Helpful tips

The best time to quit smoking is when you have made the decision to stop. For some people the decision may be triggered by a change in their life such as meeting a new partner, changing jobs, pregnancy or illness. For others, it may be triggered by a desire to get fitter or to save money. There are no right or wrong reasons to make the decision to quit - as long as YOU make it.

Once you have made the decision to stop smoking, set a date and then work towards it:

Up to one month before:

• Plan to exercise regularly - maybe join a gym or health club
  
• Deodorise your home, car and clothes to remove the smell of tobacco
  
• Think about your diet - try to reduce your fat and sugar intake
  
• Tell your friends, family and colleagues when you are stopping smoking and ask them for support

The big day:

• Stop smoking completely - this will increase your chances of stopping for good
  
• Throw away all your cigarettes, lighters and ashtrays - you won’t need them anymore!
  
• Start your day by drinking a large glass of water and taking some deep breaths, then take an invigorating shower
  
• Replace your morning cigarette by an activity that will take your mind off smoking such as exercise, a crossword or even the washing up!
  
• Try to avoid having lunch with smokers or being in a smoky environment. Eat a light, healthy lunch and go for a short walk or do some other exercise
  
• Avoid coffee, tea and alcohol - these can all stimulate your desire to smoke
  
• Suppress cravings by sucking on a lozenge, chewing sugar-free gum or fiddling with a pen or stress ball
  
• Every time you feel like smoking, drink a large glass of water, walk around for a minute or find something else to do - the urge to smoke will only last for a few minutes
  
• Keep away from tricky situations - evenings in the pub, friends who smoke, waiting around for long periods of time
  
• If you feel like snacking, have something healthy like fruit or raw vegetables
  
• Replace your evening cigarette with a cup of herbal tea

Remember: each day you go without a cigarette increases your ability to resist temptation