Quit smoking is, if you have not tried it before, considered to be one of the hardest habits to kick. Though once you think through the logics of smoking you will see there is no logic….it’s all in the mind!..your body does not need it….most definitely not! On the contrary, when you start smoking you can see that your body fights against it and you start coughing and spluttering.
I’ve been there and I have tried a few times to quit smoking and now finally I have quit smoking for good. As we all know, the dangers of lighting up just one more, especially when having a drink or when stressed out, can quickly re-ignite this nasty habit. However, after a while your urge dissipates and there is no more urge…on the contrary you will not even want to smell cigarette smoke. So rule number one is, no matter how stressed, no matter how many drinks you have had, no matter what your best friend says…”c’mon just one”..NO!..NO!…NO!..Don’t even entertain this thought in the slightest…NO!
So how can I stop smoking?
Here is your quit smoking tip number 1 – If you are a smoker and want to make that change to a healthier lifestyle the first thing you have to do is strip that habit from your system…annihilate it..not inhale it! I quit smoking while I had a lit cigarette next to me and I was reading an article about what smoking does to your lungs and your arteries. My mother just had a stroke from blocked arteries and I did not want to go down that path. I was so disgusted to see how smoking systematically ruins your life and health with other people, that I quit on the spot, from one minute to the next. My pack of cigarettes landed in the trash can and there was no turning back for me. This was not something I had planned like “I will quit on new years day” or I will quit when my husband or boyfriend quits….none of that…this is MY LIFE and unless I take care of my own body and health……..in the end, no one will and you are all alone..so do yourself a favor – QUIT SMOKING RIGHT NOW..while you read this…and we have not even started with the disgusting part of what smoking does to your body and life.
My arguments for quitting smoking were quite simple and when I think back I should have done it long ago, but hindsight is always 20:20 vision. When I see people smoking today and when I saw myself smoking, I thought..how stupid is this, here you light a cigarette and suck on it…I mean that alone is pathetic….not only that but all your clothes smell, your fingers, your breath, your skin and there is nothing, absolutely nothing that makes it look cool or sexy. Some people really think it does looks cool to light a cigarette, wear sunglasses, talk on the mobile phone and drive a car all at the same time….wow…sexy right?….WRONG!. Now look at it from another angle, because every coin has two sides right…. does it look cool when you have a cough that does not go away any more, you run out of breath just walking up the stairs, your lungs are doing overtime with every little movement and you are slowly killing yourself ….just to look cool????..c’mon that can’t be right!….so try to look at what smoking does to you and there is no excuse in the world which could justify that smoking and nicotine is cool or sexy. There are ways to quit, but you must commit yourself to quit smoking and there are also ways to quit smoking and lose weight at the same time….again it requires commitment.….sorry, smoking is not sexy and cool that is absolute bull!!!
One argument which you may try to justify your smoking habit is..”oh, I will gain weight”…sorry honey, that is a weak argument for slowly killing yourself with smoking. Yes it is true that, if you do not do anything you will increase your appetite and gain weight, but my argument is …you already made this life changing decision to QUIT SMOKING FOR GOOD, a habit which once kicked, will definitely open a new chapter in your life. So now you have to create a positive healthy habit in exchange.
Cigarettes stimulate the metabolism and according to therapists, your body burns 250 calories with every pack of cigarettes you smoke. When you stop smoking the body metabolism slows down resulting in fewer calories being burnt, thus adding that extra weight to your body. Some people gain 1-2 kilos once they quit for 2 weeks and for many that may be a reason to start smoking again, just to prevent gaining more weight and your good decision to stop smoking is out the window.
Remember one thing though, your metabolism adjusts itself eventually and will normalize, so don’t give up giving up that easy. Also remember what favors you are doing to yourself and how your body will thank you over time as, it slowly flushes out all the toxins to free up your lungs, arteries and your heart and your organs start re-generating new cells. That is not all…..no..you will also see changes in your appearance…your skin will look fresh and healthy, yellow stains around your fingers and finger nails will disappear, your breath will be more pleasant, your gums will look healthier and your teeth will stop discoloring from nicotine. Now that is sexy!!
Get into a good skin care routine to help clean out all the toxins which your body will expel after smoking and clean the pores in your face with the right soaps and cosmetics. I could go on and on and on…I am also sure that you yourself also know that this is true, but you may shy away from a decision to stop smoking because you question “How do I lose weight and quit smoking ?” In a nutshell, think about all the health advantages you gain from a healthy smoke free life and how you will feel inside and then think what a small price you are paying with a few extra pounds…more importantly these extra pounds can only be temporary until your body and metabolism adjusts and gets you back to your normal weight..definitely healthier, healthier looking and exuding confidence..because you kicked it!..You kicked one of the most difficult habits one can kick…you made it!…you made the best decision ever, which was to quit smoking!!
My quit smoking rule number two is one when you kick a habit, any habit for that matter, you will need to find an alternative to “fill that gap”. From my personal experience, when I had the urge to smoke I went for a long walk or workout and now, part of my daily routine is to go swimming. That not only is one of the best exercises for your body, because there is little strain on any joints, apart from the shoulder joints, but you also burn a lot of calories without stressing. I lost weight within a month! …what a great swap of habits!
Another stop smoking tip and option you may consider as an alternative, if you are not the type that likes to do your own sport, is join a yoga class for example or take your dog for a walk or join a swimming class. You see all this is to get you to a) not think about cigarettes and b) to burn calories and change your habits.
Another important thing, to lessen your cravings for a cigarette, drink lots of water…lots! That not only keeps you hydrated but also flushes out your toxins and the added advantage is that when your tummy is full of water you will not be able to eat that much. As far as food is concerned, you will have new cravings for specific food, but be careful how you indulge. Don’t go for junk food…that will not make you healthier because you will just substitute one bad habit with another bad habit. So don’t go for sugar rich and unhealthy foods, go for healthy fruit and eat lots of that, seafood and vegetables and lean meats. Also look at foods high in fiber and calcium rich foods. Read up on some healthy eating tips to steer you in the right direction and you will see how enjoyable and healthy your life can be without smoking, both inside and outside.
To succeed in this life changing event you will have to have a very focused mind and fight the challenging moments which will tempt you to start smoking again. You can do it, just always keep saying to yourself…”how ridiculous is it to suck on a cigarette”..”there is absolutely nothing cool and nothing sexy about smoking”….once you pass day 1, then day 2, then day 3, it gets easier and easier. After a while you may think, ok I have it under control now and you may want to relapse, but say to yourself…NO!….NO!…NO!… you have just managed the most difficult part, do not give up giving up now !………at the end of the day, congratulate yourself, treat yourself and enjoy your new smoke free life…..well done…now you are sexy!!
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