Holistic Approach To Weight Loss

Fad Diets - A Temporary Fix . . .

There are a multitude of diets on the market that will actually promote
weight loss... in the short term. Each accentuate their own ideals. Some
want to sell you their products. Many target one or two specific food
groups as the culprit and seek to reduce or eliminate those. Others
address mere portion control. It's a marketing free-for-all frenzy that
preys upon obese, undisciplined Americans who want to lose weight - and
keep it off.

Everyone's An Expert . . .

Anyone who has been successful with a particular diet will want to share
their story... and that's fine. But we all have to remember, "what works
for one person may not necessarily work for another." All of our body
chemistries are different, our lifestyles and activity levels vary, and
there might even be relevant medical and / or psychological issues at
play.

Back To The Basics . . .

So many people are told to "put away the scale, don't weight yourself,
and just go with how your clothes feel!" That has to be about the
dumbest thing I've ever heard (only my personal opinion here!). That's
like saying, "drive your car but never look at your speedometer... just
go at any speed you're comfortable with based on how the road feels and
how the car handles!" Ridiculous!!! That scale will allow you to gauge
your weight loss - and even more importantly - by weighing yourself
daily (I weigh myself in the morning and in the evening each day) you'll
begin to identify and understand the relationship between certain foods
you eat and your body's reaction to them (i.e. "pseudo weight gain"
caused by fluid retention and constipation). Over time you'll learn to
take those normal, daily fluctuations in stride.

Calorie counting is probably more important to me than anything else.
When I quit smoking in 1993 I replaced that habit with hard candy. The
hard candy provides me with a "slow sugar burn" that gives me the energy
I need to get through my long work days without the need for eating a
full-fledged lunch (which would cause me to exceed my daily caloric
intake limit). Is the candy a healthy alternative? NO WAY, but it's what
works for me as part of my "individualized holistic approach" to weight
loss / maintenance and fills the void created by the loss of cigarette
smoking. It's the lesser of two evils, and while not a nutritionally
sound remedy, it's what I need to keep the pounds off and remain tobacco
free!

The Need To Feel Full . . .

Portion control has always been a problem for me. If I cook two pounds
of pasta then you can bet I will eat two pounds of pasta! So, I do not
buy pasta at all, since I cannot control myself with it... no more than
a recovering alcoholic should create an unnecessary temptation by going
into a bar to have a meal.

I needed to find an acceptable way to "feel full," but not exceed my
caloric intake limits each day... and something that was nutritionally
sound as well. So, after eating my Healthy Choice meal for supper (all
of 300 calories or so), still being quite hungry, I will then cook or
microwave a few pounds of frozen vegetables and follow up with that.
Believe me, after that my belly is full, I am no longer hungry, and the
world is again a good place to be! :-)

The point being that I forego the pasta and other weight producing foods
for the harmless (low cal / no fat), water-based vegetables. This is
what I have to do to eat enough to feel satisfied, but yet to not exceed
my daily caloric limits (and start putting on the pounds).

Obsession Turned Inward . . .

Okay, I admit it... I am obsessed with this entire weight thing.. but
rightfully so! It is a full-time battle and the enemy is relentless...
on every corner there is a fast food joint, a Dunkin Donuts, a pizza
shop... Yummy :-) The constant onslaught is almost overpowering at
times. This is where my OCD comes into play . . .

It was my OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) that kept me overeating
and smoking cigarettes to excess (over three packs a day) for a long
time. It wasn't until I figured out how to turn those obsessive /
compulsive traits inward - to use that awesome power to my benefit...
rather than against me... to tap into those mind-altering forces and use
them in a positive way - that I was able to conquer the smoking habit
and then later the weight loss.

What's Right For You . . . ?

All I can say is, "experiment as I did." I went from eating huge salads
in the beginning (during my actual weight loss campaign in 1994) to
prepared, portion controlled meals (Healthy Choice has always been my
favorite) which I still use today. Sometimes I will break from the
prepared meals and just eat massive amounts of vegetables topped with "I
Can't Believe It's Not Butter," with some chicken breasts thrown in and
some fat-free cottage cheese. Again, I play around with different
things, but always keep a watchful eye on my caloric intake. I try to
eat low-fat or fat-free items as much as possible, but that's mainly for
preventive health concerns rather than weight maintenance.

Like I said at the onset, what works for me might not be right for you.
If you are a diabetic I certainly wouldn't recommend going around all
day with candy in your mouth! Likewise, if vegetables tend to
over-excite your intestinal tract, it might be worth your while to find
a different substitute filler.

Come on now, we're all big boys and girls... we know what kinds of foods
are fattening. So muster a little self-control and demonstrate some
discipline. Learn how to say "NO" to the bad things and "YES" to the
right things.

Disclaimer:

The author, Ronald Pelleteri, is merely a dumb dump truck driver living
in New Hampshire. He has absolutely no certifiable expertise in the
field of weight management or nutrition.

He is also thought to be just a tad "touched" by some, although is also
living proof-positive of his "holistic approach to dieting" philosophy
and dietary substitution techniques.

That is ausome that you gave up the ciggs!!!!!!! Personally hard candy is
much better for you: )
Do you have any other suggestions for somebody kicking the habit? I have
decided to quit smoking for ME and my kids: ) I have always been so hard on
myself in ALL areas of life..............I am so afraid of failure! I have
smoked off and on since the age of 15ish I am now 33 as of the 27th of this
month. I never considered myself to be a heavy smoker(4pks a week approx, 5
if hub gets on my last nerve) but, what I have realized finally in my old
age: 1cigg is too much. I want to live long so I can enjoy kids, life and
future MANY MANY grandkids: )
Any suggestions too kicking the habit would be greatly appreciated. I am
officially throwing away all ciggs, ash-trays and lighters Sunday
Midnight: )

KEEP YA'ALL FINGERS AND TOES CROSSED FOR ME, a PRAYER WOULD BE HIGHLY
APPRECIATED ALSO : )





"Ronald Pelleteri" wrote in message
...
Fad Diets - A Temporary Fix . . .

There are a multitude of diets on the market that will actually promote
weight loss... in the short term. Each accentuate their own ideals. Some
want to sell you their products. Many target one or two specific food
groups as the culprit and seek to reduce or eliminate those. Others
address mere portion control. It's a marketing free-for-all frenzy that
preys upon obese, undisciplined Americans who want to lose weight - and
keep it off.

Everyone's An Expert . . .

Anyone who has been successful with a particular diet will want to share
their story... and that's fine. But we all have to remember, "what works
for one person may not necessarily work for another." All of our body
chemistries are different, our lifestyles and activity levels vary, and
there might even be relevant medical and / or psychological issues at
play.

Back To The Basics . . .

So many people are told to "put away the scale, don't weight yourself,
and just go with how your clothes feel!" That has to be about the
dumbest thing I've ever heard (only my personal opinion here!). That's
like saying, "drive your car but never look at your speedometer... just
go at any speed you're comfortable with based on how the road feels and
how the car handles!" Ridiculous!!! That scale will allow you to gauge
your weight loss - and even more importantly - by weighing yourself
daily (I weigh myself in the morning and in the evening each day) you'll
begin to identify and understand the relationship between certain foods
you eat and your body's reaction to them (i.e. "pseudo weight gain"
caused by fluid retention and constipation). Over time you'll learn to
take those normal, daily fluctuations in stride.

Calorie counting is probably more important to me than anything else.
When I quit smoking in 1993 I replaced that habit with hard candy. The
hard candy provides me with a "slow sugar burn" that gives me the energy
I need to get through my long work days without the need for eating a
full-fledged lunch (which would cause me to exceed my daily caloric
intake limit). Is the candy a healthy alternative? NO WAY, but it's what
works for me as part of my "individualized holistic approach" to weight
loss / maintenance and fills the void created by the loss of cigarette
smoking. It's the lesser of two evils, and while not a nutritionally
sound remedy, it's what I need to keep the pounds off and remain tobacco
free!

The Need To Feel Full . . .

Portion control has always been a problem for me. If I cook two pounds
of pasta then you can bet I will eat two pounds of pasta! So, I do not
buy pasta at all, since I cannot control myself with it... no more than
a recovering alcoholic should create an unnecessary temptation by going
into a bar to have a meal.

I needed to find an acceptable way to "feel full," but not exceed my
caloric intake limits each day... and something that was nutritionally
sound as well. So, after eating my Healthy Choice meal for supper (all
of 300 calories or so), still being quite hungry, I will then cook or
microwave a few pounds of frozen vegetables and follow up with that.
Believe me, after that my belly is full, I am no longer hungry, and the
world is again a good place to be! :-)

The point being that I forego the pasta and other weight producing foods
for the harmless (low cal / no fat), water-based vegetables. This is
what I have to do to eat enough to feel satisfied, but yet to not exceed
my daily caloric limits (and start putting on the pounds).

Obsession Turned Inward . . .

Okay, I admit it... I am obsessed with this entire weight thing.. but
rightfully so! It is a full-time battle and the enemy is relentless...
on every corner there is a fast food joint, a Dunkin Donuts, a pizza
shop... Yummy :-) The constant onslaught is almost overpowering at
times. This is where my OCD comes into play . . .

It was my OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) that kept me overeating
and smoking cigarettes to excess (over three packs a day) for a long
time. It wasn't until I figured out how to turn those obsessive /
compulsive traits inward - to use that awesome power to my benefit...
rather than against me... to tap into those mind-altering forces and use
them in a positive way - that I was able to conquer the smoking habit
and then later the weight loss.

What's Right For You . . . ?

All I can say is, "experiment as I did." I went from eating huge salads
in the beginning (during my actual weight loss campaign in 1994) to
prepared, portion controlled meals (Healthy Choice has always been my
favorite) which I still use today. Sometimes I will break from the
prepared meals and just eat massive amounts of vegetables topped with "I
Can't Believe It's Not Butter," with some chicken breasts thrown in and
some fat-free cottage cheese. Again, I play around with different
things, but always keep a watchful eye on my caloric intake. I try to
eat low-fat or fat-free items as much as possible, but that's mainly for
preventive health concerns rather than weight maintenance.

Like I said at the onset, what works for me might not be right for you.
If you are a diabetic I certainly wouldn't recommend going around all
day with candy in your mouth! Likewise, if vegetables tend to
over-excite your intestinal tract, it might be worth your while to find
a different substitute filler.

Come on now, we're all big boys and girls... we know what kinds of foods
are fattening. So muster a little self-control and demonstrate some
discipline. Learn how to say "NO" to the bad things and "YES" to the
right things.

Disclaimer:

The author, Ronald Pelleteri, is merely a dumb dump truck driver living
in New Hampshire. He has absolutely no certifiable expertise in the
field of weight management or nutrition.

He is also thought to be just a tad "touched" by some, although is also
living proof-positive of his "holistic approach to dieting" philosophy
and dietary substitution techniques.

Any suggestions too kicking the habit would be greatly appreciated. I am
officially throwing away all ciggs, ash-trays and lighters Sunday
Midnight: )

There is a great support group at alt.support.stop-smoking.

Peace, Mark

One year six months two weeks smokefree
16842 sickarettes not smoked

Do you have any other suggestions
for somebody kicking the habit? I
have decided to quit smoking
for ME and my kids...

In all honesty, my cigarette cessation as well as my weight loss
happened by chance, at least initially. Neither were planned nor did I
even have the desire to quit smoking or lose weight - I stumbled into
both situations quite by accident, so to speak - and now I am so very
grateful that I did.

It was the Sunday evening at the end of Thanksgiving Day weekend, 1993.
I had the flu really bad... hacking, coughing up phlegm, ripping apart
my chest (or like so it felt) every time I coughed (constantly).
Needless to say, I certainly was NOT enjoying the cigarettes, so when I
unexpectedly ran out of them at about 10 o'clock at night, and having a
fever of about 101 degrees, being real cold outside (New Hampshire) too,
I wasn't about to go out to buy more of them. As I recall, I told my
wife, "Hon, I'm just going to go to bed now so I don't have to think
about the cigarettes and I'll go to the store in the morning when I am
feeling better."

Well, upon awakening the next morning I was feeling no better, it had
started to sleet out, so I "postponed" the trip to the store, again
telling my wife (Judi) that I would "go out later."

Anyway, the sleet turned to snow, my fever never broke, I still felt
crummy by Monday evening, so again I went to bed without the cigarettes
(that was the first time I had gone 24 hours without a cigarette in some
30 years!).

Tuesday came, and although I felt a little better upon awakening, at
that point I realized how long it had been since I last smoked a
cigarette. I think it was at that point, taking advantage of my "head
start," so to speak, that I decided to actually try and make it "just
one more day" without smoking. It was so easy at that point, as I was
still kind of sick and wouldn't have enjoyed the dumb things anyway, I
thought!

So, to make a long story short (yea, right!), I began to challenge
myself, one day to the next, and before I knew it I had gone an entire
week without a cigarette! That was great... but now feeling much better
and the cravings setting in big time, it began to get more difficult to
stay focused. However, having an entire week under my belt already, I
didn't want to waste all that time and just give up at this point. Judi,
who as a nurse was quite enthused and happy for me too, and I didn't
want to give up and disappoint her either.

At the two week mark, the cravings and withdrawal symptoms at an all
time high, we had gone out to Friendly's Restaurant for supper. I was in
a bad way, the cravings consuming my every waking moment. I had decided
to give up and told Judi, "Hon, I'm sorry, but I just can't make it a
day longer. When we leave here after supper we have to go over to Sam's
Club so I can get a few cartons." Judi said nothing, only looked away as
we continued to eat. I was happy and so relieved again, knowing that in
about an hour or so I'd be puffing away and everything would again be
right with the world.

So, we finished supper, paid the bill, and off we went to Sam's Club. We
went to the cigarette area, I picked up my two cartons, and off to the
check-out aisles we walked. I noticed that Judi hadn't said a word since
we entered Sam's Club. I looked down at her and she had these huge
alligator tears rolling down her face. I stopped and asked her what was
wrong (I thought she was in pain or something!). She simply hugged me
and started crying like a baby, saying that she didn't want to lose me
early in life, that those damn cigarettes were going to take me from
her, etc...

Oh my, I had this tremendous rush of guilt come over me. I never knew
that my smoking had bothered her so much nor did I ever realize that she
thought in that way... that I would actually die at a young age from
them. I suddenly realized what a mistake I was about to make, so I got
this sudden sense of strength and determination, I said to her, "you
know Hon, you're absolutely right!" I turned around, put the cigarettes
back, we departed and I haven't touched a cigarette since! The cravings
and withdrawal symptoms disappeared at that moment, which now leads me
to believe that they were as much mental as they were physical.

I often joke about it now, saying that I quit "cold turkey," since it
all began over Thanksgiving Day weekend! LOL

The irony here, for all the good Judi did for me in helping me to quit
the cigarettes, I lost her to ovarian cancer in 2001. Go figure, huh?

Even though I never went back to smoking and the cravings disappeared, I
did develop a replacement vice however - hard candy! My dentist loved
that move, I can assure you of that (and he drives a brand new BMW to
prove it)!

The candy problem caused me to gain weight after I had quit smoking, not
to mention that I had begun eating more anyway. I didn't need either, as
I was already heavier than I needed and wanted to be. So, I knew that I
had to do something eventually, as I was getting bigger and bigger with
each passing month. I was out of control!

Judi, as she had been doing for decades, would join Weight Watchers, get
discouraged and then quit. This went on for decades throughout our
marriage. So, in an effort to help her succeed with her Weight Watchers
endeavor, in October of 1994 I offered to go on the diet with her. I
figured, it would help her stay on track and it certainly wouldn't do me
any harm either. So, she went to the meetings and I simply ate whatever
she prepared for herself, but more of it of course! A miraculous thing
began to happen, I began losing weight. Over ten pounds the first week,
seven the next (all fluid I'm sure), then four, and then it slowed down.
This, being my first ever dieting experience in my life, really excited
me and I really got motivated! Again, I have Judi to thank for my "head
start."

So, I learned what food was all about and eventually starting to be more
independent, making my own choices, etc... I lost that initial 85 pounds
in about nine month's time, which got me down to 180 pounds, which is
where I remain today. That was my goal weight and I seem to be able to
hold that weight without hunger or the need for "excessive" exercise. I
still have the candy addiction problem though and haven't tackled that
as yet, but I am thinking about it. I need to reduce the sugar intake,
and I will... but I just haven't put together a new plan as yet.

I hope this has answered your question and has been somewhat of a help
to you. Like I said, I credit my late wife (Judi, bless her soul) for my
success. She was a great lady and I miss her terribly. I believe she
stands beside me each day, encouraging me to eat right and remain
tobacco free. So you see, I have an unfair advantage... some truly
divine intervention...

Ron

Ron your story really moved me to tears, Judi must have been a veryy
special person, I am truely sorry you have to suffer her loss.
Michelle : Ozzie in Switzerland
69.8/59.6/61kg

On Sun, 30 May 2004 13:28:15 -0400, (Ronald
Pelleteri) wrote:

snip.

In all honesty, my cigarette cessation as well as my weight loss
happened by chance, at least initially. Neither were planned nor did I
even have the desire to quit smoking or lose weight - I stumbled into
both situations quite by accident, so to speak - and now I am so very
grateful that I did.

It was the Sunday evening at the end of Thanksgiving Day weekend, 1993.
I had the flu really bad... hacking, coughing up phlegm, ripping apart
my chest (or like so it felt) every time I coughed (constantly).
Needless to say, I certainly was NOT enjoying the cigarettes, so when I
unexpectedly ran out of them at about 10 o'clock at night, and having a
fever of about 101 degrees, being real cold outside (New Hampshire) too,
I wasn't about to go out to buy more of them. As I recall, I told my
wife, "Hon, I'm just going to go to bed now so I don't have to think
about the cigarettes and I'll go to the store in the morning when I am
feeling better."

Well, upon awakening the next morning I was feeling no better, it had
started to sleet out, so I "postponed" the trip to the store, again
telling my wife (Judi) that I would "go out later."

Anyway, the sleet turned to snow, my fever never broke, I still felt
crummy by Monday evening, so again I went to bed without the cigarettes
(that was the first time I had gone 24 hours without a cigarette in some
30 years!).

Tuesday came, and although I felt a little better upon awakening, at
that point I realized how long it had been since I last smoked a
cigarette. I think it was at that point, taking advantage of my "head
start," so to speak, that I decided to actually try and make it "just
one more day" without smoking. It was so easy at that point, as I was
still kind of sick and wouldn't have enjoyed the dumb things anyway, I
thought!

So, to make a long story short (yea, right!), I began to challenge
myself, one day to the next, and before I knew it I had gone an entire
week without a cigarette! That was great... but now feeling much better
and the cravings setting in big time, it began to get more difficult to
stay focused. However, having an entire week under my belt already, I
didn't want to waste all that time and just give up at this point. Judi,
who as a nurse was quite enthused and happy for me too, and I didn't
want to give up and disappoint her either.

At the two week mark, the cravings and withdrawal symptoms at an all
time high, we had gone out to Friendly's Restaurant for supper. I was in
a bad way, the cravings consuming my every waking moment. I had decided
to give up and told Judi, "Hon, I'm sorry, but I just can't make it a
day longer. When we leave here after supper we have to go over to Sam's
Club so I can get a few cartons." Judi said nothing, only looked away as
we continued to eat. I was happy and so relieved again, knowing that in
about an hour or so I'd be puffing away and everything would again be
right with the world.

So, we finished supper, paid the bill, and off we went to Sam's Club. We
went to the cigarette area, I picked up my two cartons, and off to the
check-out aisles we walked. I noticed that Judi hadn't said a word since
we entered Sam's Club. I looked down at her and she had these huge
alligator tears rolling down her face. I stopped and asked her what was
wrong (I thought she was in pain or something!). She simply hugged me
and started crying like a baby, saying that she didn't want to lose me
early in life, that those damn cigarettes were going to take me from
her, etc...

Oh my, I had this tremendous rush of guilt come over me. I never knew
that my smoking had bothered her so much nor did I ever realize that she
thought in that way... that I would actually die at a young age from
them. I suddenly realized what a mistake I was about to make, so I got
this sudden sense of strength and determination, I said to her, "you
know Hon, you're absolutely right!" I turned around, put the cigarettes
back, we departed and I haven't touched a cigarette since! The cravings
and withdrawal symptoms disappeared at that moment, which now leads me
to believe that they were as much mental as they were physical.

I often joke about it now, saying that I quit "cold turkey," since it
all began over Thanksgiving Day weekend! LOL

The irony here, for all the good Judi did for me in helping me to quit
the cigarettes, I lost her to ovarian cancer in 2001. Go figure, huh?

Even though I never went back to smoking and the cravings disappeared, I
did develop a replacement vice however - hard candy! My dentist loved
that move, I can assure you of that (and he drives a brand new BMW to
prove it)!

The candy problem caused me to gain weight after I had quit smoking, not
to mention that I had begun eating more anyway. I didn't need either, as
I was already heavier than I needed and wanted to be. So, I knew that I
had to do something eventually, as I was getting bigger and bigger with
each passing month. I was out of control!

Judi, as she had been doing for decades, would join Weight Watchers, get
discouraged and then quit. This went on for decades throughout our
marriage. So, in an effort to help her succeed with her Weight Watchers
endeavor, in October of 1994 I offered to go on the diet with her. I
figured, it would help her stay on track and it certainly wouldn't do me
any harm either. So, she went to the meetings and I simply ate whatever
she prepared for herself, but more of it of course! A miraculous thing
began to happen, I began losing weight. Over ten pounds the first week,
seven the next (all fluid I'm sure), then four, and then it slowed down.
This, being my first ever dieting experience in my life, really excited
me and I really got motivated! Again, I have Judi to thank for my "head
start."

So, I learned what food was all about and eventually starting to be more
independent, making my own choices, etc... I lost that initial 85 pounds
in about nine month's time, which got me down to 180 pounds, which is
where I remain today. That was my goal weight and I seem to be able to
hold that weight without hunger or the need for "excessive" exercise. I
still have the candy addiction problem though and haven't tackled that
as yet, but I am thinking about it. I need to reduce the sugar intake,
and I will... but I just haven't put together a new plan as yet.

I hope this has answered your question and has been somewhat of a help
to you. Like I said, I credit my late wife (Judi, bless her soul) for my
success. She was a great lady and I miss her terribly. I believe she
stands beside me each day, encouraging me to eat right and remain
tobacco free. So you see, I have an unfair advantage... some truly
divine intervention...

Ron

Ron your story really moved me
to tears, Judi must have been a
veryy special person, I am truely
sorry you have to suffer her loss.
Michelle : Ozzie in Switzerland
69.8/59.6/61kg

Yes, Judi was one of a kind, the absolute greatest, not just to me but
to everyone... a real Saint in every sense of the word.

As painful as it has been for me losing her so early in life I
appreciate the years we had together and cherish all that she gave me.

The best part is that she awaits my arrival and we will be together
again.

In the meantime I'll do my best to keep this body healthy so that I am
never a burden to my kids or to society.

Thanks for your kind words and God bless you.

Ron

Beautiful letter.

--
Take Care
Catherine
joined 5/20/98
Lifetime 6/2/99
154/132.8/136
Personal goal 126
"Ronald Pelleteri" wrote in message
...
Do you have any other suggestions
for somebody kicking the habit? I
have decided to quit smoking
for ME and my kids...

In all honesty, my cigarette cessation as well as my weight loss
happened by chance, at least initially. Neither were planned nor did I
even have the desire to quit smoking or lose weight - I stumbled into
both situations quite by accident, so to speak - and now I am so very
grateful that I did.

It was the Sunday evening at the end of Thanksgiving Day weekend, 1993.
I had the flu really bad... hacking, coughing up phlegm, ripping apart
my chest (or like so it felt) every time I coughed (constantly).
Needless to say, I certainly was NOT enjoying the cigarettes, so when I
unexpectedly ran out of them at about 10 o'clock at night, and having a
fever of about 101 degrees, being real cold outside (New Hampshire) too,
I wasn't about to go out to buy more of them. As I recall, I told my
wife, "Hon, I'm just going to go to bed now so I don't have to think
about the cigarettes and I'll go to the store in the morning when I am
feeling better."

Well, upon awakening the next morning I was feeling no better, it had
started to sleet out, so I "postponed" the trip to the store, again
telling my wife (Judi) that I would "go out later."

Anyway, the sleet turned to snow, my fever never broke, I still felt
crummy by Monday evening, so again I went to bed without the cigarettes
(that was the first time I had gone 24 hours without a cigarette in some
30 years!).

Tuesday came, and although I felt a little better upon awakening, at
that point I realized how long it had been since I last smoked a
cigarette. I think it was at that point, taking advantage of my "head
start," so to speak, that I decided to actually try and make it "just
one more day" without smoking. It was so easy at that point, as I was
still kind of sick and wouldn't have enjoyed the dumb things anyway, I
thought!

So, to make a long story short (yea, right!), I began to challenge
myself, one day to the next, and before I knew it I had gone an entire
week without a cigarette! That was great... but now feeling much better
and the cravings setting in big time, it began to get more difficult to
stay focused. However, having an entire week under my belt already, I
didn't want to waste all that time and just give up at this point. Judi,
who as a nurse was quite enthused and happy for me too, and I didn't
want to give up and disappoint her either.

At the two week mark, the cravings and withdrawal symptoms at an all
time high, we had gone out to Friendly's Restaurant for supper. I was in
a bad way, the cravings consuming my every waking moment. I had decided
to give up and told Judi, "Hon, I'm sorry, but I just can't make it a
day longer. When we leave here after supper we have to go over to Sam's
Club so I can get a few cartons." Judi said nothing, only looked away as
we continued to eat. I was happy and so relieved again, knowing that in
about an hour or so I'd be puffing away and everything would again be
right with the world.

So, we finished supper, paid the bill, and off we went to Sam's Club. We
went to the cigarette area, I picked up my two cartons, and off to the
check-out aisles we walked. I noticed that Judi hadn't said a word since
we entered Sam's Club. I looked down at her and she had these huge
alligator tears rolling down her face. I stopped and asked her what was
wrong (I thought she was in pain or something!). She simply hugged me
and started crying like a baby, saying that she didn't want to lose me
early in life, that those damn cigarettes were going to take me from
her, etc...

Oh my, I had this tremendous rush of guilt come over me. I never knew
that my smoking had bothered her so much nor did I ever realize that she
thought in that way... that I would actually die at a young age from
them. I suddenly realized what a mistake I was about to make, so I got
this sudden sense of strength and determination, I said to her, "you
know Hon, you're absolutely right!" I turned around, put the cigarettes
back, we departed and I haven't touched a cigarette since! The cravings
and withdrawal symptoms disappeared at that moment, which now leads me
to believe that they were as much mental as they were physical.

I often joke about it now, saying that I quit "cold turkey," since it
all began over Thanksgiving Day weekend! LOL

The irony here, for all the good Judi did for me in helping me to quit
the cigarettes, I lost her to ovarian cancer in 2001. Go figure, huh?

Even though I never went back to smoking and the cravings disappeared, I
did develop a replacement vice however - hard candy! My dentist loved
that move, I can assure you of that (and he drives a brand new BMW to
prove it)!

The candy problem caused me to gain weight after I had quit smoking, not
to mention that I had begun eating more anyway. I didn't need either, as
I was already heavier than I needed and wanted to be. So, I knew that I
had to do something eventually, as I was getting bigger and bigger with
each passing month. I was out of control!

Judi, as she had been doing for decades, would join Weight Watchers, get
discouraged and then quit. This went on for decades throughout our
marriage. So, in an effort to help her succeed with her Weight Watchers
endeavor, in October of 1994 I offered to go on the diet with her. I
figured, it would help her stay on track and it certainly wouldn't do me
any harm either. So, she went to the meetings and I simply ate whatever
she prepared for herself, but more of it of course! A miraculous thing
began to happen, I began losing weight. Over ten pounds the first week,
seven the next (all fluid I'm sure), then four, and then it slowed down.
This, being my first ever dieting experience in my life, really excited
me and I really got motivated! Again, I have Judi to thank for my "head
start."

So, I learned what food was all about and eventually starting to be more
independent, making my own choices, etc... I lost that initial 85 pounds
in about nine month's time, which got me down to 180 pounds, which is
where I remain today. That was my goal weight and I seem to be able to
hold that weight without hunger or the need for "excessive" exercise. I
still have the candy addiction problem though and haven't tackled that
as yet, but I am thinking about it. I need to reduce the sugar intake,
and I will... but I just haven't put together a new plan as yet.

I hope this has answered your question and has been somewhat of a help
to you. Like I said, I credit my late wife (Judi, bless her soul) for my
success. She was a great lady and I miss her terribly. I believe she
stands beside me each day, encouraging me to eat right and remain
tobacco free. So you see, I have an unfair advantage... some truly
divine intervention...

Ron

Hi, Mark, Congratulations on being smoke free.

--
Take Care
Catherine
joined 5/20/98
Lifetime 6/2/99
154/132.8/136
Personal goal 126
"peaceofheart" wrote in message
. ..

Any suggestions too kicking the habit would be greatly appreciated. I am
officially throwing away all ciggs, ash-trays and lighters Sunday
Midnight: )

There is a great support group at alt.support.stop-smoking.

Peace, Mark

One year six months two weeks smokefree
16842 sickarettes not smoked