Majority of smokers know very well that they need to quit, and about 70% say they actually wanted to quit. The challenge, however, is how to break the overpowering grip of nicotine. Roughly 4% of those who try to quit succeed and remained quit for about a year later.
Pure willpower alone rarely works. The most common strategies nowadays is to deal with smoking aggressively, either by going cold turkey or using smoking cessation drugs and replacement therapies alone. This would eventually lead you to failure because you fail to recognize some important issues. For instance, you are too focus on replacing your smoking habit with a new one. Then you end up eating junk foods to replace the cigarettes, which is equally harmful to your health. What is the “secret” to a successful quit then? There are three.
First, get healthy. How do you do it? The key is your diet and regular exercise is another. If you have a healthy body, you’ll have a healthy mind and soul. It will be much easier for you to handle stress and the withdrawal symptoms of quitting. Eat healthy foods, increase your fruit and vegetable intake and avoid fatty foods and anything high in calories. You can even seek the help of a dietician to help you create a well-rounded diet plan.
Second, create a comprehensive exercise and workout program. Research suggests that strength training, high-intensity interval exercises, aerobic and core-strengthening exercises are effective ways in dealing with the different nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Also regular exercise help build a strong immune system. You can start by jogging around the neighborhood every morning or taking the stairs when climbing to your office floor. Signing up in a fitness gym is another way to boost your strength and aerobic capacity.
And third, look for a healthy emotional outlet. Getting new sport, meditating, enrolling in a yoga class, or simply hitting the gym are good emotional outlets. When you feel stressed, or feel like giving up or lighting a cigarette, a simple meditation or breathing exercise can restore your composure and get rid of the negative energies. A healthy emotional outlet can help you break the nicotine addiction and avoid your triggers much easier
Once you have mastered these three “secrets” to a successful quit, and combined it with other smoking cessation methods (like nicotine replacement therapies, cold turkey, smoking cessation drugs i.e. Chantix), you have a better chance of succeeding in your journey towards a nicotine-free life. Invest in your health and soon you’ll rip the lifetime benefits. Enjoy a nicotine-free life and stay quit for good.
