Quitting smoking, three weeks later

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Joe Arena is now in week three of his attempt to quit smoking. Joe can't lie. Joe still has cravings and in order to offset that feeling, he has been eating a little more than usual.

Joe gained about four pounds since he started cutting back and eventually quit, but the doctor says in order for Joe, who weighs about 250 pounds, to actually have health problems due to being overweight, he would have to put on some serious pounds.

"You would have to gain two hundred and fifty pounds to have the equivalent health risk from obesity, to counteract the benefits of quitting smoking," said News 4 Medical Correspondent Dr. Peter Ostrow.

That fact alone tells Joe he is better off without cigarettes in his life. And so is Virginia Clarke. Virginia is one of many people who have contacted Joe through email, offering support and letting him know he isn't not alone. She says there are two reasons why she chose to quit.

"I had a revelation since you've been talking about quitting and me thinking about and my husband," said Virginia.

Virginia has been married for only a year, but she's known her husband Robert for many more. Virginia says it was something he said to her that's going to get her through this tough time.

"He said wife if for everyday that you quit smoking that's one more day that you get to have with me," Virginia said.

Something else crossed through Virginia's mind, and Joe's mind, when hearing those words.

"It's a real selfish addiction and I'm cheating not only my beautiful husband and my daughter and my parents, I'm cheating a lot of people out of my good life," said Virginia.

Sometimes even being aware a fact like this one is not enough. Both Virginia and Joe have strayed from our plan to quit entirely. Joe is guilty of a puff off someone's smoke at a party and Virginia says she's had her moments as well. Which is why it's good to have a buddy when your trying to quit.

By the time their quit date was, each of them would have had maybe two cartons by now, so they saved themselves that much in our health and growing to overcome the medical effects that they've had.