Quit smoking tips to help you stay smoke-free

Every year, over 1 million Americans quit smoking. We know you have what it takes to join that group, so here are some of our favorite quit smoking tips to help you stay smoke-free.

Remember: Breathe.

It may sound simple, but deep breathing exercises are one of the best ways to reduce stress. It helps to put both hands on your stomach and feel yourself breathe in and breathe out. Once you are starting to feel relaxed, inhale and exhale longer, taking in deeper and deeper breaths. Think about your lungs filling up with wonderful smoke-free oxygen while you expand the muscles under your lungs. Close

Sign up for behavioral support

Quit smoking resources such as our program can be useful for your quit attempt by helping you monitor your progress, offering quit tips and strategies, and providing advice from experts and fellow smokers. Sign up now to get help with managing your cigarette cravings and changing your habitual behavior.

Prepare for your cravings with healthy snacks

During the first few weeks of quitting smoking, you might feel a strong oral fixation, so before your quit date, stock up on the healthy snacks you love to keep your mouth busy. Consider swapping candy for fruits and vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, grapes, oranges, and unsalted nuts that you can easily pop into your mouth when you feel an impending cigarette craving.

Think about how much money you’re saving

You’d be amazed how much money you will save when you aren’t buying cigarettes every week. In fact, a smoker who smokes a pack a day could save more than $2,000* in one year if he/she quit smoking. Deliberately putting this money aside can be a great motivator to continue the quit journey. It also frees up some cash to reward yourself once you hit certain quitting milestones.

*Based on the average cost of $6.00 per pack. Does not include the cost of nicotine replacement therapy.

Focus on your “why”

Whether you decided to quit smoking for your health, your family, or your future, your reason “why” can help you stay focused on the importance of continuing your quit journey. In moments of weakness, try concentrating on your reasons for quitting smoking, and slowly, you’ll be empowered to stay quit.

Stay positive

We know it’s difficult to stay upbeat when you’re trying to quit smoking. The cravings and change in lifestyle can be hard on anyone. But with that said, it’s important to stay as positive as possible so that you don’t get down on yourself. If you slip up, it’s not the end of the world. Everyone’s quit is unique to them, so try to keep an optimistic outlook and take it day by day.

Remember how much money you’re saving

You’d be amazed how much money you will save when you aren’t buying cigarettes every week. In fact, a smoker who smokes a pack a day would save more than $2,000* in one year if he/she quit smoking! Deliberately putting this money aside can be a great motivator to continue the quit journey. It also frees up some cash to reward yourself once you hit certain quitting milestones.

*Based on average cost of $6.00 per pack. Does not include the cost of nicotine replacement therapy.

Take a deep breath

It may sound simple, but practicing deep breathing exercises is one of the best ways to reduce stress, which is an important skill to master while quitting smoking. When you notice a craving coming along, put both hands on your stomach so you can feel yourself breathe in and out. Inhale through your nose for five seconds, and then exhale through your mouth for at least five seconds. Think about your lungs filling up with clean oxygen while you expand your muscles, and slowly try to calm yourself to focus on your quit.

Change your routine

Sometimes a trigger will sneak up on you causing you to feel the urge to light up, “just this one time.” Try to avoid cravings by changing your routine. If you’re walking down the street and you feel a temptation, go into a store for a change of scenery. If you’re watching a movie that makes you think about cigarettes, change the channel. If you’re at your desk, thinking about taking a smoke break, get up for some water. Need more ideas on how to manage your triggers? Get inspiration from the “resist the urge checklist.”

Know your smoking triggers

Certain people, places, and experiences can spark a cigarette craving, so it’s important to recognize your triggers. Make a mental note every time an urge arises and for the first few weeks of your quit when you might be more susceptible to slip up, try to avoid them. Once you’ve identified your triggers, you’ll be better prepared to handle your temptation to smoke.

Slipping up doesn’t mean you’ve failed

If you slip up on your first quit smoking attempt, or have caved in a few times before, don’t give up. Statistics show that it can take some smokers multiple times to quit successfully. You haven’t failed, and in fact, remove the word “fail” from your vocabulary. Everyone’s path to being smoke-free is different, so it’s important to recognize that after a stumble, you can always start your quit journey again.