No doubt, you are aware of just how addictive nicotine can be. This makes it a lot harder to live without a cigarette if you’ve already started to smoke. Make sure you learn everything you can to find the best ways to move forward to reach your goals.
You can join a gym or begin a regular exercise routine, to keep yourself busy. This will occupy the time you would have spent smoking. You can experience great stress relief through exercise. When you have not exercised for a while, start off with easy walks and build from there. Make sure to discuss any exercise routine with your doctor before beginning it.
One way to boost your success with quitting smoking, is building a list good and bad associations with quitting. When you write something down, it can work to adjust your frame of mind. This may up your motivation to stick to it this time, and it may be easier because you might be more focused to see it through.
If you have struggled time and time again with quitting smoking, consider scheduling an appointment with your doctor. A variety of medications are available to make the quitting process easier, from anti-depressants to medications that make smoking less desirable. They may also offer other avenues of support or treatment.
Quitting Cold Turkey
Talk to your loved ones, in order to garner their support in quitting smoking. You have to talk to people and let them know what you’re going through, this is the only way you can get help. Let them know that you’ll be moody at the beginning, since your thinking won’t be as clear. Quitting smoking is a real challenge, and you’re going to need support to succeed.
Make your attempts as manageable as possible. Quitting cold turkey is definitely not recommended. Quitting cold turkey is only effective about 5% of the time. Since nicotine is so addictive, it’s important to use a method that includes a prescription or nicotine patches or gum. This will ease you through the early withdrawal stages and make quitting less difficult.
Make sure that you are fully committed before you even start to quit smoking. Many people are not really ready to quit smoking and that is why they ultimately fail. Help yourself stay motivated by remembering everything that caused you to want to quit, and write them down to help keep them on your mind.
Be open and let people know about your goal to quit smoking. When you entrust the people around you with this information, they can do things to help you stay motivated and keep temptation away. They may give you the extra nudge that you require to keep you focused on your goals.
Fortify your resolve to not give in, by creating a solid backup plan for when the cravings kick in, or the pressure adds up. Get some exercise when cravings hit, engage in a hobby or teach your partner to give a great massage. When you’ve got down time, try to surround yourself with some pleasant distractions like going out with friends, playing games, or reading a book.
If you are trying to stop smoking, see to it that you have plenty of rest. The longer you stay up, the more cravings you’ll face. Sitting alone on a late night also makes you feel like you can sneak a cigarette without disappointing anyone. Sleeping eight hours each night will make it easier to focus and control nicotine cravings.
Would switching brands help you in your goal? Switch to a lighter cigarette or a cigarette whose taste you don’t enjoy. Smoke them exactly like you smoked your favorite brand, so you get the full experience of their nastiness. This will help you on the way to quitting smoking.
It is important to find ways to cope with nicotine withdrawals, in order to keep from giving in to your cravings and the stress they may cause. You may find that some effective alternatives include exercising, keeping a journal, or treating yourself to a spa visit whenever your cravings are at their peak. When you have some free time, have pleasant distractions around you, such as reading an excellent book, talking with your friends, or playing new games.
Cut back before you quit. This can begin the process of quitting the habit altogether. Try waiting at least one hour after waking before having your first cigarette for the day. You can also try to only smoke half of a cigarette at a time to cut back on smoking.
If you really care about your loved ones, you should stop smoking as soon as you can. Secondhand smoke can be harmful to those in your household. It will do well for the health of your entire household when you quit smoking. Quitting will improve the health of yourself and your loved ones.
Each time you hit a landmark in your regimen to quit smoking, reward yourself. Keep a list of possible rewards you will give yourself when you make it a day without smoking, or a week, or a month, and so on. Post the list in a noticeable place where you will be able to see it each day. You might be surprised by how much these rewards can motivate you to overcome obstacles.
If you have been smoking inside your house, give it a complete scrub-down, once you have quit. You should clean your upholstery and carpets, cleanse the walls and have your curtains and drapes cleaned. This will help your home to feel clean and fresh, and keep you from smelling smoke each time you walk through the door.
Consider keeping a photograph of your family with you at all times while you quit smoking to remind you of your motivation. Data suggests that about twenty percent of deaths in the United States have something to do with smoking. Do your best not to become a statistic.
If you are attempting to stop smoking, stay away from situations, environments, and activities that generally resulted in you smoking. If you drank your morning coffee and had a cigarette, switch your routine. Switching to herbal tea or not going to the bar can help you to avoid your cravings while they’re at their worst.
Make a vow to never take another puff again. Do not convince yourself that smoking one cigarette will not hurt your good resolutions; one will soon turn into two, and all your hard work will be for nothing. Tell yourself the dangers that taking that one puff can do. This may stop you in your tracks and make it possible to fight off the craving.
Remind yourself of the bleak consequences smoking has on your health. The health statistics clearly indicate a huge number deaths that are directly attributed to smoking cigarettes. Do your best not to become a statistic.
Do not beat yourself up if you have a cigarette. Simply begin your plan again. Everyone has the same possibility of giving into the urge to smoke, even those that are very well organized and intensely motivated. Find your weaknesses and create solid backup plans to keep them from derailing you again. You may have an easier time overcoming the same hurdle if it arises again.
Workout every day. Exercising after quitting smoking will be easier, as your lung capacity immediately starts improving. It can also help to avoid putting on pounds thanks to a slower metabolic rate. The endorphins exercise produce are no substitute for nicotine highs, but they help take the edge off of withdrawal.
View quitting as a favor to yourself, rather than a sacrifice. If you see quitting as an achievement, you will be more motivated to continue your fight. Remind yourself of how important your task is, and keep in mind that the positive aspects of quitting outweigh the negative ones by a long shot. You will find your motivations and have every reason to quit immediately.
If you do not succeed at quitting initially, don’t beat up on yourself or get discouraged. It is normal for many efforts to fail, no matter how organized. Find your weaknesses and create solid backup plans to keep them from derailing you again. You may find that you conquer an almost identical situation with the right coping mechanisms in the future.
As a smoker, smoking was probably your primary coping mechanism during periods of high stress. If this is true, find another relaxation technique when stressed. Consider yoga or meditation because this will decrease your stress better than smoking does.
It can be helpful to get rid of reminders of your smoking life when you are trying to quit. Things you should eliminate includes removing ashtrays and cigarette lighters. You should take time to wash all of your clothing and linens to remove the smell of smoke. You may also need to thoroughly clean your house from top to bottom. Taking these steps can reduce your urges to smoke a cigarette because you are removing potential triggers.
Memorize a list of your most pressing reasons to quit smoking. Repeat them to yourself, whenever you feel the urge to smoke. This helps you take your focus off of smoking, and instead you are able to focus on other important things to you.
If you feel like a cigarette, exercise instead. Exercise causes endorphins to be released which make you feel good, and getting a little exercise will help to heal your smoking-related health problems. The distraction doesn’t hurt, either! Exercise is beneficial in another way as well; it can minimize the effects of metabolism changes that happen when you stop smoking, which can help keep the extra weight gain at bay that people who quit sometimes experience.
Identify challenges you’ll face when you’ll quit. Many people relapse just a few weeks or months after quitting. It may be very tempting to have a quick cigarette when you are tired or stressed. You need to know what your triggers are.
Smoking Cessation
Rather than smoking, try exercising. You’ll find that your body will begin to feel stronger as it recuperates from the smoking habit, and also you’ll have improved workout sessions as your strength and endurance improve. The bonus of renewed strength and health is that you may not want to sabotage your efforts by letting the cigarette habit creep back in.
See if your smoking cessation specialist can recommend prescription drugs designed to help people quit smoking. There are many smoking cessation options. There are many options available to help you stop smoking, and these range from certain medications that help with withdrawal to nicotine replacement therapies. Listen to your doctor’s recommendations and find one that helps you to finally quit for good.
It can be a tough emotional challenge to quit smoking. You may experience intense cravings and have difficulty resisting this temptation. Make every effort to journal your cravings, their strength, your current distraction and frame of mind. Journal how you combated the craving. Use this as a guide to better prepare for future cravings you will experience.
Eat lots of vegetables, seeds, nuts and fruits while quitting smoking. Consuming healthy, natural foods which are low in calories helps you stop smoking for several reasons. For instance, having your mouth and hands constantly doing something could replace the behavioral motions of smoking. Eating these foods on a regular basis can help reduce any weight gain. The nutrients in these foods can even improve how you feel during withdrawal.
When you quit smoking, focus primarily on the impact that this decision will have on yourself. Motivation must come from within, if you want to have the best possible chance to succeed. Quitting smoking is a wonderful gift you can give yourself, and you know you will never disappoint the recipient if you stick to your word.
Quitting smoking is so difficult in part due to the addictive qualities of nicotine. Many people find it very hard to give up the habit, for both physical and emotional reasons. The suggestions you have just read can assist you on your journey. With these tips and tricks, as well as your effort, you can stop smoking.
Purchase a bag of lollipops for your anti-smoking endeavors. Instead of reaching for a cigarette, reach for a sucker. The sucker stick will keep your hand busy, just like holding a cigarette. Sucking or chewing on the candy part keeps your mouth occupied. With hand and mouth happily busy, you may forget about the craving for your cigarette.