I was a smoker for 20 years. And I'm not going to pretend I hated it. It was something I loved doing. Then one day I decided to quit, and I've been smoke-free for over five years now.

Why this belongs in Health Happenings

Quitting smoking was my first big lesson in changing a habit I didn't really want to change. A lot of what made Health Happenings work this past year, I learned years earlier by putting down cigarettes:

• The decision comes first. Nothing changed until I actually decided, fully, that I was done.
• Find reasons, not excuses. There's always a reason to have "just one." You have to have stronger reasons not to.
• It gets easier. The hardest days are at the start. Every day you stick with it, the habit loses a little more grip.
• Replace, don't just remove. The time and energy that habit used to fill has to go somewhere better.

In the video I share the full story of how I stopped and how I've stayed smoke-free.

One year of Health Happenings

This week also marks one year since I started my Health Happenings journey. My goal was to weigh 179 pounds after one year. Did I hit it? Watch the episode to find out.

If you're trying to quit something, whether it's smoking, junk food or the couch, you can do it. If I could quit after 20 years, you can too.

Joe is not a doctor or a dietitian. This is his personal journey. Talk to your healthcare provider before making big changes to your diet or exercise.