If you’re keeping up with your New Year’s resolution, then you might be looking at a very rough few weeks. Quitting a smoking habit can be one of the toughest things to do, especially if you’re not mentally prepared. Many people try to throw money at the problem thinking that it will help ease the pain and frustration of quitting, but often this doesn’t help in the slightest bit. There are many things you can do to help yourself quit that doesn’t involve spending a lot of money though. With these ten suggestions, you should help find the courage and patience to stop smoking without having to spend a fortune on patches and medications that might not even help. So, take a deep breath and get ready to kick your bad habit for good.
1. Talk to Your Doctor
Over the counter patches and supplements can lead you down a dead end when it comes to quitting. Not to mention, they cost a small fortune and the price tag will only continue to grow while you try to slowly cut back on the amount that you smoke. Rather than throwing more and more money on the problem, you might want to make an appointment to talk to your doctor. If you’ve been with your doctor for a while then he or she probably knows quite a bit about your health and should be able to offer some suggestions that will help your body prepare for the change. These tips could really be a game changer, as each person’s body reacts differently to the change. Your doctor may also be able to find you a support group. Last but not least, if you think a prescription is the answer to your problem then it might be wise to ask. Usually, if the medication is prescribed, health insurance companies don’t have a problem covering most, if not all, of the costs in order to avoid further health problems.
2. Change Your Diet
If you’re craving a cigarette after you eat, then you’re probably indulging in the wrong diet for the moment. Soda, tea, coffee, alcohol and greasy foods all enhance the flavors of cigarettes, which could make you want to smoke more than ever. Luckily, there’s some foods and drinks that will make your cigarette taste terrible, so you might want to eat them more often or at least add them to the end of the meal or snack to help fight the need for an after dinner smoke. These foods, of course, include fruits and vegetables. It might be best to go on a diet that includes these foods anyway as they will nourish your body and make you feel healthier, which might ease the pain of withdrawals. Milk is another great thing to drink if you’re quitting smoking. Milk helps build up mucus and will make cigarettes taste terrible. So, if you have to have a cup of coffee or tea then you might consider adding milk to the beverage to detour the craving. Last but not least, water is a must when you’re quitting smoking. Try to drink at least the recommended amount, so your body can flush out toxins.
3. Join a Group
Whenever you make a big life change, it’s always good to have a support group around you. Friends and family are always great to talk to, but if they haven’t been through what you have then they might not always provide the support you need. Most communities will offer free support groups through churches or community centers. A simple search online or a phone call should allow you to find a group. Of course, it might take a couple of meetings to see if the group is right for you. If not, there’s typically more than one support group in an area, as quitting smoking is quite common. Of course, if you don’t have the time or need for a face to face group, there’s lots of online groups that can help you out. In some cases, these are even better because they allow you 24/7 access to support. Of course, joining a local and online group might be the most efficient way to get passed smoking.
4. Workout
If you’re having trouble taking your mind off of smoking, then it might be time to get active. Working out allows you to keep your entire body busy, so you won’t have time to go through the withdrawals of smoking, including the habits you created when you were a smoker. Exercise boosts the endorphins in your body while allowing you to focus on one thing at a time. Running is supposed to be especially good for those who want to quit smoking. Plus, the cardio exercises will help you heal your lungs a lot faster, which is important in the quitting process. If you can, take up a physical activity for hobby. Even if it’s something slow paced, like hiking or yoga, you’ll still be doing your body a lot of favors, especially as it breaks through the desires of smoking.
5. Meditate
Meditation has been in the media a lot lately due to its amazing healing properties. This is one of the reasons why meditation is a key to helping you kick your smoking habit for good. Many people tend to want to smoke more when they’re under a lot of stress, which is something meditation helps you release. For decades, people have you using anti-smoking tapes to help them cut the habit, but when you look at the core of these tapes, the goal is to make you want to stop smoking through soothing voices and a hypnotic message. When you think about it, these tapes were merely encouraging meditation, which is an action you can do for free without the tapes. The best thing about meditation is it allows you to fixate on an idea, so you can make it a reality. Thus, with a clear mind and a goal set in stone, your meditation time will ensure you work through your smoking cravings.
6. Keep Your Hands Busy
One of the main problems smokers have is the fact that their hands often go with nothing to do, whereas when they were smoking their hands were busy. This habit is enough to make a lot of smokers pick up the habit again. Rather than let your hands go without, you should try to find something to keep them busy. One easy way is to carry around a pen or pencil with you. When you feel the need to smoke you can pull out the device and hold it or play with it until the need goes away. One of the favored choices by most ex-smokers is a lollypop though. This helps recreate the action of smoking by allowing you to keep something in your hands as well as your mouth. This distraction may be just enough to get you through the craving.
7. Avoid Smokers
If you did a lot of social smoking, then you might want to reconsider your next get-together as being around smokers can make you want to smoke again. Between the smell of the smoke and the sight of everyone smoking, it’s very easy to fall back into the habit, which could end up forcing you to go back to the habit. Sometimes, it’s for the best to cancel social engagements when you’ll be around smokers. This is especially the case during work breaks as you might end up in the smoker’s circle out of sheer habit. You should, of course, let those around you know that you’re trying to stop smoking so they know not to bring up the subject of smoking around you and so they don’t begin to smoke in front of you. If smokers can’t stop smoking around you then it might be time to reconsider who you spend time with, at least until you feel like you’re in the clear of the cravings. However, being around smokers in general can cause you to go back to smoking, even if you’ve stopped smoking for quite some time.
8. Create Schedules
One way to cut the cravings is to keep yourself so busy that you forget all about wanting to smoke. Sometimes, life will settle this for us as work, home, family and friends can truly take up a lot of time. However, you might want to begin scheduling your day until you’ve gotten past most of the cravings. For instance, if you can, pick up a hobby on your days off. Trying something new will make you feel refreshed, which can help take your mind off of the habit. If you don’t have a hobby you’re interested in, then try volunteering somewhere. You may be surprised as to how much this will help you cut down on the need to smoke. Of course, this might also be a great time to tackle a big project in the house, such as cleaning out the garage or going through your closet. As long as your mind is set on something and you’re busy you should be able to make it through the task.
9. Stay Stress Free
Although it’s easier said than done, keeping your mind stress free is one of the best ways to avoid going back to smoking. It’s hard to avoid stress altogether, but taking the necessary precautions whenever you can will do a world of good. For instance, don’t take on the extra workload at the office unless you absolutely have to. If you have a stressful visit with relatives coming up, then find something that will keep everyone feeling peaceful. Small stressors can add up too though. You might want to ask for help around the house more and steer clear of people who add a little extra drama to your life. If you’re able to keep the unnecessary stress out of your life, then you should be able to work past the cravings until you can handle the stress levels for efficiently.
10. Know Your Reasons
At times, you’re going to feel as if you don’t want to stop anymore. So, it’s important to have a list of reasons as to why you’re quitting nearby. You may want to come up with more than it just being your New Year’s resolution though because often this motivation isn’t going to help. One thing that might help is to print out pictures of diseased lungs and a series of ailments you can get from smoking. A list about your family and friends may also come in handy. To make things even better, you might want to ask loved ones for a letter expressing their desires for you to quit. This is especially great when it comes from your children. Goals in life, including achievements with health and exercise are also important. Before you know it, you’ll probably have a pretty hefty list of reasons why you’re willing to go through the struggle to quit smoking.
When it comes to ditching a habit, it takes a lot of hard work and struggle. Before you know it though, you’ll be on the road to success, which will allow you to feel proud about what you’ve accomplished. These ten tips should help lead you down the right path, so you can quit smoking without spending a small fortune on products marketed to make you think moving on will be easier.
