Lots of smokers know all the reasons why they should stop, but still struggle making the final decision. Knowing the reasons of why you want to quit is an important first step. It is important that you have a number of good reasons why you want to stop smoking, as this will help you to get through the great number of cravings that you will no doubt have.
Smokers come in a wide range of ages today and about as wide a range of reasons they smoke. Start by making a list of the advantages and disadvantages of giving up smoking and you may discover some powerful reasons to support your decision to quit smoking. Being clear about your reasons will be a very powerful tool in quitting the smoking habit.
There are so many different programs on the market today, what works for one may not work for another based on reasons for wanting to quit.
Death statistics for Smoking: The following are statistics from various sources about death and Smoking:
> Death rate is 2-3 times higher than non-smokers
> Estimated to cause ten million deaths per year worldwide by 2020 (WHO Web Site)
> 400,000 deaths annually in the US (Mayo Clinic)
The strong desire to live longer could be a powerful reason to stop smoking today.
Cravings
One of the hardest things to overcome when you determine to quit is the craving. The good news is that simple water will help you get over some of the tough cravings. Drink lots of water. Water is important for you anyway, and most people do not get enough. It will flush the nicotine out of your body, plus it can help reduce cravings by fulfilling the “oral desires” that you may have. Let those cigarette cravings be an opportunity to have another glass of water.
The key part of quitting smoking is learning how to deal with these cravings when you stop.
Learn what gives you the craving for cigarette, such as stress, the end of meal, arrival at work, entering a bar, etc. Avoid these things or if that is impossible, plan different ways to deal with those urges.
Focus on the present and deal with just one craving at a time.
You will also need to avoid alcohol because it affects your judgment and without thinking about it you are more likely to smoke. Be sure and get lots of sleep because it can keep up the motivation and you will feel better. Last, consider taking warm showers they are a great way to relieve tension.
You can quit smoking today. There are many sources that can be of great help, use this article as the springboard to healthier living.
While not everyone gains weight after they quit smoking, the average gain is thought to be somewhere around ten pounds. It is likely for you to gain weight if you’ve been a smoker for a long time or if you smoke over a pack a day.
Here’s a list of things you can do to prevent gaining weight after giving up smoking:
Eat healthy
First thing’s first. Improving the way you eat will definitely help you with the process. Choose from a variety of foods, each day something else, something natural preferably while staying away from junk food or any other unhealthy type of food. Also, people tend to replace smoking with snacking so if you can’t help it at least make sure they are diet snacks.
Physical exercise
The next thing you can do to make sure you don’t gain weight after quitting is physical exercise. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go to the gym every day, but that you should try and be a more active person. Go out for walks, play with your kids more, at home or in the park or simply do some other easy and pleasant activities. You’ll notice that because you’re no longer a smoker you’ll have a lot more energy and stamina and you’ll feel a lot better.
Cope with cravings
After you give up smoking, there will be moments in which you’ll feel the need to just have one more smoke. These carvings can come pretty often and you must learn to deal with them. An easy way to do this is by finding distractions that get your mind off cigarettes.
Try reading a book, do some work around the house or focus on your job. Watch a movie, do some crosswords, take a bath or anything else that will help get your mind off smoking. If you feel you could do this better with the help of a friend, spouse or someone else close to you then don’t hesitate on asking for help. If it’s a person that cares about you, he or she will help you with the process.
Lastly, you should try and stay positive and keep an open mind. By having a positive attitude you’ll find it a lot easier to reach your goal than it would if you would be stressed. If you find yourself stressed, do things that usually relax you, anything that gets you in a good mood.
If you try to stop smoking, the withdrawal process can feel extremely painful and difficult. Your body will experience a lot of things, causing it be quite hard to quit.
Since there is significant discomfort associated with stopping, lots of folks relapse and can’t give it up. Many of us have attempted repeatedly to stop smoking, only to fail, since the process of nicotine withdrawal can be painful.
It can be beneficial and enlightening to learn how everything functions in your body and that when you stop smoking, there will be side effects.
Understanding these changes and realizing that they will dissipate with time, will make quitting smoking a permanent factor in your life. It is easier to keep those painful experiences in perspective once you realize that they will pass.
You must bear in mind that nicotine is an addictive substance, which means that the body experiences withdrawal symptoms once you cut off its supply.
Your body has to re-learn how to function without nicotine. In the beginning your body may get confused but in the course of time its dependency will stop and you can have a great time without cigarettes.
Once you stop smoking, you will go through these symptoms:
Since you’va accustomed your body to receiving tobacco, you will undergo cravings for it.
It is possible that you will develop oral ulcers (mouth ulcers).
Coughing is a normal part of the process as your lungs will begin to force toxins out.
It will probably be difficult to concentrate for a bit.
You might face problems in sleeping or some other sleep related problems.
Some side effects include blisters, sores and inflammation.
Lethargy or the absence of energy.
It is true that this is not a nice situation, but it does help that it is only going to last a short time. You can feel the changes in your health even after mere 20 minutes from your final puff.
Your health will continue to improve as you go longer and longer without one. Your body experiences things when you stop smoking but at the same time, good things are beginning to happen too.
For those reasons, it is worth the trouble to quit smoking permanently.
