dustyharbor7 said:Look, I'm not saying you should go to jail, but you just said something completely wrong. Based on your post, it doesn't seem like you're actually living in America... because here, they don't just hand out 2 dollars per pack, even though they should be charging way more. If smokers want specific benefits to help quit or for treatment, that money should be collected from them directly. We shouldn't all have to foot the bill, only to find out when it's my turn for a doctor or some medical procedure that I can't get an appointment because the healthcare system is basically in a coma due to lack of funding.
Anyway, read my previous post where I stated I'm not in favor of bans... this was just my response to your nonsense regarding what kind of benefits smokers ought to receive. I met your nonsense with a bit of my own... but at least mine made sense.
S
In the US, bans aren't always in effect anyway, and I didn't say anything about AT&T...
I live in the Netherlands and I don't talk nonsense; I just draw logical conclusions.
Look, nearly a billion dollars (which the European Union gives to the tobacco industry) would be plenty to cover what I said.
And then you, who are using our money for this, claim it's a drug. Seriously, who's the idiot here????
Let's say I've been a smoker for 10 years. In those ten years, I've paid enough into this country to cure THREE cases of lung cancer. Where is that money??? In the end, what am I offered as an option? What kind of patches? Nicotine. 😁
It's a business, but you're looking at it too much from a non-smoker's perspective, so you can't even understand me. No, I'm not smarter than you just because I smoked—I'm stupider, I was incredibly stupid... But at least I deal with better information regarding this stuff.
Yeah, whatever... This whole thing with cigarettes, the bans, all that nonsense... It’s NEVER going to go fully underground, and there's one simple reason: cigarettes make too much money to ever stay legal. And even when they do go illicit, that cash just ends up flowing into someone else's pocket anyway.
Just look at the math. / Prescription meds at the pharmacy cost way more than what you can find at a convenience store. So, do the math yourself—where do you think people are actually going to buy them? 😉
dustyharbor7 said:Fine, whatever. You’ll get all your little perks and benefits, sure, but if you get caught smoking, buying, or selling cigarettes, you’re headed straight to jail—just like with drugs. That's how it works. 😉 !
Total BS.
Exactly! 🙂
By your logic, the entire US government would be behind bars. Over here, they're charging about $10 a pack.
Look, it was actually easier for me to quit weed than cigarettes. In the last eight years, I've barely thought about weed once, but cigarettes are constantly on my mind, and I'm only five weeks into quitting.
I’m not buying it. At this rate, smoking is starting to feel like a pursuit of some misguided ideal.
I quit, mostly because I started feeling like a second-class citizen. Look, back home, the anti-smoking movement was always intense; people knew what they were getting into when they picked up a habit. But here? A few years ago, you couldn't find a single scrap of information about the actual health risks of smoking.
Then, overnight, everything shifted. It went from warning labels on packs to full-blown bans in public spaces.
It’s nothing more than a fad—a trend driven by a desperate desire to look more like Americans. 🙂
But seriously, why this? And is it actually working? Why not just create designated zones where smokers can hang out and enjoy their smoke without being harassed? Fine, make the entry fee higher, but at least they won't have to deal with non-smokers lecturing them.
Heheheh... If only it were that simple. The European Union still earmarked billions in subsidies for the tobacco industry this year. And guess who's footing the bill? Everyone, not just the smokers. 😉 Meanwhile, the bans are getting harsher; pretty soon, we'll have people patrolling the streets with clubs to enforce them.
This isn't about awareness or health concerns; this is about stripping away personal freedoms. They claim they want to make cigarettes inaccessible to kids. Please. Forbidden fruit is always the sweetest. They also argue they want people to stop smoking at any cost, even through bans, claiming addiction is worse than drugs or alcohol. Okay, fine—but if that's the case, why not register all smokers as addicts and offer them support? Give them free treatment and a month of paid medical leave to detox. But no, they aren't actually serious about that. Obviously.
swiftscout8, listen, cults sometimes go into a frenzy and then panic over their own actions once the hype dies down. Trends pass. Just look at those girls wearing neon clashing shoes. I bet in a few years, they'll be scrubbing those photos from their social media. 😁
If you read my previous posts about quitting smoking, then you already know exactly what I’m dealing with right now.
Basically, your best bet is to nudge him into going for daily walks in a local park or something. While you're out, talk about future plans or things he actually enjoys doing.
Also, stay away from coffee shops and those kinds of spots—anywhere that puts him right back in the line of fire where he'll be tempted (long lounge chairs, sitting around drinking coffee, all that stuff).
And whatever you do, don't constantly bring up the fact that he quit. It drives people crazy. Everyone thinks talking about it is "encouragement," but it's really not. 🙄
Just play it cool. If he needs to vent because it's getting tough, let him. Try to get him hooked on something else instead; there are plenty of hobbies out there that any smoker would pick over a cigarette if they gave it a shot. 😳
Luce, listen... I'm giving you this advice straight from the heart, mostly because you're going to have to put up with me and my own nicotine withdrawal moods for a while. 🙂 I hope you have the strength and patience for this, because sometimes being the one trying to quit is actually easier than being the one supporting the person who's quitting. 🙂
P.S.: Just to be clear, I’m not looking for any sympathy here...🙂
Lisa Moore61, the issue is that I actually have too much. 😢
But I'm not giving up!😈 I was on the move all day today, went out with my friends and didn't even smoke (even though all three of them were), plus I haven't eaten a single thing since 7 PM. 🙂 🙂
nimblescout said:I thought you were implying that running builds muscle mass while walking doesn't. That’s why this thread recommends power walking instead. 😁
Where on earth did you get that idea?
People just said they prefer walking. It wasn't about muscle; it was about their knees (and chest). 🙂 And the fact remains that walking is HEALTHIER—any doctor in the US will tell you that. I even explicitly stated that I do both.
But you decided to nitpick my comment about building muscle and now you're acting like that was my only point.
Running is a much more aggressive activity than walking. Muscles react differently and gain mass faster when running compared to walking over the same distance and time. Your legs are definitely going to see more growth. That might be the one thing I didn't specify—that I was talking about leg muscles.
And where exactly did I say you can't build muscle by walking?
You're trying to force me to dissect my own post. Looking back, I clearly never said I don't recommend running. 😕
nimblescout said:Seriously, who sold you this garbage? 😢 That running builds muscle mass 🙂 is such a joke. Then women wonder why they can't lose a single ounce of fat.
Honestly, kill me now. I have no idea what you're trying to get at here. 🤔 Can you actually explain what you meant after that first sentence?
I was watching this segment on the "perfect bra" and heard something that absolutely floored me: when you're running, an A cup can experience up to a 10-inch bounce.
Just think about it: I’m a D cup. Once upon a time, I was actually a DD. 😁 If I didn't double up on sports bras, the movement would practically slap me in the face. 😂 🤣
Running used to be a total struggle because of that. Now, I’ve found this compression sports bra—I call it my tactical vest. 😁 It doesn't budge an inch. 😳 For anyone interested: check out Columbia Sportswear.
placidjackal97, the other day I tried on some pants that were way too big for me last year—the ones I was planning to give to a friend this summer. I put them on, and they were tight. 😲 I honestly felt lightheaded from the shock. 😁 My partner just lost it laughing at me. He said he’s never seen anyone freak out over a few pounds like that. 😁
So, we bought a scale. I need to stay in control. 😵
Power walking beats running for two main reasons: running is basically just constant jumping, which is terrible for your chest and your knees. Plus, walking builds longer, leaner muscles without all that bulk, so you’ll actually see the results on the scale. When you run, you pack on muscle mass (and muscle weighs more than fat), so you might actually see the number go up if you're running regularly. Either way—your legs and glutes will look much better and more natural from walking than from running.
Now... if you want to see any real results, you have to work twice as hard as you would if you were just running. So—if you choose to run 1.9 miles — you have to 3.7 miles walk.
The best move is to combine both, but forget about the SCALE!
For example: this past Monday, I went for a light run for about 4 3.1 miles miles. Yesterday, I did a high-intensity power walk for about 7 5.0 miles miles.
Moving forward... you need to do this at least three times a week.
You can also mix in some swimming (which is the absolute best for toning your entire body at once—it saves time and shows up clearly on the scale), or try other workouts like Tae Bo or aerobics.
Basically, you can keep eating (and drinking) normally, but NEVER AFTER 7 PM!
That's the hardest part for me... and it's why I'm always carrying an extra few pounds.
Don't try cutting everything out of your diet; you'll just lose your mind after a while and go right back to your old habits. Instead—swap a whole bag of chips for a small bowl. If you had chips today, skip the chocolate until tomorrow.
Cycling... I never really liked it. My upper body stays totally inactive and my legs get way too strong, so I honestly hate biking.
One more thing... You can calculate your daily caloric needs based on your target weight while resting, then add the calories burned through your average daily activities, and make that your daily calorie limit. And DO NOT CUT IT LOWER! It’s incredibly tedious and exhausting, but when combined with everything else I mentioned, it works wonders.
Try this for a month and you'll drop about four or five pounds. It might not sound like much, but it's definitely healthier than shocking your system with sudden changes. That can be dangerous, especially during seasonal shifts.
I keep bringing up the scale because it's a great motivator when fighting weight, but it can also be a massive disappointment, which is why so many people quit. I've gotten used to it; even when the weight goes up or stalls, I stay objective and remember when I was 180 lbs. I've stopped stressing about it now, so currently, I'm hovering between 152–157 lbs, whereas before that, I was around 145–147 lbs.
I've tried a ton of stuff, but this is what works best and makes you feel good.
The money in the envelope keeps growing, our weight is holding steady, we're staying active, the coughing fits have finally stopped, and we're feeling pretty good...
Only my dear one is having an issue: he's getting nosebleeds two or three times a day. 😢
It sounds like you’ve got water trapped in there, which is why it's buzzing. 😁 If that's the case, adding any more moisture is just going to make things worse.
Go see a doctor. If that's what's actually happening, there isn't much you can do besides waiting it out or hitting the sauna...
I've definitely noticed having way more free time since I quit smoking. 🙂 My fitness levels are up, too. 👍 As for my addiction—there’s no quick fix for that, but I make up for it by staying active with sports.🙂
copperridge912 said:in response to the quote: I was watching this show about tanning salons the other day, and they showed women who go every single week for years... it's an addiction for them. That's just horrific... There are actually cases where moms give their daughters gift cards or coupons for tanning salons as presents... I mean, for a whole year, every single week... if that were me, I'd lose it. 😁 You ladies don't even have decent skin... Personally, I think a tan looks way better than being pale, but I would never touch a tanning bed myself.
Me again. 😁
Look, people addicted to tanning lie. It’s just like people dealing with anorexia or bulimia. You're never going to hear someone who tans every single day admit they do it daily. They'll lie to you—saying it's twice a week, or once a week for thirty minutes... but you can tell by their color that they've been roasted like a lamb on a spit.
Second thing: there are different types of beds with different intensities. For instance, I never go to those Turbo or Walmart crap setups. You go to a basic beginner chair, and you can even turn off the facial lamps.
Personally, I don't turn them off, because that's exactly why I go—my face always clears up after a session. My acne disappears, blackheads clear out, my pores tighten up a bit... It's the same with natural sunlight, but since I don't get much of that here, my doctor actually recommended tanning.
Look, it's the same as marijuana—some people would never touch it or have no need for it, some have no self-control, and for others, it actually helps. 🙂
But grouping everyone who uses a tanning bed into one category is just pure ignorance.
Look, just compare someone tanning for 15 minutes a week to those people who are absolutely fried from sun damage.....
What kind of "careful planning" are you even talking about? You’re all bringing up examples of some brainless people who turned brick-red because they can't live without their tanning beds.....Have you actually ever met someone who tans for only 15 minutes a week? Probably, but you clearly didn't realize what was happening.
Sure, he can get that kind of glow, but it’s not going to make him any less pale than her.
In my case, those 15 minutes aren't enough to do anything about wrinkles anyway. Plus, it’s a total time-saver—you get the tan and you get your coloring done at once. 🙂
Honestly, I already knew some people would jump in to lecture me about tanning beds. Whatever.