Your quit smoking date

After what we have seen at this first article "do you think quitting smoking is hard?" , Quitting is not so easy, However today is your big day. So to help you get through your first smoke free-day, I suggest that you:

     1.Keep busy and find new things to do

     2.Stay away from what tempts you

     3.Plan to reward yourself

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Keep busy and find new things to do

Keep busy today, spending as much time as you can in nonsmoking places. Create some new habits and mix up your daily routine. Today and the days ahead will be easier if you avoid things that remind you of smoking. Remember it’s harder to smoke if you are keeping yourself busy and finding new things to do.
Here are some examples to get you started.

Go to nonsmoking places

    Museums
    Places of worship
    Libraries
    Malls
    Smoke-free restaurants

Be active

    Take a bike ride
    Walk or run
    Go for a swim

Distract your hands     
                                    
    Write a letter
    Knit or crochet
    Hold something: a tennis ball, pen, or coin

Distract your mind

    Do a crossword puzzle
    Read a book

Fool your mouth

    Try a toothpick or straw
    Chew sugar-free gum
    Brush your teeth often and use mouthwash

    You may have a hard time concentrating in your early days as a nonsmoker.

    Mental activities, such as doing crossword puzzles or even reading a book or magazine, may be more challenging. Recognize that it may be difficult to stay mentally focused in the early stages of quitting. Remember your skill in these activities will improve.

 

Stay away from what tempts you

    You now understand that certain things trigger your urge to smoke. Today and as you’re trying to quit, review your list of triggers. Then think of how you can avoid them. Other helpful tips to avoid triggers are noted below.

Change your routine

   Changes in your routine help you avoid times and places that trigger the urge to smoke. Do things and go places where smoking is not allowed. Keep this up until you feel more relaxed and confident about being smoke free.

Instead of smoking…… YOU CAN …..

After meals try getting up from the table, brushing and flossing your teeth, and taking a walk.
While driving you can listen to a new radio station, try a different route, or taking a train or bus, if possible.
Instead of drinking coffee take water, juice, or tea. Or, just change the time you drink your coffee.
At a party better to be with nonsmokers and keep your hands busy.

When you really crave a cigarette

Remember the urge to smoke usually lasts only a few minutes. Try to wait it out. One reason it’s important to get rid of all your cigarettes is to give yourself the time you need for these cravings to fade. Drink water or do something else until the urge passes. You really have to have a plan for this special case, you can use any of the tips below.

Pick up something:Try something other than a cigarette.Sunflower seeds, apples, raisins, or pretzels.

Have a list of things you can do at a moment’s notice: Organize your computer files, delete messages from your cell phone, or call a friend to support you.

Take a deep breath:Take 10 slow, deep breaths and hold the last one.Then breathe out slowly. Relax.

Clean something: Wash your hands or the dishes, vacuum, or clean out your car.

Make a move: Go outside or to a different room, or change what you are doing or who you are with.


       No matter what, don’t think, “Just one won’t hurt.” It will hurt. It will slow your progress toward your goal of being smoke-free. Remember—trying something to beat the urge is always better than trying nothing.
The craving will go away, whether you smoke a cigarette or not.

 

Plan to reward yourself

Don’t think of it as stopping smoking. Think of it as starting a new, healthier life style. Staying smoke-free is
challenging. It takes some time. Be patient. You will begin to feel better. Set up rewards to remind yourself how hard you’re working. For example, you could:

    Buy yourself something special to celebrate quitting

    Go for dinner at a new restaurant

    See a movie or sporting event

    Start a new hobby

    Begin exercising

My list of rewards

      Make your own list of rewards. If they require a purchase, figure out the cost, Then plan for rewards that equal the amount of time you’ve succeeded in quitting (1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and so on). Put aside cigarette money to save for or buy some of them. You’ll be amazed at how fast the money you used to spend on cigarettes adds up and how soon you’ll be able to buy your rewards.

Now that you aren’t buying cigarettes, you probably have more spending money. For example, if you smoke
one pack a day, $5.00 per pack, so :

1 day = $5.00
1 week = $35.00
1 month = $150.00
1 year = $1,825.00
10 years = $18,250.00
20 years $36,500.00.

KEEP IN MIND
      You have to be careful with food rewards. It’s a great idea to go out to dinner or have a scoop of ice cream. Just be reasonable. Treat yourself without overeating. Make sure you are really hungry and not just searching for a substitute for a cigarette craving.

Good luck.

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keys to help you quitting smoking

     1. Set a date to quit smoking

     2. Tell family, friends, and co-workers about your plan to stop smoking

     3. Anticipate and plan for the challenges you will find while quitting

     4. Remove cigarettes and all tobacco products from your home, car, and workplace

     5. Talk to your doctor to help you planning for smoking cessation

Set a date to quit smoking

Finding a time to quit smoking is not easy. But any time can be a good time to quit if you are ready to try. Some smokers like choose a day that is represent something for them, such as a birthday or wedding anniversary.
Actually, it doesn’t matter to pick up a special day to quit. For many people, today is the day. You can choose any day to be your quit day. When you are ready to take the first step toward quitting, take it.

Take action now!!! Write it!! my quit date is …………….

 Tell family, friends, and co-workers about your plan to stop smoking

Support of others are important to quit smoking, it will be easy. Tell your family, friends, and coworkers you plan to quit and they will be ready to help you.
Some people like to be asked how things are going, while some find it annoying. Tell the people you care about exactly how they can help you. Here are some ideas:
◆Ask everyone to understand if you have a change in mood; assure them it won’t last long.
◆Ask smokers who are close to you to quit with you or at least not smoke around you.
◆speak to yourself and others: “The longer I go without cigarettes, the sooner I’ll feel better.”
◆speak to yourself and others: “The worst withdrawal symptoms from smoking—irritability and trouble sleeping—may be over within two weeks.”

Take action now!!! tell them …………….

Anticipate and plan for the challenges you will find while quitting

Expecting challenges is an important part of getting ready to quit. Quitting presents both short- and long-term challenges. You may need different strategies for handling each.
Short-term challenges
Most people who have a hard time quitting and resume smoking do so in the first tree months after trying to quit. Difficulty quitting is often caused by withdrawal symptoms—the physical discomfort smokers feel when they give up nicotine. It is your body’s way of telling you it is learning to be nicotine-free. These feelings will go away in time.
Long-term challenges
Even as your physical withdrawal is decreasing, you may still be tempted to smoke when you feel stressed or down. Although it’s a challenge to be ready for these times, knowing that certain feelings can trigger a craving to smoke will help you handle the tough times.

 

Remove cigarettes and all tobacco products from your home, car, and workplace

Getting rid of things that remember you of smoking also will help you get ready to quit. You should:
◆ Throw away all your tobacco supplies (cigarettes, lighters, matches, and ashtrays).
◆ Make things clean and fresh in your home and car and at work; for instance, clean your drapes and clothes.
◆ Have your teeth cleaned and remove those nicotine stains.
◆please don’t save the “just in case” pack of cigarettes! Saving one pack makes it easier to start smoking again.

Take action now!!! Remove reminders of smoking around you!!

Talk to your doctor to help you planning for smoking cessation

It is important to tell your doctor when you are ready to quit—especially if you are pregnant, thinking of becoming pregnant, or have a serious medical condition. Your doctor can help you connect with the right resources to make your quit attempt successful. But keep in mind medications alone can’t do all the work. They can help with cravings and withdrawal, but they won’t completely prevent withdrawal symptoms. Even if you use medication to help you stop smoking, quitting may still be hard at times, many people find it helps to combine medication with behavior strategies.

Take action now!!! Visit your doctor!! Have a strategie!!

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Preparing to quit smoking

Think about why you want to quit smoking

 

Decide for sure that you want to stop smoking, and then promise yourself you’ll do it, you will give up smoking . It’s okay to have mixed feelings. Don’t let that stop you. There will be times every day that you don’t feel like quitting. You will have to stick with it anyway. Find reasons that are important to you. Think of health reasons, stop smoking benefits such as:

◆My body will start healing right away.
◆I will have more energy and focus.
◆I will feel more physically fit.
◆I will have whiter teeth and healthier gums.
◆I will cough less and breathe easier.
◆I will lower my risk of cancer, heart attack, stroke, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and cataracts.
◆I will reduce the risk of fertility problems, premature births, and lower birth weight babies.
◆I will no longer expose my family and friends to second-hand smoke.

Think of some other reasons to quit, such as:
◆I will be proud of myself.
◆I will make my family, friends, and co-workers proud of me.
◆I will be a better role model for others, especially my kids.
◆I will feel more in control of my life.
◆I will have more money to spend.
◆I will save time by not taking cigarette breaks, buying cigarettes, or searching for a light.

Write down why you want to stop smoking  

 

Write down all the reasons you want to quit. Keep your list where you’ll see it often. Good places for your list are:

◆where you keep your cigarettes
◆in your wallet or purse
◆in your kitchen
◆in your car When you reach for a cigarette, find your list of reasons for quitting. It will remind you why you want to stop.

Learn how much you depend on nicotine

 

Knowing how addicted you are to nicotine can help you quit. It can help you decide if you need extra support, such as joining a quit-smoking program or taking medication to help you quit. Answer the six simple questions in this nicotine addiction test. Your score will help you figure out how much you depend on nicotine.

Understand what your score means

If you scored even a single point, you may be dependent on nicotine. The higher your score, the more dependent you are. Remember—no matter what your score, you’ll have to work hard to quit.

Understand what makes you want to smoke 

 

Wanting to smoke is not just an unhealthy habit. You want to smoke because your body now relies on nicotine. When the amount of nicotine in your body runs low, it triggers a craving—a strong, almost uncontrollable urge—for another cigarette. You may feel nervous, short-tempered, or anxious when you haven’t smoked. Your body wants nicotine. Triggers—people, places, activities, and feelings you associate with smoking—also make you want to smoke. Your triggers might be hearing the sounds of a party, finishing a task, or smelling coffee. Whatever your triggers, they can make you crave a cigarette.

Know your triggers

 

If you know your triggers, you have a head start on avoiding situations that tempt you to smoke. Think about what might tempt you to smoke. Look to the triggers bellow. Many smokers find that all these triggers make them want to smoke. You may only check a few. The point is to recognize all the situations that trigger your craving for a cigarette.

◆Drinking coffee, tea …                         ◆Walking in the morning
◆Driving my car                                      ◆Being a passenger
◆After eating                                           ◆Smelling a cigarette
◆Being with other smokers                     ◆After completing a task
◆Seeing someone smoke                         ◆Watching TV

◆Feeling stressed                                    ◆Taking a break
◆Feeling lonely or depressed                  ◆Talking on the phone
◆Being or feeling less tolerant                ◆Checking email
◆Feeling bored                                        ◆Surfing the Internet
◆Feeling angry, irritable, or impatient

Meet your triggers head on

 

You can get prepared to quit smoking by thinking of ways to avoid some triggers and creating alternatives for others. You’ll find that the urge to smoke only lasts a few minutes. Even if it lasts longer, it will go away, whether or not you smoke. Fighting the urge to smoke is easier if you:

◆ take a deep breath
◆ keep your hands busy—write, doodle, or hold a coin or pencil
◆ put something else in your mouth, such as a toothpick or candies
◆ go places where smoking isn’t allowed, such as a library or non-smoking restaurant
◆ hang out with people who don’t smoke
◆ avoid alcoholic drinks; try to drink water or juice instead

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Does quitting smoking is hard ?

 You are here looking for the best way to quit smoking, let me tell you something: many ex-smokers think quitting was the hardest thing they ever did. Do you feel hooked? You’re probably addicted to nicotine. Nicotine is in all tobacco products. It makes you feel cool and satisfied, yet also vigilant and focused. But the more you smoke the more you need nicotine to feel good. Soon, you don’t feel “normal” without nicotine. This is nicotine addiction.
It takes time to break free from nicotine addiction. It may take more than one try to quit for good. So don’t give up too soon. You will feel good again.

Quitting may be hard for you because smoking is a big part of your life. You may enjoy holding a cigarette and puffing on it. You may smoke when you are stressed, bored, or angry. You may light up when you drink coffee or alcohol, talk on the phone, drive, or are with other smokers. After months and years, smoking has become part of your daily routine, you may light up without even thinking about it, yes, I see.
Smoking cessation isn’t easy. Just reading this article won’t do it. You may try to quit several times before you’re finally done with cigarettes. But you will learn something each time you try. It takes willpower and strength to beat your addiction to nicotine. Remember that millions of people have quit smoking for good. You too, you can be one of them, you can stop smoking .
Just thinking about quitting may make you anxious. But your chances will be better if you get ready first. Quitting works best when you’re prepared.
First, I want to congratulate you for completing this article. You've invested precious time reading these words and this show your willpower to give up smoking. I am confident that the ideas presented in my sit will help you answer the question:   how to quit smoking?

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