I smoked for 10+ years & I quit for good back in 98. was the first time I tried to quit and I went cold turkey. There were alot of behaviors that I associated with smoking..that included drinking and going out partying, laying in the sun, drinking coffee, to name a few. Smoking during those activities seemed like 2nd nature. I figured, why make this harder than it has to be...I had to give up all of those things for a few years, because the cigarette cravings were so strong it took the joy out of it. I would say the biggest thing that helped me quit was just getting into a fitness lifestyle at the time. Everytime a craving would hit me i'd go sprint a few miles down the road until I wanted to puke..let me tell you at the end of the run, the last thing I wanted was a smoke. That got me through some seemingly unbearabale moments with the addiction.
It was hell for the first several months, but well worth the effort..now it doesnt appeal to me whatsoever. The smell (especially on clothes!!!)makes me sick. Id say it took about 5-7 years for the cravings to completely go away.
Allowing myself to become obsessive about training made quitting that much easier too. I guess I traded one addiction for another, but in a positive way.
Good luck!
