Smoke free now for what? 12 days? yep.. since July 10th. I haven’t had any serious cravings since the time right before I quit. Back then, when I was down to 2 and then 1 smoke/day, I would get some pretty serious cravings throughout the day as I was trying to budget my small allowance. There are noticeable gaps in my day, though. Those times where I normally would be puffing away on the front porch – now there’s this gap and I need to start filling it.
My weight is still stuck around 189. I have seen it go as low as 187 (close to my first goal of 185.. so close). I may be stuck because of my BMI more than anything. I still do have a pudge around mah belly and that’s gotta go. Hopefully with the core exercises and other poses/exercises I’m getting in Yoga will stamp that out.
Last of all, I bought some running shoes and started a ‘Couch – 5k’ program on my iPhone app (Cyclometer). I just finished my second week. So, for those of you who haven’t used these programs before, mine starts me with a 5 min warm-up walk, then the first week was 8 x (1:30 walk, 1:00 run), and then a 5 min cooldown. Week two was the warm-up and then 7 x (1:30 walk, 1:30 run) with cooldown, and so on. Having not run for 20+ years, it’s still not as easy as I remember, but then again, I’m not sure it’s supposed to be easy.
It’s challenging. I have to push myself. Pick up my pace for a leg or two. Push myself. Look for my stride and my breathing. It really is difficult.. but there’s something about it. There always was something so rewarding to running. You put yourself through some pain and distress, real difficulties you aren’t used to – and it can hurt. You body starts screaming to stop. You focus slips.. you pull it back. Eyes forward and it’s difficult to breath; in – nose, out – mouth.. instead, your breath just comes in and out of your mouth, gasping. Focus. And I keep waiting for my app to tell me it’s time to walk again. Now? How ’bout now? NOW? Focus.
And so it goes. I stick to it and ignore my bodies pleas to just stop until it’s time to stop. And it feels good. It feels really good because of the accomplishment. Triumph over adversity. And that’s why I like it.
Thanks for reading and if you have any good workout music to recommend – shoot me a pm or post it here.
Thanks and Tschüss!
Destination Fitness 
Awesome Geoff! When I started running about 4 months ago I used couch to 5k too…it helps ease your body into it. It can still be a challenge to force myself to go out there and run, but dropping 30 pounds has been good motivation for me to keep going!
Wow.. 30! Great job! Something my quit coach told me when I was quitting smoking (17 days ago now:) – “Success breeds success”. I know the feeling of not wanting to run – just not feeling ‘into’ it – but we do it anyway and it feels good.
Thanks for the encouragement and run far, Dave.. far and free!