Dreading the weight gain, bad mood, or chance of failure? Think again.
Consciously every smoker knows that they should quit smoking for their health's sake. So what's holding you back?
Maybe you’re afraid of the weight gain, that it will wreck your mood, or that it just won't work. But what if that wasn't necessarily so?
It's time to lay your quit-smoking fears to rest once and for all as some of those fears aren't what they're cracked up to be, and why none of them should keep you from quitting.
Fear: I’ll Gain Too Much Weight
Many people worry about gaining weight when they quit smoking. But not everybody who quits gains weight!
There are some physiological effects that cause people to crave carbohydrates when they quit smoking, so its important to be aware of what you are eating, its also important to tell us if you are concerned about weight gains. Stash only healthy snacks and replace empty-calorie carbs for healthier treats like peanut butter, sultanas or an apple or a little bit (liiiittttle) of cheddar cheese with crackers.
If you’re still concerned, take steps to thwart weight gain by keeping your exercise routine up or launching an exerciseprogram.
Fear: My Social Life Will Tank
SINGLE? If you glance at online dating profiles, people almost exclusively prefer nonsmokers. You’ll rarely spot “Looking for a smoker” among the listed entries. In fact, quitting may actually improve your dating life as approximately 90% of people in Australia are non-smokers and your hair, skin, clothes, and car will smell better.
When you visit a restaurant, party, or social event where smoking isn’t allowed, you may end up huddled outside as an outcast, a little bit like the current Quit Smoking Campaign, with the appropriate song of "All by myself".
The bottom line: It’s more difficult to find places you can smoke during most social activititie, and it’s getting harder to find other people who smoke, so quitting may actually be a boom to your social life in the long run. So another tick for giving up smoking
Fear: The Damage Is Already Done
It’s never too late to quit smoking. The benefits start within hours of your last cigarette and they continue for years down the road.
For example, quitting smoking today reduces your risk of heart attack starting tomorrow -- and by the first year your risk is cut in half. It’s a lame excuse to say you’ve smoked too long, you already did the damage, or you have to die from something,
If you continue to smoke, Steinberg says, your risk of dying from lung cancer over your lifetime increases. The results are similar across the board with many diseases.
In fact, people who quit have fewer complications from their medical problems, have fewer additional medical problems, and their response to treatment for medical problems improves if they’re not smoking.
Obviously,the earlier you quit the better off you are. But it’s never too late. Even if you’ve already been smoking for 40 years,
More people have quit than continue to smoke.
For more information about the benefits of quitting smoking click here for "Reasons to quit smoking - QLD Govt
Fear: I’ll Fail
No one likes to fail.
If you’ve tried quitting several times in the past, seek a different method.
People who quit on their own have a less than 5% success rate.
My belief is that two things can assist a successful quit attempt. One is a desire to quit for yourself -- not for your spouse, your job, or anyone else. The second is confidence in your ability to succeed. If you couple those two things, you boost your odds of success.
Once you’re ready and you have the desire and confidence, give us a call on 1300 720 988 or book online here