Imagine my surprise finding a group of (ex)smoker on this low-carb site! I am so happy to know that it is not just me, and that kicking the habit while LC'ing adds another hurdle! Anyway, I am determined to stop smoking. I have smoked since I was 18 (after I came home from the military, i remember laughing at my fellow airwoman who were yearning for a smoke, now i know what they were going through). I quit once, cold-turkey for about 9 months , then stressing situations in my life occured and i picked the habit back up, not to mention my hubby and i started living together then and he still smoked. Between being newly married, living with my hubby for the first time, learning about him and men in general, plus working and school, I needed a smoke! Ok, i really didn't need, more like wanted. Anyway, Zyban gave me chest pains, the patch works for me though, but geez, don't put it on your thigh or your leg will give out from under you (found that out the hard way!). Anyway, I am so glad I found both this site and this group...I look forward to getting to know some of you.

I too quit smoking and went on the Atkins diet January 3, 2005. However, I miss the cigarettes more than I miss the high carbs. Isn't that weird. We can't smoke at work so I use to hurry up after work to get home so that I can have my cigarette. I just found it relaxing. If I can quit smoking and lose about 80 pounds, I will definitely be healthy or at least I'll feel healthy. My goal in life is to retire in 12 1/2 years and be healthy enough to do all the things that I enjoy doing, i.e., gardening, blueberry picking, sharing my time with my family. And will I able to do all that if I'm sick because I smoked too much and I was too big which caused all kinds of medical problems. I've worked hard all my life and I want to be able to enjoy retirement in all its glory. I don't want to end up in a nursing home or have someone take care of me because I didn't take the steps to prevent that in the first place.

Anyways, on that note, this is a great and life-saving website. I wish great success.