Smoking is not a good idea if you’re trying to get healthy. It really is that simple. There is no benefit, and a whole load of health issues that come from smoking.
Yes, you probably know someone’s great-grandmother that lived to be 110 who was a smoker, but chances are that she came from an era where tobacco was much more common, and she didn’t know the risks, didn't take any sort of
multivitamins, but was still in good
general health. Also, you'll be pretty hard pressed to name too many fit people who smoke at all.
These days, there is no doubt that smoking harms your body in pretty much every way imaginable, from affecting your heart and lungs to teeth and mental processes. It's fair to say that taking it up is not a great option for people who want to get fit.
If you're already a smoker and want to get healthier, quitting should be part of your fitness program. Quitting smoking isn’t easy, getting healthy generally isn’t, but quitting smoking is vital if you want to get healthy.
Here are a couple of ideas that may help you:
1) Develop your willpower.
Like all health and fitness goals, whether you get there or not will largely depend on how much you want it. Just as you need to push yourself to swim that last lap, punch out that last rep or fill those last 60 seconds with distance run, you need to be able to delay that cigarette for just a few more minutes until the craving passes.
Working on your willpower is also highly beneficial for anyone who is working towards a goal, so if it helps, don't think of it as quitting something, think of it as working out for your will.
2) Find an approach that works for you.
As they say, there is no one approach that works for everyone. Some people can just throw a pack away and never smoke again, others use patches, medication and support lines, but still have trouble. The important thing is to keep trying, keep pushing how long you can go without, and day by day, week by week it will become longer between puffs. Focus on consistent improvement.
3) Cut down on activities that you associate with smoking.
If you always feel like a smoke when you drink, think about cutting down on your drinking for a while. It can also help you get to your health goals sooner too. Likewise if you have cigarette breaks at work, go for a walk instead, or have a cup of tea. If you're having trouble sleeping, read a book instead of taking a smoke. If you normally have a smoke with your coffee, think about switching out your coffee for another drink.
4) Plan ahead.
Catching up with friends who smoke? Having a poker night at a friends place? Coffee brunch? When you're quitting, try to avoid these temptations if possible, or see if you can alter the activities so that smoking isn't as easy to do. Sit in the non-smoking areas, and make sure everyone knows you're quitting. Good friends will support you and knock you back if you ever ask to have one of their cigarettes anyway.
5) Get help if you need it.
Whether it's friends and family, medical professionals or support groups, surround yourself with people who will help you achieve your goals. Don't be afraid to ask for help, the more people are involved, the less work one person has to do.
These are just a few tips, there are many, many ways to quit a habit, look at httpS://www.quit.org.au/ to find one that might help you.
Good luck with it all!
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