Prepare to Quit Smoking

Preparing yourself for what lies ahead when you quit smoking will add to your ability to make a success of your efforts. Preparation puts you into the driver's seat when you quit smoking, and will help you get your mind geared up for the big day. It's a good idea to plan your quit date no more than a week or two ahead of time. Any more than that, and you're likely to lose momentum.

Educate Yourself

Read, read, read, and read some more. Use the library here at About.com Smoking Cessation to learn as much as you can about nicotine addiction and how it affects your body. From what to expect when you quit smoking, to ways to deal with recovery, education is a vital part of a successful quit program. It forces us to take the blinders off - most smokers avoid reading and thinking too much about the dangers of what they're doing. It's called denial, and the sooner you remove it, the quicker you'll be on the road to recovery.

Understanding Nicotine Addiction

How Smoking Harms Us - From Head to Toe

Start a Quit Journal

This little tool is a terrific quit aid. Use it initially for your list of reasons to quit smoking. Follow up with some other lists of things that have meaning for you. Suggestions include:

• pros and cons of smoking
• goals you have in your life
• benefits you can envision as a nonsmoker

Once you quit smoking, use that journal to log your daily progress. Make an effort to write in it at the very least, once a day, and more if you feel the need. Weeks down the road, you may have a bad day when thoughts of smoking are at the front of your mind. Taking a look back at week one and getting perspective on just how far you've come could be the boost you need to get over that hump.

The Pros and Cons of Smoking

EB's List of Reasons to Quit Smoking

Get a Check Up

Make an appointment with your physician for a physical and let him/her know that you're going to quit smoking. It's a great time to discuss quit smoking aids, and get advice on what may be best suited for you. Ask your doctor whether you might benefit from a vitamin supplement. Smoking depletes nutrients from our bodies, and a multi-vitamin can give you a head start on rebuilding your health.

Quit Smoking Supplies