Tips On Stopping Smoking

Exercising fills up your body with endorphins - the "feel good" hormones of the body so you'll get a high from doing it without any nicotine required.

This is also a great time to start a whole new diet or fitness program because when you are putting considerable effort into your fitness it seems like a double-standard to still be smoking and will therefore make you less likely to begin again.

Stopping smoking is even easier if you have a friend who is there to support you. This person will likely be experiencing similar things to you so there is someone you can talk through your fears and concerns with honestly.

The competetion here can also be handy if you are that way inclined - wanting to outdo your friend and make sure you don't give in first.

If you know people who dislike - or even better HATE - the fact that you smoke, tell them you're quitting. Be upfront and put yourself on the spot.

It's a lot harder to restart smoking again if you have to admit to these folks that you gave in and failed.

Conversely, they will also likely offer you a lot of praise when you *do* quit because they're so strongly opposed to it.

One of my favourite tips to stopping smoking is to take a jar and fill it up day by day with the money you *would* have spent on cigarettes.

Typically spend 5 bucks a day at the moment? Great - then every day you don't smoke, pop that cash into the jar and watch those savings grow.

Make a plan about what you will spend it on. Make it a treat you really want and set it far enough away that you really have to work for it.

A vacation, that gadget you've always wanted or a makeover at that new salon. Have a goal and enjoy yourself when your new-found savings reach that point.

Many people stopping smoking try to avoid those difficult situations that are likely to make them smoke again.

The problem with this technique is that you're putting off the inevitable - sooner or later you're going to have to face them - so it might as well be sooner.

Furthermore if you can manage to stay smoke-free in that situation - it gives your ego a massive boost. If you can do that, you think to yourself, I can do anything! I've done it! I'm not stopping smoking any more - I've actually stopped!

Non smoking friends don't tend to like other people smoking. It smells and it gets in your eyes. Not pleasant.

So this tip on stopping smoking is to consciously make friends with that type of person - and plan to spend plenty of time with them.

By doing this you likely won't even think about smoking, and even if you do, there's no way you can politely light up infront of them.

It can be very motivating to mark the day you stopped smoking in your calendar or diary.

The further you get from that date the better. It's great to have your first week as a non smoker, then your first month, first year and so on.

Furthermore, the further away you get from that date the easier being a non-smoker gets which can only be a good thing.

Lastly if you know exactlty how long you've managed to go without a cigarette, you also know that if you *do* give in and have a cigarette, just how long you'll have to go to meet beat your "record" for not smoking the next time.

The speed at which nicotine can leave your body and your lungs can begin to repaid themselves is quite shocking - and yet also reassuring.

Take the time to research both sides of the problem - how unpleasant the long term effects of smoking can be - and also how good your health *can be* after cigarettes.

Too many people feel that the "damage has already been done" to their bodies so don't bother to quit but the facts suggest this might not be strictly true.

The last of our tips on stopping smoking is to take some time every day or two when you're trying to quit and consider how the day went in terms of cravings.

Did you have a difficult situation where you really wanted a cigarette? Or has it been plain sailing? Do you really think you'll make the course?

Knowing these aspects of life that we normally live on autopilot can serve as useful warnings and guides to us in the fight to stop smoking.