Even though you probably already know how smoking is hurting you, quitting is still not an easy task. If you want to stop smoking, it may be that you need a simple nudge. The advice below will help you to finally give up smoking.
Break down the benefits of quitting smoking by creating a list of specific pros and cons. Writing things down can change your whole mindset. It can keep you focused on your goal, which should make it easier to quit.
Tell yourself you need to take a long walk before you could smoke, or even just finish a large glass of water before you smoke. If you still choose to smoke, the delay time might just mean that you smoke one less that day.
By telling yourself to wait 10 minutes, you will usually avoid the craving. If it hasn’t, repeat this step until it does.
If you cannot quit cold turkey, replace your cigarettes with nicotine patches or gums. You can buy these products over the counter. They allow you to get your daily dose of nicotine and work toward getting rid of this habit without suffering from withdrawal symptoms.
Nicotine Replacement Therapies
Consider using a nicotine replacement therapy. Nicotine withdrawal can lead you feeling restless, irritable, frustrated or irritable. Cravings for a cigarette can be very hard to deal with.Nicotine replacement therapies may help you overcome these cravings while reducing the amount of nicotine in dealing with cravings. It is not recommended that you use a nicotine replacement product and smoke at the same time, to protect yourself avoid smoking if you are using nicotine replacement therapies.
Set a series of intermediate goals as part of your program to stop smoking. As you achieve each goal, reward yourself. For instance, you might decide to see a movie as a treat to mark one week without a cigarette. At the one month point, dine out at a restaurant you’ve been interested in checking out. Gradually increase the rewards as you finish longer and longer periods without smoking, until it no longer even enters your mind.
Motivation and a positive thinking can be very helpful in helping you quit smoking. Think about how your life you will have. Think about how much better your breath will be, or how much cleaner your teeth will be, or how much better your house will smell. While the negative impact of smoking should never be ignored, a positive outlook can also be very powerful.
Post the list in a noticeable place where it will be able to see it each day. This will keep you motivated during times of weakness.
You need to find ways to have your motivation in sight at all times. You can put up motivational messages in your office, or wear a piece of jewelry that represents your goals. Either way, you need to have visual reminders in order to help you when you experience temptations and cravings.
Stay away from trigger activities or things that you would normally associate with smoking.
To keep yourself motivated, keep in mind that your loved ones would be negatively impacted if you became sick as a result of smoking. Statistics say that one in five deaths in America are related to smoking. Do your best not become a statistic.
Exercise can replace smoking. 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 can also help avoid possible weight gain caused by the changes nicotine withdrawal can make to your metabolism.
While it’s easy to believe that one cigarette will be okay, just one single puff can undo all your hard work completely. Keep your goals and motivation in mind so that you do a lot of damage.
The first few days of quitting are the hardest. The initial 48 hours is when the body rids itself completely of all the nicotine you’ve been consuming. After you eliminate the nicotine from your body, your cravings will be mostly psychological. It will still be difficult, but they will be much less menacing.
Whether you succeed or fail the first time, you need to go into quitting with the mentality that you will persevere until the end. Most ex-smokers had to struggle to overcome their addiction for months or even years before succeeding. If you get sucked into smoking again, try to understand what made you do it and continue with your decision to quit smoking. Do not let this relapse stop you from your ultimate goal of quitting.
Instead of viewing quitting as a sacrifice, think about wanting to quit.Keep in mind how beneficial it is going to be to your health and quality of life, and remember that the pros are much greater than the cons. You will stay motivated and realize the benefits of quitting.
Get rid of any ashtrays and lighters in your home. Wash all your clothes and clean your house in order to remove the smoke’s smell. Doing this can ensure you will be reminded about smoking and wind up with a cigarette craving.
Replace your smoking habit with a healthy one like exercise. As the side effects of smoking begin to leave your body, your energy levels will increase, and your workouts will improve as a result. You will be less likely to turn back the progress on all your hard work by smoking if you have a steady workout routine.
Many people have a hard time with quitting, but if you have some strategies in hand, it will be simpler for you. If you follow the advice in this article, you should be able to quit the habit before too long. You’ll be healthier for it, and so will your loved ones.