Over the past 7 months I have made drastic changes in my eating, thinking, and fitness and as of today I've lost 43 pounds - I'm finally in the 160's again after 4 years, yay!

But here's the thing. I give myself credit for this accomplishment but I need to confess that I am not "all the way there". I still smoke cigarettes and it's been a month since I've done ANY cardio. OH unless you count the 22 minutes I did on the treadmill the other day, Wednesday, the day it was delivered. I haven't done any since then.

When my trainer or other non-smoking folks say "Yeah but you still smoke!" when I go on and on about my fitness, I say "Well GOSH look at what I've accomplished, I can't do everything all at once!"

And I believe it when I say it. But now that I'm really reflecting on it, that's a cop out, isn't it?

I'm not TRULY on the road to health unless I quit and start doing cardio again.

So there is my confession. I am going to get my smoking and my cardio "under control".

If you have any ideas HOW I can do this please help me

Sunny

Go, you! I don't have any specific advice, but I do think that if you can lose 43 pounds in 7 months, you can do anything that you set your mind to. You said "I have made drastic changes in my eating, thinking, and fitness." What are the three most helpful things that worked for you and how can they apply to stopping smoking and increasing cardio?

Thank you for replying, and asking such a thought provoking question It will take me a while to come up with three things but the first thing I can see that compares is the addiction/compulsion factor. I used to have a really hard time controlling thinking about food, which would always lead to "giving in" and having bad food. I *know* once I got the "unhealthy" foods out of my system, those thoughts would get under control. I've experienced this in the past. It's just a matter of having enough willpower to get through those first three or four days when the unhealthy food is working its way out of my system. Then it becomes a cakewalk (mmmmmm cake! )

I'd imagine the same will be said of smoking - I'm addicted to nicotine as I was to unhealthy food, and I'm also dealing with the behavioral aspects of that addiction - as I was with the behavioral aspects of unhealthy eating.

So maybe it's just a matter of willpower to get through those difficult physical withdrawal days and then I'll be on track?

Oh but it's so hard! I've been able to get the eating under control many times (never permanently, until now, but I've done it) but I have NEVER in 20+ years succeeded with the cigarettes. Never for one day. I think the best I've done was like 6 hours of intentional non-smoking.

But now is the time to change that

Thank you again.

There's always another level somewhere! If you're not growing, you're dying. So, still smoking doesn't negate anything you've already accomplished. But it's definitely one of the more rewarding levels out there to move beyond. Sounds like you're ready!

Thank you! Thank you for your support. RE: the cardio - making my "confession" here prompted me to make a plan. I work at home, and don't leave the house much (happily and by choice - if I go out, I shop and I don't want to do that too much! So being at home all day, I've decided that it will be QUITE easy to do 5 minutes per hour on the treadmill. Whatever I'm doing at any time of day can't be more important than my health. So for 12 hours out of the day, I'm going to do my 5 minutes, and then I'll have my 1 hour cardio session.

But here's the thing! (there is always a thing lol) - I got on that treadmill, turned up the Itunes, and I was so happy to be doing the right thing I stayed on there for 24 minutes! Incline, flat, 2.5 miles an hour, 4 miles an hour, I mixed it up and kept going "until the end of this song" and there I was, with 24 minutes on my Cardio Sheet.

So now I can either shoot for 288 minutes a day (LOL) or I can borrow those unplanned 19 minutes from hours later today when I am doing something I don't want to take a break from.

But I'll shoot for the 288. At least for today. Why not, right? My legs will be sore tomorrow but that's okay, and I've done enough exercise and cardio in the past 7 months that I think my body can take a 4.5 hour walk with frequent rests along the way. Besides, that's a lot of hummus and whole wheat crackers I can add to my calorie budget today with that much dancing and singing and walking!!

The smoking will be next. Thank you again for the motivation