Coming Soon- My 21-Day Challenge

Rumor has it that it only takes 21 days to break or form a new habit. Well, I’m going to be playing test dummy for 21 days! Please follow me as I try not to injure myself and others!


To start, I have to be honest.

Truth #1: I am a smoker. A pack-a-day smoker to be exact. I have smoked since high school, and by high school I mean I snuck into the bathroom in high school to sneak a puff or two. I was able to quit for about a year and a half and then a few years ago I fell off the wagon. I’ve set quit dates in the past, but they have all come and gone with little effort on my behalf.

Truth #2: I am out of shape and lazy. Yes, I am skinny, but skinny does not equal fit…oh, and I have cellulite. I realized how out of shape I was when we started going on weekly hikes in Runyon Canyon a few weeks ago. On my first attempt at the hike I nearly threw up and stopped a ridiculous amount of times to “catch my breathe”, which is both due to my smoking and my low physical endurance level.

So, in an effort to kill 2 birds with one stone I am declaring a 21-DAY CHALLENGE for myself to

1. Quit Smoking
2. Start Exercising

From what I’ve read about the 21-day habit theory, you have to replace one behavior for another. I am replacing smoking with exercise. I’ve decided to document each day of the challenge on my blog because, 1.) It makes me accountable to someone else other than myself and, 2.) I need the support of my family, friends, and followers. (I will continue to post my regular features such as ‘His and Her Dinner’, book reviews, and ‘Friday Night Field Trip’ each week too)

Of course my biggest fear when trying to quit smoking is that I may gain weight. And yes, the fear of gaining weight is sometimes bigger than my fear of dying from smoking related illness…it’s not logical, but if you have ever smoked you know what kind of control it has over you and your thoughts…it’s all consuming. The last time I quit for a year and a half I gained 20 lbs. in the first 3 months and then steadily put on weight after that until I found myself nearly 50 lbs heavier. (PS- when I started smoking again I did not loose the weight…so I learned the hard way that the idea that if I smoke I will loose weight is ridiculous!) Since August 2008 I have been able to loose 30 lbs and I am now at a healthy weight (140-ish)…but I’d like to keep it that way. (Side Note: I don’t own a scale. I tend to become obsessive with it and have found myself on the scale 2-3 times a day when I do own one)

In preparation for the challenge I did the following:

1.) Made a plan, set a quit date.
2.) Talked to my husband about my plan and my concerns
3.) Bought nicotine patches (I am NOT going cold turkey)
4.) Bought new sneakers
5.) Posted this blog for accountability and to rally support.

So, I guess this makes it official. My quit date is Monday, August 9, 2010. I will put a nicotine patch on before I go to bed Sunday night. If I don’t put it on the night before, I will get up and go to the store in the morning and buy a pack of cigarettes…I know myself too well and I don’t trust myself when it comes to quitting. The first 3 days will be the hardest, but I’m ready this time.

Thank you in advance for all the kind words, comments, and support I know you guys will give me…I need them. If you have a habit you’d like to break or a habit you would like to form, please feel free to join me in the 21-Day Challenge, the more the merrier!