Day four.  Only 11 cigarettes yesterday!  I’m feeling pretty proud of myself right now

I smoked 16 cigarettes yesterday.  It is up 2 from the day before but, we were up until 2:30am and we were on the road for 5 hours.

I up my dosage today.  I am starting to see that this medicine is working for me.

I also am starting Fitness Bootcamp Tuesday!

Yesterday was my second day of taking Chantix.  I really didn’t think it had mad a difference, until I woke up this morning.  I have 8 cigarettes left in my pack I bought yesterday morning!  For you non-smokers out there, a pack of cigarettes contains 20.  I normally smoke at least a pack a day.  I had 2 before I bought this new pack on the way to work.  So I smoked 14 instead of 20+ yesterday.  I also noticed that I might still want a cigarette, but I would get half way finished with one and not want it anymore.  So yes, I think the Chantix could be working.

Normally during our work breaks, I’ll smoke 2.  I made an effort to only smoke 1 during our breaks yesterday.  I simply just came back inside after my one.  I also smoke a lot while driving.  So when Mitchell and I took our trip to Walmart, I just left my pack at home.  I am trying to make lifestyle changes along with taking the medicine.  Once we got home and settled for the night, I only had 1!

Today is day three.  I’m doing a lot of driving today so my goal is to just not smoke anymore than I did yesterday.  Tomorrow my dosage of Chantix increases (the medicine tapers up), so I’ll set a goal of 10.

My grandmother also told me if  I quit smoking, she will pay for me to go to Fitness Bootcamp.  Bootcamp is a place here in town where you go work out for an hour, four days a week, for seven weeks.  It is an intense workout routine.  My boss lost 40lbs during his 7 weeks.  He said it got him ready to start working out in the gym.  Since then he’s lost 60lbs.  I’m at the point where I need a jump kick like bootcamp to get going.  I’m so out of shape.

So hopefully by the end of the summer I’ll be tons healtier.  I’ll be smoke free and will have lost some weight and started on a getting fit journey!

Today I’m starting my journey to quit smoking.  I went to the doctor yesterday to get a prescription for Chantix.  Chantix actually works by making you not want to smoke.  It also includes a support plan that helps track your smoking habits.  So the drug helps the brain and the support program helps the habit.

You start with a low dose and taper up, while you taper down on cigarettes.

So wish me luck.  I’m hoping to be healthier and smoke free by the end of July.

The part of my life I didn’t catch you up on was my step son Gage. No, Mitchell and I aren’t married so he isn’t “officially” my step son, but for all intended purposes, he’s my step son.

Gage turned two at the end of March and he’s growing up way too fast. This child has won my heart over. He does and says the cutest things. When he is “in trouble” (yeah right) we have a talk. I sit him in my lap and make him look at me and tell him what he did wrong and why he shouldn’t do it again. I know, he’s only two and probably doesn’t understand what I’m saying, but I was raised this way and it seemed to work. Well, this is fine and dandy until this weekend he covers his ears during our “talk”. How am I supposed to get on to him when I’m laughing as hard as I was? Yeah, I spoil him rotten. He’s just too cute not to!

I must add that Mitchell and I are so very lucky to have the relationship with his mother that we have. She is so great about letting us have Gage other than our every other weekend rotation. In return, if she needs us to watch him, we try our best to make arrangements to accommodate her. She really is a nice lady. She and Mitchell do not hate each other, they are able to communicate and put Gage first. She and I also get along great. Not many people can have this relationship with their ex-wife. Her boyfriend is also very sweet and Gage seems to love him to death. Gage seems to be a lucky fella to have so many people love him as much as they do.

Here is a picture of Mitchell and Gage on his second birthday. He’s already turning into a super geek

This is my niece Logan being pushed in the swing by Gage. Logan is turning two in just a few weeks.

They just grow up way too fast!