Too many people become discouraged and abandon their attempts to quit smoking. Quitting can happen if you’re positive about it, so try using the tips below to get started. Keep reading, and make good use of these tips to design a good quitting strategy.
Replace sweets with fresh produce to prevent gaining weight as you quit smoking. This will help control your weight at this crucial time. You body will be craving food when you stop smoking and a healthy diet will keep you focusing on a healthy lifestyle.
Nicotine replacement therapy is a great option. Nicotine withdrawal is very powerful and can lead to depression, feelings of restlessness, and becoming frustrated or irritable. Cravings can be difficult to ignore. Nicotine replacement therapy is a great way to help deal with cravings. Smokers who use nicotine gum, patches, or lozenges as an aid in trying to quit double their chances of succeeding. Don’t use these products if you’re currently smoking.
Eliminate the triggers you associate with smoking cigarettes. For instance, if you tend to smoke while driving or while drinking, it is important to adjust the way you do such things, so that do not automatically prompt you to smoke. Distract yourself with something else at those times.
If you are attempting to quit smoking, know what you will face ahead. Many people relapse just a few weeks or months after quitting. If you are feeling stressed or fatigued, you may crave a cigarette. Be vigilant about staying one step ahead of your smoking triggers.
During the first few days of your quitting attempt, fill your time with visits to places that people cannot smoke. Head to the movies are catch the new art exhibit with a friend. If you drink coffee, have it inside instead of outside, where you can smoke. You will find it easier to avoid the temptation, if you are not around other smokers.
Cut back before you quit. This is a good way to ease into the idea of quitting altogether. Do not smoke in the first hour when you wake up if you are planning on having a cigarette. One other strategy to reduce the amount you smoke is to smoke just half a cigarette each time you have one.
Treat smoking cessation like kicking any other addiction: as a series of days of sobriety. The road to stopping is just a process. Do not concern yourself with next month or next year. Take each day as it comes and concentrate on not smoking that day, which will help establish a habit that will help you over the long term.
Deep breathing can help fight off cravings. Breathe in through your nasal passages while counting up to ten. Hold it in, and then count to ten while breathing out. This exercise is helpful in relieving the stress that comes from cravings and helps you focus your attention elsewhere. The benefits don’t stop there, though. These exercises let you evaluate the progress of your respiratory system since you’ve quit smoking.
Just seriously having the desire to quit can be half the battle. After reading the advice here, the rest of the battle is coming up with a solid game plan, and sticking to it. Try some of these techniques to extricate yourself from the chains of cigarettes.