We’ve included page numbers for more detailed information on each topic if you would like to review the material more closely. Use the blank spaces at the end of the list to fill in temptations or roadblocks you need to watch for and any strategies you may have discovered on your own. Maybe you’ll want to highlight the ones that have been particularly useful to you.

Summing it Up: Staying Smoke-free

- You made a list of your reasons to quit smoking and put it in your purse or wallet to remind you of why staying smoke-free was and is important to you when the urge to smoke arises.

- You asked your family and friends for support and encouragement. You asked one of them to be your quitting coach and to work with you more closely, especially for when you need extra help or support.

- You monitored your smoking patterns and learned how to anticipate the situations that would be most tempting to you or pose the biggest roadblocks to staying off cigarettes

- You learned how to use relaxation exercises to cope with the stress or nervousness associated with quitting.

-You learned how to make healthy snack choices to fight cravings to smoke.

-You learned how to use physical activity to distract yourself from the urge to smoke and to replace your smoking habit with healthier ones.

-You practiced using positive self-talk to reinforce your resolve to quit smoking.

-You practiced saying no while keeping communication assertive and upbeat.

-You learned how to prepare for social situations in which people may be smoking.

When thinking about your personal roadblocks to quitting smoking, remember that there are different kinds. Some are mental and have to do with how you view your smoking habit. Others have to do with your social life and how much support you’ll have when you quit smoking.  Still others are related to what you think might happen if you quit, such as gaining weight or being irritableHere are examples of some common roadblocks people face when trying to quit.

-Weight gain

You could gain weight and it can turn out to be a real problem. But there are many ways you can avoid or minimize that gain with healthy eating habits and by making physical activity a bigger part of your life.

-Smoking is part of my routine.

Routines are not set in stone. Experimenting even slightly with your daily routines by adding new, healthier activities such as walking, reading a book, or trying a new hobby, will take you out of your smoking rut and other unhealthy activities.

-My friends all smoke and it will be too hard to stop around them.

Spending time with friends who smoke can make it hard for you to quit. The same goes for members of your family. Try getting their support ahead of time. Tell them how important it is for you to quit and how they can help. They will be impressed by your resolve and may even want to join you.

-When I don’t smoke, I feel fidgety, like I need to do something with my hands.

Try to focus your attention on other things. You can keep your hands busy by cooking, gardening, sewing, writing a letter, or munching on a carrot or celery stick. You may also want to try the relaxation exercise it can do wonders for calming you and helping you regain your sense of well-being.

-I get nervous and irritable without smoking.

Nervousness and irritability can be overcome. Physical activity can improve your mood and leave you with an overall sense of well-being. Use the relaxation exercise to get you through the tense moments and cravings.

-Smoking gives me extra energy and keeps me going.

There are other things you can do to boost your energy level. Physical activity is a great way to get re-energized and can build your stamina over time. A balanced diet full of vitamins and nutrients can also keep you at a good energy level.

-There are a lot of problems in life.

Many smokers have other stress in their lives besides quitting smoking. If you are going through or recovering from a major loss or problem, this may not be the best time to quit. And you might still want to adopt some of the physical activity and healthy diet recommendations so you can feel you are being good to yourself. Changes in these areas can pave the way to eventually quitting smoking.

There is no “right time” to quit smoking. Quitting is tough, but, 49 percent of all smokers have done it and you can too. Also, quitting can make you feel more positive. You may find that some of the tools you use to quit smoking can help you tackle other problems.

Physical activity is one of the best ways to work on both your health and your appearance. There are countless benefits to being active, including the fact that it can help you stay smoke-free and manage your weight. Many people get caught in the cycle of quitting, gaining weight, and going back to smoking because of the weight they gain. But you can use physical activity to avoid or at least minimize that weight gain, while working on quitting your smoking habit for good.

Focus more closely on physical activity and how it can help you if you are struggling to quit smoking or if you have already quit and trying to stay smoke-free. One of the ways that physical activity helps is by giving you something to do instead of smoking. When some people quit, they feel that something important has been taken away from them. For the time right after quitting smoking, an electronic cigarette can ease your suffering until you are not struggling so much, any more.

One of the best ways to get over that feeling of loss is to fill those empty spaces with new habits and activities. Physical activity is a great alternative because it can be fun and it’s incompatible with smoking; you simply can’t smoke when you are walking, jogging, swimming, playing tennis, gardening, or housecleaning. Physical activity can help get you through some difficult times, such as when you are really craving a cigarette, feeling irritable and/or stressed out.

Research has shown that regular, vigorous physical activity can help people to stay off cigarettes and manage their weight. We also know that even moderate-intensity activity can help to manage your weight and is likely to help you stay smoke-free. Now this doesn’t mean that you have to immediately start on a vigorous exercise program.

Increasing your level of physical activity can be tough, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve been active. Don’t feel bad if you need to start out slowly; most people do. Or, if you are moving forward but need to take a couple of steps back, don’t be too concerned, this is very common. The important thing is that you build up to a regular exercise routine that fits your lifestyle.

Keep in mind that becoming more active does not have to be painful. There are obstacles, but they can be overcome by planning ahead of time. We will help you find simple ways to fit physical activity into your life that don’t require too much time or money. You can start by stepping up the things you already do, such as taking an extra lap around the mall when you go shopping or parking a little farther away from the grocery store and walking the extra distance. This can help you build up to a more vigorous level when you are ready.