Staying Tobacco-Free After Quitting is A Lifetime Care Plan

Involve Yourself in Activities that Prevent the Urge to Start Smoking Again

​It’s good to quit smoking. It’s even more better to stay smoke-free lifelong. But how many smokers are able to succeed in their very first attempt? In reality, it’s just very few of them. So, what are the factors that tempt you to smoke again? Even though nicotine’s high is not as dangerous as cocaine or heroin, it’s equally addictive as these drugs. It takes a lot of mental and physical willpower to stay without smoking once you have quit this habit.

How to Distance Yourself from the Life-threatening Smoke?
Involving yourself in activities that interest and engage you is one sure way to be committed to your smoke-free oath.

1. Be away from places/people that tempt you to smoke. As time goes, you would be able to handle these with ease.
2. Swap your food habits. Drink water or fresh juice instead of alcohol or coffee. Eat foods that don’t remind you of smoking. Instead of a smoke break, take a small stroll in your office building or do stretches.
3. Don’t remain dormant. This will remind you to smoke. Keep yourself busy in some activity such as cleaning your car, going out for a game of basketball or doing your long-pending bills filing to distract yourself.
4. If you are used to chewing something, chew a sugarless gum, raw carrots or even sunflower seeds. Some people chew on a coffee stirrer or a straw.
5. An urge to smoke can be curbed with deep breathing, as you would have done to inhale the smoke. But now, breathe deeply and imagine yourself taking in fresh air to fill your lungs and about all the benefits that you can reap as a non-smoker.
6. Save the money on a piggy bank that would have otherwise gone to ashes with smoking and reward yourself with the money saved. It could be your favorite music CD, walking shoes or a gym membership.

Desire to Smoke May Arise Any Time Later
The desire to smoke again can occur even after staying smoke-free for years together. Avoid relapses with these hints.

• Remind yourself the main reason for quitting and all the benefits such as health, savings and family happiness you have enjoyed till now.
• Remember that there is no such thing as one puff or one smoke.
• Burn the desire to smoke not with cigarettes but with your thoughts. Never try to fool yourself into thinking that you will do it once and quit lifelong.
• Stay in touch with your support group and keep attending counselling sessions.
• Avoid drinking. Drinking urges you to smoke again.
  
  

Slips Should Not Become Relapses
If you smoke once after quitting, it is a slip and this is not threatening. But when you take advantage of this slip using it as an excuse to start smoking again, then it becomes a relapse. Slips or relapses, don’t be discouraged. Take time to analyze what went wrong and correct it. Very few individuals have succeeded with the first try. Most people take several trials before they quit totally.

Weight Should Not Be a Demotivation
Most smokers gain weight (around 4.5 kilograms) while quitting and some take it as an advantage to not quit smoking. Such thinking is absurd when you compare the benefits of quitting. Deal with quitting first, then take care about the weight gain part later. Rather than thinking about weight loss, focus should be on eating nutritious food, doing physical activity, getting plenty of sleep and keeping yourself hydrated to remain healthy. A registered dietitian nutritionist at www.firsteatright.com can help you plan a healthy diet plan to lose those added kilograms and motivate you to stay smoke-free.
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Lame Excuses are Not Acceptable
Most ex-smokers quote stress as the primary factor to start smoking again. Stress is a part and parcel of every person’s life. Nicotine replacements can work for some time. You need to find out other alternatives to stay smoke-free long term. Physical activity, spirituality, meditation, yoga, music, being out with nature, creative classes, reading books and helping NGOs are some sources to alleviate stress. Plan to combat stressors with the available resources around you.