You must be properly motivated if you want to be successful at quitting smoking. Quitting smoking provides a wealth of benefits. You are sure to find at least one that can help inspire you to continue when your journey becomes difficult. The benefits of quitting include increased financial and physical health. The health of your family is also improved. Your journey to a smoke-free life starts here.
Acupuncture can help you to quit smoking. Acupuncture involves putting some very tiny needles into specific points on your body. It can remove toxins and help to treat unpleasant mental and physical withdraw symptoms. Be sure to see a reputable and trained professional for this type of treatment, because it can be dangerous if not done correctly.
Make sure you do not feel as if you have to give up any aspect of your life because you are quitting smoking. Anything that you do you can still do as an ex-smoker. Who knows, you may even be able to do your favorite things a little bit better.
While in the process of quitting smoking, allow yourself a reward as you reach certain milestones. You can go to a movie or buy something that you wanted, after not smoking for a period of time. After a month, eat out at a nice restaurant that you don’t regularly dine at. After that, slowly build the reward until you’ve reached the point at which you no longer think about smoking.
Try incorporating deep breathing exercises in your life when you begin to feel the urge to smoke. This will help you calm down when you feel like you need to take a puff. Deep breathing will help you control yourself and stop the urge before you begin to think about giving in.
If you are finding that you aren’t enjoying food and drinks as much as you used to, consider quitting smoking. Smoking can cause damage to the taste buds in your mouth, meaning that you don’t recognize tastes in the same way. If you quit, your taste buds will soon recuperate, meaning you will be able to enjoy your favorite meals once again.
Avoid triggering that make you want to smoke. Alcohol is a trigger for many, so when you are quitting, try to drink less. If coffee is your trigger, for a couple of weeks drink tea instead. If you like to smoke after eating a meal, do something else rather like taking a walk or brushing your teeth.
Do not try to set a day to quit. Instead of trying to make a plan, quit today. This sort of planning nearly never works and it will lead to disappointment. Start quitting right away, rather than trying to create an imaginary timeline for yourself. Take action and you will get where you want to be.
When you’re ready to quit smoking, don’t be afraid to seek the advice of a physician. A doctor can guide you in many ways on how to quit, whether it’s recommending a nicotine replacement product, or outlining an exercise plan, or even just offering authoritative words of encouragement and support.
To help you stop smoking, remind yourself constantly about the immediate benefits. These include fresher breath, no more yellow and stained teeth, more energy and an increased ability to taste foods. In addition, you will be less likely to have shortness of breath and will enjoy physical exercise more. This will leave you healthier and happier.
Rid your home of anything cigarette related. Once you decide to quit smoking, get rid of any evidence. Throw away ashtrays, lighters, matches etc. Wash your clothes and clean the house from top to bottom. The last thing you need is a scent of cigarettes that might lure you back in to the habit.
Write down a journal of every time you have a cigarette and what your reasons were for having one. This journal will help you to find out what your smoking triggers are. For some it may be the first morning cigarette, or the need to smoke after a meal. For others, it may be stress. Determining your triggers will help you to figure out a way to fight them.
Try gradually cutting back on the number of cigarettes that you smoke. However, you should have a day that you will quit set in stone. For example, you could plan out the number of cigarettes you plan on smoking until the day that you quit. Try making the number that you smoke each day smaller and smaller until this day arrives. This method has been proven to work for many people.
Determination, drive, and motivation are what will take you from smoker to ex-smoker. Keep reminding yourself of the reasons you need to quit and that may be the motivation you need to keep on track. Keep this advice in mind and to help you stay on the path to being a former smoker.