Tobacco addiction plagues people in all segments of society. You have a choice to kick the habit for good. This article has some great tips to help you make this positive choice in your own life. Start applying these suggestions today and begin living your life without the nicotine habit.

You will find it hard to do some of your normal routines while you are quitting smoking. For example, going to a bar with friends who smoke. When your friend goes outside for a cigarette, resist the urge to go with them to keep them company. Everything that you once did as a smoker, you will be able to do again.

To prevent yourself from gaining weight after quitting smoking, snack on fresh fruits and vegetables instead of sweets or carb-laden foods. Substituting healthy foods will minimize the amount of weight you may gain. You body will be craving food when you stop smoking and a healthy diet will keep you focusing on a healthy lifestyle.

As soon as you decide to quit smoking, tell all of your family and friends. Not only will this help you to build a good support group, but it will also encourage you to stick to your goal. You might even inspire one of your loved ones to quit with you.

It is okay to use a nicotine replacement during the beginning stage of your smoking cessation program. Nicotine is highly addictive, and the withdrawal symptoms can be extremely unpleasant. Nicotine gum or lozenges can prevent you from feeling short-tempered, moody and irritable and can be the difference between success and failure.

Reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke a little each day. This can begin the process of quitting the habit altogether. Try waiting a minimum of one hour after you wake up before having your fist cigarette. Another alternative is to smoke only part of a cigarette each smoking session.

Create a reward system for yourself ahead of time. Treat yourself to something nice every time you reach your preset goals. Choose rewards which will be given when you have quit for 24 hours, 7 days and then 4 weeks. Put that list in a visual location so that you will see it every day. That might be just the thing that keeps you motivated when you feel temptation.

Choose the date that you will quit and write it on the calendar. After you’ve done this, tell your friends and family. Choosing your quit date makes your goal more specific and real so that you’re more likely to take action towards it. It’s harder to change your mind once you’ve made a commitment, and other people can help support you if they know about your quit date.

If you want to quit smoking, stop buying cigarettes. It kind of goes without saying that if you don’t have cigarettes on you, it will be much more difficult to smoke. Throw away any cigarettes that are currently in your possession and make a pact with yourself not to buy any more.

Kill your nicotine addiction before you quit smoking. Talk to your doctor about any possible medicines they can prescribe that can make nicotine powerless over you. After you are on one for a while, you will find smoking having no effect on your mood. You will just stop because it does not do anything for you anymore.

If you’re experiencing a craving for a cigarette, try taking deep breaths. This calms you down, relieves stress and focuses you on your ultimate goal. Filling your lungs with oxygen will allow you to feel reinvigorated. Deep breathing exercises are so easy to do and you can do them anywhere at virtually any time.

Get up and clean your house if you are trying to stop smoking. Get all the ashtrays out of the house, and toss out your lighters, too. Wash your drapes, upholstery and clothes to free them of the odor of cigarette smoke. Make sure you use air fresheners in order to mask any smell that may remain. You want to remove any smell that will remind you of smoking.

Keep a stopwatch handy when you quit. A craving might mentally feel like it lasts for hours, but in fact the physical feeling passes in less than three minutes. Keep a timer handy and set it for five minutes when you first feel the craving. Once these minutes pass, you know you’re in the clear.

Replace your smoke breaks with exercise breaks. After a few weeks of quitting smoking and starting to exercise, you will notice a drastic increase in your energy and you will have a more positive outlook towards life. As your body becomes stronger and more fit, you will be hesitant to undo all of that hard work by smoking a cigarette.

Using the ideas you have just read is a wonderful beginning to quitting smoking. Use the ones that seem most fitting for you and start feeling better. Reward yourself by giving up this destructive habit and learning how to be free from your addiction. Believe in yourself, you can do it!

You Really Can Stop Smoking – Tips To Show You How! was originally published on Spring