10 Steps to Quit Smoking for Good
Most successful quitters don't wake up one morning, say, "I quit," and never light up again. In fact, on the RealAge Stop Smoking Center -- where you'll find the patient-proven YOU Can Quit Plan, which is also used at the Cleveland Clinic -- smokers are told not to quit for 31 days. That's how long it takes to prepare for change. Here are 10 steps that will get you ready for your Quit Day, 32 days from today!
Step 1: Make Yourself a Promise
You know all the reasons you "should" quit, but you haven't been able to make the commitment, right? Trust us. In 31 days, you'll be ready -- maybe even eager -- to sign a Breathe Free Pledge. All you have to do is take 10 steps over the next 31 days.
Breathe Free Pledge: I Commit to Quit
By signing this quit-smoking contract, I commit to quit!
As of ______________________, my official "quit date," I commit to breathing free!My reasons for quitting smoking are:
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
I have found a buddy I will call daily.
I recognize that this may be one of the greatest challenges of my life, but I also know that choosing to quit smoking is the best decision I can make to protect and improve my health.
Upon signing this contract, I make a commitment to myself to breathe free.
I don't know what will happen, or how difficult it will be to quit, but I do know that I can get help from _______________________________________________, and I have decided to (check one):
___ 1. Walk for 30 days and try nicotine patches and bupropion
___ 2. Walk for 30 days and use nicotine patches (or nicotine gum or nicotine oral inhaler) alone
___ 3. Walk for 30 days and use varenicline (Chantix) alone
I also know that staying smoke-free (not having "just one") after the initial breathe free period is important, and I have asked my friends and family to support me and to not smoke around me. I will also continue to talk daily with my buddy for at least 6 months, and then I'll become a buddy to others.
By committing to a life of breathing free, I will ensure a healthier future for myself, and I will protect the well-being of my loved ones and everyone around me who will no longer be exposed to the dangers of secondhand smoke. I am not only motivated but also committed and willing to make the effort to become a nonsmoker.
I deserve to give myself the healthiest life possible -- to breathe free!
| | _______________________________________________ Signature/Date |
Step 2: Set a Quit Date
If you’re starting today, count ahead 31 days, and make day 32 your quit day. Mark it on all of your calendars. You’re establishing a new habit -- daily walks -- that will help you let go of the old, nasty one. Research shows it takes at least 30 days to train your brain to do that. You’ll need that time, too, for the prep work coming up.
Step 3: Write Down 3 Reasons You Want to Quit Smoking
Get ready to get back at least 7 of the 8 years of life that pumping smoke down your airways has stolen. Some quitters want to clear their lungs of carcinogens and open their airways to let in more fresh air. Others decide to protect the arteries that feed their heart and brain. Your reasons for saying no to cigarettes are unique to you, but living longer shows up on most lists. Write your reasons on a small card, and take a peek at it every time you light up or have the urge.
Step 4: Start Walking
Walking 30 minutes a day, every day, is going to become a habit for you. The next month of daily walks establishes the discipline that will help you stick with your plan. Plus, it increases your stamina and helps you avoid weight gain when you quit smoking. You'll also start fully tasting food for the first time in years.
Step 5: Check Insurance Coverage
Your health insurance benefits may pay for a portion of your stop-smoking investment -- prescription drugs, nicotine replacement therapies (NRT), counseling, and alternative therapies such as acupuncture. Ask your insurance provider exactly what is covered, and for how long. Ask about everything. This is a time when you need all the help you can get.
Step 6: Get a Checkup
Tell your doc that you have decided to quit and want to be certain that the techniques and meds that will help you quit won't interfere with any other medications you may be taking or any health issues you have. Ask for a prescription for one of the quit-smoking drugs that will help you move from smoker to quitter more easily (coming up next).
Step 7: Fill Your Rx
You may be strong, but cigarette cravings are like the Incredible Hulk: They come on fast and furious. There are several anticraving drugs that will ease your transition to quitter. One is varenicline (Chantix). Another is bupropion (Zyban or Wellbutrin). The YOU Docs prefer bupropion because, unlike varenicline, it can be taken along with nicotine replacement therapies (NRT). That combo 1-2 punch will greatly improve your chances of success. Start taking your anticraving Rx 2 days before your quit day. Start your NRT the day you quit.
Step 8: Loosen the Grip
The first 31 days are your get-ready month. Start to disrupt your smoking habits, and practice what you might do instead of lighting up. For instance, try not lighting up in two or three situations that usually trigger the desire to smoke. Cut back to one pack or less a day, and carry that pack in a different place than usual. Switch brands to one you don’t like as much. Get rid of your lighter. Learn a relaxation technique to use instead of smoking when you’re stressed.
Step 9: Find a Quitting Buddy
Don’t go it alone. Everyone needs to be encouraged by someone, so try to find a support partner who needs you as much as you need him or her.
Step 10: Ready, Set, Toss 'Em
On day 30, start taking your quit-smoking drug. Take it again on day 31. Then, on day 32, take your Rx, put on your nicotine patch, and toss those cigarettes, ashtrays, and other smoking-related objects! You’re now beginning your new life as a nonsmoker. And don’t forget, keep walking.
WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!
Cheddar Penne with Sausage & Peppers
This simple skillet dish combines mac and cheese with sausage and peppers to make a family-favorite dish that's on the table in less than 45 minutes!
Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
INGREDIENTS
Directions
Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.Add the sausage and cook until well browned, stirring occasionally.
Remove the sausage from the skillet. Pour off any fat.
Add the pepper and onion to the skillet and cook until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic and cook and stir for 1 minute.
Stir in the soup and milk and heat to a boil.
Return the sausage to the skillet.
Reduce the heat to low.
Cook until the sausage is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
Place the pasta into a large bowl.
Add the sausage mixture and toss to coat.
Easy Substitution: You may substitute hot Italian sausage for the sweet Italian sausage in this recipe.
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