| How To Quit Smoking...And Quit For Keeps
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| | On The Day You Stop Smoking
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| This information is from the National
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| | Throw away all your cigarettes and
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| Cancer Institute (NCI).
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| | matches. Hide your lighters and ashtrays.
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| Preparing Yourself To Stop Smoking
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| | Visit the dentist and have your teeth
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| Decide positively that you want to quit.
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| | cleaned to get rid of tobacco stains.
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| Try to avoid negative thoughts about how
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| | Notice how nice they look and resolve to
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| difficult it might be.
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| | keep them that way.
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| List all the reasons you want to quit.
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| | Make a list of things you'd like to buy
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| Every night before going to bed, repeat
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| | for yourself or someone else. Estimate
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| one of those reasons 10 times.
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| | the cost in terms of packs of cigarettes
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| Develop strong personal reasons in
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| | and put the money aside to buy these
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| addition to your health and obligations
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| | presents.
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| to others. For example, think of all the
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| | Keep very busy on the big day. Go to the
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| time you waste taking cigarette breaks,
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| | movies, exercise, take long walks, go
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| rushing out to buy a pack, hunting for a
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| | bike riding.
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| light, etc.
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| | Remind your family and friends that this
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| Begin to condition yourself physically:
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| | is your quit date and ask them to help
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| Start a modest exercise program; drink
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| | you over the rough spots of the first
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| more fluids; get plenty of rest; and
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| | couple of days and weeks.
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| avoid fatigue.
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| | Buy yourself a treat or do something
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| Set a target date for quittingperhaps a
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| | special to celebrate.
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| special day such as your birthday, your
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| | Immediately After Quitting
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| anniversary, or the Great American
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| | Develop a clean, fresh, nonsmoking
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| Smokeout. If you smoke heavily at work,
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| | environment around yourself, at work and
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| quit during your vacation so that you're
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| | at home. Buy yourself flowers. You may be
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| already committed to quitting when you
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| | surprised how much you can enjoy their
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| return. Make a date sacred and don't let
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| | scent now.
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| anything change it. This will make it
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| | The first few days after you quit, spend
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| easy for you to keep track of the day you
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| | as much free time as possible in places
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| became a nonsmoker and to celebrate that
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| | where smoking isn't allowed, such as
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| date every year.
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| | libraries, museums, theaters, department
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| Knowing What To Expect
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| | stores, and churches.
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| Have realistic expectationsquitting isn't
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| | Drink large quantities of water and fruit
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| easy, but it's not impossible. More than
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| | juice (but avoid sodas that contain
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| 3 million Americans quit every year.
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| | caffeine).
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| Understand that withdrawal symptoms are
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| | Try to avoid alcohol, coffee, and other
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| temporary. They usually last only 1-2
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| | beverages that you associate with
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| weeks.
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| | cigarette smoking.
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| Know that most relapses occur in the
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| | Strike up conversation instead of a match
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| first week after quitting, when
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| | for a cigarette.
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| withdrawal symptoms are strongest, and
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| | If you miss the sensation of having a
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| your body is still dependent on nicotine.
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| | cigarette in your hand, play with
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| Be aware that this will be your hardest
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| | something else, such as a pencil, a paper
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| time and use all your personal
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| | clip, a marble.
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| resourceswillpower, family, friends, and
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| | If you miss having something in your
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| the tips in this leafletto get you
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| | mouth, try toothpicks or a fake
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| through this critical period
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| | cigarette.
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| successfully.
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| | Avoid Temptation
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| Know that most other relapses occur in
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| | Instead of smoking after meals, get up
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| the first 3 months after quitting, when
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| | from the table and brush your teeth or go
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| situational triggers, such as a
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| | for a walk.
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| particularly stressful event, occur
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| | If you always smoke while driving, listen
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| unexpectedly. These are the times when
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| | to a particularly interesting radio
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| people reach for cigarettes
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| | program or your favorite music, or take
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| automatically, because they associate
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| | public transportation for a while, if you
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| smoking with relaxing. This is the kind
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| | can.
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| of situation that's hard to prepare
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| | For the first 1-3 weeks, avoid situations
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| yourself for until it happens, so it's
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| | you strongly associate with the
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| especially important to recognize it if
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| | pleasurable aspects of smoking, such as
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| it does happen. Remember that smoking is
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| | watching your favorite TV program,
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| a habit, but a habit you can break.
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| | sitting in your favorite chair, or having
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| Realize that most successful ex-smokers
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| | a cocktail before dinner.
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| quit for good only after several
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| | Until you are confident of your ability
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| attempts. You may be one of those who can
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| | to stay off cigarettes, limit your
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| quit on your first try. But if you're
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| | socializing to healthful, outdoor
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| not, don't give up. Try again.
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| | activities or situations where smoking is
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| Involving Someone Else
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| | not allowed.
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| Bet a friend you can quit on your target
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| | If you must be in a situation where
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| date. Put your cigarette money aside for
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| | you'll be tempted to smoke, such as a
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| every day you don't smoke and forfeit it
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| | cocktail or dinner party, try to
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| if you smoke. (But if you do smoke, don't
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| | associate with the nonsmokers there.
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| give up. Simply strengthen your resolve
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| | Try to analyze cigarette ads to
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| and try again.)
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| | understand how they attempt to sell you
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| Ask your friend or spouse to quit with
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| | on individual brands.
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| you.
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| | When You Get The Crazies
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| Tell your family and friends that you're
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| | Keep oral substitutes handy. Try carrots,
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| quitting and when. They can be an
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| | pickles, sunflower seeds, apples, celery,
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| important source of support both before
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| | raisins, or sugarless gum instead of a
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| and after you quit.
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| | cigarette.
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| Ways To Stop Smoking
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| | Take 10 deep breaths and hold the last
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| Switch Cigarette Brands
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| | one while lighting a match. Exhale slowly
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| Switch to a brand you find distasteful.
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| | and blow out the match. Pretend it's a
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| Change to a brand that is low in tar and
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| | cigarette and crush it out in an ashtray.
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| nicotine a couple of weeks before your
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| | Take a shower or bath if possible.
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| target date. This will help change your
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| | Learn to relax quickly and deeply. Make
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| smoking behavior. However, do not smoke
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| | yourself limp, visualize a soothing,
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| more cigarettes, inhale them more often
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| | pleasing situation and get away from it
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| or deeply, or place your fingertips over
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| | all for a moment. Concentrate on that
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| the holes in filters. These actions will
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| | peaceful image and nothing else.
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| increase your nicotine intake, and the
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| | Light incense or a candle instead of a
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| idea is to get your body used to
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| | cigarette.
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| functioning without nicotine.
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| | Never allow yourself to think that one
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| Cut Down The Number Of Cigarettes You
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| | won't hurtit will.
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| Smoke
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| | Find New Habits
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| Smoke only half of each cigarette.
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| | Change your habits to make smoking
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| Each day, postpone the lighting of your
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| | difficult, impossible, or unnecessary.
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| first cigarette 1 hour.
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| | For example, it's hard to smoke while
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| Decide you'll only smoke during odd or
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| | you're swimming, jogging, or playing
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| even hours of the day.
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| | tennis or handball. When your desire for
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| Decide beforehand how many cigarettes
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| | a cigarette is intense, wash your hands
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| you'll smoke during the day. For each
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| | or the dishes, or try new recipes.
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| additional cigarette, give a dollar to
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| | Do things that require you to use your
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| your favorite charity.
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| | hands. Try crossword puzzles, needlework,
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| Change your eating habits to help you cut
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| | gardening, or household chores. Go bike
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| down. For example, drink milk, which many
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| | riding or take the dog for a walk; give
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| people consider incompatible with
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| | yourself a manicure; write letters.
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| smoking. End meals or snacks with
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| | Enjoy having a clean-mouth taste and
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| something that won't lead to a cigarette.
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| | maintain it by brushing your teeth
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| Reach for a glass of juice instead of a
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| | frequently and using a mouthwash.
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| cigarette for a pick-me-up.
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| | Stretch a lot.
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| Remember: Cutting down can help you quit,
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| | Get plenty of rest.
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| but it's not a substitute for quitting.
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| | Pay attention to your appearance. Look
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| If you're down to about seven cigarettes
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| | and feel sharp.
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| a day, it's time to set your target date
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| | Try to find time for the activities that
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| to quit and get ready to stick to it.
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| | are the most meaningful, satisfying, and
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| Don't Smoke Automatically
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| | important to you.
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| Smoke only those cigarettes you really
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| | About Gaining Weight
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| want. Catch yourself before you light up
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| | Many people who are considering quitting
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| a cigarette out of pure habit.
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| | smoking are very concerned about gaining
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| Don't empty your ashtrays. This will
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| | weight. If you are concerned about weight
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| remind you of how many cigarettes you've
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| | gain, keep these points in mind:
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| smoked each day, and the sight and the
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| | Quitting doesn't mean you'll
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| smell of stale cigarette butts will be
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| | automatically gain weight. When people
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| very unpleasant.
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| | gain, it's because they often eat more
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| Make yourself aware of each cigarette by
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| | once they quit.
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| using the opposite hand or putting
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| | The benefits of giving up cigarettes far
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| cigarettes in an unfamiliar location or a
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| | outweigh the drawbacks of adding a few
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| different pocket to break the automatic
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| | pounds. You'd have to gain a very large
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| reach.
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| | amount of weight to offset the many
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| If you light up many times during the day
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| | substantial health benefits that a normal
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| without even thinking about it, try to
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| | smoker gains by quitting. Watch what you
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| look into a mirror each time you put a
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| | eat, and if you are concerned about
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| match to your cigaretteyou may decide you
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| | gaining weight, consider the tips that
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| don't need it.
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| | follow.
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| Make Smoking Inconvenient
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| | Tips To Help You Avoid Weight Gain
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| Stop buying cigarettes by the carton.
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| | Make sure you have a well balanced diet,
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| Wait until one pack is empty before you
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| | with the proper amounts of protein,
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| buy another.
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| | carbohydrates, and fat.
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| Stop carrying cigarettes with you at home
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| | Don't set a target date for a holiday,
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| or at work. Make them difficult to get.
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| | when the temptation of high-calorie food
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| Make Smoking Unpleasant
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| | and drinks may be too hard to resist.
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| Smoke only under circumstances that
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| | Drink a glass of water before your meals.
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| aren't especially pleasurable for you. If
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| | Weigh yourself weekly.
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| you like to smoke with others, smoke
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| | Chew sugarless gum when you want sweet
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| alone. Turn your chair to an empty corner
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| | foods.
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| and focus only on the cigarette you are
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| | Plan menus carefully and count calories.
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| smoking and all its many negative
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| | Don't try to lose weight; just try to
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| effects.
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| | maintain your prequitting weight.
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| Collect all your cigarette butts in one
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| | Have low-calorie foods on hand for
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| large glass container as a visual
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| | nibbling. Some good choices are fresh
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| reminder of the filth made by smoking.
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| | fruits and vegetables, fruit and
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| Just Before Quitting
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| | vegetable juices, low-fat cottage cheese,
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| Practice going without cigarettes.
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| | and air-popped popcorn without butter.
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| Don't think of never smoking again. Think
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| | Take time for daily exercise or join an
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| of quitting in terms of 1 day at a time.
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| | organized exercise group.
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| Tell yourself you won't smoke today and
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| | This article may be reprinted providing
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| then, don't.
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| | it is publishedin it's entirety,
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| Clean your clothes to rid them of the
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| | including the author's bio andlink to the
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| cigarette smell, which can linger for a
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| | URL below.
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| long time.
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