Comments on: 2009: New year's resolutions (the sociological edition!)

By: Paul Burns

Paul Burns — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:10:36 +0000

Yes.

By: Yaz

Yaz — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:41:34 +0000

This New Scientist Article suggests that all such habits are socially contagious and so suggests some possible other ways to help yourself quit smoking/lose weight/stop being autistic etc. Not sure about the last item there, but should I really be doubting such reputable science journalism!?!

By: Greg

Greg — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 02:06:25 +0000

Allen Carr's Easy Way did the trick for me. I recommend it highly.

By: Paul Burns

Paul Burns — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:52:31 +0000

Put on guite a bit of weight each time I stopped smoking. Some of that may have been due to prednaslopone for my chest, which I was on for two years non-stop until I got a doctor who knew what they were doing.

By: skepticlawyer

skepticlawyer — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:40:47 +0000

Lefty E: Chuckling at the goggles and gloves imagery. My bro has all this to look forward to…

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:39:49 +0000

A friend of mine found lots of walking and eating fruit helped with giving up smoking – bit of citric acid instead of nicotine and exercise normally diminishes the desire to smoke.

But there’s no question for me that having a nutsoid life where I have to run from one workplace to another and don’t eat at regular times means smoking helps as an appetite suppressant.

By: Pavlov's Cat

Pavlov's Cat — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:33:25 +0000

LE, yes, I remember a fortnight being some kind of major milestone, too.

Alas, giving up smoking exacerbates weight iss-yews. Apart from all the food-based displacement activity, it really is some kind of metabolism retardant, apparently. If I hadn’t known I’d put on at least 10 kilos in the five minutes after I gave up (a conservative estimate, as it turned out), I would’ve quit several years earlier than I did. It’s just one more reason to put off doing it.

By: Lefty E

Lefty E — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:31:41 +0000

Thanks Skeptic – I tend to think beers may culpable (though they would be included under carbos, I guess).

Incidentally, here’s a trackback to me at day 3 of giving up smoking – on the writing theme: http://bitemylatte.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-40-broke-my-brain.html

Things got much better at 14 days.

By: skepticlawyer

skepticlawyer — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 15:54:57 +0000

Lefty E: I developed what could charitably be described as ‘lawyers’ butt’ at around 34 — the weight crept on slowly, and was difficult to spot because I’m 6’1″, but I realised at some point last year that I was going to be up for an entirely new wardrobe if I didn’t do something about it, pronto — including expensive stuff like a bar jacket (the bottom button no longer did up). I’ve cut out most starchy carbohydrates, and have gone back to playing recreational sport again. It’s taken 18 months, because I’ve not gone at it hell-for-leather, but I’m 15kg lighter than I was at the end of 2006, and all my clothes fit again. Don’t know whether that plant would work for others, but it worked for me.

Also I’ll echo the others here in how impressed I am at those who’ve kicked the ciggies. My brother hasn’t beaten the habit yet, and is now at the stage where it is starting to affect his health (late 40s). It’s no easy thing.

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 07:45:32 +0000

I had a few rather nasty complications, as they say!