Category: Healthylife® QuitWell™

S.M.A.R.T. in Action

Before: “I want to cut back.”

S.M.A.R.T. Goal: “Today I will put 12 cigarettes in an empty pack instead of the 15 I usually have. I will keep my emergency pack of substitutes (gum, toothpicks) with me and will leave my cigarettes behind. I will cut back by 1 cigarette each day this week.”

Practice Goal-Setting

Strengthen your goal using the S.M.A.R.T. tool. Start with a simple statement about what you want to do. Next, write how your goal will be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based.

Smoking is the number one cause of premature, preventable deaths in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 480,000 Americans die each year due to smoking. Many of those are from cancer, heart disease, stroke, and lung disease. Very few, if any, smokers go through their lives without having harmful effects. Smoking affects more than just your lungs-every part of the body is damaged.

Smoking can also cause:

*  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

*  Aortic aneurysm

*  Diabetes

*  Osteoporosis (brittle bones)

*  Rheumatoid arthritis

*  Macular degeneration (age-related)

*  Cataracts

And contributes to:

*  Airway infections

*  Impaired immune responses

*  Miscarriage

*  Pregnancy complications

*  Low birth weight, cleft lip/palate, and risk of SIDS

*  Erectile disfunction

*  Frequent colds and a weakened immune system

After You Quit

As soon as you stop smoking, your body responds. Changes in your body start happening right away.

Who could support you in your effort to quit? Having someone to hold you accountable-and who you want to share success with-can be a powerful part of your quit plan. Support from others can help:

*  Motivate you and lift you up when you stumble.

*  Hold you accountable.

*  Give you new ideas and inspiration-especially if they have gone through quitting themselves.

*  Make activities more fun, like taking a walk together instead of a smoke break.

Start With One Person

1. Choose a buddy-someone you will talk to daily. This person should be someone you trust and who you can be completely honest with.

2. Let them know what you are trying to do.

3. Ask them if they would be willing to support you. If they are, thank them!

4. Let them know how to help you. This may change over time.

5. Share your feelings and actions truthfully with your buddy. If you don’t, you are losing out on the benefits of an accountability buddy.

6. Thank this person often. Let them know the impact they are having on your lifestyle change.

Involving Others

Even when someone wants to help you, they may not know how. You have probably experienced this already, like when someone gives you cliché advice or says “just one won’t hurt.”

Be specific when you tell others how to help you. These are suggestions for those people who want to help you. Read over the list and choose the ones you think will be most helpful. Write these down and show your list to the people who want to help.

*  What are you really good at?

*  What have you overcome in your life?

*  How do you help others?

*  How do you take care of yourself?

Trust that the things that make you strong will continue to be there during your quit attempt. Repeat after me: “I am strong.” Say it again. And again. Say it out loud to add some ‘oomph’ to your statement. Continue to repeat as needed!

If you are punished for doing something, you are less likely to keep doing it. If a person threw a bucket of water in your face each time you walked around the block, you would take fewer walks.

Urge Zapper

1. Place a stretchy band on your wrist.

2. Snap your wristband whenever you have an urge to use tobacco/nicotine.

Tobacco Consequence Control

When you get an urge, think of something you want to avoid-shortness of breath, cancer, heart disease, or letting someone down. What do you want to avoid?

As the urge goes away, reward yourself by thinking of something you are looking forward to with quitting-feeling in control, breathing more easily, or having more money. What do you look forward to?

Butt Bottle Revival

1. Keep your butt bottle where you can see it.

2. Open it up and smell.

3. Add water to highlight the foul odor.

Spend time with a pet. Volunteer at a shelter. Spend time with a friend or family member’s pet. Go to a pet store, or look into adopting a rescue animal.

Spending time with a pet can:

*  Decrease production of cortisol, a stress hormone that can put you on edge and make you ill over time.

*  Increase serotonin, which helps you feel relaxed and happy.

*  Help you feel secure. Pets, especially dogs, can love unconditionally and may sense when you need extra support. Some pets are trained to help you manage certain emotions, like anxiety.