Cutting down on cigarettes and the amount you smoke is not the ultimate goal if you want to go for a healthy lifestyle. Cutting down the cigarette habit is the ULTIMATE goal. But smokers will say that it’s better to cut on smoking than doing nothing. Well if it works for the individual to gradually minimize and cut the number of sticks per day then its good. Cutting on on smoking is good enough, quitting totally is better. Here are some tips on how to quit
- Awareness is one key. If you’re aware of how much you are smoking a day then you’ll know how many sticks or packs and how much you’re spending for cigarettes. Try to keep a written record. Smoking without paying attention will make you smoke more. Try to have psychological and physical control and see long long you can have it.
- It is not hard as you think. Smoking is an addiction and once you begin to be honest with yourself and knowing the effects of smoking to your health, it will be a life changing experience to cut down on this addiction. Try to analyze the benefits and side effects of smoking. Educating oneself with the pros and cons of tobacco will help in the road to kicking the habit.
- Set effective and realistic goals. Set the cigarette to be specific, measurable, realistic and timely. Foe example, if you are smoking 20 sticks a day, try to cut it to 10 sticks a day. You can start by doing this twice a week until it progresses. This will ensure that you are focused on the target goal.
- List down the reasons why you want to reduce your smoking. Make a list of the reasons why quitting smoking is good. Select the goals that matters to you and your family and write it down. Whenever you have the itch for a drag, take out the list and review it.
- Don’t look at it as if you’re giving up something really important because it will seem like it’s a big loss. Remember that by doing this, you are tossing something out of your life that is harmful to you, your family and other people around you. Even though the people around may want to tell you to quit totally, you need to know that you are doing this for yourself.
- Know the triggers and then deal with it. Some people feel the urge whenever they are doing something. Some habitually smoke after sex, while drinking, while watching tv, after eating, while having a break or while drinking coffee. Identify your triggers and eliminate or changing them will help. Try doing something different instead of smoking in response to your triggers.
- Going “cold turkey” is a common and effective approach to quitting smoking for many smokers. It may be hard and you may make several attempts but it will raise the chances of stopping totally. Try to talk to someone who have done it or research over the internet to prepare and deal with known issues and withdrawals that comes with it.
- A pack of gum, a bar of chocolate or a nicotine patch are good alternatives. It will take your mind out of smoking because you’re doing something that differs from the habitual smoking.
- If you have cut down on your cigarette consumption, you will surely notice and feel the changes happening to you and your body. Your breath will no longer smell of cigarette, your smell and tastes are improving, your fingers will not smell and will not get the tobacco stains, you will not get the tired and sickly look and you will feel healthier that before.
- Talk to ex-smokers and find out the ways they’ve done to completely quit smoking. Absorb the information and get all the help and advice that you need and then do it.