28 Mar Top five how-to-quit smoking tips

Regular exercise and healthy eating are two of the best things a person can do for themselves.
Completing the “Big Three” on my list of essential health tips is this: Don’t smoke!
If you smoke right now, the smartest thing you can do for your overall health is to quit. If you don’t smoke, don’t start!
Everyone knows that it is very difficult to do, but if a person stops smoking their heart and lungs begin to get healthier almost immediately.
Here are five tips to quit smoking yourself, or to pass on to a relative or a friend, according to Parade.com:
1. Know your motivation – Write your reasons for quitting on a piece of paper, laminate it, and put it in your pocket. Every time you’re tempted to smoke, pull it out as a reminder of why you shouldn’t.
2 Get free help – You can get free counseling and talk with a ‘quit coach’ by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW. In some states, this can even help you get medication for less.
3 Plan a quitting strategy – Ask your physician or pharmacist. There are seven medications now available to help.
4 Avoid tempting situations – You’ll probably need to change other behaviors for the first few months. If you’re used to having a cigarette after dinner, call a friend or go for a walk instead. Driving can also be a trigger, so have gum handy in the car.
5 Deal with setbacks – If you slip up, analyze what happened, then figure out how to avoid that situation next time.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com