It is important to not confuse the word desire with willpower. Desire is merely the wanting or longing for something while willpower addresses self-control. The desire to quit smoking is a verb while having the willpower to quit smoking is a noun.

Quit smoking tip #1 directly addresses the desire to quit smoking. By having the desire to quit smoking you can begin your journey to a smoke free healthier life. We all desire things, some are far more out of reach than others. When you have the desire to quit smoking rest assured this is a desire that can be acted upon and satisfied. By having the desire to quit smoking you can then take the next step along with any subsequent steps that lead you down the road to a smoke free life. The desire for things typically have to do with things that are lacking from our own lives or the lives of ones we love. In this case you are trying to give up a habit that is controlling and damaging your body to the extent where it could possibly shorten your life dramatically.

Don?t get discouraged if you are not quite ready to quit smoking. Quitting smoking is a major life decision and even though it should be done as soon as possible it should not be more stressful than it already is. Feed that desire to quit smoking and begin educating yourself on various methods to quit smoking. Don?t let go of what you want, each day take one step closer to living a healthier smoke free life.

Tags: quit, science, smoking, howto

Do you think wake up in the morning and think of cigarettes before anything else? Do you have trouble catching your breath after performing simple tasks? Does your home stink like an ashtray? Questions like these make you wonder why you started smoking in the first place, and haven’t quit yet. I’m not going to bore you with statistics that im sure you’ve already seen and heard. Instead i’m going to tell you a story. This is a story about my Father.

Having started when he was 15, my dad smoked a half a pack a day for over 30 years. He loved living and cared for his family even more. My fondest memories when i was young were those of me and my dad playing football in the back yard. As the years went by, i noticed that he was stopping to catch his breath more and more. I started to get concerned. Being stubborn as a mule, he would never listen when i pleaded with him to quit smoking. This went on for many years. 3 years ago he was diagnosed with lung cancer. I was devastated. He was and always will be the most important factor in my life.

It was only when faced with his own demise that i was finally able to convince him to stop smoking. Unfortunately for everyone who knew him, it was too late. Lung cancer took his life and a part of me along with it last year.

I started doing research on smoking and made it my personal mission to make sure noone else had to experience what i went through. In the past year i learned alot, but just knowing isn’t enough. I now sit writing several tips on how to quit smoking in hopes that i can save at least one person. Will it be you? You’ve already taken the first step by reading this article.

1.Don’t try to quit alone. Many people who have tried to quit in the past and failed did so becuase they had no support system. Even one person that you can call in moments of weakness can mean all the difference.

2.Take a deep breath. Whenever you feel the urge to smoke a cigarette, stop and inhale a lungfull of nice fresh air. Let it out slowly by pursing your lips. As you exhale in this manner, let yourself relax. Let all your worries and stresses leave your body with the air now leaving your chest. Do this three times whenever your tempted.

3.Try to avoid alcohol, sugar, and coffee for the first week or more. These tend to stimulate your desire for a cigarette. Also avoid fatty foods as quitting smoking lowers your metabolism a bit. This can help you avoid gaining weight while starting on your way to a healthier you. Hey, noone said changing habits was easy, but trust me, its well worth it.

4.Keep a pack of chewing gum or a toothpick on hand. One of the biggest obstacles in quitting can be overcoming the oral fixation, or being use to having something in your mouth. When the urge hits, these can be very helpful to keep your mouth occupied. Some have reported success using a rolled cinnamon stick they purchased at any grocery store. being hollow, these can be treated as a cigarette and give your breath a freshening at the same time.

5.Hide all ashtrays and destroy all leftover cigarettes with water to prevent leaving anything thats smokable. This is very important. Think “out of sight, out of mind”

This is just the beginning of the wealth of knowledge thats available to you if you just take the time to look. Many people employ several techniques before they’re actually successful in kicking the habit. If these methods don’t work for you, by all means search for others, or even develop your own. Above all remember this, “Noah didn’t build the Ark in one day”. Stick to it and you will be smokefree and healthier in no time.

Tags: quit smoking, howto, quit, addiction

I was reading an article recently when I ran across someone that actually asked if there was a diet pill to lose weight AND quit smoking. I’m still in a state of shock from this question. Hey, I don’t claim to be perfect by any means, but c’mon guys. How lazy have we gotten here? If you have a problem with your weight that needs to be addressed then get off your keaster, get off the pity pot and get to work getting rid of the chub. If you were ignorant enough to light up a cigarette in the first place and then ignorant enough to light up another one, after coughing your fool head off and turning green, I can relate to what you’re going through, but I don’t have a lot of sympathy for you. I quit smoking on June 30th, 2006 after 31 years of sucking down Marlboro reds. There has been very few times that I have not wanted to rip off some smoker’s arm, beat him with it for being a dummy and then ask him for a light. Brilliant huh? At least I didn’t ask him for a magic pill! Sheesh!

Hey, weight loss is actually the third thing on my “to do” list after taking my personal inventory. Not long after my youngest son was born, nearly five years ago, I began to seriously take a look at myself in the mirror and I wasn’t very pleased with what I saw. At 39 I’d become quite the drinker, avid pack to pack and a half a day smoker and had gained eighty pounds since my days in the military. Needless to say, I was depressed, but I never, ever stooped to trying to find a magic pill to save my rear end. I decided it was time to make some changes.

Fast forward four years and ten months since the birth of my son and I’m now making strides on all fronts. I haven’t had any alcohol since September 6th, 2004 and am closing in on one year smoke free. I had actually dropped quite a bit of weight before giving up the smokes, but, unfortunately, I gained it back. I’m now back on track again having lost six pounds by simply cutting out processed foods. This is pretty much anything that comes in a wrapper, bag or box and getting some exercise six days a week, rain or shine. I’ll tell you what - some days it really hurts to exercise, but it always feels better after I’m finished working out. Do a heavy day and then a light day, this way you don’t overdo it.

You just have to really want to take control of your life again folks. I’m no Superman by any means, but I want to really get out and enjoy my life with my family. They’re all very proud of me for not dismembering anyone yet and taking up smoking again. My main point here is don’t go looking for magic pills, like a diet pill to lose weight and quit smoking. Instead, take a look around at the many faces that love you and then take a real good look inside yourself. It’s in those two places that you’ll find the strength to do what you must do. God bless and good luck.

Tags: health, quit smoking, tips, nicotine

Quitting smoking is a significant improvement to one?s health, but some people gain weight if they stop smoking, while others don’t. A reason for that might be the fact that the body burns calories faster while smoking and returns to its normal calorie burning rate after quitting.

That is not the only reason. People may feel hungrier than usual during that period and eat more high-fat snacks or drink more alcohol, but this feeling usually disappears after a while.

No doubt, quitting smoking brings only rewards: whiter teeth, a clearer voice, fresher breath, a healthier-looking skin, and more energy. The weight gain that might appear when you try quitting smoking may be avoided, and doesn’t hurt your health as smoking does.

Healthy eating and drinking habits can make a difference. Eat enough at meal times, choose healthy snacks between meals, like popcorn, fresh/canned fruits, or fat-free yogurt. Don’t be too hard on yourself and take an occasional ?treat? (for example, a small ice cream cone).

Instead of alcoholic beverages, you may want to choose sparkling water, herbal tea, or hot cocoa with low-fat milk. A moderate physical activity can make you feel good, maintain weight and breathe easier.

Even thirty minutes of daily moderate activity may count. Some of the following ideas can make you become more active: go for a walk more often, park the car further, get off the bus before it reaches your destination, use the stairs if they are well lit, or take some dance classes. To read the rest of this article, go to ProjectWeightLoss.com an online weight loss community featuring calorie counter, carbs counter, BMI calculator, diet planner, workout planner and nutritional information.

(c) ProjectWeightLoss.com 2007. All rights reserved.

Tags: howto, science, smoking, quit

Trying to quit smoking can be daunting. Smoking is an addiction. Its easy for non smokers to say you should never have started, but you are reading this so you already know that. “How do I stop?” That is the question. On a recent survey it indicated that it takes 5 full hearted attempts before a dedicated person actually stops smoking. There are many pitfalls along the way. Staying focused is the way to achieve your goal

You need to set up a game-plan and stick by it. The chances are you have tried it and failed but did you follow both your physical and psychological needs?

Lets go through the process……

1) Set a memorable date for quitting, such as birthday, 1st of the month, etc. Tell all your friends and family. throw your ashtrays in the bin. Avoid temptation areas such as public bars until you get over the initial fear of going without a cigarette.

2) Use a crutch to starve off the nicotine cravings. Sipping at water instead of having a drag can often help. Use chewing gum to distract you from the thought of having a cigarette. Quitting smoking is not easy but you know this so you need to do something that blocks out the thought process of having a smoke.

3) Diet has been known to affect your cravings for a cigarette. Try to avoid fatty foods and increase your intake of fruit and vegetables. Alcohol can lessen your will power. If you must drink try to do it in a non smoking environment.

4) You are quitting smoking for health reasons, amongst others. Use this new found motivation to develop a new exercise routine. Its good for both body and soul.

5) You need a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA). Visualise yourself as a non smoker. Imagine your life’s vitality coming back. Try to avoid any stressful situations in the meantime and rust remember to maintain focus on your goals.

6) Persevere with your aim. You will have low times. You will have urges just to have the one cigarette. If you give into these urges you will just become another statistic, another person who failed to quit. Ultimately, It’s up to you.

The mind is a complex muscle. Learn to use it to its maximum potential. They are many methods to quit your addiction. Many are educational or physical but the key to overcoming any addiction is to breakdown the psychological process.

Psychotherapy is possibly the most effective method to eradicating an addiction. It works from the inside out. If you would like to know how.

Tags: quit, health, quit smoking, science