If you smoke, it’s likely that you don’t really want to. You don’t have to be told how much it costs, how badly it smells and what it’s doing to your health. You know all that already. What you don’t know is how to get through the wall you have likely run into in trying to give it up. Read on for ideas on breaking through.
If you’re doing well on your stop smoking journey, don’t forget to reward yourself. Treat yourself to a nice massage, a pedicure, or a special new outfit when you’ve cut back, and then something else when you’ve stopped entirely. You need to have rewards like this to look forward to, as they can help to keep you motivated.
Sometimes when you’re trying to quit smoking, scare tactics can help. Scan a few pictures of cancer patients, individuals who have aged significantly due to cigarettes, or damaged lungs. Keep these in view at all times and they just might scare you into staying away from those dangerous cigarettes.
Try to create a list of reasons why you are quitting. Keep it handy. This list will serve as a reminder of all the things that you are getting by quitting in the long run. Every time you feel the urge to smoke, try to take a good long look at your list and it will help you stick to your plan.
If you are worried about gaining weight as you begin to quit, then you should try to incorporate a moderate exercise regimen into your daily routine to help curb any weight gain that you might experience. Exercise is the best way to prevent any weight gain from your quitting.
Be sure that you are willing to stick with your plan to quit smoking. It is easy to fail in your attempt to quit if you don’t get properly motivated or give up too quickly. 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.
Avoid triggering that make you want to smoke. Alcohol is a trigger for many, so when you are quitting, try to drink less. If coffee is your trigger, for a couple of weeks drink tea instead. If you like to smoke after eating a meal, do something else rather like taking a walk or brushing your teeth.
You should commit fully in your effort to quit smoking. If you have failed before, you likely did not fully want to quit smoking. While quitting for the benefits is compelling enough, you should find better motivators to fuel your efforts. You will find yourself more successful in the long run.
When you are trying to quit smoking, sometimes you have to change other habits which trigger your desire for a puff. Instead of that cup of coffee or that alcoholic drink, have a glass of juice or water. Many people still have an urge to have a smoke after finishing a meal. After a meal, take a walk. Not only will it help take your mind off having a smoke, it will also help keep off the weight that is commonly associated with giving up smoking.
Enlist your friends and family to support you with your decision to stop smoking. Those closest to you can be a real help in keeping you on track and smoke-free. Inform everyone of your intentions to quit smoking before your quit date, and let them know specifically how they can be of best help to you.
Master stress management. Aside from nicotine withdrawal and simple habit, a primary reason you might start smoking again is stress. If you can’t avoid all stress during the first few weeks after quitting, do whatever it takes to manage your stress in another way than having a cigarette. Get a massage or try a yoga class. Find something new and healthy to replace what you’re giving up.
Quit smoking with a buddy. Having someone else with whom to commiserate and celebrate will make your success even sweeter. Choose a friend, relative, or co-worker who also wants to quit, or pair up with someone on an online support forum. Having someone by your side will make the process much easier to tolerate and will help you stay accountable.
Whatever activities and locations are most closely associated with smoking in your past, avoid them. If you associate smoking with drinking a cup of coffee in the morning or attending happy hour when the workday is done, you will probably need to adjust your routine. Having your coffee in the car or avoiding the bar allows you to short circuit your cravings.
Whether you want to call it quitting smoking or gaining freedom from tobacco, the road from smoker to ex-smoker seems impassible to many. However, in this article you read ideas, advice and insights from those that are now on the other side of that wall. Put these points into play and you can bat for the other team yourself.
