• Know Why You Want To Quit

So you want to quit smoking, but do you know why? If you’re quitting just because you think “it’s bad for you” then you will probably go back to smoking because this is not a strong enough reason to compel you to quit for good. Quitting smoking is hard, so you need to be powerfully motivated, and have a stronger reason to quit. Maybe you want to protect your kids from secondhand smoke, or maybe you’d like to look and feel younger and healthier, or maybe you want to live longer. Find a reason that is strong enough to keep you from lighting a new cigarette.

  • Do Not Skip Meals

Did you know that each puff of nicotine was a trigger releasing stored fats and sugars into your bloodstream? It allowed you to skip meals without experiencing symptoms such as an inability to concentrate or hunger anxieties. So now that you no longer smoke, you need to eat normally. Don’t eat more food, but rather, eat fewer quantities of food more often. For the first three days, drink plenty of fruit juice, preferably cranberry. It will help remove the nicotine from your body faster.

  • Get Ready For Emotional Phases

Smoking has been a big part of your life and has infected almost every aspect of your life and thinking. So don’t be surprised, and be prepared to experience some emotional changes throughout the quitting process; denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, and complacency. This emotional journey is absolutely normal for any quitter to complete their recovery.

  • Avoid Social Smoking

The most difficult thing is to quit smoking when friends, family, co-workers or anyone around you smokes. So you need to let these people know that you are changing your habits and about your decision to quit. Ask them not to smoke around you in closed places such as in a car for example. Since you used to be a smoker, you probably have a place you used to hang out with your friends where it’s allowed to smoke. Do not go there! Meet your friends in non-smoking places instead.

  • Alcohol

Many people have a habit of smoking when they are having an alcoholic drink. So you should either try non-alcoholic drinks for a while, until you are fully recovered from smoking, or try snacking on nuts and chips, or chewing on a straw to curb the cigarette cravings. 

  • Manage Stress

One of the reasons that kept you from quitting a long time ago is that the nicotine helps you relax. So once you quit, you will need to find another way to deal with stress. You could maybe do a spa treatment every couple of days, listen to relaxing music in the car, or head to your beach house for a week. Try to avoid any stressful situations at least for the first week.

  • Get Moving

Physical activity can help you get rid of nicotine cravings. Every time you feel like smoking, put on your jogging shoes instead and start running or head to the gym, maybe even walk your dog. Any exercise will help keep you from lighting that cigarette.