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“I
Did it!” Another success story
Former Smoker Uses Exercise to Break Addiction to Tobacco
| Fred
Redman of Mosinee quit smoking, and exercise helped him do it.
A counselor from the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line
suggested to Fred that he walk each morning instead of having
a cigarette. Before he knew it, Fred was walking two miles a day
without smoking.
“People say when you quit smoking you gain
weight,” Fred says, “but for me it was just the opposite.
I lost 10 pounds the first three months!” Whether
you like to walk, run or go to the gym, exercise can help you
break your addiction to smoking – or stay tobacco free.
Staying active can help you overcome nicotine withdrawal in a
number of ways:
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Fred Redman
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• Smoke-free
schedule. Like Fred, exercising during times when you
used to smoke can divert your attention and break habits.
• Improved breathing.
• Physical fitness.
• Stress relief.
• Sound sleep. Some
people suffer sleepless nights after quitting, but exercise can ease
or eliminate this symptom.
• Social link. If
you play team sports or exercise with friends or relatives, these activities
can reduce the loneliness some people feel when they quit. These comrades
can also cheer you on to quit.
Of course, exercise
isn’t the only way to quit. See your doctor or call the Quit Line
at 1-800-QUIT NOW (1-800-784-8669) for more ideas.
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