There are few smokers who do not realize that they should quit. Have you ever heard a smoker say how healthy they thought their habit was? Non-smokers don’t understand what quitting entails; however, ex-smokers do. The advice here is from experts – your peers who have successfully quit – so read on for great tips to help you quit.
You should try to ease the pain of quitting as much as possible. Do not ever try to quit cold turkey. Quitting cold turkey is only effective about 5% of the time. Try strategies such as medication, therapy or a patch. Any of these methods can make your experience with withdrawal easier, helping to ensure that you can quit for good.
Make your self a list of the reasons to and the reasons not to stop smoking. Your mind tends to take something more seriously when you write it down. Not only can you find motivation to continue your journey in this way, but your trek might become easier since you can concentrate more.
Take your journey one day at a time. Giving up the tobacco habit is a long process. Do not even think about the future. Changing today can make your future brighter, so take your quitting goal one step at a time and try your best to be strong throughout the whole process.
Cold Turkey
Start exercising. Not only will it help you get into shape, it can help you stay busy and avoid cigarettes. Exercise is also a very effective stress reliever. If you are not a very active person, you can start slowly with going for walks regularly. Before beginning an exercise routine, consult with your doctor.
Find the method of quitting that will be easiest for you. Don’t try going cold turkey. If you try quitting cold turkey, you may end up relapsing. Nicotine is extremely addictive, so use a patch, therapy or medication. You’ll be better equipped to make it through withdrawal and quit smoking permanently.
Before setting a quit date or otherwise planning your quitting process, you must be committed to succeeding. A lot of smokers have a hard time quitting because they are not approaching the issue with the right mindset and do not have enough motivation. Remember why you want to quit, and remind yourself often.
Might hypnosis work for you? This non-traditional method of quitting has shown great success with many smokers. By implanting positive affirmations into your mind while you are in a trance, you will get the boost you need to keep working toward your goal. When you snap out of the deep trance, you may find that your love for cigarettes has diminished, making giving them up easier.
Talk to your doctor about quitting smoking. Your physician may have resources available to help you quit that you do not have access to. Also, if your doctor feels that your situation calls for it, he or she may think it is best for you to take a prescription medication for quitting.
Joining a gym, exercising or finding new and enjoying activities, can keep you away from cigarettes as well as improving your overall health. Exercise can go a long way to reducing the stress brought on by nicotine withdrawals. If you do not currently exercise regularly, you can start slowly by walking regularly. Before you begin any fitness program, you should first consult your doctor.
To avoid cracking under the pressure of cravings and nicotine withdrawal, find healthy ways to deal with the resulting stress. This could translate to making appointments for activities, like the gym or spa, during the hours when your nicotine cravings are at their peak. Fill your downtime with enjoyable, lighthearted distractions – the latest novel, date night or a cultural outing.
Celebrate each milestone along your way to quitting, choosing little rewards you enjoy. For example, after a week without smoking, treat yourself to a movie. Once you’ve passed that month long milestone, enjoy a fancy night out at your favorite restaurant. After that, continue to reward yourself once in awhile until smoking is no longer on your mind at all.
Quit smoking for your loved ones health. Secondhand smoke can negatively impact one’s overall health, and tarnish their lungs. Once you quit, then your loved ones will no longer be exposed to the dangers secondhand smoke brings with it. Quitting will make both you and those you love healthier.
You may want to smoke an alternative brand of cigarettes when you are considering quitting the habit. Consider switching to a brand of cigarettes that you don’t care for. Don’t smoke more than you typically would or inhale them differently. This will help you on the way to quitting smoking.
Start by cutting back on your smoking. If you want to quit smoking completely, this can get you pointed in the right direction. It is wise to hold off for at least 60 minutes prior to having the initial cigarette of each day. A great way to reduce the amount of cigarettes you are smoking is to only allow yourself to be able to smoke half of the cigarette at any time.
Make your family and friends aware of your intention to give up smoking. The people who care about you will remind you of your need to quit. Having a system of support is one of the best methods you can use to quit. This greatly increases the chances that you’ll succeed, and it’ll get you where you want to be.
If you want to quit, you have to learn about quitting. Many people who do not smoke anymore most likely were not successful the first time they tried. Stop smoking, and make a strong effort to avoid starting again as long as possible. If you do start up again, immediately pick a new “quit” date. Every time you have to quit, allow yourself as long as possible. Let each mistake be a learning opportunity. Eventually, you will get good at doing this, and you will quit and not go back.
Be prepared with strategies to help deal with situations that cause anxiety. Lighting a cigarette is, for many smokers, an instant reaction to a stressful event. Planning in advance for these moments will help you avoid giving in to the stress and grabbing a smoke. Have multiple ideas you can use in the event the first doesn’t help adequately.
The best advice you can get for quitting smoking is just to stop. Stopping will start you on your new path. Just stop and do not start doing it again. This method may appear somewhat harsh. It has been shown that this method can be quite effective.
Stay away from the kind of situations where you would be tempted to smoke. If you always had a cigarette with your morning coffee or at happy hour after work, try changing your routine. Drink coffee while driving to work and avoid the bar to reduce cravings, as there will be many smokers in this area.
Set up a reward system for yourself whenever you reach a particular milestone. 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. Take the time to put the list in a very visible spot and view it daily. It might provide inspiration and motivation during difficult times.
The first few days will be the hardest. The first two days without smoking is when the body rids itself completely of all the nicotine you’ve been consuming. After this point, nicotine cravings will be primarily psychological in nature. While still difficult, this will make resisting them considerably less traumatic.
If you need some extra motivation to quit smoking, keep your family and anyone else that would be affected if you were to get sick because this habit in your mind. The health statistics clearly indicate a huge number deaths that are directly attributed to smoking cigarettes. Don’t become one of these unfortunate statistics.
Smoking may be the thing you do in times of stress to calm yourself. Find other techniques you can use to relax when you feel stressed. Meditation, music and yoga are some good ideas to try. They can reduce the severity of your cravings for a cigarette and help to reduce stress.
Do not make any exceptions to your new non-smoking rule. You may be thinking that you can handle having just one cigarette, but in reality, that one cigarette will probably undo all of your quitting efforts. Remind yourself of the damage that “just one” can do before the urge ever strikes.
Instead of smoking a cigarette, get some exercise. When you exercise, your body releases a lot of endorphins, which in turn, make your mood go up. Also, when you exercise, your body is distracted from wanting a cigarette. In addition, exercise helps to offset changes to your metabolism that may occur when you quit, helping you to keep weight gain to a minimum.
Start working out as soon as you quit smoking. Right after you quit smoking, your lung capacity starts to improve. This makes exercising easier than it used to be. This can also help you to reduce potential weight gain. The endorphins released during exercise are in no way a substitute for the nicotine addiction, but can really help to reduce some of the cravings.
If all else fails, seek counseling to help with quitting. There are often emotional reasons that contribute to a person’s smoking habit. Dealing with such issues may also help your urge to smoke disappear. If you think that your smoking may be caused by this kind of trigger, call your doctor to discuss your options for this kind of treatment.
Instead of thinking that you “must” quit, think about wanting to quit. When you look at any task positively, including quitting smoking, it is easier to stay focused and motivated. Think about the pros rather than the cons. Do not dwell on the deprivations, think about the positive aspects of a nicotine free life. These benefits should improve your chances of quitting with effectiveness.
When you commit to stop smoking, get your loved ones to help. Let all of your friends and family know about your decision to quit. You may be surprised at the amount of encouragement and support you receive, and at how beneficial it may prove to be. Also, try group counseling or therapy to aid you in quitting smoking.
When you are trying to quit smoking, eat plenty of nuts, vegetables and fruits. Natural, healthy foods will be helpful during your quit for more than one reason. If you have something to occupy your mouth and hands, you can substitute the behavior of smoking. By eating these items, you’ll help to negate any weight gain. Additionally, the vitamins and minerals in these foods can offer relief from withdrawal symptoms.
Don’t go overboard with eating! Don’t try and lose weight the same time you’re trying to quit smoking. Instead, keep your eating habits the same, and ensure you don’t eat more than you were before. If you smoke, veggies and fruit can give a bad mouth taste if you smoke. You need these items as part of a healthy diet; stop smoking so you can get your taste buds back.
Before you quit, take a good look at your smoking routine. This will help you to eliminate temptation during the course of the day. If you know when cravings are most likely to strike, then you will be better prepared to stave them off.
It is hard for nonsmokers to imagine why you crave a smoke when it can so clearly hurt your health. They also don’t know how difficult it is to stop. Many people have been able to quit, though, and the advice that helped them was just given to you. Apply their experiences to your life and liberate yourself from smoking.
You need to eat a balanced diet. You should not try to diet while quitting smoking. Follow a healthy, balanced diet. Fruits, veggies, and dairy products can taste unpleasant when you smoke. These healthy foods will help reduce your cigarette cravings.