Remember, once you quit smoking, you must never again take a single puff, drag or draw on a cigarette. One will get you started every time.
Did you know that Hypnosis was found to be more than twice as effective as quitting "cold turkey," and over three times as effective as nicotine replacement therapy, according to a a study presented October 22, 2007 at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians.
1) Have a plan. To quit smoking, you must be prepared. Pick a goal date when you will smoke your last cigarette and start your life as a non-smoker.
2) Change your words from “I need a cigarette” to “I want a cigarette”. The truth is you don’t need a cigarette, you need oxygen, water, food and shelter. You want to smoke. When you are ready to can change the words to “I breath fresh clean air” I want a break” “I want to relax”.
3) Get a physical. Be aware of any health problems that may exist. It's better to know. Then get some regular exercise. Walking is a great way to start, riding a bike or doing exercise videos at home. Exercising will increase those feel good hormones
4) Prepare your environmentally. If you smoked inside your home, get it cleaned. The smell, tar and nicotine has gotten into everything. Get your curtains, rugs, couches, walls/ceiling, windows, blinds, appliances, furniture cleaned – perhaps professionally –if you don’t have the money now, wait a couple of months and save the money that you used to spend on cigarettes and hire some professionals. You will be amazed at what you can afford once you are not given your money away.
5) Write down your TOP 3 reasons why it's so important for you to quit smoking. The more emotional, the better. For example, "I don't want my kids/grandkids to watch me die of lung cancer" for example. Write your reasons down on and put them up where you will see them. Read them several times a day, especially when you get up in the morning and just before you fall asleep at night.
6) Change your diet. Since nicotine acts as an appetite suppressant, you will want to be prepared with foods that make you feel great. Sugar, alcohol and caffeine are artificial temporary stimulates. Ensure that you are getting enough protein at each meal and reduce your refined carbs.
7) Change up your smoking patterns. For instance, if you smoke in your left hand, start smoking in your right. If you like smoking on the back porch, change your smoking spot to some uncomfortable place like out by the trashcans. Stop buying cartons and buy one pack at a time. Changing the brand of cigarettes each time you buy a pack.
8) Pay for your cigarettes in CASH. Really feel the money that you spend on smoking slipping through your fingers. Imagine what you could buy instead of poison and bad health.
9) FIND REPLACEMENT BEHAVIOURS. In my opinion, this is the #1 secret to successfully quit smoking. There are many reasons people smoke: to ease boredom and loneliness, reduce stress, to relax, as a treat or reward, or simply because it's a habit. Find positive behaviours to replace smoking with and have them ready on your quit day.
10) Find ways to stay busy to keep from being bored. At work instead of a smoke break, take a short walk. Make plans to socialize/exercise/dance/sing/take a class - with others. Connection with others is a key ingredient to alleviate loneliness and or depression.
11) When you quit, you will be missing the SUGAR that they use to cure the tobacco, so for the first 3 days sip on some fruit juice. Just a small sip at a time is enough and only for the first 3 days.
12) Some people say that drinking some milk or unsweetened grapefruit juice makes it almost impossible to smoke a cigarette.
13) Keep your hands busy with a stress ball, or an object you can keep in your hand like a pen or small stone. Take up knitting, crocheting, drawing, colouring, sudoku, pottery, model building, woodwork, crossword puzzles, puzzles or maybe start writing/typing that BOOK that is within you.
14) Drink lots of water. Most smoker are incredibly dehydrated. Aim for 2 litres a day. That is 8 cups (8 oz) of water. Try this one cup of room temperature water when you wake up, 2nd 30 minutes later, 3rd, mid morning, 4th before your eat lunch, 5th mid afternoon, 6th one before dinner, 7th on after dinner, 8th one a little before you go to bed.
15) Take a Vitamin B complex supplement to help with to relieve stress.
16) Take the mineral Magnesium in the evening (powered is best), it will help provide you a restful sleep and relax your muscles.
17) Drink herbal teas that help break up the phlegm that wants to come out. The chemicals in cigarettes and other smoking implements lodge in your airways, turning mucus and phlegm dark. Smoking also causes phlegm to thicken in your lungs, triggering more coughing. One reason for this buildup is that smoking can damage or destroy the cleaning mechanism of the lungs — the hairlike cilia that line the lungs. This allows phlegm to clog your airways.
18) Deep slow breaths and wiggle your toes. Breath in for 4 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds, repeat while wiggling your toes. You can not think of negative thoughts while wiggling your toes. This instantly calms and relaxes the whole body.
19) Use positive affirmations such as “I am in the process of becoming and feeling healthier and healthier) or “I am a healthy, happy Non-Smoker” or my favorite “I am now and forever free”. Make it a habit say them several times a day.
20) ON YOUR QUIT SMOKING DAY: Tell everyone what you are doing to make yourself accountable. There is no more trying to quit, this is the day that you DECIDE to quit.
21) After you quit smoking, avoid drugs like alcohol and marijuana which can decrease your motivation. I suggest giving them up at least for the first month of being a non-smoker, longer if they are major triggers that make you want to smoke. If you can’t give up alcohol for one month, then seek some help to overcome your dependency on alcohol and or marijuana.
22) Get lots of deep restful sleep. Your body needs energy to heal.
23) Go to the dentist and get your teeth cleaned and get checked for oral cancer.
24) Get your car washed and if you smoked inside it get it detailed. Getting your car detailed most likely will be less than you spent each month on cigarettes. What a lovely reward for quitting smoking.
25) Imagine all the things you could do with the money you used to spend on smoking. Give yourself a reward – perhaps choose an experience that will create a POSITIVE life memory.