One hundred cigarettes. Not 20, not 40. One hundred a day. That’s five packs. Every single day.
I quit in 2006. Cold turkey. Nineteen years ago, age 33. Didn’t taper. Didn’t cut down gradually. Didn’t use patches or gum. Just stopped. 100 a day to zero.
People ask how I managed it. Same way I quit Coke (six litres a day). Same way I fast. Same way I eat. All-or-nothing. It’s not a method I chose. It’s how I’m wired. And once I understood that wiring, everything changed.
The All-or-Nothing Pattern
Five packs of cigarettes a day. That’s what peak addiction looked like for me.
Not “I smoke too much.” Not “I should cut down.” All or nothing. Excess or zero. No middle ground.
I tried moderation. Failed every time. “Just one cigarette” became 20. “Cut down to 50 a day” lasted three hours. My brain doesn’t do halfway.
Can’t do “just one cigarette.” Can’t do “cut down to 50, then 20.” Binary. On or off.
Quit in 2006. Nineteen years later, still zero. Haven’t touched one since.
Why Moderation Never Worked
Think of it like a light switch.
Some people have dimmers. They can go from 100% to 70% to 40% gradually. Ease off slowly. Control the intensity.
I’m stuck with an on/off switch. Full brightness or pitch black. No middle setting.
For years, I thought that was a weakness. “You’re extreme. You can’t control yourself.” Doctors, friends, family. Everyone said I needed to learn moderation.
Turns out? It’s my strength.
I don’t need to resist one cigarette every day for the rest of my life. I needed to flip the switch once. Off. Done. No negotiation. No “maybe just one.” Switch is off.
That’s easier than fighting the dimmer every single day.
How This Wiring Affects Everything
Same pattern with Coke. Six litres a day at my peak. Not Diet Coke. Full-sugar Coke.
Then zero. One day I stopped. Didn’t cut down to three litres, then one litre. Just stopped.
Food’s the same. I’d eat an entire packet of biscuits, not two biscuits. Whole tub of ice cream, not one scoop. All or nothing.
Fasting works for me because it’s binary. Eating or not eating. No grey area to negotiate.
I don’t have to decide if I’m “allowed” one biscuit. I don’t have to resist the second, third, fourth one. I’m either eating (switch on) or I’m not (switch off).
No middle ground. No willpower drain. Just a decision.
Why Fasting Works for Binary Brains
If you recognize this pattern in yourself, fasting might be easier than you think.
Not because it’s easy. It’s not. But because it’s clear.
You’re either fasting or you’re not. No moderation required. No “just a little bit.” No negotiation with yourself about portion sizes or whether this counts.
Switch on: eating window. Switch off: fasting window.
For people wired like me, that clarity is everything. I can’t do moderation. I can do fasting.
Nineteen years since my last cigarette. Same wiring. Different application.
🎯 Key Takeaways
- All-or-nothing thinking isn’t a weakness — It’s a wiring pattern that works with binary choices (on/off, not dimmers)
- Moderation fails for some brains — If you can’t eat “just one,” fasting’s binary structure (eating vs not eating) removes the negotiation
- Know your wiring and work with it — 100 cigarettes/day to zero (19 years smoke-free) taught me to stop fighting my nature and use it strategically
Ready to Work With Your Wiring?
If you recognize this all-or-nothing pattern in yourself, I’ve built something for you.
Fasting as a tool for people who can’t do moderation. Binary eating patterns that work with your brain, not against it.
👉 Get the 14-Day Rhythm Reset Guide (free)
💪 Want ongoing support? Join Rhythm Club for £30/month (includes FREE app access, community, and weekly accountability calls)
🔽 Read the Video Transcript
I used to smoke 100 cigarettes a day. I haven’t smoked in 19 years.
One hundred. Not 20, not 40. 100 a day. All-or-nothing. Excess or zero.
Quit 2006. 19 years ago. Age 33. Peak smoking: 100 cigarettes a day. That’s five packs. Every. Single. Day.
Cold turkey. Didn’t taper. Didn’t cut down gradually. Didn’t use patches or gum. 100 a day. Then zero. That’s my wiring.
People ask: “How’d you quit smoking 100 a day?”
Same way I quit Coke. Same way I fast. Same way I eat. All-or-nothing.
Can’t do “just one cigarette.” Can’t do “cut down to 50 a day, then 20.” Tried that. Failed every time. Moderation doesn’t work for me. Never has.
100 a day or zero. Binary. On or off. 19 years later, still zero.
Think of it like a light switch. Some people have dimmers — they can go from 100% to 70% to 40% gradually. I’m stuck with an on/off switch. Full brightness or pitch black. No middle setting. For years, I thought that was a weakness. “You’re extreme. You can’t control yourself.” Turns out? It’s my strength. I don’t need to resist one cigarette. I need to flip the switch once. Off. Done. No negotiation. No “maybe just one.” Switch is off.
Quit 2006, age 33. Peak consumption: 100 cigarettes daily (five packs). Quit method: Cold turkey (implied, no gradual reduction mentioned). Duration quit: 19 years. Zero cigarettes since. Same wiring: Coke (6 litres/day → zero), food (entire packet → fasting), alcohol (rarely used, but excess when used). All-or-nothing isn’t a bug. It’s how I’m built. Fasting works for me because it’s binary. Eating or not eating. No grey area to negotiate.
I don’t do moderation. Smoked 100 a day or didn’t smoke at all. That wiring hasn’t changed. Coke, cigarettes, food, fasting. All-or-nothing with everything. Fasting works for me because it’s binary. Eating or not eating. No negotiation. Switch on or off. Know your wiring. Work with it, not against it.
This is educational content, not advice. If you struggle with all-or-nothing thinking around food, speak to a professional. Not everyone works this way. That said — if you recognize this pattern in yourself, I’ve got a free 14-Day Rhythm Reset Guide. Fasting as a tool for people who can’t do moderation. Link in description.
⚠️ Important: This is educational content based on evidence and personal experience. It is not medical advice. Speak to your GP before making changes to your fasting pattern, diet, or medication.
Questions? Email hello@waymorethanweightloss.com
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