beers with friends, too much chips and salsa and goodies when I'm feeling it (in moderation).
Do the work bud. If I could, I'd loan you this 45 year old body for a day so you could feel the end game. I dropped 6 big trees yesterday, bucked out 2 cords of firewood and ran the rest through the Vermeer chipper shredder. No sore muscles, had enough energy left to make a kick ass dinner then play hide the weenie with Amy till way past our bed time. Up at 5, morning chores done and ready to tackle the day.
To see what you've accomplished with a body barely giving you 50% throttle, if that- I'd love to see what you could do if you were healthy.

 

[Singleton]

This thread is like a bad case of deja vu. Lots of good info/advice here.
My cholesterol was in the 500's, blood sugar bounced in the 200's, blood pressure was high- the list is long and closely mirrors some of what you are dealing with now. My journey to health is pretty well documented in the "Off Grid" thread and you and I have had many discussions as well.
As of 12/13/2018 blood work:
Cholesterol total 164
LDL 80
Triglycerides 78
Glucose 72
These numbers have been pretty consistent the last couple years. I still enjoy beers with friends, too much chips and salsa and goodies when I'm feeling it (in moderation).
Do the work bud. If I could, I'd loan you this 45 year old body for a day so you could feel the end game. I dropped 6 big trees yesterday, bucked out 2 cords of firewood and ran the rest through the Vermeer chipper shredder. No sore muscles, had enough energy left to make a kick ass dinner then play hide the weenie with Amy till way past our bed time. Up at 5, morning chores done and ready to tackle the day.
To see what you've accomplished with a body barely giving you 50% throttle, if that- I'd love to see what you could do if you were healthy.

I was in the best shape of my life when I worked the family tree farm each summer in WI during High School and College.
Amazing how working land improves your health.

 

[coolchange]

There's a recent Joe Rogan podcast with Doctor Bill weir, I think his name is. He's a behavioral psychologist. He says that trying to quit and failing is part of the process. You keep trying, and then one day it just sticks.
Sorry it's Andrew Weil number 1213 I think.

 

[DrunkenSailor]

It's not a "fight" it's just a big lifestyle change.. I'm not really thrilled about it, but it's not as bad as it may seem to make the change. Doc said pull back the sticks on the drinking. I used to drink 5-6 of the seven days of the week.. So I stopped drinking, had a few on the weekends, but again nothing like what I used too.

I just need to find some foods that I actually "LIKE" and I'll change them for the usual shit I eat everyday. Normally if I'm out and about I'll drop into a drive thru for a small cheeseburger, or a hotdog at the W for a "snack". Or if I'm hungry in the middle of the night I'll just jump in the truck and go get a Carne Burrito from Fili's etc..

Now I just kind of have to figure out what fits in the "good" criteria and narrow down what I like and I'll eat that instead. I just went to the store tonight and bought carrots, and some other things that I can snack on. I saw some bicyclist type buying this gluten free granola mix called "extreme nut & fruit" so I bought some of that.. It's actually really good.

Main thing now like I said is just finding things that taste good to me. If I like something I can eat it all the time and not get sick of it.

Like I said in the beginning of the thread.. I love food, I love booze, but I'm not crazy addicted to that shit. The smokes are my only real "demon" that have hooks into me. I had 5 smokes today though and wasn't really that worried about it.. Considering that's down from a pack and a half, I'd say that's amazeballs for me. I am working to continue that trend down to 2 here quick, then 1, then none.

RD

Im going through the same stuff. I have been eating a ton of Granola. I picked up low sodium turkey and ezekiel low sodium bread. I have been using horse radish instead of mayo. Pasta actually has no sodium in it so I have been eating that with some olive oil. Garlic powder, and lawrys seasoned pepper has been going on just about everything. Smoking is still a struggle but I am down to a couple a day. I am supplementing with a gay as shit vape pen but it helps quite a bit. Need to get on Chantix to kick it for real.

 

[milkmoney]

I was reluctant to say anything as ol RD, will probably dis agree , regardless of what I say. Lol

After reading all the replies in this thread and even Dave's responses and his trial and failures etc.... one thing keeps coming to me ....INTERVENTION ......

Kinda like what you are on TV...I think you need to remove yourself from your environment . Where there is no smokes, beer and crappy food , have some type of professional help from medical to mental to walk you through this .....

I am not saying you should turn into a non drinker or a non drive thru burger once in awhile kind of person. I think you just need to re wire your thought process on these addictions ....

I have debated for a while to even post this , but figured , what's the worse can happen , RD calls me davie again ..lol



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[Riverbottom]

Dave good luck and welcome to old age. I have been fighting high cholesterol for forty years. I assume that your doctor probably put you on some type of statin medication to help lower your numbers. I am very tolerant to most medications, however I can not take statins. Within a day of taking them, I have flu like symptoms, ache and can't hardly get out of bed. It makes me completely useless. ( sounds kind of like your symptoms ) I would talk to your doctor and get off them for a week and see how you feel. Look up rabdomyalisis ( sp) it is the breaking down of muscle tissue by statin drugs. Doesn't happen to everyone. There are several alternatives to statins, I am on three for several years with good results. Hope this helps.

 

[Havasu Surfer]

Dave,
It ain't over til you quit trying and you are not a quitter! 1 day at a time. My only recommendation is incorporate changes you can accept and be satisfied with long term (cutting out a specific condiment or dietary habit) one at a time rather than all at once. Going cold turkey on all variables at once is extreme and likely not going to stick long term because it is such a huge transition and you start to feel slighted/cheated likely leading back to your old ways that brought you comfort. Bottom line you need to get the numbers under control but in a fashion and lifestyle you can stay committed to. Like many of the challenges you have faced and overcome, you will beat this too. Good Luck and Merry Christmas

 

[BHC Vic]

I was in the best shape of my life when I worked the family tree farm each summer in WI during High School and College.
Amazing how working land improves your health.

Lol I literally just posted that a few days ago in my goat thread. Just getting the back yard were I want it I’ve been doing a ton of work. I think it was wed I came home and unloaded 9 hay bailes from my truck carried them about 100’ and stacked them nice and neat. Work up a full sweat in no time. Legs have been sore too so using a lot of muscles I haven’t been.

 

[nowski]

Both of my parents were chain smokers. My dad smoked till the day he died. Ironically my mom quit smoking in an instant, that was the day the Dr. told her she had lung cancer. She had one third of a lung removed then 15 years later a third of the other lung removed. My mom was one of the lucky ones she didn't need to tote an oxygen bottle around. My mom lived to be 90 years old, an additional twenty years after receiving that first wake up call...