AMC staffer celebrates 22 years of ‘butt’ kicking Published Nov. 9, 2011 By Master Sgt. Jerome C. Baysmore 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs Scott Air Force Base, Ill. -- It's been 22 years since Rhonda Love quit smoking cigarettes, and she is just one reason why Scott Air Force Base has one of the lowest tobacco user rates in Air Mobility Command. "What got me to stop was my daughter, who's now 32," said the AMC transportation assistant. "She came home from school one day after watching films about how bad smoking was and said she didn't want me to die. I was a single parent after having separated from my ex-husband which explained why she said, 'I already lost my dad so I don't want to lose you, too.' That was powerful and that day, I decided I was going to quit." Deciding to quit and actually doing it are two different things, but Love said she was successful after asking for some divine assistance and re-channeling her smoking habit into a fitness habit. "It was very difficult; I said a prayer the night before I smoked my last cigarette, and I asked God to take that desire from me, and I wasn't even walking with God the time. I do now--I'm a devout Christian, and I try my best to live a Godly life. Without His help, I wouldn't have been able to do it, and I truly believe that from the bottom of my heart." She said she started smoking at age 16 because "everyone else was doing it. It was a dumb reason--trust me." She had developed a 21/2 pack a day habit, so she needed something to help keep her mind off smoking. "I wanted a vice; I wanted to do something that would counteract the smoking so I turned to working out," she said. "I started working out about a month after I quit smoking. The more I worked out, the better I felt; the better I felt, the more I worked out. That turned me into a workout crazy person!" While using the YMCA, she was approached by one of the instructors to start teaching. Through that opportunity, she became a certified aerobics instructor, spin instructor and personal trainer. She now teaches a get fit; stay fit with weights and cardio; and a spin class on base. She also volunteers for the Health and Wellness Center smoking cessation program. About 18 months after she first stopped smoking, the urges were gone and now she can't even stand the smell of smoke. "I've quit smoking longer than I've smoked, so I should have the lungs of a six month old. As for fitness, when you get over 50, it's hard to keep the weight off--I have to work out twice as hard, but I do it more to keep myself healthy. "I give God the glory for that, too, because He allows me to teach a spin class at the age of 53, and I can out-spin these 20 year olds--that's a blessing. I tell them at the beginning of class, 'Don't let the gray hair fool you.'" Current Air Force estimates place the cost of smoking at $107.2 million per year with $20 million from medical-care expenditures and $87 million from lost workdays. Smoking a pack a day costs $1,600 annually or about one month's pay for an airman first class. "When I started smoking, cigarettes were about 55 cents a pack," she said. "When I quit, they were $1.75; now, they're $5 a pack." Her advice to others is to just decide and stick to it. She urges people to not give up and don't worry about gaining weight, as trying to do both at one time can prove too overwhelming. "It's mind over matter--make up in your mind that's what you want to do, give it to God and quit. Don't feel bad if you try once and fail. But, do whatever you have to do to quit--if you need to use the medications, chew gum, do what you have to do--just quit."