How to Guide to Quitting Smoking... For Good!

So... you are ready to kick the habit? Well, congratulations, you've already taken the first step by deciding to quit and then going on to do research and ended up in the right place. As a former smoker myself, I can help you by giving you some tips and advice that can help you quit smoking... for good.

The first thing you'll want to do is set a day to quit. It's your personal preference, but I chose Monday so that I could enjoy my weekend without having nicotine withdrawals and cravings. Everyone is different, so you'll have to decide which day will be right for you.

A few days prior to quitting, get yourself prepped by smoking less and less, this will make the urges less strong on the day you quit. On the night before your quitting day throw away all lighters, ash trays, matches and cigarettes. It's also helpful to clean out your car and put an air freshener in it, so the settled smoke doesn't trigger cravings later. Let your friends and family know that you are quitting and ask for their support. Ask people not to smoke around you for the first few days and ask your friends not to let you bum any cigarettes from them.

On Your Quitting Day
If someone offers a cigarette or recommends going out for a smoke, politely decline their offer, telling them you are a non-smoker. Avoid saying things like "I'm trying to quit." It's positive reinforcement for yourself to say, "I have quit, " or simply, "I don't smoke."

Get yourself a journal and every time a craving strikes take the time you would have used to smoke a cigarette to write about what it feels like to have that craving. You can also write about other things such as:

- Why you have decided to quit

- A list of benefits you will enjoy now that you have quit smoking

- Positive quotes, thoughts, etc...

If you aren't into writing, try this:
Get a small box or rubbermaid container and fill it up with things that remind you that you are quitting. Such things may include family photos of your children, magazine or newspaper articles that are smoking or cancer related, even cut-outs of a smoker's lungs. Anything you can think of that may be helpful should be put in your reminder box. Every time you get a craving, simply rummage through the box to help remind yourself of why you have decided to quit.

You'll also want to drink a lot of water on the first day to help your body cleanse itself and to remove all the toxins left from smoking. Doing this helps to make cravings less intense and makes the cravings further apart and shorter.

It's important to understand that the first day is the hardest day. You have to remind yourself to be strong. After 3 days of not smoking understand that the physical addiction is over. When you feel like you are still having cravings after that, just know that those are only mental cravings.

Some other tips:

- Chew lots and lots of gum or chew on straws

- Keep yourself occupied so you will have a higher chance of forgetting about the cravings.

- Don't drink any alcohol for a while after you have quit. Alcohol increases your urge to smoke.

- Don't cheat by hiding lighters or 'emergency cigarettes;' you are only hurting yourself.

- If possible, watch documentaries on emphysema and patients who are dealing with the long-term effects of smoking.

- If your husband/wife or friend smokes and wants to quit, it is very helpful to make it a team effort by quitting together.

- Exercising is not only healthy, but it helps stop cravings and helps get your lungs healthy and strong again.

- Do research on quitting smoking.

If possible, try changing your daily routine or some of your daily tasks to avoid specific triggers for potential cravings.

Don't worry about the cough you may get in the following days after quitting. It is your body's natural response and it is actually breaking up the mucus and junk that has covered your lungs from smoking. Your body is simply repairing itself.

And... finally... Remember: It only takes "just one" to start and "just one" to relapse and start again. Don't risk having to go through those horrible first few days of quitting again.