this blog is a big part of my quitting plan. i've tried to quit lots of times before, but never kept a journal of my progress, and i think it will help me a lot. i'm actually hoping to learn from my previous attempts at quitting and use that knowledge to guide me this time. for example: in the past i would exercise like crazy, since i hate smoking after a work out. this time i'm taking it slow - staying fit but not going nuts. in the past i've also combined my quit date with some sort of diet change. this time i've decided to eat what i want, especially during the first couple weeks. my ability to smell and taste food is already improving, so why put it to waste? here's what i had for lunch yesterday:
mmmm... delicious grilled steak, steamed broccoli with fresh garlic, potato salad, and 6 ounces of home-brewed sweet stout. i also made my own dipping sauce out of stout, oil, vinegar, tomato paste, and steak seasoning - it came out awesome. i had a little bit of a craving after finishing the meal, but i got right back to work and soon forgot all about it.
so that brings me to the most important part of the plan - how to handle cravings and avoid relapsing. this is the hardest part of quitting. stopping smoking is no problem for me, i've done it a thousand times, it's staying smoke-free that i've never been able to master. this time i've decided to come up with a list of alternate activities that i can do when i have a craving - things that take about the same amount of time as smoking a cigarette. here's a few of my ideas:
light exercise: nothing crazy, just some push-ups and sit-ups, some jumping jacks, or even 2 minutes on the trampoline (we have a small one in our house and i happen to work from home). whenever i get a little out of breath, i stop craving cigarettes immediately.
oral engagement: smoking is such an oral habit, and i think that by occupying my mouth with other activities i could distract myself from cravings. ideas include chewing gum, putting a toothpick in my mouth, and brushing my teeth. imagine if i brushed my teeth every time i had a craving? not only would my smile improve from the absence of cigarette smoke and tar, but also from all the cleaning action!
breathing exercises: a few months ago, i learned about these breathing exercises that you can do to improve your lung function, increase oxygen absorption, and even lose weight. i performed them for a few days, but then picked up cigarettes again and never continued. i want to start doing them again, especially when i'm craving a smoke. after i complete the exercises, my lungs feel full and clean, and the last thing i'm thinking about is cigarettes.
i'm trying to take a much more positive approach to quitting this time by doing things that help, not hurt. in the past i've tried all sorts of crazy stuff like slapping myself in the face when i had a craving, or running 10 miles if i had a relapse. this time i'm only going to do positive things. like every morning i get up to pray and meditate for a few minutes. i'm also thinking about rewarding myself with presents, like maybe after 1 month i'll get myself the bicycle i've always wanted. in any case, i'm putting more energy into this than ever before and i'm planning on following through this time.
No comments:
Post a Comment