Smoking Saved My Life!
I know! That is the last thing you would expect to read, a newbie making such a stupid statement! But in reality it has! I am a 54 year old man which had smoked on and off for 30 years. Each time I was successful in quitting, however it is only in the way you calculate success! Unlike many that struggle with actually quitting, I have had very little problem in doing so, However, each time came with massive weight gains! As we all are aware, smoking is harmful, I won't dispute that fact, nor the costs associated with smoking. That being said, so is weight gain! The difference, at least according to me, is smoking may have long time affects on my lungs and heart but up to now I haven't had any issues other than the occasional cold. But the weight gain has instant affects on me as with most.
Let me take the time to address my thoughts on the medical industry! First I am not proud to say, I don't like Doctors! It isn't that I dislike any in particular it is more fear than dislike! I would only go to the doctors when I knew I needed antibiotics! A perfect example is at 54 I have never had my blood tested, no operations, no MIR, cat scans or other recommended exams or tests. So through the years my fear along with my luck has forsaken the need to go.
Now allow me to explain what led me to write this in an effort to HELP others with similar symptoms, fears and factors that place us in a very dangerous and stalemated lifestyle! After my active years which consisted of playing and excelling in several sports I, like most found myself working to provide a living and not having the time to enjoy life as before. This meant, very little to no exercise and depending on your line of work, it starts the downfall of a high percentage of society! In my line of work I was a mechanic for 10 years. This had many times help with maintaining some form all muscle strength but does little for the cardiovascular system. During this time I started to see my weight raising even while I was smoking, I went from 190 to 200 in a year and started thinking, Wow, you better get this under control! So I decided to quit smoking. At this time I was in my mid twenties and even though I was successful at doing so, I found myself at 225 a year later. Now I will admit I didn't really feel that bad! My body still being young handled the weight quite well and I added running to my workout. I felt great running 7 miles a day even at 225.
As time went on along I lost the time to continue running and started gaining more weight. Pressures in life started building! You know,, reality! Costs going up, need another car, bills in general and of course the economy taking yet another downslide! I started smoking again while I had no time to exercise, or maybe just to many excuses not to do so! Either way I was approaching 245 pounds and starting to feel its affect. Smoking helped me lose some weight and more importantly to me, I maintained my weight. So what happens in time is simple, when I hit the 30's, I had little time to be active, many cares and concerns in the world and even though I was more knowledgeable, I wondered from time to time how I was going to make ends meet! In my late thirties until most recently I did start a new sport! Ping Pong Smoking! What is that you may ask? Well if it was a sport accepted by the Olympics I would be a Gold Medalist!
Ping Pong Smoking
The 6 Official rules go as follows:
1. You have to be a smoker, no amateurs may play without the explicit rights granted by a former or current smoker!
2. You have quit smoking once or at least gave it a good try!
3. You are concerned about your health
4. You have gained weight and are not proud about it!
5. You must have the desire to quit smoking
6. Requires 1 player minimum and no more than 47 Millions can play according to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 2008, National Center for Health Statistics
Quite simply it is smoking for a while and gaining weight as most do the older we get. Then you know it is slowly killing you so you want to stop,, Now comes the trials, can you quit? Well as I said for me that isn't hard,, Can you quit and not gain weight? NOT ME! I gain between 25 to 35 lbs. So as time went on I started at 225, quit, month later 250, started again and got back to 230, years later I found myself at 250, quit and ended up at 280, started again and went back down to 255, so I guess you get the picture and what brings me here!
Last January I was really feeling bad,, no energy, weight was 290lbs and even at 6'4" that was really taking a toll, on top of that I was smoking. I decided to set aside my dislike for Doctors and seek help, not with quitting smoking but help with not gaining the weight. So to make this short, 7 Doctors appointments later I was 320 lbs, not smoking but prescribed 7 different medications! I was dying,, I mean it! I couldn't bend over without pain in my sides! I requested a dietician and therapy and of course comes the next best thing,, Health insurance! They wouldn't pay for anything positive! They had no problem paying for the med's which I felt was not needed, but no coverage for what I thought would help. NO! Don't pay for therapy or a dietician but you will pay for a triple bypass surgery! Boy that makes tons of sense! So I decided to do it myself! I started to smoke again because as stated before I have never felt any complications from smoking but with the weight gain,, I knew I was dying. So the strange fact I researched was more people die from obesity than smoking in the US. So Smoking is saving my life,,, HOWEVER,, I learned one gigantic thing... When I would start smoking again, I would lose most if not all the weight from which I began when stopping... This time I decided to start smoking to get to where I should be at an healthy weight. For me I was told 180 lbs, but I haven't weighted that since I was in 9 grade so I am shooting for 190 to 200.
So how is it going? Well since I started in November of 2010, No Med's, No doctors, no sickness, I have lost 70lbs, still smoking but still losing weight and now starting to walk. That is what brought me here! I hope to learn from the many with experience the proper way to regain what I had over 30 years ago. So I need to get down to 180 if possible, so when I quit smoking gaining 20 to 30 lbs won't kill me. I am hoping that being active, getting in shape in the meantime may also lessen the amount of weight I will gain.
Mike
I know! That is the last thing you would expect to read, a newbie making such a stupid statement! But in reality it has! I am a 54 year old man which had smoked on and off for 30 years. Each time I was successful in quitting, however it is only in the way you calculate success! Unlike many that struggle with actually quitting, I have had very little problem in doing so, However, each time came with massive weight gains! As we all are aware, smoking is harmful, I won't dispute that fact, nor the costs associated with smoking. That being said, so is weight gain! The difference, at least according to me, is smoking may have long time affects on my lungs and heart but up to now I haven't had any issues other than the occasional cold. But the weight gain has instant affects on me as with most.
Let me take the time to address my thoughts on the medical industry! First I am not proud to say, I don't like Doctors! It isn't that I dislike any in particular it is more fear than dislike! I would only go to the doctors when I knew I needed antibiotics! A perfect example is at 54 I have never had my blood tested, no operations, no MIR, cat scans or other recommended exams or tests. So through the years my fear along with my luck has forsaken the need to go.
Now allow me to explain what led me to write this in an effort to HELP others with similar symptoms, fears and factors that place us in a very dangerous and stalemated lifestyle! After my active years which consisted of playing and excelling in several sports I, like most found myself working to provide a living and not having the time to enjoy life as before. This meant, very little to no exercise and depending on your line of work, it starts the downfall of a high percentage of society! In my line of work I was a mechanic for 10 years. This had many times help with maintaining some form all muscle strength but does little for the cardiovascular system. During this time I started to see my weight raising even while I was smoking, I went from 190 to 200 in a year and started thinking, Wow, you better get this under control! So I decided to quit smoking. At this time I was in my mid twenties and even though I was successful at doing so, I found myself at 225 a year later. Now I will admit I didn't really feel that bad! My body still being young handled the weight quite well and I added running to my workout. I felt great running 7 miles a day even at 225.
As time went on along I lost the time to continue running and started gaining more weight. Pressures in life started building! You know,, reality! Costs going up, need another car, bills in general and of course the economy taking yet another downslide! I started smoking again while I had no time to exercise, or maybe just to many excuses not to do so! Either way I was approaching 245 pounds and starting to feel its affect. Smoking helped me lose some weight and more importantly to me, I maintained my weight. So what happens in time is simple, when I hit the 30's, I had little time to be active, many cares and concerns in the world and even though I was more knowledgeable, I wondered from time to time how I was going to make ends meet! In my late thirties until most recently I did start a new sport! Ping Pong Smoking! What is that you may ask? Well if it was a sport accepted by the Olympics I would be a Gold Medalist!
Ping Pong Smoking
The 6 Official rules go as follows:
1. You have to be a smoker, no amateurs may play without the explicit rights granted by a former or current smoker!
2. You have quit smoking once or at least gave it a good try!
3. You are concerned about your health
4. You have gained weight and are not proud about it!
5. You must have the desire to quit smoking
6. Requires 1 player minimum and no more than 47 Millions can play according to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), 2008, National Center for Health Statistics
Quite simply it is smoking for a while and gaining weight as most do the older we get. Then you know it is slowly killing you so you want to stop,, Now comes the trials, can you quit? Well as I said for me that isn't hard,, Can you quit and not gain weight? NOT ME! I gain between 25 to 35 lbs. So as time went on I started at 225, quit, month later 250, started again and got back to 230, years later I found myself at 250, quit and ended up at 280, started again and went back down to 255, so I guess you get the picture and what brings me here!
Last January I was really feeling bad,, no energy, weight was 290lbs and even at 6'4" that was really taking a toll, on top of that I was smoking. I decided to set aside my dislike for Doctors and seek help, not with quitting smoking but help with not gaining the weight. So to make this short, 7 Doctors appointments later I was 320 lbs, not smoking but prescribed 7 different medications! I was dying,, I mean it! I couldn't bend over without pain in my sides! I requested a dietician and therapy and of course comes the next best thing,, Health insurance! They wouldn't pay for anything positive! They had no problem paying for the med's which I felt was not needed, but no coverage for what I thought would help. NO! Don't pay for therapy or a dietician but you will pay for a triple bypass surgery! Boy that makes tons of sense! So I decided to do it myself! I started to smoke again because as stated before I have never felt any complications from smoking but with the weight gain,, I knew I was dying. So the strange fact I researched was more people die from obesity than smoking in the US. So Smoking is saving my life,,, HOWEVER,, I learned one gigantic thing... When I would start smoking again, I would lose most if not all the weight from which I began when stopping... This time I decided to start smoking to get to where I should be at an healthy weight. For me I was told 180 lbs, but I haven't weighted that since I was in 9 grade so I am shooting for 190 to 200.
So how is it going? Well since I started in November of 2010, No Med's, No doctors, no sickness, I have lost 70lbs, still smoking but still losing weight and now starting to walk. That is what brought me here! I hope to learn from the many with experience the proper way to regain what I had over 30 years ago. So I need to get down to 180 if possible, so when I quit smoking gaining 20 to 30 lbs won't kill me. I am hoping that being active, getting in shape in the meantime may also lessen the amount of weight I will gain.
Mike
