Pete Turner's Story: Switch From Cigarettes to Jogging and How It Changed His Life

From Yahoo's Contributor Network out of the UK and Ireland comes the story of Pete Turner.  Read his inspiring story about how he used a little illness to turn his life around, introduced exercise and fitness into his lifestyle to kick the habit and accomplish something massive!

"I smoked for about a decade so I consider myself lucky that I got out when I did. Who knows how much harder it would have got if I'd waited longer?

Smoking was something I took up at around fifteen or sixteen. I was part of the generation who really should have known better. Unlike my parents' generation I had always known smoking was a stupid and unhealthy thing to do. Like many other teenagers however I had very few thoughts beyond what I was doing at the weekend in those days.

I started slowly, nicking fags off friends when I was socializing and then eventually fell into the routine of ten a day, maybe twenty on the weekends.

Then about four years ago, shortly before I turned 30, I got bronchitis. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe even without wheezing and spent months on antibiotics and puffing on an inhaler for the first time in my life. That summer I told myself I should quit and managed to not smoke through most of my illness. But cigarettes are sly and the odd one or two quickly became a full time habit again.

The following summer my bronchitis returned with a vengeance. Not only that, but when I was trying to clear my airways by breathing in menthol scented steam, I spilled boiling hot water all over my thighs, burning me so badly I still have the scars. I was at my lowest, lying in bed all summer with bandaged thighs and barely able to breathe and determined to quit the habit once and for all. I didn't want to just quit smoking either; I wanted to never be stuck in my bed due to ill health again.

I decided to eat better, exercise more and quit smoking as soon as I was recovered. I went through about three courses of antibiotics and finally felt better. I immediately took up jogging. Two years ago I could barely run a mile and struggled to get myself around the park near my house. Now I'm training for Paris Marathon 2014 and running my second Cardiff Half Marathon this October.

In quitting smoking and starting running at around the same time, I used jogging as a distraction from wanting a cigarette in the evenings. It worked and soon I found myself craving a jog, rather than a fag after work.

Annoying as it may sound to those who still smoke, now I find it very unpleasant to even be near smokers anymore. The smell has gone from comforting to disgusting and I don't think my lungs have ever fully recovered as passive smoking can often leave me in a coughing fit. I'm lucky to have quit right around the time smoking became illegal in pubs and clubs, saving me both from temptation and discomfort.

To smokers I say, don't let it get to the point I found myself at. Bronchitis is far from fun and lung cancer I imagine is a hell of a lot worse. Jogging can be a brilliant alternative and please believe me; you will eventually feel so much better for it."

If you want to, check out Pete's marathon training tips for advice on how to keep motivated when first starting jogging:  http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/marathon-training-tips-motivation-134400795.html

I've been saying this the whole time, exercise has multiple benefits for anyone looking to kick the habit.  My book will also give you multiple options for reclaiming your lung capacity but the point here is look at the resilience of the human body and it's amazing ability to repair and rebuild itself.  So for now, Mr Gump can take a back seat and let's all give a shout out to Mr Turner and say, "RUN PETE RUN!"

Debi Austin Anti Smoking Advocate Passes Away At 62

This is Deborah "Debi" Austin.  She was the lady who smoked through a hole in her throat and talked about smoking being addictive.  Remember her?  I know I do!

"They say nicotine isn't addictive." She says right before taking a drag!

Here's the best part of her thought process prior to agreeing to do the commercial which I found on laist.com:

"Do I want to stand up in front of the entire state and tell them that I lost my voice because I couldn't control my addiction? I don't think so."

When I read that, I knew it had to part of my blog.  That's the whole purpose of my book, How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone.  It's to get control of your addiction.  I hated being under the influence of a controlled substance and that I literally had to schedule my day, my week, my LIFE around cigarettes.  Fuh-get-about-it!

I took back control and believe or not, so did Debi.  She died in the non-smoking section.  Below is a video where you can see her warrior spirit and her valor.  She was a 2-3 pack a day smoker who started when she was 13.  While living with cancer for 20 years, Debi became a person who, in her cut short life, courageously and selflessly saved countless lives and inspired a multitude to take back control of their addiction.  Make sure you watch the whole thing because the end is the most powerful part.

Happy New Year! Now Don't Go And Do Something Stupid Like...

Tell all your friends your gonna quit smoking this year only to wind up smoking again 3 weeks later.  If you New Years Resolution is to quit smoking this year...

then I made this video just for you.  Not only the habitual smoker, but the habitual quitter...  Happy New Year!!!

...Till Death Do Us Part/Death Express...(All Aboard the Quit Smoking Train cont.

The Next Chapter in the Carole Anzolletti series of fictional free verse expressionistic Gothic jive is called appropriately, "...Till Death Do Us Part/Death Express...(All Aboard The Quit Smoking Train Cont.)"

Here we pick up on the tragedy of the previous evening.  Still fresh in the ash of all things avoidable, we encounter a soul struggling to stay out of Death's gaze and pull.  In fact in this segment, we meet many souls.

For most, we never know when Death will come knocking, the question Carol raises here and that I also ask in my book, How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone, is why speed up the inevitable here?  I mean, let's not send this cat Death a friggin invitation and meet him half way to the door...  can you dig on that?

Because, really...  and I've said it before and I'll said it again, smoking really is a passive aggressive form of suicide.  I mean c'mon, it's almost 2012, you know this will kill you and you do it any way?  What is that all about?  Do you have some sort of Death Wish?

It's time to rise up, like a Phoenix, from your own ashes and live!

Think about it...  and stay tuned for more!

How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone Testimonial

When I decided to write and publish a book on How to Stop Smoking, I did it with the intention of empowering people who wanted to stop but couldn't quite get their head around it.  Stopping smoking is a mental game of chess.  Winning that game will not be easy.  It is completely possible and simple as a mater of fact, it's just not easy.  The following testimonial is another success story!  I want you to use this success to know that the only thing holding you back from becoming a non-smoker is you!  You can stop.  If Karen can do it, you can too...

David I wanted you to see what I wrote at Amazon for your book review. I am not a writer.. I would like to think you might approve... here it is...

In 6 years of working on the no smoking game that I have been playing, I have quiet 4 times.... My daughter in law said I need help from a professional, We didn't find one, (only for drugs and alcohol) Then I heard about this book and watched David's video and I was hooked. Couldn't wait to get the book. My parents, husband and I drove to Ga. (book in hand) when I was on week two, You see I can quit, I just can't stay that way, This time was different for me. This was it.. I read the book and it made such sense to me. I would bring the book out and my mother would say "what are you going to write now" or I would read different parts to her and we would discuss it. I can't tell you enough about the book except that I am now on about day 60 and have never made it past 14 days without a puff,even for 6 months. With the help of David's book I have decided that I don't need a cigarette or puff or anything, I am stronger than it is... I thought I loved the love of smoking and David made me realize it was just the brain making me think that. it's not true. No one can love something that is going to kill you... I have read the book three times and get something new from it each time to make me stronger than before. My husband crossed out the word ANYONE and put HUSBAND. it was cute.. I can't even remember what it's like to live a smoke free life, I have had to learn it all new, Like a rebirth if that's what you want to call it. I am 53 years old and have been buying cigarettes since i was 14 years old, my first one at age 12. Nothing to be proud of. But it's a part of my life and I can't take it back or erase it, I can however change my tomorrow and todays. Today I tell myself that I Choose not to SMOKE.. Thank you David for all my years of living you have given to me so I can enjoy my beautiful grand babies.... Karen

The Perfect Gift For The Smoker This Christmas

How would like to quit STOP smoking for Christmas?  Watch this video and spread this message!  It could be the best thing you do for the ones you love!

The other fellow’s mistakes are a weak alibi for your own.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.” 

It’s easy when you are part of a group to “go along to get along,” but when you are able to maintain your own highest standards of integrity — regardless of what others may do — you are destined for greatness. When you have developed a carefully thought-out code of personal conduct, you will never have to ask anyone else what the appropriate course of action should be. You will intuitively know.

So this little tid-bit of a morsel popped into my in-box from The Napoleon Hill Foundation and I immediately recognized it as a token of wisdom for those of you still caught in the net of how to kick the habit.  

Especially when all your friends still smoke and have very little interest in you taking the steps necessary to prolong your life.  So stand up and stand out.  If you need help with wrapping your head around the idea of never smoking again, get a copy of my book and in there you will find the secret to understanding exactly how to think in order to finally stop once and for all!

Mind Over Matter & Conquering The Fear of Quitting Smoking

Are you afraid to quit smoking?  Recently someone told me that they're scared of not smoking.  So that got me thinking, if there's one, then there's got to be at least a few more gazillion smokers out there who (whether they know it or not) have some fear about quitting. 

So, if you don't have time right now to read this blog in it's entirety, let me give it to you in a nut shell:  being afraid of not smoking is a normal and perfectly reasonable response by your body and your brain who is currently chemically dependent on nicotine.  At this point in time, nicotine is considered and looked upon by your body in the same way as water.  Meaning you got to have it.  That's scary!

Now into the nitty-gritty.  The beauty of your humanity is that we humans have the ability to have a 3rd person experience of ourselves.  Meaning we can "take a look at our self."  Looking at yourself from an outsiders point of view is great because even though our instinct and ego are now convinced that we need cigarettes and nicotine like we need water, we can look at ourselves from a third person perspective and realize that it is not true.  With that knowledge from our higher awareness we can now start to transition our mind into a place of thinking and believing that we don't need to smoke to survive.

Another aspect of smoking is that the cigarette becomes a friend and part of the family.  Smoking very quickly gets ritualized into our daily life.  Cigarette with morning coffee, after work, after a good meal, after good sex, after bad sex, while driving, etc.  You've got your own little smoking rituals that enhance a moment or brings peace to chaos.  The cigarette is your friend and always there when you need it.

The relationship you have with you and your cigarette is also unfortunately an incredibly dysfunctional relationship.  Clearly, this relationship will not end well.  You're slowly killing yourself.  It's an abusive relationship.  Odds are pretty freaking good, you're NOT going to make it to 100 like granny over here.  If you're going to hit 100, you're literally going to have to "break up" with cigarettes. 

So you'll have some common fears.  Fears of being alone, fears of being looked at weird by your peers, fears of failure, etc.  What are your fears?  There are plenty and they are unique to you but they are there none the less.

 

Be strong and go anyway!  How????????????  Simple.  Mind over matter.  Keep in mind, simple does not mean easy.  Case in point, look at Benedikt Magnusson here.  He's going to deadlift 1015 pounds.  Let me say that again, One Thousand And Fifteen Pounds.  How??????  Mind over matter.  Yes, he's competed in  The Worlds Strongest Man and is a professional strong man and power lifter so he is very strong.  But watch how he gets ready for this pull.  See his determination, commitment, focus?  Look at the "crazy" in his eyes.  And then look how gently and smoothly the weight rises off the ground.  He had to conquer the weight in his mind before he could conquer it with his body. 

So goes it for you, the soon to be "smoker who doesn't smoke."  In my book How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone, you will see how it is far better to just stop than to try to quit.  You'll begin to understand how to talk yourself into it and then right on through it.  You'll find out how to kick the habit and not loose one ounce of your identity. 

Finally, you'll begin to recognize that you deserve more and you deserve better. 

Smoke Your Mind and Napoleon Hill Wisdom

In my book, How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone, I talk about one of the motivating factors for me to stop smoking. It came when I realized I was out of control. There comes a time after about 6 and half hours or so without a cigarette when you realize that if you don't have a cigarette and like right now, someone very well might get hurt. Granted I am slightly exaggerating but the nic-fit is real.

It soon began to bother me to be under Big-Tobacco's spell so powerfully. I got started smoking as a way to separate myself from others, to flaunt and solidify my identity. Or at least so I thought. The reality was in no time instead of being the individual I wanted to be I was just like everyone else... hooked. Smoking lost it's romance for me and it was time to kick the habit.

I thought of this moment in my life in late 2001 when I realized smoking wasn't all it's cracked up to be... or rather, it's more like crack than you think. I thought of this moment when I saw this quote from Napoleon Hill

"Control your own mind, and you may never be controlled by the mind of another.

The mind is the most powerful weapon known to man. It simply cannot be controlled or contained by an outside force, however formidable that force may at first appear. Throughout history, tyrants have tried to control those who opposed them, but eventually these rulers discovered the power of the imagination was far greater than the threat of the sword. As Victor Hugo said, "An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come."

Big Tobacco, like any good drug dealer has control of your mind and directs your thoughts towards one more cigarette. It is with this mind, such a powerful weapon indeed, that you will conquer your addiction to nicotine and cigarettes.

Your mind is the best tool for meeting the challenge to stop smoking. You can use a patch, chew the gum, tinker with water vapor cigarettes, and any other nicotine delivery device you can think of, but sooner or later it will boil down to you making a conscious decision with your mind to not light up.


I used my mind to stop smoking and you can to.  In fact, you will have to.  My mission now it to get my book into the hands of 5000 smokers who want to be non smokers.  


So if you found this blog and you're still smoking, or you think you've quit but feel yourself wavering and loosing control, consider this, I, like you, struggled through the process and found a way to not only stop, but stay stopped.  Perhaps destiny or God brought you here and perhaps you should give this book a read.  I will leave it up to you of course, but deciding to finally stop once and for all could very well be the best decision you've ever made...  next to deciding to get a copy of my book!

Smoked Salmon Another Reason to Stop Smoking

Smoked Salmon Another Reason to Stop Smoking

Another Hub from above that I've written to inspire and encourage smokers to knock off the smoking habit once and for all.  I found a way and you can too!  Take a look at the video to promote the Hub too...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vflXTR-EzbQ

Then let me know what you think!

Smoking Legends Lost Too Soon Part One: Humphrey Bogart

Humphrey Bogart.  As an teenager reaching towards manhood, I discovered Bogie.  As a child I remember hearing of him, seeing Bugs Bunny imitate him and Elmer Fudd playing his waiter but it wasn't until I developed this blooming curiosity for all things 1920's to 1940's that the real fascination fired up.

In my book, How To Stop Smoking Without Killing Anyone, I touch on the impact Bogie had on me and my life and most importantly, my decision to be a smoker.  It worked out quite well.  Bogie was the man, I wanted to be the man, the man smokes, therefor, so should I...  right?

Never mind the fact that "The Man" died of esophageal cancer just 20 days after he turned 57 years young.  The cancer had withered my idol down to 80 pounds.  Yes, 80 pounds.

The picture at the top is of Bogie at a young and youthful age.  Born on December 25, 1899, Humphrey DeForest Bogart rose to stardom and then to legend.  Now, immortal, due to films like Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, To Have and Have Not, The African Queen, Key Largo and many more, Humphrey Bogart became an icon to millions.  Including myself.

Bogie was hard.  Strong.  Witty.  Me?  I was...  well maybe witty.  On a good day.  I remember studying how he smoked.  How he held the cigarette, how he took a drag, how he lit it, every little nuance.  I loved how he stood, the way he would glare. 

Then there the cars, the clothes, the nightlife.  I had definitely found a connection and an affinity for all things 1920's to 1950's.  There in those eras existed a certain glamor that is long gone.  A romance the is somehow missing from modern life.  My love affair with Americana blossomed thanks to Humphrey Bogart.

When I decided to stop I looked at how Bogart died.  It was one of those harsh realities that was waiting in the wings.  His esophagus was removed, a few lymph nodes, and even a rib.  But it was too late.  The cancer had spread.  For Bogart, it was a matter of "if" anymore, it was a matter of "when." 

Having witnessed first hand the withering affects of cancer first hand, my mother passed away in 1998 from cancer, and my aunt passed later the same year, I quickly put two and two together.  Bogart's smoking and drinking lead to throat cancer and he had withered to 80 pounds of his former self before he died.

The reality of death is one of those things that is very hard to look at, but when you do, it can also be quite liberating.  We're all going to die sooner or later.  Me?  I choose to do it as later as possible and I'm not all that interested in withering down to 80 pounds of my former self nor do I want to die in intense pain. 

The tragedy of Bogart's death is that it hasn't been used to the fullest to educate people...  actually, no.  Never mind.  Sometimes I forget that tobacco, cigarettes and nicotine are as powerfully addicting as heroin and most addicts need to find their own way home or die trying. 

Bogart has inspired me in life and in death and continues to teach me from beyond the grave what it means to be a man.  His strengths far outweighed his weakness.  He is a teacher.  When you look at his body of work, what he stood for, how he lived and how he died, you are left, as always with Bogie, wanting more.  That is the real tragedy.  Gone too soon.  I know for me, that his tragic untimely death will not be in vein as I have stopped smoking and will never again pick up the habit. 

And now, I find it vital to spread the word to all that it's time you too kicked the habit...  schweet hart.

Take possession of your own mind...

"...and you may soon make life pay off on your terms.

Your mind is unquestionably your most valuable possession. You may lose every material thing you own, but knowledge can never be taken from you. With it, you can earn a new fortune, build a new home, and buy anything you truly desire. No one else can control your thoughts; even the cruelest tyrant cannot force you to think about something you refuse to accept. When you make a deliberate decision to take control of your mind and feed it positive, constructive thoughts, you are on your way to taking control of your life. The thoughts you allow to dominate your mind will determine what you will get from life. "

You might even be able to stop smoking!  Once again, applicable wisdom in my in-box from the Napoleon Hill Foundation...

Words of Wisdom from Napoleon Hill

"When the going is hardest, just keep on keeping on, and you’ll get there sooner than someone who finds the going easy.

If you think achieving great heights of success will be easy, you either don't understand at all how the process works or you have your sights set too low. Reaching the top of any field is difficult, time-consuming, and often tedious. The reason it isn't crowded at the top is that most people won't do the things that are necessary to achieve success. They are all too willing to give up when the going gets tough. If you need inspiration to persevere, read the biographies of men and women who have achieved greatness in their lives. You will find that they prevailed because they refused to quit. They continued to toil alone long after the masses had given up and gone home."

This one was in my in-box this morning.  It comes from The Napoleon Hill Foundation's Thought for the Day.  Clearly, I don't need to explain how this applies to kicking the habit...  I'm also, as you'll find out when you read my book, a huge proponent of going cold turkey which makes this quote about success even more relevant.  This also show's how, even though the topic of the book is how to stop smoking, success in ANY endeavor will require you to dig deeper than you thought you'd have to and go farther than you thought you could go.

So, smokers and non-smokers alike, how does this apply to you today?