Quitting Smoking

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Author:
Keith Watson

I do not smoke, never have, and admit to being one of those 'pain in the butts' (OK, bad pun!) that go on about the foul stench, and anti-social behaviour of smokers, especially in public places.

You can imagine my joy when one of my local pubs recently banned smoking. Shortly after the ban had come into force I spotted a guy poised with cigarette in hand, and was about to get huffy and even confrontational. Fortunately I held back and continued my beer - but was puzzled. The cigarette was unlit and yet he was putting it near his mouth, flicking the imaginary ash and generally acting as if he was smoking it. Curious about this I eventually enquired, only to find out this was his own rather unorthodox approach to keeping his hands busy and therefore, as he put it, keeping his weight down.

Although everyone knows that smoking is detrimental to health, it's surprising how many smokers cite fear of putting on weight as a reason to not quit smoking.

The simple fact is that it is not quitting smoking that affects your weight, but the change of habit can result in you increasing your food intake.

But there are plenty of ways to ensure this does not happen to you.

There is no need for a special diet when you stop smoking, but you must use your common sense. If you eat chocolates instead of smoking then you are very likely to gain weight!

Monitor your diet for a fortnight before you stop smoking - write a food diary, noting everything you eat and when. You simply use this to make sure that what you eat post-quitting follows a similar pattern.

In a similar way, note how much exercise you can do as a smoker. When you stop smoking, you can begin to compare how much more exercise you can do with ease. This will inspire you to the possibility of becoming fitter in other ways, and will actually help you through the tough period of giving up the addiction.

Even moderate amounts of exercise can reduce tobacco cravings. A recent study found that women that maintained a rigorous exercise regime coupled with a stop-smoking programme were twice as likely to succeed as those who didn't. Frankly, exercising is incompatible with smoking, and you are also more likely to be mixing with non-smokers.

Let's face it, if you smoke 20 cigarettes daily, you are putting your hand to your mouth at least 200 times a day. When you quit, you need to keep your hands busy. How about peeling fruit for snacks, doing jigsaws or maybe even knitting.

Keep visualising yourself as a fit non-smoker, especially when your motivation starts to flag. You can always get help with this through the use of hypnotherapy. As in so many behavioural issues, it is simply a matter of re-programming our mind. Giving up smoking is tough, and self-hypnosis is a method that many are discovering as a simple way to help keep the mental attitude and motivation on course.

Like the chap in the pub, you may find your own method of coping with your quit smoking challenge, and well.. if it works - great!

Good health!

About the Author
Keith Watson - 25 years as a registered nurse. Now writing about and promoting a holistic approach to health issues. To learn more about hypnosis as a therapy, visit http://www.adam-eason.com/

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Smoking... Quit Smoking - Build Your Support Group Early You've heard all the detrimental effects of cigarette smoking, and you know you should stop smoking cigarettes. You've even made the pledge to take that step. What's next? If you're going to try a stop smoking hypnotherapy, you may think that you've got the issue solved. But even the most proven stop smoking programs aren't going to do you any good if you don't also have some help on a daily basis. That means you need a stop smoking support group. It's easy to establish this group, especially if you have friends and family members who are anxious for you to quit. And best of all, this is a free stop smoking resource! Anyone who has tried to quit knows that it's not a one-person undertaking. You need help to stop smoking. One of the most effective stop smoking aids isn't sold in any form. It's nothing more than knowing that you're harming yourself and your family with the second hand smoke. If those people who care most about you are ready to help you through the process, you may find that you can make it happen. Here are some reasons the support of friends helps, and some tips toward making your support group as supportive as possible. Make Yourself Responsible to Someone Smoking cessation is sometimes more difficult because you figure you can sneak in a cigarette now and then without anyone knowing about it. Making yourself responsible to another person means that you're going to have to actively lie about your smoking. It's one thing to sneak in a smoke, but quite another to tell an outright lie when someone asks if you've had a cigarette. Choose someone who'll ask you on a regular basis whether you've had a cigarette. Talk to the "Naggers" Spouses, family and friends often nag about smoking until the smoker is ready to...