Ask Cliff

Question:

Aren't cravings and habit the same thing?

* These coaches are former smokers who are suggesting several different quitting strategies that can be effective.

Not really. Habit is what happens when you smoke every day whenever you do certain things, like drive a car or take a coffee break, so you associate them with smoking. And when you’ve smoked as long as I did, your brain calls out for nicotine whenever you’re in those situations, Cravings come from not getting nicotine when you’re addicted to it, which I was, and which you probably are, too. You’ve got to deal with both the habit and the cravings.

Ask Cliff

Question:

How do I get past cravings?

* These coaches are former smokers who are suggesting several different quitting strategies that can be effective.

The first couple of times I quit, I tried to just tough it out through the cravings. But I really wasn’t ready for how strong they get, and I had a lot of trouble with them. So last time I got one of those stop-smoking products at the drug store — you know, they’ve got gum, they’ve got lozenges, there’s a patch — and what they do is reduce craving. I think it helped me a lot

Ask Cliff

Question:

How do I overcome my habit?

* These coaches are former smokers who are suggesting several different quitting strategies that can be effective.

If you’ve smoked for as long as I have, your habit runs deep. I mean, everything I did, I did with a cigarette. Cup of coffee, light up. Get in the car, light up. So before I quit I tried to think of something else to do in those situations. Like I drank soda or tea instead of coffee, and listened to different radio stations in the car. And I chewed up a lot of toothpicks — but hey, I quit.

Ask Cliff

Question:

What should I do before I quit?

* These coaches are former smokers who are suggesting several different quitting strategies that can be effective.

First you need to set a date, then you sorta need to get yourself psyched up. Tell people you’re quitting, especially anyone who’s also quit — they can really help. I wrote down the reasons I wanted to quit, and in those first couple days when it was really tough, I would look at that list and say, you know, I’m doing this for a reason.

Ask Cliff

Question:

Do I need a plan?

* These coaches are former smokers who are suggesting several different quitting strategies that can be effective.

I don’t know if everyone needs a plan, but I sure did. The first times I quit I didn’t have one, and I ended up smoking again. So the last time was different. I actually thought about why I hadn’t succeeded before, and made some changes. Like I got a quit-smoking product, and that helped. And this time I actually planned to do something when I got a strong craving — something different than having a cigarette, like getting up and getting a drink of water, or just walking around.

Ask Cliff

Question:

All I need is willpower, right?

* These coaches are former smokers who are suggesting several different quitting strategies that can be effective.

Maybe if you’re a Navy SEAL! But those nicotine cravings are really tough. A quit smoking product — like the gum, the patch or the lozenges — helps with the cravings, and that lets your willpower get the upper hand. I mean I still needed willpower, because I associated so many things with smoking, and those habits are tough to change.

Ask Cliff

Question:

What should I watch out for?

* These coaches are former smokers who are suggesting several different quitting strategies that can be effective.

For me the temptations seemed to come out of nowhere. Like the second day, I was going back to work after lunch and saw a guy smoking, and I just wanted one so bad. And like two weeks into it, I was watching a game on TV and it hit me out of nowhere. I had to get up do something, and ended up washing my car. You just have to be ready, and remind yourself that even one will hurt.

Ask Cliff

Question:

How do I de-stress so I don't smoke again?

* These coaches are former smokers who are suggesting several different quitting strategies that can be effective.

For me to de-stress, I’d have to live in Tahiti. That’s not gonna happen, so, you know, you learn to cope. I got a book on stress management, and I’ve done some of the things they suggested. I get more exercise, more regularly — that’s helped. I try to take it easy when I can, and not let things get to me so much. I give myself time to relax. And my wife wants me to try yoga — maybe.

Ask Cliff

Question:

How do I avoid putting on weight?

* These coaches are former smokers who are suggesting several different quitting strategies that can be effective.

I put on a little — I think I read somewhere that most people do. But I mean a little, like 5 pounds. Partly, you know, you just want to stick something in your mouth, but I bought toothpicks and tried to keep the candy sugar-free. And one of my things for dealing with the urge to smoke was to get up and walk somewhere, and I think all of that helped.