The Keys To Quitting

Studies have shown that there are certain steps or keys to quitting. Your chances of quitting increase if you follow these steps. Here they are:
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1) Set a quiet date for quitting.
2) Change the ambiance. Get rid of all the cigarettes from your home, car and workplace. Do not let others smoke in your home.
3) Remember your earlier try at quitting and the mistakes that you made.
4) After quitting, do not smoke a single puff.

Get support and encouragement
1) Ask your family and friends to support you when you quit.
2) Tell your colleagues and smoking partner not to smoke around you.
3) Talk to your health care provider.
4) It is better to get as much counseling as you can whether individually, in group or over the telephone.

Follow new behaviors and new skills
1) When you have the urge to smoke, engage yourself in your newly acquired hobbies and skills.
2) Do something positive to reduce stress. You can read a book, go for a walk or listen to music to reduce stress.
3) Drink lot of fluids and water.
4) Plan something interesting to do, everyday.

Have proper medications
1) There are different types of medications available nowadays to help you kick the habit.
2) Do not hesitate to ask the health care provider for advice and follow the instructions.
3) The different medications almost double your chances of quitting.

Be prepared to face different difficult situations
1) Be prepared to give more than one try to quitting. Most of the relapses occur within the first three months of quitting. Try to avoid alcohol in between as it lowers your chances of quitting.
2) Your weight will increase if you quit. But do not let it come in between your determination to quit. You can lose your weight by exercise also.
3) Bad mood should not become the reason to start the habit once again. There are other means to counter bad mood than smoking.

It may not be possible for you to follow the steps accordingly, any how there is nothing to lose in giving it a try. So go for it. Just ask yourself why you want to quit and why you failed the last time and you will know the answer.

Where there is a will, there is a way. It is just the determination and strong will power which ultimately helps you achieve the toughest of targets. Same is the dictum that you need to follow if you wanna quit smoking. You know that cigarette is a highly addictive drug. But, since Nicotine has become an integral part of your life, the more you try to quit smoking, the more you find yourself drawn towards it. You are trying to dispel something with which you have been associated for so many years. Even the thought of leaving it requires a bulk of determination and will power.

Does your mind keep wondering about your earlier failed attempts? Does the thought of quitting smoking make you weak at knees? You may also think that you are never going to succeed in quitting. But, wait don't loose heart, it is the very problem faced by all other smokers.

Though nicotine addiction is very powerful, still every year thousands of people quit smoking successfully. But how are they able to do something which you always thought was impossible? While there is no magic formula to make the process of quitting easier, there are certain steps which you can take to drive out the commitment you need to kick this habit.

First of all, you have to change your mind, if you want to change your life. Smoking is all about your psychology. You have to change your attitude towards smoking to get rid of it. Until you don't begin to feel good about quitting, you will get nowhere.

Remember, smoking cessation requires a lot of work and will certainly test your will power. You have to be positive and stay focused. Making yourself aware about the benefits of quitting smoking will surely help.

Negative thought about quitting smoke exist in every smoker's subconscious mind. You have to work on your mental condition to create a solid commitment towards quitting. You should make it a habit to take note of your every thought, feelings and comments that you make about smoking and smoking cessation plan.

Take note of the physical effects like headache, tight stomach, and tight chest. Think about the taste and smell that you are missing because of your smoking habit. Just think about the bliss of nature that you have to stay away from due o your bad habit.

Ultimately, it is your will power and determination which will help you lead a smoke free life throughout. So, think and build it up before it's too late.

Quitting smoking and gaining weight as a result of it are perhaps the most talked about issues among all the smoking populace. You might have also thought about quitting cigarette many a times in the past but the same fear of weight gain might have held your hand tight and blocked your way.

One of the main hindrances in the quit smoking regime of many is the fear of weight gain. This fear is not a fake one but there are reasons behind it. It is very normal to gain some weight after you quit smoking. But dont let it weaken your determination to stay away from cigarettes.

The point is that have you ever thought as to why do you gain weight when you stop smoking? Well, the following are the reasons for it:

1) Smoking burns calories. In case of heavy smoker, smoking burns up to 200 calories a day.
2) As the calories are burnt, a person's metabolism is boosted slightly.
3) Nicotine is also an appetite suppressant. As such, you will gain weight after quitting.

As cigarettes are appetite suppressants. One of the aftermaths of quitting is that your appetite will increase which will make you acquire some weight. Smokers light up a cigarette when others are snacking between meals. We know that nicotine is a stimulant. It interferes with the release of hormones and other signals that trigger feelings of hunger. As a person quits smoking, it is very natural of him to look for something so that he can fight off the urge to smoke. So, food is used as a replacement to fill the gap arising out of your quitting. But, it is only an emotional comfort and hence women are more susceptible to return to smoking to avoid gaining weight. However, there are some constructive ways of fighting weight gain:

1) Regular exercise You do not have to go through rigorous exercise. A brisk walk around your neighborhood will do wonders for your health. It will also help you fight the cravings for smoke.

2) Avoid alcohol You should avoid alcohol completely during this period. You should not increase your chances of relapsing by drinking alcohol. This is because alcohol is high in calories and it is an inducement to smoke.

3) Have patience You have to be good to yourself and look forward to doing a thing at a time. You may fail in all the things if you persist on doing many self-improvement projects all at the same time. Just be patient about the fact that you can decrease your weight gradually.

It is a normal thing to gain 5 to 10 pounds in the first few months of quitting smoking. If you follow the above processes, you may stay in track without gaining much of it. All the best!