2 Days, 12 Hours, 44 minutes, and 29 seconds

In my effort to live naturally, frugally, healthfully I noticed a glaringly obvious hypocrisy in my life; I've been a smoker for about 16 years. I did manage to quit once for about 1 of those years, but that was before Grad school. My husband often jokes that I'm the best quitter he knows, I quit all of the time and it is depressingly true. Most often I only relapse for a cigarette or a few, but occasionally I creep back up to a pack a week or harassing strangers for nicotine outside of bars. It's embarassing... So, this week I have taken a few steps to prevent my constant relapsing (ex. Monday night) and I found an interesting iGoogle gadget offered by Quitplan. I don't actually use their services, but I love the free gadget. I enter, the last time I smoked, the number of cigarettes per day, the cost per pack and let it do it's thing. Each time I log onto the internet it trumpets that I have now been smoke free for 2 days, 12 hrs.... and I haven't smoked 38 cigarettes, I've saved myself $11.40 and and I've added 5 hours to my life! Each time I relapse I have to set it back to 0, which is a tangible reminder of my momentary lapse in judgement. Fortunately I have not yet used those opportunities to return to full blown smoking, only treated them for what they are...a ridiculous step back from my goal. However, I find that the coutner provides me the best kind of unpatronizing support that I respond to best. I also have a few additional resources in my bag of tricks including, gum, nicotine mints, chocolate, and stretchy pants. In an effort to ensure my success I am taking 2 months to let myself go. I do still plan to lift weights and exercise, but I have promised myself not to notice the extra pounds that seem to be packing on fairly quickly. With nothing to signal my brain that the end of the meal has arrived (because I've been smoking after every meal since about 15 years of age) I am constantly overeating. Sure, this would be an issue long term, but losing weight has always been easy for me, quitting smoking has not. So, be prepared for lots of drawstring skirt and pants tutorials and plenty of t-shirt material outfits because I'm looking forward to letting it all hang out, if only briefly while I deal with my nicotine addiction. I'd like my cookie now please...